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Old 27th January 2016, 13:35
Laurent Rizzotti Laurent Rizzotti is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Paris, France
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Re: German airplane shot down by french AA

On 14 May 1940 KG 51 suffered several losses in Eastern France between 1200 and 1330 hrs, so date and time are OK but not the location, as they are north of Isere.

A possibility could be the He 111 H WNr 2648 9K+DD of Stab III./KG 51. According to the book "The Battle of France then and now" by Peter Cornwell, it had both engines damaged in attacks by S/Lt Steunou, Adjt Le Gloan, Sgt de Gervillier and Sgt Trinel of GC III/6 during photo-reconnaissance over Dijon and crash-landed at Fougerolles 12.30 pm.

Crew:
Oblt S Barth captured
Ofw H Matt captured
Uffz G Schildt killed
Uffz H Kazmierowski captured wounded
Gefr F Backhaus captured

Why this loss ?
1) the crash place begin with F, and is the only one in this case
2) it was a recon flight, so the aircraft was very probably flying alone, as reported in the article.

So the "dans l'Isere" about the crashplace would be false, either by error or intentionally.

From my understanding of the article, the German aircraft was seen to be hit and diving towards the Rhone. The next phrase says that it was later found to have crashed at F..., dans l'Isere. So I guess that nobody saw it crash, but when a wreck was later found, it was linked to the AA claim. But it is fairly possible that the German crew just dived to avoid AA fire and escaped at low level.

THe link below describes (in Frenc) the air raid on Dijon airfield by KG 51 on 14 May 1940, and the fate of the above aircraft coming after the raid to check the results. It is said that the fighters of GC III/6 were alerted by AA fire about the latter aircraft. So possibly a double claim, one for AA and one for the fighters.
http://www.histavia21.net/Ba102/LIEU...2014%20Mai.htm

Xerumbe, can you scan and post the other article about this loss ?
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