Help to ID

[chuckschmitz]

Can anyone help to ID this one. The second aircraft looks like 54+C31??

[Revi16]

ID the aircraft, the Group???

Do-17, KG 255

http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/b/325/2/0/26

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18532986@N07/4113244641/

http://www.asisbiz.com/Luftwaffe/kg255.html

[obdl3945]

Hi, Chuck...

This is 54+C(or L?)37. I find best way to read these pre-war codes is backwards, right to left.

So that makes it aircraft 'C' or 'L' of 7.Staffel, within III.Gruppe of the (numerically) fourth unit within air dirstrict 5 (headquarters at Munich). As Revi16 rightly states, that was KG255.

If I understand this system correctly, '255' in itself tells you that: '2' the unit was specifically the second bomber unit within the air district, the first '5' denoted the aircraft type (larger twin-engined, therefore usually bombers) and the second '5' again confirms the air district.

Hope this is helpful .

Regards,

Paul

[chuckschmitz]

Thank you both for the info. Unfortunately my pre-war references are not the greatest.

cheers,
Chuck

[Doug Stankey]

Yes, references concerning prewar units are few and generally inaccurate. Your best bet for a published reference is our book:
deZeng, Henry L. IV and Douglas G. Stankey. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945: A Reference Source. Volumes 1 (ISBN 10 1 903223 72 5) and Volume 2 (ISBN 10 1 903223 87 3). Hersham (Surrey): Ian Allan Publishing, 2007 and 2008.
The second volume contains the prewar bomber units as well as an appendix showing all the unit codes.


DGS

[chuckschmitz]

Thanks, I'll check them out.