a 6 Squadron Hurricane was claimed on 11 April. On 14 April, 70 German aircraft along with support from 18 and 155 Gruppo, Regia Aeronautica, attacked Tobruk. 73 squadron lost one pilot killed against III./ZG 26, but three III./StG 1 crews were shot down and captured. A further attack triggered a battle with 3 RAAF; German records confirm the loss of one ZG 26 crew. ZG 26 were able to account for a No. 45 Squadron RAF Blenheim before Bf 109s from I./JG 27 arrived to carry the burden of fighter operations. On 25 April, III./ZG 26 reported the destruction of one Hurricane but lost Leutnant Oskar Lemcke when he collided with it. No. 274 Squadron RAF lost two pilots missing. In strafing attacks against Tobruk, ZG 26 lost another crew and a further pilot wounded on 1 May. III./ZG 26 supported the defeat of Operation Battleaxe in June 1941, though its pilots claimed a solitary aircraft shot down; on 17 June. The remainder fell to JG 27's Bf 109s. On 30 June, while escorting 20 Ju 87s, with 12 Italian fighters and 10 Bf 109s, five ZG 26 Bf 110s were engaged by No. 250 Squadron RAF and two crews were killed. On 11 or 12 another crew was lost in combat with 1 Squadron SAAF. On 21 August 1941, ZG 26 claimed four 2 Squadron SAAF Hurricanes that were seen to crash; Schultz-Dickow claiming the formation leader, in exchange for one crew killed. On 3 September, near Sollum, two Hurricanes from No. 451 Squadron RAF were intercepted by three III./ZG 26 Bf 110s and lost one pilot. III./ZG 26 had now claimed 33 aerial victories since their arrival in Africa. Large air battles took place in the build-up to Operation Crusader, which ultimately relieved Tobruk. On 15 November three III./ZG 26 aircraft were shot down over Allied territory attack airfields. One them was commanding officer Schultze-Dickow. Another Bf 110 piloted by Oberfeldwebel Swoboda landed in the desert to pick him up. During the month the group replenished its establishment and had three staffeln (7, 8 and 9) operating from Derna, Libya at the beginning of Crusader, the latter staffeln returning from Crete. On 20 November two crews were wounded and three Bf 110s were shot down in combat on 24 November resulting in the capture of two pilots, one from 8 and 9./ZG 26. The latter combat took