• 10./Jagdgeschwader 54 (II./JG 26)

• Ogefr. Heinrich Zenker, KIA

• Pilot recoverd by BAHA, now buried at Lommel

• Shot down over Veurne, Brikkerijstraat, June 13, 1943

• Engine, nose and tail section, missing pilot recovered November 8, 1998

• Pilot buried in February 1999 at Lommel

June 13, 1943 was an important day for the freshly arrived 56 Fighter Group. This Thunderbolt unit was led by Col. Hubert "Hub" Zemke and flew that day over Flanders. All of a sudden, they saw a formation of Focke Wulfs below, which they interecepted. These were two planes flown by pilots of Jagdgeschwader 54 "Grünherz", which were send from the Eastern Front to reinforce the well known Jagdgeschwader 26. This unit had to deal every day with the increasing Allied air forces.

Zemke scored his two first victories. One of them, Karl-Heinz Bächer, was able to bale out and survived.

Simulation made by Daniël Brackx.

But the Focke Wulf with Werknummer 6795 plunged steeply into the earth, near Veurne. The German recovery team tried to find the remains of the pilot, Ogefr. Heinrich Zenker, but in vain.

In 1998 BAHAAT member Dirk Decuypere was able to trace the location of this incident. On November 8, 1998 the wreckage of the Focke Wulf was found, and the remains of the pilot. These were handed over to the authorities.

On February 1999, Heinrich Zenker finally was given a proper grave at the cemetery of Lommel.
The BMW-engine and other items are on display in the BAHA Collection Erembodegem.