ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 210077
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| Date: | Wednesday 6 December 1939 |
| Time: | 03:15 LT |
| Type: | Heinkel He 115B-1 |
| Owner/operator: | 3./Kü.Fl.Gr.506 Luftwaffe |
| Registration: | S4+BL |
| MSN: | Wk.Nr.2081 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | West Beach, Sheringham, Norfolk, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Sylt, Germany |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Heinkel He 115B 2081 "S4+BL", 3/Kü.Fl.Gr. 506, Luftwaffe: Written off (destroyed) 6/12/39 on combat operations and crashed onto the West Beach at Sheringham, Norfolk. All three crew killed:
Oblt z S Wolfgang Wodtke (aged 25) killed
Ofw Emil Rödel (aged 29) killed
Ofw Karl Ullmann (aged 31) killed
Aircraft was engaged on a mine laying mission flying across the wash to Sheringham. The Heinkel collided with the Chain Home Radio location (radar) mast at West Beckham, narrowly missed the Sheringham gas holder and finally crashed onto the West beach a short distance from the lifeboat house at 3.15 am.
The locals salvaged what they could until a guard was placed. (The pilots seat was used in a fishing boat!). The plane was cleared up, and the petrol tanks sent to Farnborough as they were of the self-sealing type.
Had this aircraft crashed above the water mark it would have been the first enemy to crash on British soil in the Second World War.
Ofw Emil Rodel (aged 29) killed, buried with full military honours, Great Bircham Church, 9th Dec 1939.
Oblt z S Wolfgang Wodtke (aged 25) and Ofw Karl Ullmann (aged 31) were washed ashore later in December 1939 and were given a Full Military Honours funeral at Sheringham. After the war they were exhumed and re-buried at the Soldatenfriedhof German Cemetery, at Channock Chase, Staffordshire.
Cause of crash still obscure; the official German records noted "Possible icing or thunderstorm", which differs from the above account.
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939a.htm
2. https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?104851-Luftwaffe-Bomber-Tailwheel-History-and-ID&p=1663942#post1663942
3. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showpost.php?p=81905&postcount=4
4. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/a-slight-quirk-in-cwgc.69200/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Apr-2018 22:04 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 10-Dec-2019 21:14 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 23-May-2023 17:48 | Nepa | Updated [[Operator, Operator]] |
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