HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Hello,
On May 11th, 1940, a victory was counted as likely to the warrant officer Delarue and to the sergeant Mathieu from GCIII/7 . It was about a HE.111. Somebody knows the unit of HE.111 wich was fired by the two french aircraft (MS 406)?
The GC III / 7 was based to Vitry Le François.
Wich Lufwaffe's unit operated a bombardment in the sector?
Thank's for answer
Regards
Franck

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

11 May or 10 May-you contradict yourself!?

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Excuse-me. The good date is May, 11th, 1940
Regards

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Hello Peter
thank you very much for your answer.
The french patrol took off at 5.30 am and landed at 6.55. What time was it when the HE.111P was forced down?
Regards
Franck

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Hello again Franck,

A French 2e Bureau Report (SHAA 787) gives the time of the He111 landing as ‘vers 6 H.30 dans la region d’ILLANGE’ but please note this was reported as taking place on May 10, 1940. A subsequent report puts the location as ‘near Buzy’ which I take to be Buzy – Darmont, west of Conflans-en-Jarnisy, and thus a good deal closer to Vitry than the original location reported. The four crewmen all named in the French report were reported lost on May 11, 1940, in contemporary German records, which I chose to follow, but be aware that there is still considerable confusion in this case. It remains unlikely that this Heinkel has anything to do with the GC III/7 claims you are trying to identify.

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Thank's a lot Peter.
The Delarue-Mathieu's patrol job was to cover the airfield of Vitry . Did this He 111 came to bombard Vitry? In case of it, from where did they come from?
Regards
Franck
(sorry for my english)

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Hello Franck,

Your English is fine. The exact target for the He111 of 2./KG55 downed near Buzy was not established. However, I believe that 3./KG55 sortied to attack Avord airfield 02.45 - 05.20 (BST) on May 10, and Xaffervillers 03.30 - 05.35 (BST) next day which gives you an idea of the areas in which they were operating. At that time they were based at Baltringen.

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

2 / KG55 wasn't thus based to Leipheim until May 10th then to Schwaighofen on May 11th, isn't it?
Franck

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 11th, 1940
 

Franck,

I know it is not 100% confirmed, but I think Vitry-le-Francois was attacked around 06.00 BST by III./KG53. Three Heinkels returned damaged from the attacks by GC III/7.

Regards, Pieter

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Thank you very much Pieter for this answer One of these planes could be the one damaged by Delarue and Mathieu.
Do we know their serial numbers or registration?
regards
Franck

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Franck,

I./KG55 took off from Neuburg & Lichtenau for the dawn attacks on May 10, 1940, landing at the forward airfield at Baltringen after the first sortie. They moved to Malmsheim on May 15.

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Hi Peter
I'm speaking about II/KG 55 not I/KG 55. And the date I confirmed in last post is May 11th 1940.( see my N°3's post on 30th April 2008, 21:54)
Regards
Franck

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Franck,

1./KG55, 2./KG55, & 3./KG55 together form I./KG55. Over to you Pieter.

Re: HE.111 over Vitry le François -May, 10th, 1940
 

Sorry Peter but I do not know many think on Luftwaffe's organization .
For example, if I understood well, 1 / KG 55 is the first staffel of Gruppe I / KG55. The 2/KG55 is the second and 3/KG55 is the third.
How much is there staffel by gruppe?
Does every Kampgeshwader's gruppe contain the same number of staffel?
Regards
Franck