Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Hello,

Hoping this picture - sorry, of bad quality - may rise some interest in a proper thread.

It shows an allegated Do 17(?) coded ..+UK crashed in a forest near Gedinne (in Belgium and roughly 20 km SE of Givet) and not far away from the French Ardennes department.
Any other info.
May 1940 ?

Picture coming from Gedinne historical society.

Best regards

ClinA-78 (to Franck : also digging pictures ;))

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

oops here comes the picture

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Clin-A,

Still no picture.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Oddly, I am not able to attach it as it already appears in allied thread about "aircraft ID required (redux)"
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=34893

Sorry

ClinA-78

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

here is the pic

Best regards

ClinA-78

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Anyone to retrieve this picture from oblivion?
few detail doesn't help.

ClinA-78

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Not an easy puzzle.
I have no loss specifically at Gedinne until May 20.
However, there are quite a number of Luftwaffe losses "around Dinant".
Looking at the coding +UK I guess it is a bomber unit, since I haven't seen recon units with as high an individual letter as U.
(Others to comment when I'm wrong in this assumption).

Statistically the highest probability for a bomber loss around Dinant is KG76, because that was the unit operating in this area for almost a full week.
I have then two losses that might fit at first glance:
May 15 a Stab KG76 a/c
May 18 a 4./KG76 a/c

Normally neither of these fits to the 2. Staffel code +UK.
But then the individual letter U comes back: I still find that a strange one for a regular aircraft of a Staffel. So .... could this be some form of coding used by Stab KG76????
Pure speculation, and I'm not a specialist on KG76.
But if I had to put some (not much!) money on the bet, I'd go for the May 15 Stab a/c as the least unlikely fit.

Regards, Pieter

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Thank you for your observation.

ClinA-78

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Hello,

I’m afraid Pieter’s thoughts have to be revised completely.

The photo shows a Do 17 with “UK” (both letters in black) behind the cross. The second digit in front of the cross could be a “E”, “F” or “P”.

All second Staffeln of the Kampfgruppen have had black letters with a white border at the third position on Do 17 aircraft during 1940. None of these units would fit to the aircraft on the photo.

Several reconnaissance units flew with an all black code. Some of the (H)-Staffeln which were supporting the army forces, have had a few Do 17P or Do 17M in addition to their main equipment of Hs 126 during 1940. These Do 17 aircraft were arranged within some units at the end of the alphabet.

One of these reconnaissance units was 2.(H)/13 with the code 4E+xK. The unit reported one Do 17M lost after fighter attack near Bohain (which is located 15km south of Gedinne) on 20.Jan.1940. The crew was reported missing.

To my opinion the photo shows the Do 17M 4E+UK from 2.(H)/13 after being shot down on 20.01.40.

Re: Do 17 ??+UK crashed near Gedinne (B)
 

Hello,

Interesting grain of salt :D

Bohain should be Bohan sur Semois, isn't it?

Note that I know the exact crashplace of an allegated Do 17 P (testimoned with plate on spar) situated at "le Risdoux" 3 km of Vireux-Watterand (F) which is roughly 15 km West of Gedinne but in French territory.
Again another Do 17 to ID...

Best regards

ClinA-78