but their opponents are unknown. On 2 September Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3—3rd Bomber Wing) Dornier bombers were operating off Deal when No. 72 Squadron engaged; Bf 110s were reported to be present among the German escorts and the fight developed over Maidstone. ZG 76 were known to operational for the wing reported one destroyed and two damaged in air combat. ZG 2 and ZG 26 were also active reporting heavier losses—four each. The burden of operations on 3 September fell to ZG 2 and ZG 26 which reported the loss of seven and two severely damaged in total. ZG 76 claimed its 500th air victory on this date, becoming the first Luftwaffe unit to do so. Grabmann had claimed 13 aerial victories in the war so far; two on this date. The following day, 6./ZG 76 of III. Gruppe were involved in a strategic bombing operation. The OKL issued orders on 1 September to bomb British fighter factories. The staffel flew as escort for Erprobungsgruppe 210 fighter-bombers towards Sussex, crossing the coast at Littlehampton with the objective of attacking the Brooklands factory. A simultaneous operation by 70 Do 17s and 200 Bf 109s began attacks against Canterbury, Faversham, Reigate, Redhill and Eastchurch. The formation of 20 bomb-carrying Bf 110s and their ZG76 escort were spotted by the Royal Observer Corps near Guildford at . No. 253 Squadron from Kenley was ordered to intercept. However the Erprobungsgruppe 210 fighter-bombers reached the target unmolested, but overflew the Hawker factory, and hit the Vickers works destroying the machine shops and assembly sheds for the Vickers Wellington bomber. The area was devastated and took four days to clear the rubble. 700 factory workers became casualties; 88 were killed. The specific target, the Hawker assembly plant escaped untouched and the fighter-bombers escaped without loss. However, their escort from ZG76 were bounced by the 253 squadron Hurricanes as they fled south. Several were shot down over West Clandon, West Horsley and Netley Heath on the North Downs above Shere. Only one crew member, a rear gunner, managed to bail out, and he was treated for his wounds by the doctor in Ripley, Surrey. Other Bf 110 units suffered losses in the day's fighting. LG 1 lost four and one damaged, ZG 2 suffered damage to one aircraft. Zerstörer pilots and crew were, by 5 September at least, aware of their precarious position in the skies over