Luftwaffe - Recco Units over France during the Sitzkrieg & Westfeldzug

[Jerome Ribeiro]

Hello Everyone,

Does anyone know which units performed recco missions over France, especially those which take photos of the french airfields during the "Sitzkrieg" then the "Westfeldzug"?
I guess such missions were done by the Do 17 P.

Best regards

Jerome

[George Hopp]

In April 1940, 1.(F) 124 made a few runs over France, checking railways and harbours up to Marseille and Bordeaux. It was flying the Do 215B4.

[Jerome Ribeiro]

Hello George,

After reading plenty of books on the "Drôle de Guerre", I noticed several units who performed recco missions over airfields or sensitive areas.

• Do17P 3.(F)/22 shooted down by MS406 from GCIII/2 at Zweibrücker on 22 Sept'39
• Do17P 1.(F)/22 shooted down by Adj Plubeau from GCII/4 at Hanviller on 8 Nov'39
• Do17P 3.(F)/22 (4N+EL?) shooted down by S/Lt Trémolet & Sgt Salès from GCII/5 (Curtiss H75) at Morhange on 21 Nov'39
• He111 3.(F)/121 shooted down by S/Lt TDelarue from GCIII/7 in belgium on 21 Nov'39
• Do17P 4.(F)/121 shooted down by GCII/7 at Sulzburg on 21 Nov'39
• Do17P 5.(F)/122 shooted down by S/C Le Gloan & S/Lt martin GCIII/6 at Bras-Sur-Meuse on 23 Nov'39
• Do17P 1.(F)/123 shooted down by MS406 from GCII/3 at Bouclans on 23 Nov'39
• Do17P 2.(F)/22 shooted down by S/Lt Rey from GCI/5 in Belgium on 11 Jan'40
• Do17P 3.(F)/11 (?) shooted down by GCI/5 in Belgium on 11 Jan'40
• Interesting, Do17S-0 (unit???) shooted down by GCI/4 near Calais on 13 jan'40. French specialists inspected this interesting wreck
• Do17P 1.(F)/121 shooted down by GCII/7 near Epinal on 2 March'40
• Do17P 4.(F)/22 damaged by 3 Curtiss H75 from GCII/5 on 2 March'40
• Do17P 4.(F)/11 shooted down by GCII/2 at Sedan on 1st April'40
• Do17P 4.(F)/121 damaged by GCI/2 at Saverne on 2 April'40
• Do17P 4.(F)/122 shooted down by GCI/5 at Wez on 11 April'40
• He111H-1 3.(F)/121 shooted down by GCI/5 at Amifontaine on 11 April'40
• Do17P 1.(F)/123 damaged by GCII/5 on 21 April'40
• Do17P 3.(F)/11 shooted down by GCI/5 at Rancicourt on 22 April'40
• Do17P 3.(F)/123 damaged by GCIII/7 on 24 April'40

So, it appears that more than performed recco missions over France. I don't know whether or not the airfields were the primary target.

If if anyone has information about these missions, please inform us?

Regarding the aircraft, the Do17P were the standard equipement used for such missions.

How many reco units were affected on France?

Thanking you in anticipation
Cheers

Jerome

[Graham Boak]

The Do 17S unit is actually well known - it is the one sometimes called Kommando Rowehl. Excuse me for not digging out the precise German term - it is the high altitude research staffel of the Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe - the Luftwaffe High Command. The term was used to cover its clandestine photo-recce work, using "cutting edge" prototypes fresh from testing at Rechlin. I maybe wrong on this, but possibly Rowehl himself was the pilot of this aircraft?

[Jerome Ribeiro]

Hello,

Does anyone knows how were organized the photo-recce Luftwaffe units?

In others words, the area covered by each units, the management depending from Lufwaffe or Bundeswehr (like France), number of A/C per units...
Best regards

Jerome

[Dave Wadman]

Hi Jerome,

I have just sent you a message.

Regards

Dave

[George Hopp]

When 1.(F) 124 was setup for a 2nd time on 7 July 1939, its initial equipment was 12 Do 17F-1s and a Ju 52. [In an appendix at the back of the book it notes that the a/c was supposed to be 12 Do 17Ps, but ended up being 11 Do 17E/Fs and one W34.] It had the coding G2+*H (* from A to Z). On the morning of 17 Aug 1939, the unit received its orders directly from Luftflotte 4.

Re-equipment began on 14.2.40, converting from the Do 17 to the Do 215B4. At this time it remained under Luftflotte 4.

Starting the French campaign, the unit had 9 Do 215 and 2 He 111. On 8.6.40 it received 3 more 215s.

[klaymann]

On a close thread , am looking for info of my opa's unit , (reccon) 3 .(f) 10 "tannenberg" ... Do17p ,that as far as I can assume operated from poland thru the low countries then france? before going to narvik before assault on england.. any clues / help would be greatly recieved from a Kiwi/german.

[Jerome Ribeiro]

All,

Do you know whether or not it is possible to access to archive of this unit? if yes, where is located this deutsch institute or military archives?

I aims at obtaining some photos coming from these photo-recce Luftwaffe units especially the french airfield during this period.

Thank you
Regards

Jerome