28.04.2016

Rare reconnoissance aircraft in the far north, Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-3 of 1.(F)/124

Earlier this month the following very rare photos of aircraft of the 1.(F)/124 long range reconnoissance unit was sold on eBay.

When talking long range reconnoissance over the tundra of the northern flank of the Luftwaffe presence, we are usually talking about Junkers Ju 88 variants.

But the unit operated a small number of other makes and models only - and someone has obviously been able to copy the (my speculation) photos from the album of a technician of the unit, showing the only Messerschmitt Bf 110 operated by the unit.

Aircraft technician H. Märtens in the pilot seat of G2 + ZH of 1.(F)/124


The aircraft was a F-3 variant, as identified by the Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen for the unit. These records along with the strength returns of the unit show that it was operated by the unit from September 1942 and all the way through September 1943 when it was transferred to another unit.

Full side view of the single Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-3 operated by 1.(F)/124

Closeup of the code of G2 + ZH of 1.(F)/124

The emblem and code G2 + ZH clearly identify it as an aircraft of the unit

As the unit was stationed at Kirkenes in the far north, and the only other unit operating the aircraft type in this area was the 13.(Z)/JG 5, my speculation was that this unit took over the aircraft. As the unit did indeed receive a single Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-3 from another unit, I believe this is proof enough that this lone swallow in the 1.(F)/124 did indeed end up in the Zerstörer Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5.

It did not stay long in the unit, however, by the end of October 1943 it had already been transferred on to another unit. I have not been able to trace this yet, and it is highly likely that it was transferred to a training unit at this stage of its life.

02.04.2016

Altering and correcting a loss record

Hi, all!

It has been some time since my last blog entry - I will try to get more out this year. I just got myself a new Microsoft Surface Pro, which will help me to utilize more of my travelling time to do Luftwaffe research (and of course work...)

This post is going to be about one specific loss record in my database, but also and more importantly about the natural sceptisism we should have as researchers.

My team have, as you all probably know by now, more or less completed the entry of all available loss records for the Luftwaffe from the Gen.Qu.6.Abt. material into a relational database. This give us ample opportunity to analyze and cross reference with other sources.

My example today is a loss record from the document dated May 28th 1940. For those familiar with the loss record document from that period, the losses reported in a given document referred to the losses which occured two days previous unless the date is  - as the name of the document indicates:

Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden am 26.5.1940

Loss number 20 in this document relates to a He 59 of 1./706, which was strafed while it was lying at anchor after an emergency landing near Ålesund on the western coast of Norway.

We naturally registered this loss with a loss date of May 26th 1940, and it has been registered with this information until today. While reading through a new set of sources I came across the following two messages transferred from the 196 Infantry Division to the Armeegruppe XXI, Ia:

The first message read

Fernschreiben. 18.5.40 22.30 Uhr  

An Gruppe XXI, Ia

Heute deutsches Flugzeug, Hptm. Beitzke, bei Alsnes, 8 km westl. Alesund notgelandet. Nach Verständigung durch deutschen Konsul Aleshund mit Drontheim wurden 3 Mann von dort mit Flugzeug abgeholt.

196. Inf. Div. Ic

and the second

Fernschreiben. 19.5.40 12.50 Uhr  

An Gruppe XXI, Ia


Gestern bei Alesund notgelandet "He 59". Hptm. Beitzke, heute morgen durch zwei englische Flugzeuge mit Maschinengewehr zum Sinken gebracht.

196. J.D. Ic

So - after reviewing this new information the loss record was altered to read as seen here:

Loss record in the loss database

The next natural step is to see if I have any Kriegstagebuch entries for the given date that I have yet to review - in order to see if I can find more information on the aircraft and crew, and I would also like to try to identify the aircraft that attacked the moored He 59.