Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Hi all,

Blenheim Mk. IV L9177 :
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-Bomber-...MAAOSwyABcfOgx

Probably one from 6 Blenheims destroyed 11.5.1940 on zhe ground

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...1940&styleid=3

Faenor

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Faenor,

Thank you for posting the photo of Blenheim L9177. This is an excellent find, I think it is the first photo of this Blenheim to surface. It confirms what I have long believed, that it was one of the 'missing' serials for Blenheims destroyed at Conde-Vraux on 11 May 1940 or abandoned there soon afterwards due to damage.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Hi,

check photo from post 470 - probably same plane (group photo with german) or plane from same unit on same place.

There is link on all photos :
http://www.modelari.org/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=2426

Faenor

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Hi all,

Miles Master N7545 and Hurricane - probably from 1. or 73. SQ. (based on missing SQ codes and large tricolor)
I have same photo from more sellers, so nothing new - but I have a question about place - I´m not sure, which airfield is it and I have probably photo from same hanger, where is another Hurricane (coded ?LoL - probably LKoL from 87. SQ) and Faire Battle.
https://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-2-erbeu...EAAOSwmjhcigcY

Thanks

Faenor

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Faenor
N7545 was last heard of when it turned up-side-down landing at Merville, France 7.5.1940 and abandoned at that airfield. Last details was that it was handed over to 4 R&SU (Repair & Salvage Unit) in France 10.5.1940.
Unfortunately I don't know where this unit was formed (somewhere in France in April 1940), so maybe, just maybe Merville is the place.

Cheers
Stig

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

The aircraft are in a hangar at Mourmelon le Grand.

Dave

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

And the evidence is??

Cheers
Stig

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Stig,

Faenor and Dave are correct. I have a number of saved EBay photos showing up to 4 aircraft wrecks in this hangar. At least one photo is captioned 'Mourmelon' in a photo album.

No. 2 Salvage & Repair Section was formed at Mourmelon-le-Grand during October 1939 and remained there until at least 11 May 1940. This unit was renamed No. 4 Repair & Salvage Unit on 22 April 1940.
It sent a salvage party to recover Master N7545 and Hurricane P2540 LK-L early on May 8th, they returned late on May 9th to Mourmelon. (From their ORB in AIR 29/802 at Kew).
The photo Faenor has posted shows the Master and another Hurricane ('W', probably from 1 or 73 Squadron). Other photos show Hurricane LK-L just to the right and out of shot in this photo. Yet another photo shows a Fairey Battle dismantled near the hangar entrance, this last aircraft almost certainly from 88 Squadron which was also based at Mourmelon.

Master N7545 did not have its accident at Merville (Nord), but at Villefranche airfield (Meuse) some 45 miles north-east of Mourmelon. It and Hurricane LK-L were flying from Lille-Seclin to Senon when bad weather and fuel shortage forced their pilots to land at Villefranche.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Thanks Martin

Very nice to get a thorough answer with good details! Thanks for taking the time to go through your records!

This change/add a lot of details to two Air Britain books.
I am particularly interested in your mentioning of No 2 Salvage & Repair Section. None of these units are mentioned in the Air Britain book about Support Units.
In the book we have six Repair & salvage Units formed 25.4.1940 (more or less out of the blue with no original location...)
Did all these No 1 to No 6 R&SU have a Salvage & Repair Section origin?

The crash location of N7545 was taken from the Miles book by Peter Amos.
Don't know from where he got Merville (aircraft's record card perhaps?)
Since both the Master and Hurricane belonged to No 87Sq, I take it you quote from their ORB with regard to the landing incident?

Cheers
Stig

Re: eBay: Allied intrest
 

Hi,

The two incidents occured at 11h50 on the A/F of the Forces Aériennes du 18ème Corps d'Armées. Their posting were the airfield of Stenay-Wiseppe.

The French archives told that the three injured men were sent to hospital of Stenay.

Bertrand