Seeking ID info on FL He111, prob in West 39-40

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Recently won the attached photo on eBay and am awaiting receipt. In the meantime, It shows a FL He111 with many people around it apparently right after the crash. The country can probably be determined by the clothing of the police and soldiers around it, which don't look familiar to me. Could be Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg or France, but possibly also in the East in the Balkans?

Codes appear to be ?1+E (or F)? The a/c code letter appears to be yellow.

Who can ID the uniforms/clothing on the people and/or has other images of this incident?

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-CDx...-CDxzk8z-M.jpg

[ChrisS]

Just sent you two images.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Offboard, I have now located two additional images of this FL He111, which appear to carry the codes G1+FP of 6./KG55. Does anyone have a possible incident during the WC (possibly across the border in Germany) for this FL a/c? Many civilians, soldiers and police apparently gathered at the crash site shortly after the plane FL after combat damage.

Your continuing help with this one is much appreciated.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[Pieter H]

Hi Larry,

If the code it exactly G1+FP I don't have a match. However, from your wording I sense some hesitation? So if the code is not 100% confirmed then I have G1+FR in the offering: shot down on May 11 at Etuz, north of Besançon.

Regards, Pieter

[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Pieter,

You could well be right. Unfortunately, the photos do not allow us to be precise on the last letter of the codes. However, wasn't the He111 down between Etuz & Gezier on 11 May 1940 reportedly burned by the crew after belly-landing ?

[Pieter H]

Hi Peter,

you're right, overlooked that element. However, "burning" could mean different degrees. Unfortunately no front of the aircraft visible, so unable to judge whether that part is burnt or not. In reports we regularly read that crews desparately trying to put their aircraft on fire didn't succeed, or it resulted in only small fires that could be extinguished. Might be the case here.
At the same time I have a picture of an unidentified seriously (or maybe effectively) burned KG55 Heinkel, so that might well be the one of Etuz.
Which then brings us back to Larry's original question; which one is this?

Regards, Pieter