From Aug sorties were flown as far as Gibraltar, the Ju 88A-4s of FAGr , carrying two auxiliary fuel tanks, operated from Trapani or Cagliari and flew a direct route operating to the south of Malaga at a height of between seven and eight thousand metres.
Results from these sorties were considered to be good. However, there were quite a few failures due to engine problems that lead to aircraft returning early from their mission. For that reason two machines were sent out two hours after the first sorties had commenced, they received instructions from ground control to return if it was clear that the earlier aircraft were going to complete their mission. Koch were attached to FAGr. Aug β 4 F. The crew were instructed to land at Schiphol due to bad weather at Creil, the landing took place at Fighters were reported at No shipping was sighted and the aircraft landed back at Creil at The plane departed Creil at An aircraft of 3 F.
At At hrs an aircraft of 4 F. Between They were searching the western Mediterranean between the N. An aircraft of 4 F. Then at The staffel lost a Ju 88 damaged by Fleet Air Arm carrier aircraft during this operation. The convoy had in fact just reached the Straits of Gibraltar.
Six Ju 88s of 2 F. Elmas reported at hrs this left only 16m 3 of B4 fuel remaining. Good weather and a lack of Allied fighter interference enabled a complete picture of the sea activity in the area to be maintained. At hrs the six Ju 88s of 2 F. They were searching for Force F which was taking part in Operation Pedestal.
At Force F located by one of the Ju 88s of 2 F. The shadowing aircraft passed navigational instructions to the dive and torpedo bombers as they approached to attack the ships of the convoy. Another Bf , with an escort of another 3 Bf s, was over Valetta in mid-afternoon. This reconnaissance was successful apart for the fact that Valetta was partially obscured by cloud. These aircraft reported various sightings between Aircraft on the above sorties encountered fighters between There were other sighting which included: wreckage, coloured patches on the water and a submarine submerging.
