? 4.(Schl)/LG2

[Bf 110]

Hello everyone,

I’m a new member in this forum. As my first topic I’ve got some questions.
On Michael Reimer's website about WW2-aircraft-profiles I found a picture, showing a crashed Henschel Hs123 of 4.(Schlacht)/LG2 with code L2+BM
-> http://www.michael-reimer.com/CFS2/CFS2 ... e_LG2.html
According to Marius Emmerling's book "Luftwaffe nad Polska part 3 Stukaflieger", page 327 Adolf Galland was the pilot of L2+BM. But looking at the picture you can see a grave on the left site and as everyone knows, Galland did not decease in Poland.
So here are my questions:
1. Did Galland have a crash with his Henschel 123 in the Polish Campaign?
2. Maybe this foto is not taken in September 1939 in Poland, but in France in 1940?
3. If it is taken in Poland, could this be the plane flown by Unteroffizier Heinz from 4.(Schlacht)/LG2?
He died when his plane was shot down on 27.September 1939 by polish AA fire. It was the only deadly loss of 4th Squadron in Poland.

Many thanks for your help.

So long!
Bf 110

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

The photo in question is NOT from the Polish campaign, but shows L2+BM of 4.(S)/LG2 force-landed with a wounded pilot, Lt. Siegfried Panten, on June 5, 1940, near Hallu, S of Chaulnes, France, at 10:30 AM. He subsequently died of his wounds and was initially given a field burial next to his plane. You can see the grave with his name on the cross in the photo. I have a close-up photo of the grave cross confirming that his name is on it. This resolves the photo issue on the website. It isn't Polish Campaign but French Campaign.

Adolf Galland's logbook, which I have reliable info from for this period, does not indicate that he regularly flew L2+BM during the Polish Campaign, although he did fly it a couple of times. He mostly flew his regular aircraft, L2+AM, as would be the customary practice for the Staffel Kap at that time.

I hope that this helps.

Regards,

[Bf 110]

Hello Larry,

thank you! These are the informations I was looking for. Great!

Regards,
Bf110

[RT]

I am a bit puzzled by your data Larry, the gen. returns give Panten as dead following ramming above the Airplace Puiseaux Loire Raum.

???

Remi

[Larry Hickey]

Remi,

All I can tell you is that there are many photos of Hs 126A-1 L2+BM around showing it force-landed in very good condition, with only the lower port wing tip crumpled from hitting the ground. The tips of the prop blades are slightly bent back, indicating the prop was turning when it contacted the ground. There is no obvious combat damage, such as bullet or flak damage, evident on the airframe. The field grave next to the plane has Panten's name on the cross. (Ltn. Siegfried Panten). For the EOE project, we've assessed this as:

"June 5, 1940: 4.(S)/LG2 Henschel Hs123A-1. Shot down by GC I/6 and crashed 1 km north of Hallu, south of Chaulnes, 10.30 a.m. Possibly that claimed by S/Lt Janis. FF Lt Siegfried Panten died of wounds. Aircraft L2+BM 100% write-off. (EOE analysis)
Siegfried Panten was originally buried in a field grave alongside his aircraft but reinterred postwar in Bourdon Cemetery; Block 6, Row 11, Grave 431."

Peter Cornwell, who compiled and maintains the Luftwaffe DB for the EOE project, may have some further comments on this, but this is where we are at.

There is another photo of this or a same-marked belly landed a/c, L2+BM, that has damage to the starboard wings from contact with the ground. This probably experienced engine failure before making the belly landing, as the prop blades are undamaged. We think that this was probably taken sometime after mid-October, 1939, but have no specifics on it. This date is based on the large size and style of the top-wing cross visible on one wing. So there were at least two Hs123s (or the same one repaired) with the code L2+BM that made belly landings sometime between mid-October, 1939 and June, 1940.

Regards,

[Dénes Bernád]

Larry,

If

Originally Posted by Larry Hickey

Hs 126A-1 [actually Hs 123] L2+BM around showing it force-landed in very good condition (...)There is no obvious combat damage, such as bullet or flak damage, evident on the airframe.

Then why

Originally Posted by Larry Hickey

Aircraft L2+BM 100% write-off. (EOE analysis)

?

Just curious...

[RT]

Seems solid arguments, wonder why he dead of his wounds if plane not rippled with bullets, nd smart bellylanding, some exhuberant ground troups involved ??

WHAT about location of the other losses /Hs123/ of the day ??

Remi

[Larry Hickey]

Dénes/Remi,

Yes, Hs123 is correct. The association of the grave with a relatively undamaged force-landed a/c, L2+BM, is well documented in the photos from several sides and angles. The exact location, however, could be subject to debate or dispute. Dénes, we very often find that if the force-landing happened behind Allied lines, it was listed as a 100% loss in German records, even if the a/c could later be recovered and repaired after the Germans occupied the area of the crash site. I don't know the geography of the area well enough to know whether the Germans were in control of the area proposed in our entry for the crash site at the time that this happened. I'm sure someone else on this board will know the answer to that. I would certainly welcome any additional input on the subject.

Regards,

[Bf 110]

Hello,

another photo of Lt. Panten's grave + a/c on ebay: http://www.ebay.de/itm/KLASSE-FOTO-K...item336fc4bb70

Regards,
Bf 110

[Larry Hickey]

Bf 110, thanks for the notice. We presently have 13 photos of this well-photographed a/c FL in the EOE DB, including several similar views. You can see the pilot's name fairly clearly in this view, confirming who was buried there. We would still like to know more details as to how this pilot ended up dead, after what appears to be a relatively normal forced-landing. He could have been wounded in the air and bled to death after the landing, or, for whatever reason, this could have been a case of a pilot who was killed on the ground before he could be taken prisoner. If anyone knows of any German records, or local eye-witness accounts that could shed more light on this issue I'd certainly like to know about it.

Regards,