as we all know during "Operation Wikinger" they were attacked by He111's of II/KG26 in error on 22 Feb 40, 3 bombs hit "Maass" and in taking evasive action both warships ran onto a minefield recently laid by 2 British destroyers, 578 men killed.
Can anybody name the crews of the II/KG26 ????
thanks
Pete
Loss of destroyers "Leberecht Maass" & "M
LEBERECHT MAASS and MAX SCHULTZ
According to Koop & Schmolke: "Die Deutschen Zerstoerer" the incident occurred in the swept channel of the German North Sea mine barrier. It seems that the evidence of destroyer commanders and aircrew conflicted, to the best of my memory the times did not match, the destroyer logs did not coincide as to time and circumstances, it was a moonlit night and the six destroyers were in a line with only a few hundred metres between each, the aircrew stated that they attacked a single ship alone and were not fired upon. There was clearly a cover-up of some kind and this was probably the reason why the Luftwaffe crews' identities were kept secret at the time and subsequently.
According to Koop & Schmolke: "Die Deutschen Zerstoerer" the incident occurred in the swept channel of the German North Sea mine barrier. It seems that the evidence of destroyer commanders and aircrew conflicted, to the best of my memory the times did not match, the destroyer logs did not coincide as to time and circumstances, it was a moonlit night and the six destroyers were in a line with only a few hundred metres between each, the aircrew stated that they attacked a single ship alone and were not fired upon. There was clearly a cover-up of some kind and this was probably the reason why the Luftwaffe crews' identities were kept secret at the time and subsequently.
According to
http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ ... ture4.html
it was "He111 with the identification markings 1H + IM, commanded by Feldwebel Jäger" involved.
http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ ... ture4.html
it was "He111 with the identification markings 1H + IM, commanded by Feldwebel Jäger" involved.
Thanks for that guys, maybe somebody knows the situation with the operational records of II/KG26, I suspect that the mission records might have survived in Bundesarchiv MA, I had always thought that several aircraft attacked.
Thanks to Kirill - I now have a name to work with.
Is it snowing there already my friend ??
Thanks to Kirill - I now have a name to work with.
Is it snowing there already my friend ??
[quote="Iltis"]Thanks to Kirill - I now have a name to work with.
Is it snowing there already my friend ??[/quote]
You are welcome, Iltis.
Strangely for us, but there isn't snowing yet
By the way, there were published two articles in "Marine Rundschau" on the theme:
Gerhard Hummelchen, Der Untergang der Zestorer Z.1 und Z.3. Marine Rundschau 2-1958
Von zwanzig jahres 22-23.2.40. Marine Rundschau 1-1960
Best regards from Russia,
Kirill
Is it snowing there already my friend ??[/quote]
You are welcome, Iltis.
Strangely for us, but there isn't snowing yet
By the way, there were published two articles in "Marine Rundschau" on the theme:
Gerhard Hummelchen, Der Untergang der Zestorer Z.1 und Z.3. Marine Rundschau 2-1958
Von zwanzig jahres 22-23.2.40. Marine Rundschau 1-1960
Best regards from Russia,
Kirill
