4 fatalities

World War II Aircraft Loss over Orel Due to Anti-Aircraft Fire (V4+AS)

Orel, RussiaFlight

On July 5, 1943, a Junkers JU.88 (registration V4+AS) operated by German Air Force - Deutsche Luftwaffe was involved in an aviation accident near Orel, Russia in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft fire. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

A military aircraft was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft defenses near Orel, resulting in the deaths of all four crew members on board.

What happened

During a mission over the Orel region, the aircraft came under attack from ground-based defenses. The plane was struck by fire from Soviet Flak units, which caused it to lose control and crash into the terrain below. The impact resulted in the total loss of the airframe. All four individuals on board perished in the incident, leaving no survivors.

Findings

The official investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the engagement by enemy anti-aircraft artillery. The aircraft was effectively destroyed by the concentrated fire from the Soviet Flak positions, leading directly to the fatal crash.

Probable cause

The aircraft was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft fire.