![]() |
|
Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the German Luftwaffe and the Air Forces of its Allies. |
![]() |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
This is a heavily cropped photo of the Halberstadt Airfield taken on July 7, 1944 by Lt. John S Blyth. He was flying an unarmed Spitfire Mk XI (MB 955). He was with the 14th Squadron of the 7th Photo Group based at Mt Farm, England. This was sortie #2258 and the mission was flown at about 30,000 feet. There are several aircraft visible in the photo including one which is apparently extremely rare. Can anyone (I am sure you can) identify the other aircraft?
Thanks Scott |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
Heinkel He 111Z "Zwilling" in the upper left corner ?
Michal |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
Yes Michal that is a Heinkel 111Z and apparently one of only 12 built. As you know it was a glider tug. I am still trying to identify the other aircraft in the photo.
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
You might like to know that Lt John Blyth is still with us. Google Spitfire 944 and see what comes up. You will be surprised.
Chris |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
If you mean the AF near to the 111Z, just a bit lower left of it: May that be a Gotha-glider?
|
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
Thanks Yogy
I am no expert but the Gotha gliders found on the internet seem to all have twin tails which are connected somewhat like a P-38. This one seems to have a single tail. Was there such a glider? |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
It could be one of the 12 Gotha Ka 430 built in 1944. It was a single tail glider.
(comparison of span /length with the He 111 Z is OK) |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
Thanks Richard
I guess that is very possible and likely given the presence of the Zwilling. Any ideas on their typical missions at that time (July 7, 1944)? Regards Scott |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
Scott,
I assume the photo does also show the north part of Halberstadt airfield ? If this is the case, you can see in this area a accumulation of buildings. Most of this were barracks and quarters for the parachute troops of II./LGG1 (Air Landing Geschwader 1), stationed in Halberstadt. (involved in the invasion of Crete, the release of Mussolini on Gran Sasso) Since 1941 the airfield was mainly a traineeship for this special unit and they used transport gliders. This should be the reason for the presence of a glider and a He111-Z towplane on the photo. I'll send you a PM. Regards digedag1 |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Aerial Photo Halberstadt Airfield
Scott,
-your photo shows the south part of the Halberstadt airfield with the two big, one smaller hangar and the big servicing hangar. -Because of the shadows of the buildings, the photo was taken short after noon-time. -Most of the craters left by the bombs are making an impression as they were "new" and many are not filled up. -The roofs of the big hangars are in for repair. Halberstadt airfield was a target for the 8th AF and was bombed on: -11 April 1944 (29 paratroopers died) -30 May 1944 (heavy attack; a direct bomb hit in an air-raid shelter caused the life of the complete staff of "2.Inspektion/ Luftkriegsschule III" - 7 Luftwaffe soldiers and officers and the wife of one of the high-ranking officers) -16 August 1944 (9 Luftwaffe soldiers and 3 female members of the Luftwaffe died) Was the reconnaissance photo taken on 7th of July '44? Halberstadt was not a target that day! Assuming that the date is correct, there is an high probability that the 3 parked planes on the concrete strip in front of the hangars are german fighters. On the 7th of July '44 a great aerial battle took place in the triangle between Bernburg-Oschersleben-Halberstadt with high losses on both sides. The german propaganda called it the "Blitzluftschlacht von Oschersleben". http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/neilpage/sturmgruppenactions.html Quiet possible that the planes we see took part in this fights and afterwards landed at Halberstadt airfield. There is an eyewitness-report by Oblt. Strothmann, member of the airfield staff, that at 9:55 hours 4 Fw190 and 1 Me109 landed in short intervals. Oblt. Gabler, JG300, writes: "Four pilotes of my Stabsschwarm had exhausted their munitions by then and broke off, so that Knoll and myself were on our own..... We dived headlong towards Halberstadt where we landed to refuel and rearm at 10:10." With regards digedag1 |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Innsbruck Hötting Airfield Aerial View | Roger Gaemperle | Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces | 18 | 14th February 2013 19:39 |
VVS operations 6-8 may & 8-10 june 1943, claims and losses. | Evgeny Velichko | Allied and Soviet Air Forces | 78 | 18th August 2009 15:16 |
Help: Request for aerial photos of Foggia airfield (USAAF) | Monguse | Allied and Soviet Air Forces | 12 | 3rd June 2008 02:51 |
VLR Claims | keith A | Japanese and Allied Air Forces in the Far East | 8 | 13th November 2007 18:27 |
F/O John Greer Boyle, KIA 41 Sqn 28.9.40 - photo needed | Geoff Kennell | Allied and Soviet Air Forces | 0 | 28th January 2005 15:55 |