10 May There was security reconnaissance activity at several points along the Channel in the morning and early evening. A Ju 188 F-1 of 3.(F)/122, W.Nr. 280197 was shot down into the sea while Luftwaffe statistics include an aircraft of 5.(F)/123 shot down on operations.. Oberleutnant Gerhard Kaiser, Staffelkapitän of 5.(F)/123, was told to collect a Bf 109 H (converted from a G-5) from Guyancourt. The Staffel formally took over this aircraft six days later. 11 May Two Rotten from NAG 13 took the air early in the evening to scout the waters from Portsmouth to Falmouth. They came to within 56 km of Start Point and 25 km of the Lizard. 12 May At 0345 GMT a Beaufighter was fired on, but not hit, by what it reported as an Me 410 over the North Sea, about 150 km NNW of Amsterdam. Radio traffic suggested that the German was 3.(F)/122’s Ju 188 F6+EL which was on patrol at the relevant time. Two machines left Dinard and were tracked from mid-Channel at 0709 to 8 km south of Brixham before they turned back. At 1908 a Rotte was picked up 30 km west of Guernsey, the aircraft flying toward Start Point but turning back in the direction of Morlaix after just a few minutes. Only one plane from 4.(F)/123 was heard early in the evening, over the sea when it was warned of fighters south of the Isle of Wight. This limited and rather inconclusive activity produced a spate of casualties nevertheless: 0415 3./NAG 13 Bf 109 G-8, W.Nr. 710051, yellow 15: crashed on a practice flight, 30 km SW Laval, completely destroyed by fire. Uffz. Werner Eckert baled out. 0740 1./NAG 13 Bf 109 G-5, W.Nr. 110017, white 5: engine fire while blind-flying over Alderney. Pilot baled out safely. (Aircraft fitted with GM 1 and auxiliary tank)
? 1./NAG 13 Bf 109 G-5, 110076, white 11 (VP+RE): Ofhr. Kohlweg missing on an operation to the SW coast of England. 13 May There seems to have been no activity during daylight hours but an unusual flight took place during the night when, at 2348, an aircraft appeared 32 km SE Dunkirk. This contact flew out from the coast and continued to within 8 km Cap de la Hague and thence to 68 km west of Guernsey before turning back on a reciprocal course, then disappearing from radar at 0219. The British noted that something similar had last taken place on 1 May. Hauptmann Günther Troebs arrived in 1./NAG 13, having been transferred from NAG 12 as far back as 6 April. Stab NAG 13 took over Bf 109 G-6, W.Nr. 162071 from Guyancourt; it was fitted with 1 x MG 151/20 and 2 x MG 131 as well as IFF but lacked its Rb 12.5/7 x 9 camera. (This aircraft would be badly damaged in a crash at Chartres on 28 June; by then it was with 1./NAG 13 and reportedly marked black 1). The 3./NAG 13 received Bf 109 G-8, W.Nr. 710033 (yellow 5), W.Nr. 710033 and 710076 (yellow 11) following modifications carried out in Herzogenaurach. 14 May In the morning an aircraft of 4.(F)/123 was plotted to within 80–100 km of Portland Bill and St. Albans Head and crossing back over the French coast near Port-en-Bessin (between what would, come the invasion, would be OMAHA and GOLD Beaches) at 1116 GMT. It was plotted near Caen 18 minutes later and received landing instructions from 1132–1151. NAG 13 planned to send up two aircraft from Morlaix at 1700 and two more from Dinard half an hour after that. The former pair was headed for the Carlyon Bay area of Cornwall, the latter “to seaward.” No radio traffic was heard from either mission. The most rewarding of the day’s efforts was made by 4.(F)/123 that evening, a report being called in at 1910 of no fewer than 120 ships of 8–10,000 tons. These were said to be in line abreast groups of 10 to 15 vessels, proceeding slowly on an east to north easterly course between Shanklin and Selsey. They were being screened to the south by a large unit thought to be either a heavy cruiser or battleship. During the night photographic coverage of the area was attempted using flash bombs but nothing was seen. continued on next page … |
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