Seeking info on two FL Ju87B of 9./StG1, 6G+DT, near Dinant, Belgium, and the other, 6G+JT, in France, during May, 1940

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Despite that fact that German reports of III./StG51 force-landed and damaged a/c during the FC/WC are almost certainly incomplete, we are attempting to ID two 9./StG51 a/c that made wheels down force landings, apparently during May. 1940.

The first, 6G+DT, is well known from many photos that have appeared on eBay, including a copy that has just appeared again.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-Sorinnes...-/360907141828

We've pinned the location down to a temporary airfield between Sorinnes and Foy-Notre-Dame, just east of Dinant, Belgium. Since the photos show the a/c intact and not heavily souvenired with the swastikas removed, this suggest that this happened around the time of, or after the Germans captured the Dinant area, which is presently unknown to me.

There is only one III./StG51 report that could apply: 20% damage on 12.05.40. However, there is no way to know if this reflects this incident. All the other unit reports are 60% or more damage, indicating a write-off, which also could be how this a/c was initially reported.

We know the W.Nr. of the a/c was 5179, so we know that it was flown at least once by a pilot named Willy Grams back during the summer of 1939. We also know that this a/c was subsequently recovered, repaired and put back into service, showing up with StG2 at Graz in the spring of 1941.

Can anyone provide any further clues that might allow us to date when this a/c force landed? I know that it is a very long shot, but does anyone have any crew info, or know the circumstances that forced this a/c down? Was III./StG51 ever based just E of Dinant, even briefly?

The second incident involved 6G+JT, auctioned a few weeks ago on eBay.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/A428-Frankrei...p2047675.l2557

The seller caption, which is often wrong, says that this FL happened in France. Does anyone have other photos of this incident, or perhaps know anything about date, location and crew?

Both of these Stukas carried the 9./StG51 "Ace of Hearts" emblem on the cowling, which dates back to 1939, which in June of 1940, before the end of the FC/WC, was replaced by the new devil-riding-a-bomb insignia.

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

[Pieter H]

Larry, III./StG51 was based at On, just east of Rochefort, from May 15 to 23, coming from Köln-Wahn. So this landing might have happened in that period. The first recorded action I have of III./StG51 is on May 13, operating over Charleville, so it might also be an emergency landing after being hit over there. But other than that sources on this Gruppe are scarse, so no hard evidence.

Regards, Pieter

[Larry Hickey]

Pieter,

We're now convinced that 6G+DT was photographed at a temporary airfield of Sorinnes E of Dinant, Belgium, between 15 and 23 May. It is likely the a/c was damaged in combat, made it back to base, and was left behind, at least temporarily, when the unit moved on to St Aubin, it's next base, on 23 May. What we need to know now is the circumstances and date of damage to the Stuka, and the name of the crew. These would nail it. We know that Uffz Willy Grams was not the pilot during the FC/WC period, so it was someone else.

We still know nothing new about the second a/c, 6G+JT.

Regards,

[obdl3945]

Hi, Larry...

I don't know if you've seen these two images hence my posting them here. Not really able to add anything more sadly. I think they're possibly the same machine - codes, spinner band and forrested background - and the caption gave the location as Köln/Wahn, 1939, although personally I'd be more inclined to accept the location you provide.

Both images form expire ebay auctions during 2012.

Regards,

Paul

[Larry Hickey]

Paul,

Thanx for forwarding these. I have both of them in the EoE Photo DB, and noted the location, which seems totally out of sync with all the several other photos of the a/c that place it in Belgium.

That's the problem with these auction captions and even hand-written notes on the back. Sometimes they really help ID a photo. Other times they are red herrings that send you off on a wild goose chase. In this case, I think we've got a good handle on the location near Dinant, Belgium, but this is only about 90% sure.

Unless and until we get reliable information to the contrary, here is what we're now carrying in our DB for this one:

"23 May 1940 Western Campaign: 9./StG51 Junkers Ju87B (5179). Unserviceable aircraft abandoned at Sorinnes airstrip, east of Dinant, when unit transferred to St Aubin. No crew casualties. Aircraft 6G+DT repairable.
This unit had only arrived from Odendorf on 15 May so this aircraft was grounded sometime afterwards."

This aircraft sat for a long time in place as spectators wore a path all the way around it in the grass, which seems unlikely at a German incident location.