Stuka lost in Gembloux (Belgium)

[legrosherve]

Dear all,

It's a long time I have posted something on the forum....

Now I have found a picture of a stuka, with the following markings : T6 + DS. it is written that this aircraft was downed in the area of gembloux. I am sorry not having a scan of the picture, but it's not mine and I am still trying to convice the guy to scan it....

does anyone have an idea from which unit it belongs (STG2/ II Group?) and any idea of the fate of tis aircraft and crew?

Many thanks for helping

Hervé

[robert]

Hi,

8./StG2. 11.05.40?

Regards

Robert

[ClinA-78]

Hello

It could be interesting to share it because I know some crashplaces of Stuka's (Ju 87/Hs123) in the Gembloux area.

Best regards

ClinA-78

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

As Robert says, this is coded for 8./StG2 (T6+DS). There were two a/c from that Staffel down on 11 May 1940, but both we think have known codes: T6+MS and T6+AS. The latter force-landed near Maastricht, Netherlands. We have many photos of Ju87s down in Belgium and France during the Western Campaign and may have other views of it in the EOE Data Base, but without seeing it this is impossible to know. Please encourage your friend to make an image available to that it can be properly identified.

Regards,

[legrosherve]

Dear All,

Finally I got the scan of the photo - at the back it's written german aicraft lost in the Gembloux area

Hope that could help...

Hervé

[ClinA-78]

Nice picture but hopeless flat land...

[Larry Hickey]

Hervé,

Thanks for posting this. I'm not aware that there are any other images of this incident in the EOE DB for Stuka losses during the WC. However, there are lots of unidentified photos for Ju87s apparently downed during that period and this may eventually help put a unit and codes to them. I note that this a/c did not carry the 8 Staffel insignia. Can you tell from your possible access to the original print if that large white area below the cockpit is a white stain on the print, or possibly be something like part of an unfurled parachute or something? Looks like a stain on the print to me.

Again, thanks for sharing this very interesting photo. Looks like it sat in place for quite a while until salvaged.

Regards,

[Pieter H]

Assumingen the location indication "Gembloux" is correct, we now have an identified a/c (T6+DS of 8./StG2) but not yet a match to a reported loss.
Looking at the state of the a/c it made a nice emergency landing - probably due to engine trouble - so at least the pilot should be unhurt.

There are then two possible scenarios:
a. the a/c was (temporarily) allocated to another Staffel and the loss should then be recorded under another Staffel than 8./StG2
b. it is an apparently unreported loss of 8./StG2.
Given the very consistent reporting of losses, a. should be a more likely scenario. Especially 2./StG2 had suffered some serious losses around Maastricht and later Gembloux, so not impossible they borrowed some crews and/or machines.
If I look at the StG2 losses around Gembloux that fulfill the above criteria, I find 3 possible candidates:
1. 2./StG2 at Attenhoven May 11, crew Drylander and Chuchra
2. 7./StG2 E. of St Truiden May 12. Crew unknown but a/c reported a write-off, so not very likley.
3. 2./StG2 near Gembloux May 15, crew Brausch-Borrmann both badly wounded.
A transfer of a machine between 8. and 7. Staffel would be most likely, but then this is exactly the less likely match. Personally I consider an exchange between 8. and 2. Staffel at this stage a bit far-fetched.

So let's look at scenario b. Normally that would be a useless excercise, if not in this case for a very strange story. In his Victoire de la Chasse Britannique by Arnaud Gillet he includes the story (p.207) of an Uffz Valerian Dill of 8./StG2, who told he was shot down over Gembloux on May 15 and made an emergency landing there. He did not succeed in setting his machine on fire. But then 2 Ju87 landed next to them, took Dill and his gunner Lieberrenz on board, and flew them back to their base. The surroundings on the picture at least would allow such a landing and take-off, it all looks very flat and extended.
A very remarkable story, to say the least. Also Gillet only included it as a curiosity. Nevertheless we can now ask ourselves the question: is this strange story of Dill linked to the T6+DS???? But if so, why is it not reported in the loss lists?

Any ideas?

Pieter

[Larry Hickey]

Pieter,

A very impressive logical deduction about this possibly being Valerian Dill's 8 Staffel a/c. Very plausible, although I have no explanation as to why this one wouldn't be listed on the QM loss list. If the story is true, then there had to have been an 8 Staffel aircraft sitting out there somewhere, and I don't have any other likely candidates for this in the EOE DB. I'll be interested if someone else can come up with more info or photos on this one.

Regards,

[ClinA-78]

Hello,

A witness told me a story about a Ju 87, which has landed near the 'Ferme de Pinteville' (2 km W of Gembloux), and took off the next day, or so, following slight damage.

About the picture, I am wondering why the tail wheel is on a strut, for testing the engine?

Best regards

ClinA-78