The 'Humbie Heinkel' - 28/10/1939

[obdl3945]

Hi...

The undernoted link takes us to a photo of an He111, coded 1H+JA, from Stabskette/KG26, brought down on 28/10/1939 by Nos 602 City of Glasgow and 603 City of Edinburgh Squadrons, RAF. This was the first aircraft to crash-land on British soil in WW2, coming down near the hamlet of Humbie, hence the nickname.

The photo is very small, but shows the machine from the front, with the nose turret having become detached, lying in front of the wreck. I have laboured under the illusion for many years that this was an He111P. I know exactly what publication led me to think this - I will be gracious and not name it - but this evening was the first time in almost forty years I'd seen the view from the front... and one thing leapt out at me staright away. The air intake on the cowling is on the right side (as the aircraft faces forward), which can only mean that it is, of course, an He111H... !

The W.Nr was apparently 5449. Could one of you gents please confirm to me that this number was indeed allocated to an He111H, and perhaps that it was this machine which was brought down over he Lammermuir Hills in Scotland on the above date...?

I have a terrible feeling of foreboding that I will need to rework a very precious model in my collection which I have held in high regard for many years... boo hoo... !

Thanks in advance...


http://www.scran.ac.uk/database/reco...-000-128-530-C