HE111 I. D. markings help?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by robinh

Excuse me for misunderstanding.

It sounded to me that Merlin had records of the aircraft being assigned the code SF + CY from the factory. It now appears that this could have been painted on at any time for a special unit before end of war and aircraft destroyed before capture?

The aircraft was probably marked as SF+CY by the time it left the factory and was accepted by the Luftwaffe. As Ed says, such letters could be used as the aircraft's radio callsign throughout its life, even if it also received operational unit markings, and would also appear in documentation (its maintenance history for example).

[Jim P.]

He 111H-6, 4962, n.n., , , , Fl.Ber.G.L., , , , , 02-Apr-44, Bruchlandung., , Lfl.Reich, BA-MA Signatur RL 2 III/778, Flzg.-Unfälle und Verluste bei Schulen und usw., p.117, , Johannisthal, 15%, H, , ,

[edNorth]

Jim P, same info as in reply #7.
Photo likely taken full year later, in my opinion, but unit may have stayed the same.
-Ed

[robinh]

"RT" and "Jim P" apparently have access to the German archives Luftwaffe info in section RL 2 III/778 that lists HE111-H #4962 to be crashed with 15% damage in 02 Apr 44 and assigned to the transport unit for high officers (Fl. Bereitschaft G. L.) at Berlin-Johannistal airfield.

Perhaps the plane got repaired and moved. The photo clearly shows US troops at the destroyed plane probably at a later date (since US troops were not at Berlin at end of war).

I have to conclude that the plane unit assignment and final location are not fully known at this time.

A neat mystery. This has been a very fun project for me. Many thanks to all that helped with it.

[edNorth]

Originally Posted by robinh

"RT" and "Jim P" apparently have access to the German archives Luftwaffe info in section RL 2 III/778 that lists HE111-H #4962

Well, I actually owe this series of document microfiche. Bought from Germany. Original page is attached where report of 4962 is found at.
This is normaly referred to as "The Schulen" losses, against "Fighting units" were in a different series of records (reports), issued by GQM 4.Abt. on dayly bases thrughout the European War 1939/1945.

http://i68.tinypic.com/2qal8uq.jpg

-Ed

PS. Writing "HE111-H" is incorrect, as they could tell you in school, proper writing is one of keys to (good) research.
Correct writing is " He 111 H " - because manufacturer (factory) Heinkel was abbrevated by the German Air Ministry to just Capital "H" and lower case "e" and sub-version here was "H" - that differed from, for example, the He 111 P - by the type and version of engines used. The He 111 H-6 had 2 x Jumo 211 J engines with VS II wooden bladed propellers, and incidentally the H-6 was basically a Level-Bomber or Torpedo Bomber, and not a transport, altho it was easily converted to many roles..

Unit flying/using W.Nr. 4962 in April 1944 was correctly the "Flugbereit Generalluftzeugmeister" who incidentally was Chief of the RLM.

[robinh]

Thanks for the proper nomenclature and the archive page copy for He 111 H-6 Wnr. 4962.

Now if someone could recognize the buildings and background of the airfield the destroyed plane resides in I would know about all the info you could get on the aircraft. Chances there one in a very large number. Still a very fun journey and very educational for me.