Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Hello,

Can anyone help ID what I think is a French Bloch fighter SD during the Western Campaign of 1940. Has underwing code ?25.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1#ht_500wt_896

Thanks for any help.

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Looks like a Curtiss H-75 to me.
If X-825, it's Sgt Preux's machine (GC I/5) shot down and killed on 10 May.

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Chris,

Thanks! Do you know a location or the pilot's first name? Neither are provided in Cornwell's The BoF Then & Now, which also says he was only slightly burned on the face after bailing out. Do you have more details on this incident, so that we can correct this item?

Regards,

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Hi Larry!

Sorry, my mistake.
Edouard Preux only sustained facial burns after having bailed out during a clash with Bf 110s, but he never flew again during the campaign.
I have absolutely no idea where his aircraft crashed (BTW, its serial was 26). Paul Martin makes no mention of the place either.

Wishes.

Chris

PS - The French had the bad habit not to record first names.
PS2 - You may have a photograph of the Curtiss before its destruction.

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Hi Larry,

Sgt. Edouard Preux.

Robert

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Near Suippes, during a fight with 21 Do 17 and 6 Me ???, according to
http://penzinipilote.chez-alice.fr/p...mai%201940.htm
( with a pic of a Sgt E. Preux )
May be shot down by Do 17 gunners ? ( found nothing matching in Tony Wood's Combat Claims )

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Hello,

Thanks to all for your help. This answers my questions.

Regards,

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Hello,

Just a few more informations.
Nine Curtisses took off at 17h50 when Dornier 17s of III./KG 3 bombed Suippes. They claimed six of them, but Sgt Edouard Preux was shot down at the same time by a Messerschmitt 110 (this is what he wrote in his book "quand l'avion se pilotait"), so not so far from Suippes, but i don't know the location.
Not so badly injured, Edouard Preux was treated by the group doctor, and (sorry CJE, but you're right on one point, he did none other war mission after May 10th), on may 21th, went to Chantilly when he had to pick a H-75 (n°31) for his group. He took off at the beginning of the afternoon, but before he reached to St Dizier, the new GC I/5's airfield since May 14th, he had an engine failure, and landed in German lines where he was captured.
Just hope this could help.

Friendly,

Lionel Persyn

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

Just after sending my post, i had an idea ... and verified it...
Sorry again, CJE, this is not n°26 (X825) but n°125 (U025), i'm sure of it, landed by S/Lt Marcel Rouquette from the 1st escadrille of GC I/5 on 8th June near Pont de l'Arche.
Sorry for my mistake.

Lionel

Re: Seeing ID of crashed Bloch? probably shot down during the FC
 

I own this original photo, showing a Curtiss H-75 (identified by the German soldier as a "Hurricane" crashed by Gony?).

I can confirm that the second guess of Petitpoucet seems to be the right one, as the first two characters of the underwing code appear to be U0 (but not 100% sure).