HE177 "Stolen" by the British

[Jon]

Just flicking through a few books and have found a very brief description under the picture of a HE177A-5/R6 with British markings.
It claims that this particular 177 was stolen by the Brits from the Luftwaffe field of Blagnac during a particulary audacious operation in early 1944.
Did this happen or is it one of the many WW2 myths?
If it did, does anyone have any details on the operation, i am sure the Germans did not just sit back and let it be taken?

[Nick Beale]

Less exciting than the "James Bond story" but it's more likely it was one of the He 177s found at Blagnac during the liberation of France in Summer 1944. These included ex II./KG 40 machines 5442/F8+BN; 5445/F8+DP; and 5439/F8+BM.

[Graham Boak]

Wasn't this the one first flown in French markings - hence the overpainted rudder when in British colours - and which was then passed on to the US?

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Blagnac being the place I am born and have lived until the age of 21, I have searched a bit the local WWII history and never have heard of any operation.

On the other hand, many German aircraft at various states of repair were left when the German retired in August 1944 in Toulouse and others SW France bases. The local units of the Armée de l'Air used until the end of the war D 520, Ju 88, Fi 156 and one Bf 110 seized here. I don't remember anything about He 177.

[Jaap Woortman]

From Phil Butlers Warprizes page 21 the following quote:
"TS439 Heinkel He 177A-5/R6 W Nr 550062
This He 177, coded 'F8+AP' of II/KG40, was captured by the
French Resistance at Toulouse-Blagnac where it was under over-
haul in the Ateliers Industriel de l'Air facility in September 1944. lt
also had the radio call-sign 'KM+UK'and wore the nurnber '60' in
yellow on its fin. lt was flown from Toulouse to Farnborough by
W/Cdr R. J. Falk on 10th September. lt wore French markings,
including the title 'Prise de Guerre'. By 20th September it had
received RAF markings and the serial TS439. Its first flight was
made by S/Ldr A. F. Martindale on that day. lt was flown on a
number of occasions at Farnborough, its last recorded flight being
on 20th February 1945, when it landed at Boscombe Down. From
here it is believed to have been shipped in dismantled condition to
the USA where it became 'FE-2100' on arrival. On its last flight the
'177 had sustained irrepairable damage to one of its DB610 engines
and the Americans had obtained a stock of spare engines. (The
USAAF had received another He 177A in Europe, but this was
destroyed at Paris/Orly in a take-off accident at the start of its deliv-
ery flight to the USA). Also see 'FE-2100' in Chapter 16.
TS439 made twenty flights under RAE control (including its
ferry flight), totalling 19 hours 35 minutes. Trials covered aspects
as varied as tests of the spring tab controls, bombsight and altime-
ter tests and checks of the crew's air heating system. Pilots who
fiew the aircraft included S/Ldr Weightrnan, F/Lt Turner, S/Ldr
Keeling, F/Lt Wellwood, S/Ldr Randrup and G/Capt A. F. Hards."

Jaap

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thansk for the details Jaap, the term "captured by the Resistance in September 1944" is probably not right, the factories and the whole Toulouse area was liberated on between the 19 and the 21 August 1944 by the Resistance (or rather vacated by the Germans because of the landing in Southern France, even if the Resistance rose everywhere and killed/captured thousand of Germans in the area it was not the first cause of the German retreat).

But it is sure that Resistance members were the ones who found this AC and probably applied French colors to it. The integration of the ad-hoc units formed by Resistance members (former Armée de l'Air members) with captured AC into the official Armée de l'Air wasn't done until well into September.