For the invasion of Denmark and Norway, launched on 9 April 1940, five Do 26 seaplanes (V-1 to V-5) were brought together in the so-called Transozeanstaffel incorporated in 9./KGzbV 108. Among the pilots flying these machines were the 'cream' of the Lufthansa fleet : Rudolf « Miesi » Mayr, the Graf Schack von Wittenau, and later night fighter ace Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow among others. The Staffel was tasked with transporting troops, munitions and mail with particular responsibility for re-supplying the Narvik area which saw hard fighting between the Allies and General Eduard Dietl's Gebirgsjäger. I previously featured a rare personal account courtesy Jean-Louis Roba on this blog here
According to the seller this Do 26- named "Seekuh"and still displaying the emblem of the Transozeanstaffel (either the V-4 or V-6) - was used to evacuate civilians towards the end of the war. There were six V-series machines - two were still in service with the Erprobungsstelle Travemünde during 1944, while the other four had all been lost in accidents by that time. " Die "Seekuh" ist eine der beiden letzten Maschinen!" On offer here
-Do 26 V-1 (Seeadler ; WNr. 791), ex D-AGNT = P5+AH ;
-Do 26 V-2, (Seefalke ; WNr. 792), ex D-AWDS = P5+BH ;
-Do 26 V-3, (Seemöwe ; WNr. 793), ex D-ASRA = P5+CH.
-Do 26 V-4 (Seebär ; WNr. 794), P5+DH. first flight 25 Jan 1940 (temporary code P5+DF) ;
-Do 26 V-5 (WNr. 795), P5+EH. First flight 24 Jan 1940
-Do 26 V-6 (WNr. 796), P5+FH. First flight 29 Jul 1940.
The Do 26 V-5 P5+EH crashed on 16 November 1940 shortly after being catapulted from the Friesenland, off the coast of Brest, killing the six crew (among them, DLH pilot Lt Otto Emmerich).
During June 1943 the V-6 flew the mission to 'rescue' the personnel of meteorological station 'Holz Auge' on Greenland. The last record of the two surviving Do 26s, the V-4 or V-6, is dated May 1944. Roba writes, "Neither aircraft was captured by the Allies, so we have to assume that both machines were either destroyed before the end of the war, possibly in an Allied bombing raid, or scrapped".
More on this machine at the LRG here
