Bf110 H8+CM

[Pieter H]

One of the recent photo finds of Ed West solved one question I had been struggeling with for quite a while. The book "Combats Aeriens sur la Meuse et la Semoy" of Roger showes a picture of the wreck of a Bf110 ?8+CM reportedly shot down "Nord of Charleville" during the french campaign. Source mentioned is "Musée de Vraux". However, neither U8+CM (since U8 was only used by I./ZG26, while M is 4th Staffel) nor M8+CM were possible (since the first letter was clearly open at the top). Now, with the additional pictures that were recently put up for auction, I know it was H8+CM. The Bf110 seems to have tried an emergency landing on a road through a wood (so could indeed be the Ardennes), hitting poles and trees since cockpit, engines and wings are badly damaged or torn off. But the picture also raises new questions.

H8+ was according Rosch "Luftwaffe Codings & Markings" exclusively used by 4./Auflkl.Gr.33, a unit formed in December 1940. This would imply that the picture can not have been taken during the french campaign, which is supported by the fact that a theatre stripe is visible under the fuselage cross. However, Rosch also remarks that the use of H8 code was exclusively for 4./33, since the rest of the unit used 8H+. He suggests that this might be due to an unknown pre-decessor unit that used H8+ and was later made the 4rd Staffel of Aufkl.Gr.33, taking its code with them.

So my question: is this an accident in 1941 or later as the coding suggests, or was there indeed another unit that used H8+ during the french campaign and the caption/timing of "Combats Aeriens" is correct? In that case I am of course very much interested in that unit and this specific loss.

Kind regards, Pieter

[robert]

Hi Pieter,

when this photos show a Bf110 lying in the ditch beside the road - that will be the Bf110 H8+CM shot down over Russia I think in early 1941.

Regards

Robert