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Old 3rd February 2016, 12:21
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Peter Cornwell Peter Cornwell is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: About a He 111 belly landed in France 1939 - 1940 (?)

Sorry but Peter Cornwell does not have this aircraft as G1+CD and hasn’t done so since at least 2007 - if at all. It is currently listed so:

10 May 1940 Stab III./KG55 Heinkel He111P-2 (2856). Port engine disabled in attacks by Capt Pierre Hyvernault of GC 2/2 then engaged by Adjt H. Castel, Sgt J. Giordani, and Lt R. Lamaison of GC I/8 and belly-landed, under fire from ground defences (1032 DCA), on Velaine-en-Haye airfield where crew attempted to fire the aircraft 5.40 a.m. BO Oberlt Gustav Hecker, FF Oberfw Franz Glocke, BF Fw Robert Labandowsky, BM Uffz Hans Gentsch, and BS Gefr Fritz Günther (late of 1./KG4) all captured unhurt – later released. Aircraft G1+CS damaged but repairable.
An 8 Staffel machine assigned to the Stabsschwarm.

I don’t have a copy of the KG55 book mentioned but that loss took place over England and was a total wreck as follows:

29 July 1940 8./KG55 Heinkel He111P. Sortied to attack the Bristol Works at Filton but hit by AA fire and abandoned by crew due to port engine fire. Crashed at Fullers Lane, East Woodhay, near Newbury, 2.00 a.m. FF Fw Theodor Metzner and BF Uffz Kurt Böker baled out and both captured unhurt, HS Gefr Heinz Morgenthal and BM Gefr Ernst Ostheimer both baled out and captured unhurt two days later, BO Fw Josef Markl baled out unhurt and evaded - eventually surrendered near Highclere crossroads after nine days at large. Aircraft G1+CS 100% write off.

Finally, further kudos to Bertrand for nice work.
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