Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

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- - New Oesau Foto (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=42844)

kaki3152

26th September 2015 15:29

New Oesau Foto

From an expired E-Bay auction;

Purportedly Obstltn Walter Oesau looking over a B-17 tail gunner position. There is something written on the surface, but I can't make it out.

Any comments?

VtwinVince

28th September 2015 00:13

Re: New Oesau Foto

Certainly could be him.

Red Baroness

28th September 2015 07:28

Re: New Oesau Foto

Build is about right, as are the features/hands, etc. I think I may have a copy of this in the collection. (I scan about once a month for new pics to share on the Facebook page I manage on him.)

Revi16

28th September 2015 15:43

Re: New Oesau Foto

Just a guess on the tail art.

There are very few American words that begin with "Heu" and none of them are commonly used.
"Heu" may be the first three letters of the tail gunners name, with the lower "H" indicating "House". Perhaps "Heu??? House" as in the tail gunners location on the aircraft.

Or "Heu" could be the beginning of a German word which I'm not familiar with?

researcher111

28th September 2015 17:06

Re: New Oesau Foto

Revi I agree with you , in addition the skull as a TG artwork is rather a bizare one , but you
never know, it doesn't really look like a B17 TG station at all , more of a German bomber or something
check B-17 TG shot

Stephen M. Fochuk

28th September 2015 17:35

Re: New Oesau Foto

I think what you are seeing is the word, "Hellfire".

Snautzer

28th September 2015 18:57

Re: New Oesau Foto

B26 i think .

Nick Beale

28th September 2015 19:11

Re: New Oesau Foto

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revi16 (Post 207225)

Or "Heu" could be the beginning of a German word which I'm not familiar with?

»Heu« is hay, »Heuschnupfen« is hayfever and that's as far as my vocabulary goes.

Stephen M. Fochuk

28th September 2015 19:14

Re: New Oesau Foto

That's what I have been thinking too, Snauter.

D.B. Andrus

28th September 2015 19:49

Re: New Oesau Foto

"The Hellfire House".

pdame141

29th September 2015 00:05

Re: New Oesau Foto

Hard to tell with the impact damage from the crash, but the window layout on the visible starboard side looks more like a B-17 (two windows split by metal strips) than a B-26 (one window and a rear dome/hood). Also, the tail control elements on a B-26 were above the tail gunners position, as opposed to the B-17, where the control elements were forward and slightly below the tail gunner's position. Very hard to be sure, though.

Stephen M. Fochuk

29th September 2015 00:15

Re: New Oesau Foto

The dead giveaway in the image should be the portion of the trailing edge of the elevator; the section that is part of the fuselage.

pdame141

29th September 2015 00:42

Re: New Oesau Foto

Stephen - agreed. My read of the photo is that the root of the elevator is below the line of the Windows, but is flexed up by impact at an angle. The control surface is also in a slightly raised attitude. More troubling to me is the rudder above the gunner's position. On a B-17 the rudder should cover the roof of the position, but that isn't the case in the photo. Maybe impact or battle damage sheared off most of the rudder?

kaki3152

29th September 2015 01:24

Re: New Oesau Foto

Thanks to all for their insightful comments...

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