Battle of the Channel: Ju87B-1, Helmut Mahlke, III./St.G.1 (Airfix 1:48)

[MattG]

Welcome to my second project of this group build.  This will be one with a personal connection, more on that shortly. 

 

Eighty years ago today marks what was once known as the start of the Battle of Britain.  On this date the Luftwaffe's main target was Convoy PEEWIT, which attracted three sizable Stuka raids.  The 24 ships had sailed from Southend in the early morning of 7th August 1940 and were first spotted by the Germans off Wissant that afternoon.  The convoy was subjected to persistent and determined attacks, first by E-boats early in the morning of 8th August (in which three merchant ships were sunk), and then by Stukas throughout the day (which sank three more merchant ships and one Royal Navy escort).  Many more ships were damaged by the time the convoy dispersed west of the Isle of Wight in the evening of 8th August.

 

One of the pilots who participated in these attacks was Helmut Mahlke, Gruppenkommandeur of III./St.G.1.  Mahlke was an experienced pilot having flown a number of missions in the Battle of France and early int he Battle of Britain.  He flew twice on this day, in the early morning raid in which several ships were sunk as they attempted to join the convoy, and then on the evening raid.  By this time however cloud thwarted the Stukas, and the attack was largely unsuccessful.  Mahlke also participated in the 16th August attacks on airfields on the south coast, leading the attack on Lee-on-Solent.

 

Finally to the personal connection.  In 1941 Mahlke and his unit were posted to the Mediterranean and participated in the attacks on Crete.  One of these attacks, on 27 May 1941, was on Heraklion.  From what I can gather from my research (as he didn't like discussing the war), my grandfather was part of the British forces fighting around Heraklion at this time and he did talk about being dive-bombed by Stukas. I think although there were other Stuka units operating over Crete at the time, it could well have been Mahlke's unit's attack he was referring to.  Unfortunately my Grandfather's unit was surrounded by the Germans after the the units on either side of his unit withdrew without informing his.  He was captured and spent the remainder of the war as a POW.

 

Mahlke was later to brilliantly describe his memories in the fascinating book "Memoirs of a Stuka Pilot".  I happen to have decals for this aircraft courtesy of some old Italeri markings for an aircraft from Mahlke's Staffel, plus a couple of other letters from the spares box. Here's his aircraft, J9+AH.

 

 

If you're familiar with Luftwaffe codes you may question the use of the codes "J9" for St.G.1 and the suffix "H" (as I did) - normally St.1G.1 carried the codes "A5".  There is a simple explanation.  This Gruppe was formed from I.(St.)/186(T), a unit originally formed as a naval dive bombing unit formed to operate from an aircraft carrier.  Prior to taking over III. Gruppe, Mahlke was Staffelkapitan of 2.(St.)/186(T), hence the "J9" prefix and the naval emblem.  Mahlke apparently flew this aircraft regularly until well into 1941 still with these markings, when it was damaged in an attack on Malta.

 

I'll be back with a progress update and some photos soon!

Matt

[Greg Law]

Excellent.  I've been looking for a reference to  Mahlke's Stuka. I think this was the one he borrowed from another pilot and damaged it when in the Med. I will be interested to hear your information about it being his usual one. There seems to be a bit of confusion about it. 

[MattG]

My statement that J9+AH was “apparently Mahlke’s regular aircraft” is an educated assumption based on a few things, hence my caveat “apparently” his! Certainly Mahlke’s book implies pilots in his Staffel their “own” regular aircraft.

 

Mahlke’s book mentions a J9+AH twice - the photo I posted earlier dated 13 August 1940 (although it doesn’t actually say it’s “his” aircraft), and an excerpt from his logbook stating he was flying an aircraft with this code over Malta in 1941. Of course it could be that this was a replacement J9+AH, but Mahlke doesn’t mention any damage to his aircraft between these times so it may well be the same aircraft. Also, Staffel and Gruppe commanders seem to have a habit of flying aircraft coded “A”.

 

The caption in the profile I posted earlier seems to confirm this, although I am well aware that some profiles are much better researched than others. It’s close enough for me anyway this time!

 

Matt

1 hour ago, Greg Law said:

Excellent.  I've been looking for a reference to  Mahlke's Stuka. I think this was the one he borrowed from another pilot and damaged it when in the Med. I will be interested to hear your information about it being his usual one. There seems to be a bit of confusion about it. 

 

[Greg Law]

Anyway good luck with it. I will be doing the same one most likely next year. What kit and scale are you doing? 

[MattG]

Right, as promised here's the first progress update, but first the obligatory shots of what I'm building.  It's an Airfix 1/48 Ju87B-1 with photo-etch parts (Eduard), paint mask (Eduard), camouflage paint mask (AML) and resin exhausts (Quickboost).  And as previously mentioned, I'm planning on using some decals from an Italeri Stuka I built many years ago.

 

 

 

If you've built this Airfix Stuka kit before you'll know that the cockpit can go together very quickly!  Besides the usual interior painting (done with Humbrol RLM02) I've added a subtle wash consisting of RLM02 mixed with black and some thinners around the floor detailing, a bit of silver dry brushing, and some splashes of mud (Vallejo Mud & Grass).  I figured that as there was a wet start to August 1940, the cockpit was bound to get a bit mucky!

 

 

Now this is done I'll move onto the cockpit sides and see if I can't get the cockpit completed and installed in the next day or so.  

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Matt

 

 

[Greg Law]

Interesting approach to the build. The Stuka's in Mahlke"s group where B-1's with updated B-2 exhausts just like you are doing here.

[MattG]

On 8/10/2020 at 6:12 PM, Greg Law said:

The Stuka's in Mahlke"s group where B-1's with updated B-2 exhausts just like you are doing here.

That's down to good luck rather than good planning. I did know Mahlke's Gruppe flew B-1s, but not about the exhausts.  Thanks for the info!

[MattG]

More progress.  A few minutes here and there (and that really is all it's been in the last few days) and right now the Stuka looks like ... err, a Stuka. Well, a Stuka without cowlings and tail control surfaces and a tailwheel anyway. Those will go on shortly.  This is how it looks five days into the build.

 

 

Backtracking a little, here's the finished cockpit before and after installation, with Eduard photo-etch parts added.

 

 

 

Nothing to report here except superb fit and engineering so far.

 

Matt

 

[Greg Law]

Yes it's a nice kit. I enjoyed the build of my Desert Stuka.  By the way that was going to be this one until I changed my mind at the last minute. The only problem I had was Airfix's stupid idea for an open cockpit. I had real trouble masking and painting it.

By the way excellant build so far.

[MattG]

5 minutes ago, Greg Law said:

Yes it's a nice kit. I enjoyed the build of my Desert Stuka.  By the way that was going to be this one until I changed my mind at the last minute. The only problem I had was Airfix's stupid idea for an open cockpit. I had real trouble masking and painting it.

By the way excellant build so far.

Thanks Greg!  I must admit that's the one bit of this kit I'm not looking forward to!