While researching his history of ZG 76, author Peter Kaššák came across a unique gun camera video from this unit. It was filmed by Ofw. Walter Karbstein of 2./ZG 76 on Sunday 2 April 1944. On this date, Bf 110 Gustavs of I. and III. Gruppe of ZG 76 were scrambled from Ansbach and Öttingen and participated alongside crews of II./ZG 1 in the defensive actions over the Reich as US bomber formations flew a major raid on targets in Austria and Yugoslavia, including the ball-bearing plant at Steyr. Some 28 Bf 110 Gs were airborne at 09:15 and, upon return at about midday, reported just one claim that would be confirmed - Walter Karbstein's attack on a lone B-17. Karbstein was in 2. Staffel, but flew his attack in cooperation with others. His victim was likely destroyed southwest of Linz at 5000 meters at about 11:15. Thanks to the Eric Zemper Collection of the 457th BG Association we can see this action on a short gun camera video clip - Karbstein's Bf 110 closes from astern on a lone B-17 which already appears to have had its port wing set on fire but continues to fly straight and level. Note the picture shake as the German pilot unleashes his salvos;
Just a short time after this action ZG 76 converted onto the Me 410 and battled against the 15th USAAF over the south of the Reich area. On one such sortie, flown on 27 June 1944, the Stab flight of Zerstörergeschwader 76 lost two machines - one of them was the Messerschmitt Me 410 B-2/U2 coded 'M8 + chevron 3', which crashed at Bánhida in Hungary. The crew, consisting of pilot Ofw. Walter Karbstein and his Bordfunker Uffz. Ernst Keller, were both killed.
A civilian photo of Walter Karbstein taken when he entered military service
This material does not appear in the recent book published by Peter Kaššák and M. Žatkovič entitled 'Zerstörergeschwader 76 - History of the German Luftwaffe unit 1939 - 1945'.
Since publication Peter's book has received excellent reviews from Luftwaffe and airwar history enthusiasts - " one of the best texts on a Luftwaffe unit of the past 10-20 years.." It is a high quality 'print-on-demand' title, available at the lulu.com book store and previously reviewed on this blog here.
The Eric Zemper collection can be found at https://457thbombgroupassoc.org