Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Hello,

Airspeed Envoy F-APPQ (c/n 69) from Air Pyreenes was lost during the spring of 1937. It was piloted by Leopold Galy and was shot down by Nationalist fighters near Bermea and force-landed near Sopelana. The pilot was wounded in the head and one of the passengers; Mrs. Antonia Larranago, suffered a broken clavicle while the remaining three passengers stayed unhurt.

According to some sources, the aircraft was shot down by Italian fighters from 26a Squadriglia on 26 April 1937 while other sources claimed that it was shot down by Heinkel He 51s on 26 May 1937.

Is there anyone, who can verify the correct date?

Best wishes/Håkan

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Hakan,

Dutch newspapers of that time report the incident with the Air Pyrenees with dates at end of May 1937, so 26 May 1937 is most likely.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Hello Leendert!

Thanks for the reply!

//Håkan

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

The only Luftwaffe claim pertaining to an Airspeed Envoy that I can find is Harro Harder's claim for a "French Twin-Engined" on 7th September, 1937. Could this claim at all pertain to the loss....?

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Hello Nick,

Harder's claim was in September but all available material points that the Envoy was lost in April-May. The He 51s could have been flown by Spanish pilots since at least Salas claimed two victories in April flying the He 51.

//Håkan

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Hakan,

Went thru old (Dutch) newspapers again. Pilot reported that the Envoy was followed by three Nationalist aircraft, later by five a/c. Because of own engine noise pilot wasn't aware at first that he was being shot at.
Envoy made a crash-landing near Sopelana at around 11 a.m., the stories go. Passengers numbered five, with the only women on board getting wounded other than the pilot.
Newspapers also mention that "according to experts the attacking machines were Heinkels".

Reports on the ground even mention the presence of seven Heinkels.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Hello again Leendert!

Nice find!

//Håkan

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

The only Luftwaffe claim pertaining to an Airspeed Envoy that I can find is Harro Harder's claim for a "French Twin-Engined" on 7th September, 1937. Could this claim at all pertain to the loss....?

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Apparently not. Went thu online Dutch newspaper archives again (kranten.delpher.nl) and found an article of 9 Sep 1937 which says, translated:

French airliner shot down by Rightists - Pilot killed.
It is learnt that an airliner of the French company Air Pyrenees, of which the French pilot Abel Guidez was the sole occupant and which had left Parme airfield near Biarritz yesterday at 16.50 hrs., was chased by a rightist squadron. When it was in sight of Gijon, the French airplane crashed in flames under fire of machineguns close to the town of Riba de Cella. The pilot was killed in the flames.

And a few days later the newspapers report that Air Pyerenees had ceased operations over the area due to the increased dangers....

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

The Sept. 1937 incident involved F-AQCS, an Airspeed A.S. 6 Envoy.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

The best candidate to claim this "air victory" would be the Nationalist fighter unit located nearest to the place where attack happened. To find it out requires some work but I believe that there are people with knowledge to be found from forums related to Spanish Civil War.

I looked upon my books and I could not find a Italian Chirri unit or Legion Condor unit to be credited with this one.

It may be extremely difficult to find a claimer for this air victory. No one likes to confess to have shot down a civilian plane and it does not make good for propaganda image.

A wild idea: did they really identify the attacking fighters to have Nationalist markings without any doubt?

Re: Loss off Airspeed Envoy piloted by Leopold Galy in 1937
 

Hi Leendert,

Do you have any details of the crew and their fate?

Nick