I/JG 3:17/05/40
 

Hello

I have very different versions depending on the sources:

Afternoon (17/05/40)
According J.Prien and Co=two Blenheims claimed by 1/JG 3 (Le Cateau)
According B.Cull and Co=two hurricanes(3°Sqdr) claimed by 1/JG3

Question:Hurricanes? or Blenheims?....and if it's Blenheims:which ones?
Michel

Re: I/JG 3:17/05/40
 

Both are correct.
On May 17 1./JG3 was extremely successful and shot down:
- 10 Blenheims No. 82 Sqn around 07.20 a.m. over Belgium

- 3 Bloch 152's of GC II/10 and GC III/10 around 11.30 a.m. over Roye

- 2 Blenheims of No.18 Sqn around the same time over Landrecies (wrongly claimed as Hawk H75's)
- 2 Hurricanes of No.3 Sqn around 18.15 p.m. N. of Cambrai (again wrongly claimed as Hawk)


Cheers, Pieter

Re: I/JG 3:17/05/40
 

Pieter

According to Peter Cornwell of the two Blenheims lost on 17 May, none was in combat.

Even considering the lousy aircraft recognition which existed throughout the war I doubt very much two individuals would claim two Blenheims as two Hawks...

Looking in JFV Teil 3 1./JG 3 claimed 19 aircraft on the 17th, 12 Blenheims and 5 Curtiss Hawks Of the Blenheims 10 were west of St Quentin and two west of Le Cateau. Guessing of course, but I would say all 12 were claimed in the same general engagement.

With regard to the Curtiss fighters, anything single engined which comes first into your mind would probably suffice, so no surprise if they were Blochs or Hawkers in reality.

Cheers
Stig

Re: I/JG 3:17/05/40
 

Hi Stig,


you're right, my mistake. The first (wrongly claimed as Hawk H75's) refers to the Bloch152's of course.
As you can see from the timing it where three different engagements, where the Blochs and No.18Sqn Blenheims were more or less a single fight.


Cheers, Pieter

Re: I/JG 3:17/05/40
 

Hi guys

The two blenheim (18°Sqd) lost (L9186/L9340)were not shot down but ABANDONED to "Meharicourt"

My question remains,my sources being contradictory:That really claimed Lt Sprenger and Lt Schnabel (Le Cateau) the AFTERNOON of 17/05/40,knowing that the Curtis claimed at 12.30 correspond to Bloch of GCII/10/GCIII/10 shared with II/ZG 76 and probably I/ZG1

Is it B.Cull and Co. who is in the right?.....Hurricanes of 3°Sqdr....claimed as Curtis(by Obf.Buchholz/Fw.Hessel among others) and not Blenheims?(Prien)

Michel