What Do217 Night Fighter Units were stationed near Villejuif?

[harrison987]

Hey guys,

I am trying to find out which units would have operated near Villejuif, France later in the war. I have a veteran photo with a Do217 tail in front of him...and the photo is inscribed, "Villejuif, France, April 1945. This photo was taken on fortress near our hospital."

I know both Villacoublay-Nord Airfield and Juvincourt were close (sort of)...and the only unit I know close would be NJG4...

Thoughts?

Mike

[Chris Goss]

Last mention of a III./NJG 4 Do 217 at Juvinvcourt was May 1944; no mentions for Villacoublay or Villejuif

[Nick Beale]

There were no Luftwaffe units based in the Paris area after 25 August 1944 because the city had been liberated and most (inlcuding Luftflotte 3 HQ) seem to have pulled out about a week before that.

Of the Do 217 units based in France before then, III./KG 100 was based around Toulouse and (as you said) III./NJG 4 at Villacoublay. 6.(F)/123 had a single Do 217 but that one got away to the Netherlands along with the rest of the Staffel. KG 2 operated over France during 1944 but mainly (as I remember) from Dutch bases.

A burned-out Do 217 E was recored by Allied Field Intelligence at Juvincourt and two burned-out Do 217s at Nancy/Essey (one was W.Nr. 2412, TO+BS). Others were found in SW France, a very long way from Paris. Villacoublay (about 11 km west of Villejuif) was a major Luftwaffe repair and conversion facility, so many types might have passed through.

Looking at Google Maps, in Villejuif there is the Hôpital Paul Brousse and about 1 km to the north is the Fort de Bicêtre (built in the 1840s but blurred on satellite imagery, so I guess still an active military facility). About 6 km to the south of the hospital is Paris-Orly Airport. If there was a Do 217 at the fort, I can only think it crashed there or salvaged parts were brought there.

[harrison987]

Thanks guys!

Nick, yeah...I think you are spot on.

The vet is holding up a tail section...so I suspect it was from a salvaged aircraft, as opposed to a complete wreck.

mike