Unit of Storch SU + LL (?) Used in Mussolini's Rescue
 

I am trying to determine the unit of the Storch used by Otto Skorzeny in his famous rescue of Mussolini on 12 September 1943. As far as I can determine from some very grainy film, the aircraft was coded S U + L L.

The Storch was flown by Hauptmann Heinich Gerlach:

www.3squadron.org.au/sasso.htm

Thanks

Boomerang

Re: Unit of Storch SU + LL (?) Used in Mussolini's Rescue
 

Just for the sake of precision, the codes of that Fi 156 were SJ+LL, as shown in the photo below (lightened and contrasted properly)

http://users.libero.it/f.damico/veltro/SJ+LL.jpg

Hope this is of some help.

P.S. BTW, I'm very happy that the story apprehended by my old friend Murray Nash through an almost unbelievable series of coincidences, has at last found space on the net. It was really worth it.

Re: Unit of Storch SU + LL (?) Used in Mussolini's Rescue
 

Ferdinando:

Thank you very much for the correction and demonstrating that the correct code was SJ + LL. I spent much time with images of the Storch playing with the contrast, brightness, etc, but clearly your technical capacity exceeeds mine!

Advice as to the unit for this aircraft would be most appreciated.

Regards

Boomerang

Re: Unit of Storch SU + LL (?) Used in Mussolini's Rescue
 

Being the Fi 156 virtually available to every Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe unit, it is rather difficult to determine its unit lacking any visible marking or badge on the plane, IMHO. The SJ+LL code could be of no help as it may have been simply a radio-call code, if I recall correctly.