history of the Me 110 g4 nightfighter Hendon
 

I live in Belgium near the coast in Knokke-Heist. In World War 2, there was a little german airbase in Knokke, it was called "fliegerhorst Zoute". Zoute is a small part of Knokke-Heist.
In a book about the Me 110, there is a picture of the Me 110 bearing the code D5 + RL. This airplane is now in the RAF museum in Hendon. In the book, they say that this plane was captured in 1944 on the airbase of Knokke-Zoute. When I asked people of Knokke about this history, they don't know. What really happened? We are liberated in November by the Canadians, maybe the Canadians captured the Me 110 on the airbase when the Germans had left Knokke OR is the Me 110 hyjacked by English fighters while flying above the airbase and taken to England? Because Knokke is near the coast, there was a lot of FLAK and they used planes who tore a big white sack. The FLAK had to shoot to the reflection of the sack for practising their shooting abilities. When an airplane tore such a sack, his was very vulnerable for enemy fighters. That last explination have I heard from somebody who's interested in the flying history of Fliegerhorst Zoute. In a book written on the old airbase of Knokke, they don't mention the Me 110 history at all. Maybe it's all fiction.

Does somebody know what really happened? Please let me Know.

greets
Tom hoeberigs

Re: history of the Me 110 g4 nightfighter Hendon
 

Hello,the aircraft was actually captured at Grove in Denmark,the colour scheme and markings are supposed to be a copy of those the aircraft wore when captured.I had the pleasure of working on this aircraft for four and a half years,it is remarkably complete with examples of original paint in the cockpit.

Re: history of the Me 110 g4 nightfighter Hendon
 

Thank you for your reaction! It's a pity that in certain books they make mistakes about the history of this plane. In the book "Messerschmitt Bf 110, chasseur de nuit" written by Gebhard Aders and Mister Kit, they say the Me 110 with the code D5 + Rl was captured in Knokke.

Re: history of the Me 110 g4 nightfighter Hendon
 

Hello Hoeberigs.
I am in Middlesbrough, England
In May 1940 my Great Uncle Joseph Eggermont and his son George were killed by German Stukas on Knokke aorfield and are buried in the local cemetery. Is there any information on their deaths in your book on Knokke airfield
Thanks

Martin E

Re: history of the Me 110 g4 nightfighter Hendon
 

Hi Martin,

I found some interesting info about your family (Eggermont Jozef Eugène),please send me a mail,

regards
Tom