Date: 16th April 1941
Unit: 3 Staffel./Kampfgeschwader 53
Type: Heinkel He 111H-5
Werke/Nr.9370
Code: A1 + AL (second A in yellow).
Location: Bull Lane Bridge, Huby, Yorkshire, England.
Pilot: Feldwebel. Karl Heinz Menzel. - Captured.
Staffelkapitän: Hauptmann. Werner Horenz. - Captured.
Observer: Oberfeldwebel. Rudolf Lackner. - Captured.
Radio/Op: Unteroffizier. Oskar Seltmann. - Captured.
Flt/Eng: Feldwebel. Alfons Wachter. - Captured.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Started from Vitry en Artois at 22.00 hrs. to attack Belfast with one 1,000 kg HE and sixteen containers of thirty six incendiary bombs. Targets included electrical and aircraft factories to the north side of the Lough and the dock installations to the south. Twelve aircraft of the Gruppe flew over the North Sea and crossed the English coast at about 9,000 ft. The oil pressure in the port engine of this aircraft dropped off to zero so the pilot turned for home but the engine eventually caught fire so the observer jettisoned the bomb load before the crew baled out at 3,000 ft. and the aircraft dived into the ground, burning out.
RAF Intelligence Report A.I.(k) Report. (NA).
The scene of the crash pictured shortly after impact, smoke still rising from the crater, aircraft destroyed. (Parker).
The code letter “A” can clearly be seen on this piece of wreckage pictured beside this corporal. (Parker).
Soldiers inspect various armament found! (Parker).
Researched and compiled by Melvin Brownless. Special thanks to Nigel Parker for his help in constructing this page. February, 2016.
