Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

Hello again,
Here are some of the pictures that were given to me to look into for a friends family. They were taken by my friend's grandfather. He was an engineer in the ETO. He occupied enemy airfields and re-constructed them for Allied use. I have some pictures of a wide range of interesting German aircraft. All the pictures seem to date from early-mid Feb. 1945. I was hoping to find out as much as I can from the pictures if it is possible, and I would like to share them as well. Let me know about any comments. Sorry for the size, just wanted to leave the details in them.


"This Jerry plane crash landed on one of our 'dromes. Pilot was captured by G.B. men. I am sending you part of his parachute." Feb.4 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1c-1.jpg

Feb. 4 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1d-1.jpg

Feb. 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1e-1.jpg

Feb. 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1f-1.jpg

Feb. 4 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1g-1.jpg

Feb. 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1h-1.jpg

Feb. 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1l-1.jpg

Feb. 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1m-1.jpg

Feb. 4 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1n-1.jpg

Feb. 1945
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1r-1.jpg

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...5/WWII1t-1.jpg

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

See this thread for the second part. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=19699

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

“KMURPHY,”

Thank you for posting these great photos.

Fw 190 A-8 WNr. 171680, “?+ - Bk o/l W”, was found destroyed at St. Dizier, France

Bf 109 G “14+ - Yellow,” TT+ED (EO?), (behind the Bf 110s), was also found at St. Dizier, France

He 111 H SA+CQ (CO?), was abandoned at Bad Langensalza

That is about all I know about these.

Again, thank you for sharing them.

Steve Sheflin

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

Ju 52 "A7+HL" of Lufttransportgruppe Rangsdorf is said to have been found at Mons, Belgium.

Regards,
Christian

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

May be a very naive question to ask, but where do you find this kind of information available? Very interesting I think.

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

A major source is file AIR40/45 at the British National Archives. This is a series of reports about captured, abandoned and shot down enemy aircraft. These reports vary a lot in the detail given (a new kind of aircraft always gets lots of attention) but this file is a good place to begin (there are lots of other archive sources that people use to supplement the information though).

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

Hi:

I believe the Bf 110 G images are from St. Dizier. To the left is C9+AK and to the right C9+IK. In the background is a Bf 109 G, Yellow 14, which was applied over factory codes TT+EO.

Mark Proulx

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

How do you access these files if you don't mind me asking?

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

Also, on the first FW-190 pictured, in your opinion, what colors are the numbers on the fuselage, as well as the tail band by the
~ symbol? I have a hard time telling, but I would like to find out
more, but there are few markings to go by on that one. THanks.

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

KMURPHY,

You asked about the color of the markings and fuselage band of your beautiful Fw 190 A “17+ ~.” I have been thinking about it for a while.

First, knowing the location of the photo would be a great help. Barring that, lets assume that it was from a IV. Gruppe fighter unit, and what we see is actually an RV band. The band would be approximately 900 mm wide, displays a low gray value, and is slightly shiny.

The only Luftwaffe fighter units assigned single 900 mm RV bands are: JG 1 (red), JG 3 (white), JG 11 (yellow), JG 27 (green), JG 53 (black), and JG 54 (blue). JG 3’s white band is difficult to reconcile and can be eliminated. JG 27 and JG 53 are eliminated because they flew only Bf 109s. JG 1 and JG 11 can be eliminated because I believe they lacked IV. Gruppen. Finally, the unique shape of its wavy IV. Gruppe bar is typical of late war JG 54 aircraft. This suggests that “17+ ~” may have been from IV./JG 54, and carried a form of their blue RV band.

Its markings are more problematic. First, note that the gray value of its markings are darker than its supposedly blue fuselage band, but lighter than its all-black Hakenkreuze. Second, my JG 54 loss lists show only white, black, yellow, or blue markings. Third, photographs show that only 14./JG 54’s (black) and possibly 16./JG 54’s (blue) markings were outlined in white, while 13./JG 54’s white and 15./JG 54’s yellow numbers were not. Therefore, “17+ ~’s” markings were probably faded black, a form of blue, or less likely, green.

Steve Sheflin

PS: Has anyone been able to read the white script above the fuselage Balkenkreuz?
PPS: Does anyone know to what “captured by G.B. men” refers?

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

Hello,

cf. your PPS " captured by G.B. men"= by Great Britain men??

Best regards

ClinA-78

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

This would seem to have been written by an American and "Great British men" doesn't sound right. What "GB" units were there in an American outfit?
General, Grenade, Guards? Battalion, Brigade??

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

When my friends gave me copies of the pictures, they said that it was written on the back of the photo. I haven't the foggiest idea of what it means, but the family said that they did make dresses out of the parachute that was sent home. The guy in the photo (and the original owner of the album was in the 826th (EAB) Engineer Aviation Battalion, IX Engineering Command, so he was all over.) He was in France and Belgium and Germany. He mentioned being near a "famous gun factory in Belgium" that he got some rifles from (FN?). Do not know about the "G.B." part though.

Re: Derelict Aircraft at Airbase
 

Hello,

The "Fabrique Nationale" is situated in Herstal near Liège. Bierset airfield was about 5 miles W from Liège.
Best regards.