Date & Time: Jun 26, 1940 at 0017 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
5J+BL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wittmundhafen - Wittmundhafen
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew departed Wittmundhafen on a mission to Birmingham. While approaching the British coast at night, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the mouth of the Humber off Grimsby. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (3. Staffel I/KG 4):
Lt Helmut Furcht, pilot,
Hptm Heinz Schröder, observer,
Ofw Martin Hartel, wireless operator,
Fw Eugen Seitz, engineer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an RAF fighter.