A rare SM81 "pipistrello" shot down in 1941
 

On the night of 25 February 1941, a British commando unit invaded the island of Kastellorizo, held at the time by Italians.

At 11:25 of the next morning, 4 SM81 "Pipistrello" bombers of 223a Squadriglia took off from Cattavia air base in Rodos Island, in order to bomb the commando and to provide air support to the Italian garrison.

At 12:00 a lone SM81 took off from the same air base to check the results of the bombing.

As it was flying at a very low altitude it was hit by ground fire and was forced to ditch at sea, just 1 mile west of Kastellorizo.

The plane was coded 223-4 - m.m. 20452 or 20492.

FOUND! The P-47 Thunderbolt lost since April 21st, 1945
 

An American P-47 Thunderbolt class fighter, was unearthed on Saturday in front of the dead serviceman's emotional children and grandchildren, who had travelled to Italy to be present at the dig.

The plane once belonged to U.S Air Force pilot Loren Hintz but was shot down by a Nazi anti-aircraft gun trying to protect the German Wehrmacht as they fled from towns around the Italian city of Bologna on April 21st, 1945.

Hintz was killed just eight days before the war in Italy ended, leaving behind his five-month-old daughter, Gretchen, and his wife, who was carrying his unborn son, Martin.

pierrekosmidis.blogspot.co.uk
 

The Kwajalein Missing in Action (MIA) Project is dedicated to finding World War II aircraft lost in the Kwajalein Atoll lagoon between 1942-45.

The goal of the Kwajalein MIA Project is to locate and identify WWII aircraft wrecks within the Kwajalein Atoll lagoon for maritime heritage discovery, preservation and education.

The primary mission is to help facilitate the recovery of American MIA servicemen from WWII.

The project will include education with emphasis on Operation Flintlock.

Wreck sites are not disturbed in any way by the Kwajalein MIA Project team.

No pieces of wreckage will be removed, moved or sand sifted to attempt to ascertain whether human remains are contained in the wreck or nearby.

The Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM aircraft 79 «Sparviero» at the bottom of Poros Island, Greece
 

An important historical discovery, the first Italian aircraft of World War II was located in Greece.

It is a three-engined bomber Savoia - Marchetti SM 79 "Sparviero", ("Hawk"), at a depth of 59 meters, at the southeast coast of Poros, just 200 meters from the shore.

Re: The Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM aircraft 79 «Sparviero» at the bottom of Poros Island, Greece
 

Re: Locating and identifying WW2 aircraft wrecks: The Kwajalein Missing in Action (MIA) Project
 

Good luck to you. I suggest you contact http://www.j-aircraft.com/

if you haven't already.





Best,
Ed

The lost Spitfires: Searching for the aircraft wrecks of the WW2 legends
 

WW2 Aviation enthusiasts in Greece, members of www.aviationarchaeology.gr have initiated a search for the Spitfire wrecks lost between April 4th to August 7th, 1945.

Those three Supermarine Spitfires crashed in the area of Vari (see map below) and belonged to the 335 and 336 Fighter Squadrons of the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF).

According to official reports, two of them crashed at sea, while the details for the third aircraft do not specify the exact crash site.

Re: The Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM aircraft 79 «Sparviero» at the bottom of Poros Island, Greece
 

Grazie for the additional information on the crew's fate!

Re: The lost Spitfires: Searching for the aircraft wrecks of the WW2 legends
 

Hello Pierre,
We seek a crashed Spitfire on the 4th or 5th April 1945 so
It could not be MA344 - a 335 Squadron Spitfire. This a/c force landed at Varkiza on the 9th of July 1945.
I am a little puzzled though about Spitfire BR375/B said to have gone into the sea on the 15th of June 1945. From the airbritain books it was first with 185 Squadron RAF then went to 2 SAAF, being SoC on the 9th August 1945.
Good hunting
Alex

Identification of a Ju87 "Stuka" salvaged in Greece?
 

A Ju87 "Stuka" shot down in 1943 was salvaged some years ago and is currently in a hangar at the Hellenic Air Force Museum.

I shot a series of photos but could not find any details as to the exact identity of this specific aircraft.

Researchers confirm that the Ju87 "Stuka" salvaged in Rodos island had the following details: Werk Nummer 100375 S7+GM shot down southwest of Rodos Island on 09 October 1943, with both crew KIA (pilot officer Rolf Metzger and radio operator Hans Sonnemann)
http://ow.ly/EReJ302V7aH

Full story and more photos here: http://ow.ly/u0aF302S2A2

Re: Identification of a Ju87 "Stuka" salvaged in Greece?
 

W. Nr. 100375
S7+GM

:)

Mike

A Greek PZL P24 fighter aircraft, 1940-41
 

The Royal Hellenic Air Force is the only air force during WW2 to operate the PZL.24 as its main fighter type.

Two subtypes, thirty P.24F and six P.24G, were ordered and delivered in 1937-38.

FOUND! A WW2 Italian fighter Macchi C202 "Folgore" wreck in Sicily (VIDEO)
 

The ROV Hercules came across the remains of a downed aircraft in Sicily, Italy.

Re: FOUND! A WW2 Italian fighter Macchi C202 "Folgore" wreck in Sicily (VIDEO)
 

Great news. Are the unit or serial number known?

Re: FOUND! A WW2 Italian fighter Macchi C202 "Folgore" wreck in Sicily (VIDEO)
 

I have posted the story on some Italian Regia Aeronautica specialist forums and wait for their response, regarding the exact specifics of this Folgore.

pierrekosmidis.blogspot.co.uk
 

Thank you for the link Ed, much appreciated

Re: Identification of a Ju87 "Stuka" salvaged in Greece?
 

Thank you Mike, much appreciated!

pierrekosmidis.blogspot.co.uk
 

All of pierre21's posts grouped together for ease of reference.

Re: Identification of a Ju87 "Stuka" salvaged in Greece?
 

Hi Mike, based on the info you provided us with it appears that the Ju87 "Stuka" salvaged in Rodos island had the following details: Werk Nummer 100375 S7+GM shot down southwest of Rodos Island on 09 October 1943, with both crew KIA (pilot officer Rolf Metzger and radio operator Hans Sonnemann)
http://ow.ly/EReJ302V7aH

Cheers!

Pierre

Re: pierrekosmidis.blogspot.co.uk
 

Thank you for that Nick, much appreciated, hope I provide WW2 aircraft enthusiasts with some lesser known info about Greece during WW2 :)

Re: The lost Spitfires: Searching for the aircraft wrecks of the WW2 legends
 

Hello,
Have revisited the link that gives squadron details for 4/4/45.
Nikolopoulos flew first op in JK264 and then flew ER194 the fatal flight.

Next is given as 5/4/45 a/c EN244 but this a/c had a fatal crash when its belly tank caught fire, the date was 9/4/45 not the 5/4/45.

Next was JF426 which force landed on the 6/4/45.

On the 24/5/45 a/c EN425 ditched off Rhodes, this was a PR..XI.

15/6/45 F/Lt. Panagiotis Argyropoulos was killed.

On the 9/7/45 a/c MA344 force landed at Varkiza.

On 2/8/45 F/Sgt. Vasilias Alexandrakis is was killed.

On the 7/8/45W/O. Panagiotis Kostaras was flying BR375/B

Hope this is of some help.
Alex

PS
27/2/45 MA507 "Uruguay XII" was in a collision said to be with NH397.
The collision was NOT with NH397 as this a/c exploded on impact on 1/8/44.

Re: The lost Spitfires: Searching for the aircraft wrecks of the WW2 legends
 

Many thanks for your invaluable input Alex, I will notify the researchers accordingly!

Pierre

The Heinkel He111 of Leros, shot down on 14 November 1943
 

On 14 November 1943, the crews of two 46 Squadron Beaufighters, Flight Lieutenant D. J. A. Crerar (pilot) with Pilot Officer L. Charles, and Flying Officer B. F. Wild (pilot) together with Flight Sergeant R. W. Gibbons, shared in the destruction of a Heinkel He 111H (8011/6N+EP) of II./K.G. 100. This was shot down north of Leros with the loss of Gefreiter Helmut Grundke (air-gunner).

Full story, links and more photos: http://ow.ly/BSRi302WVjI

Re: pierrekosmidis.blogspot.co.uk
 

I'm glad you're happy. I thought this was better than splitting your work between the Allied and Axis forums.

An Arado AR196 in Herakleia Island, Greece
 

An Arado AR196 in Herakleia Island, Greece
Full story and photos: http://ow.ly/c1543031GBU

Re: pierrekosmidis.blogspot.co.uk
 

This is its demise

A Beaufighter shot down in 1943 near Naxos, Greece
 

"As we get closer we see that the aircraft is in almost undamaged condition.

It looks like it landed there with care and skill, but of course this belongs only to the realm of our imagination since no airplane will not "choose" to land 34 meters below the sea surface" says acclaimed photographer and scuba diver Giorgos Rigoutsos.

http://pierrekosmidis.blogspot.gr/20...otos-text.html

Giving answers to the families of MIA airmen
 

The goal of the Kwajalein MIA Project is to locate and identify WWII aircraft wrecks within the Kwajalein Atoll lagoon for maritime heritage discovery, preservation and education.

The primary mission is to help facilitate the recovery of American MIA servicemen from WWII.

The project will include education with emphasis on Operation Flintlock.

Wreck sites are not disturbed in any way by the Kwajalein MIA Project team.

No pieces of wreckage will be removed, moved or sand sifted to attempt to ascertain whether human remains are contained in the wreck or nearby.

Shot down but not forgotten: The search for lost WW2 airmen and their crashed aircraft (PHOTOS and VIDEO)
 

Full story, interview, photos and video: http://ow.ly/JHNA304MUDW

British, German, American, Canadian and pilots from many other nationalities were lost for decades and thanks to the efforts, professionalism and dedication of a team of experts based in Belgium, the identities of the young men that once took to the skies and never got back home emerge.

www.ww2wrecks.com
 

Dear fellow aviation enthusiasts I would like to cordially invite you to have a look at my website

www.ww2wrecks.com

I hope you will find some interesting stories and I am looking forward to your feedback, story ideas and recommendations!

Thank you,

Pierre Kosmidis