Dornier Do 17 part 3
In the early evening aircraft of III./KG 2 were sent to the targets concentrated around Charleville. Over the target, the bombers met strong and accurate anti-aircraft fire; six crew members were injured - the pilot of one of the Dorniers, Ofv. Chilla died of his injuries the same day in a Luftwaffe field hospital. One bomber from 7./KG 2 (Fw. Klöttchen) was shot down and its crew captured. Two more, including the command aircraft of 9./KG 2, Oblt. Davids, were heavily damaged and forced to make an emergency landing at Biblis Airport. In the Vouzier area, Groups I and II./KG 3 were intercepted by Hawk C.75 fighters from GC II./2 and GC III./7 and Hurricanes from 501 Squadron RAF. Allied fighters shot down three Do 17 Z bombers and damaged two more.
On May 13 and 14, 1940, units of the Wehrmacht, with the support of the Luftwaffe, captured bridgeheads on the other side of the Meuse in the Sedan area. The crews of the Do 17 Z belonging to KG 2 distinguished themselves in action, as they bombarded the French positions with particular accuracy. Concentrated French air defense fire resulted in the loss of one aircraft of 7./KG 2 and damage to six more. Do 17 Z crews from KG 76 were also very active; six bombers were damaged by ground fire.
Do 17 Z bombers were also active on 15 May 1940. Around 8 a group of about 00 Dornier Do 40 Z belonging to I. and II./KG 17, escorted by several twin-engined Messerschmitt Bf 3 Cs from III./ZG 110, attacked, was abandoned near Reims by a Hurricane of 26 Squadron RAF. The Messerschmitts repulsed the attack, shooting down two British fighters and losing two of their own. While the escort was busy fighting the enemy, the bombers were attacked by Hurricanes of 1st Squadron RAF. The British shot down two Do 501 Z, but lost two aircraft and themselves, lined with fire from deck anti-aircraft gunners.
Just before 11:00 am, seven To 17 Zs of 8./KG 76 were attacked by No. 3 Squadron RAF patrolling in the vicinity of the Namur Hurricanes. The British shot down one bomber for the loss of two aircraft. One of them was shot down by German bomber deck gunners, and the other was credited to his account by Lieutenant W. Joachim Müncheberg of III./JG 26. In the late afternoon, 6./KG 3 lost another Do 17, shot down over Luxembourg by Allied fighters. That day, the main targets of KG 2 air raids were railway stations and installations in the Reims area; three bombers were shot down by fighters and two more damaged.
Having broken through the front at Sedan, the German army began a swift march to the coast of the English Channel. The main mission of the Do 17 was now to bomb the retreating Allied columns and groups of troops that were concentrating on the edges of the German corridor in an attempt to counterattack. On May 20, the armored forces of the Wehrmacht reached the banks of the canal, cutting off the Belgian army, the British Expeditionary Force and part of the French army from the rest of the forces. On May 27, the evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk began. The Luftwaffe faced a difficult task as the Dunkirk area was within range of RAF fighters based in the east of England. Early in the morning a Do 17 Z belonging to KG 2 appeared over the target; the action was remembered by Gefru. Helmut Heimann - radio operator in the crew of the U5 + CL aircraft from 3./KG 2:
On May 27, they took off at 7:10 from Gainsheim Airport for an operational flight in the Dunkirk-Ostend-Zebrugge area with the task of stopping the retreat of British troops from France. After an endless arrival at our destination, we ended up there at an altitude of 1500 m. The anti-aircraft artillery fired very accurately. We loosened up the order of the individual keys a bit, starting with light dodges to make it harder for shooters to aim. We arrived on the right in the warehouse of the last key, which is why we called ourselves “Kugelfang” (bullet catcher).
Suddenly, I saw two fighters pointing straight at us. I immediately shouted: “Look out, two fighters from the back on the right!” and get your gun ready to fire. Peter Broich let off the gas to close the distance to the car in front of us. Thus, the three of us were able to fire on the militants. One of the fighters attacked with unprecedented fury, despite our defensive fire and continuous anti-aircraft fire, and then flew right over us. When it bounced off us with a tight twist, we saw its lower lobes painted white and black.
He made his second attack from right to left, shooting at the last key in line. Later, he again showed us the bows on his wings and flew away with his comrade, who covered him all the time without engaging in battle. He no longer saw the consequences of his attacks. After a successful hit, we had to turn off one of the engines, disengage from formation and rush back.
We fired a flare over the Moselle-Trier airport and began the landing maneuver. The whole glider rumbled and swayed in all directions, but, despite only one engine running and tires pierced by bullets, Peter smoothly put the car on the belt. Our brave Do 17 landed over 300 hits. Due to the detonation of the wrecked oxygen tanks, some debris was stuck in my chest, so I had to go to the Infirmary in Trier.
Four keys of III./KG 17 Do 3 Z, which were strafing fuel tanks to the west of the port, were taken by surprise by a surprise attack by a Spitfire squadron. Without hunting cover, the bombers had no chance; within minutes, six of them were shot down. At the same time returning to the base Do 17 Z from II. and III./KG 2 were attacked by Spitfires of No. 65 Squadron RAF. British fighters shot down three Do 17 Z bombers and three more were badly damaged.
