W34 with strange equipment down during the Polish campaing

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Here is another eBay "special" that I'm trying to figure out. I want to use this a/c as the source for a color profile painting for the EOE Project. One of our working group members thinks that this is most likely a Junkers W34 of Kurierstaffel 4 that crash-landed in the vicinity of Piekoszow near Kielce, Poland, on 27.9.39. Somewhere I think that I've seen this a/c in a color profile, but can't remember where; perhaps in one of the Polish publications. It seems to have the code WI+00U-0, or something like that. It also carries a very strange antenna mast, and some kind of unusual radio? receiver on the top of the forward fuselage. I'm wondering if this a/c was used in some kind of special communication capacity, possibly trying to obtain airborne radio direction finding fixes on Polish ground unit radios? Anybody have any insights into this? According to our research, Kurierstaffel 4 was a liaison unit serving directly under Army HQ, and at that time was based at Kielce-Maslow Airfield.

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...#ht_548wt_1050

Any help with this one would be appreciated.

Regards,

[dogsbodymk1]

To me, it looks like the standard radio fit for W34's. I don't have a lot of references for this aircraft, but they all seem to be just like this one.

[Tom Willis]

Hi Larry

The correct reg. is WL-OQUO

Regards
Tom Willis

[Tony Jones]

Tom

You are correct here, a W 34 hau c/n 2634. This a/c was then repaired at Letov 10/39 to 3/40 and then returned to LW service.

Tony

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Thanks Tom and Tony for the quick input. It sounds like we are all talking about the same a/c. My understanding is that this kind of registration, WL-OQUO, is a civil registration, not military. Is that correct? Why would an a/c of a Courier unit subordinate to Army HQ be carrying a civil registry (if the unit ID is accurate), if my understanding is correct. Reminds me of the early registration for the Seenotflugkdo units.

Also, is Dogsbodymk1 correct that the unusual-looking antennas are actually standard for this type of a/c, and were they for some special capabilities that these a/c had?

And finally, does anyone remember the publication source for a color profile of this a/c or am I dreaming too vividly?

Regards,

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The reason for the civilian marking was probably that it was a civilian aircraft mobilized into the Luftwaffe. Having such an aircraft sent to a Kurierstaffel seems logical.

At the same time (fall 1939), mobilized Tiger Moth were used by RAF schools and some crashed and were lost before receiving military serials.

We now know that the war was just starting then, but at the time German leaders were sure that England and France will not react when they invaded Poland, and then, once they were proven wrong on 3 September 1939, were mainly convinced they will search peace once Poland had fallen. So there were probably plans to return this aircraft to his civilian owner as soon as the war was over.

[Tony Jones]

Laurent

This aircraft was already in LW use at one of the Fliegerschule. Early in 1939 all such a/c had the D- removed and WL added. From late 1939 it would have been given an stkz but this was not quoted in the Letov doc. As it was returned to service in 3/40 it may have rec'd its stkz then

In the UK all private a/c were inspected and if warranted to be useful they were "impressed" and given military serials. Anything not required was banned from flying and stored. Air-Britain Historians produced a document "Impressment Log" and full details of inspection dates and a/c fates are listed.

Both Tom and I are A-B members
Tony

[Graham Boak]

I rather doubt that there were many, if any, civilian users of the W34. Such animals were fairly rare under the Third Reich.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Thanks to all for the education that I'm getting about this (these) aircraft. Tony, what is the "Letov doc?" Is this something that could give us further information on a/c lost or damaged during the PC?

I'm still at a loss to explain what to me is the strange radio mast and antenna on this a/c. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Was this standard for this type of a/c, or was this aircraft being used for some specialized type of radio intelligence activity, radio direction finding for example?

Regards,

[Snautzer]

This setup can also be found on Ju52. Used for training radio operators

Setup is receiver/transmitter and direction finder and i think a FuG 03 "Stuttgart" receiver/transmitter

see http://reference.canadaspace.com/sea...0of%20WW%20II/


see Ju52 set up here http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...?f=69&t=154043