Looking for info on Bf109E 7/Jg53 White 9 crashed on a beach 1940

[thlund]

this one

http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Bf-109E/B....7-(W9+I).html

all info welcome, but specifically looking for sub type - E-1 or E-3 - and colors of codes/rudder. Codes I think is/should be white while rudder looks white to me, but could be yellow...

These photos are the only ones - that I know of - showing BOTH the red band overpainting of the JG53 pik-as AND the overpainting of the swastika. Does anyone know of any other pictures??

Thanks
Thomas

[Bertrand H]

thomas,

this A/C crashed on the beach of Wissant

bertrand

[thlund]

Thanks Bertrand

Then it must be Bf109E-1 Wnr 6064 that force landed at Wissant on 05/09/40 (Prien)

Thanks
Thomas

[Jim P.]

If the date is correct and with what looks to be 4 victory tabs on the tail, then this may be the machine of Ltn. Heinz Altendorf who recorded his 5th on 8-Sep.

[Fairlop]

Hi,

Bertrand knows the area quite well, and he is 100% right. A beach in front of Wissant promenade. The white cliffs beyond is Cap Blanc Nez.

Regards,
Michal

[FalkeEins]

to pick up the point in the first post, these are two different aircraft surely ? the backgrounds are completely different

Oblt. Altendorf, StaKa 7./53 force landed at Wissant in October...

[Jim P.]

Altendorf may have been documented as cracking up on the beach in October, but that doesn't necessarily mean he didn't also land on the beach in Sept. uninjured. Not to mention that the machine could well have been force-landed by another pilot. I based my assumption (and I stress assumption) on who in 7./JG 53 had 4 claims as of 5-Sep, not a loss with a name.

[thlund]

FalkeEins: I had a talk with Bertrans who apparantly has his vacation at Wissant every year. The photo of the aircrafts tail is angeled towards the north where you see Cap Griz Nez and a bit of the city. The photo of aircrafts nose is angeled more to the west and show the dunes south of the city. I think that matches up just fine.

I had another look at the loss list in Prien's book. It seems both 1, 4 and 7 JG53 used white codes so I checked all losses from those units. None were noted as being marked white 9 + I (not from any unit). Some were marked as being E-4's which this machine is clearly not. That leaves this one:

05/09/40 7 – Air combat, forced landing at Wissant 100% E-1 6064
I assume that since no pilot is mentioned he was unharmed. No code given either.
All other E-1, with no code given is noted to have crashed somewhere else, have a code that is not white 9+I or notes as for instance takeoff accident/shot down into sea/shot down over England.
As for Altendorf:
05/10/40 7 – Oblt Heinz Altendorf St.Kap 7 – Air combat, forced landing near Cap Griz Nez, 100 %, according to GQM’s report pilot bailed out, E-4 1804 White 10
But yes, he COULD have been the one crashlanding this one, or it could be someone else crashing his machine. Could the 4 claims be shared by more pilots ?

Thomas

[Bertrand H]

**where you see Cap Griz Nez**

read Cap Blanc Nez

[thlund]

LOL yes - that was Altendorf that stuck in my mind