Heinz Knoke Blenheim October 31, 1942

Hi Franck,The Blenheim probably belonged to a Coastal Command unit.
No Blenheim of Bomber Command was lost that date.

During a mission above La Manche two Blenheims of the 139-th Squadron were lost.
The R3704 P/O WILSON and V6253 P/O GALT, quite two died so probably as their crews.
Names of which are unknown me.
Having no date of these facts I shall wish to discover it, as well as precise hour and mission.

KNOKE mentions that two Blenheims were shot down this day on four presents.

Several possibilities exist because the identification of the twin-engined plane by KNOKE is indistinct. Name BLENHEIM can cover some type of planes in service at the time. If one bases himself on the English twin-engined planes dedicated to the attacks of maritime convoies in The Chanel it can involve a BLENHEIM, a BEAUFORT, a BEAUFIGHTER or a WELLINGTON.

Description of this victory by Heinz Knoke and collected information :

Heinz Knoke's Flightbook mission 124 left page

Heinz Knoke's Flightbook mission 124 right page

Warning !
To facilitate the reading, lines of Heinz Knoke's flightbook, appearing above, were modified with small computing assembly.
If the disposal is not in accordance with the original, the main thing of the information, namely the mission 124 of October 31, has no change.

	Heinz Knoke Informations	Personal comments
Source	I flew for the f... page 76
Date	October 15, 1942
Type of claimed plane	Blenheim	If one bases himself on the English twin-engined planes dedicated to the attacks of maritime convoies in The Chanel it can involve a BLENHEIM, a BEAUFORT, a BEAUFIGHTER or a WELLINGTON. The plane may belong to Coastal Command.
Place of the interception	10 minutes north of Wangerooge airfield.
Crash Location	Square Anton-Quelle 3 on reference map.
Presumed mission Luftwaffe	Convoy escort patrols in conjunction with the navy.
Schedule	Takeoff : 14.16	Victory is situated probably round 14. 40
Weather report	Bad weather. Clouds at 3000 feet.
Knoke's Unit	2./JG1
Knoke's Plane		Lt. KNOKE's Bf 109 F-4, black 1, Jever, September 1942. It show the I./JG1 Maltese cross under the cockpit. First G-1 equipping at the same time 2. / JG1 it is not sure that this plane was used by KNOKE on October 31, 1942.
Description of the fight	I take off with lieutenant GERHARD ... within 10 minutes I join the convoy. Off to the North the comrades are engaged in a brisk dog-fight with four Blenheims. One of them is in flames, and a few seconds later crash into the sea ... ... I prepare to attack the tail-end Blenheim . After giving it a long burst of fire with all my guns, I notice that its right engine is on fire. It climbs steeply up into the low clouds, where nothing remains visible except a reddish glow. After I have landed, a report of one of our boat indicates fall, out of the overcast, of a Blenheim in flames. That aircraft must be mine and I am credited with.	4 Bf 109 (? F-4 ou G-1 ?) are already on the spot under DOBRIK's orders, reinforcements are KNOKE AND GERHARD. First Blenheim will be claimed by Uffz. BÖLTER from 1./JG1.

Luftwaffe' Official Victories on October 31, 1942.

Source : Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11 Tail 1 1939 - 1943 Jochen Prien, Peter Rodeike.

Rank / Pilot	Unit	Plane	Schedule
Uffz. Bölter	1./JG1	Blenheim	14.26
Lt. Knoke	2./JG1	Blenheim	~ 14h30 ~

October 31, 1942, 1st victory

Blenheim IV

progress of the search
3 Last update September 5 , 2001
Evaluation quality of information
2

October 31, 1942, 1st victory

Blenheim IV

progress of the search 3 Last update September 5 , 2001 Evaluation quality of information 2

progress of the search
3 Last update September 5 , 2001
Evaluation quality of information
2