Red cross and Ju-52

[Peter Achs]

Hi,

here is a photo of the tail of a Sani-Ju 52.

Regards Peter

[Von Alles]

Hi,
these Ju 52s registrated D-TABW X Y were enigmas for me for a long time.
Please note that He 59 are civilians registrated in the D-A series (in fact registrated to the International Red Cross in Switzlerland according to the Geneva Convention).
But D-T... is not a civilian registration but a military one.
What was the unit operated them ?
There a lot of pics of them during late Spring & Summer 1940 in France.
Some said they were used by an air sea rescue unit. There is a movie of Hitler visiting units in 1940 with one of these planes in the background.
My opinion is that they were military planes usind a international registration (a SKZ is in fact a D-... registration) for use over "neutral" countries, for instance rapatriation of wounded and/or german PoW in France post-armistice
Have a good day
Von Alles

[Seaplanes]

In the booklet "46 Jahre danach" Eine Dokumentation von Karl Born, he outlines the history of these three Ju 52's. During the winter 1939/1940, parts of the north coast of Germany froze in. Landing with seaplanes were more or less impossible due to the ice. This was also the case for the He 59's of the Seenotdienst. On a temporary basis, the Seenotdienst were allocated two, later supplemented by one more Ju 52 Sanitätsflugzeuge. The first two, D-TABY and D-TABX, seems to have been taken over towards the end of December 1939, D-TABW was taken over on 31.01.1940. Nearly 109 tons of supplies and 1284 people were airlifted from the mainland to the isolated islands from 9 January 1940 to 22.02.1940. A total of 214 sorties were flown by the aircraft in 24:36 hours.

[obdl3945]

Peter...

Great thumbnail... well done...

[Peter Achs]

Hi seaplanes,

there is an article in the Junkers Nachrichten 3/40 abaout the „Eisnotdienst“. The article says there was only one Ju 52 in service. And the photo shows a common Luftwaffe Ju 52.

Btw., D-TABW etc. are former Stkz. TA+BW etc.

Regards
Peter

[Seaplanes]

I tend to believe Karl Borns information as this is based on his report after the completion of this operation. A faximile of this report is reproduced in his booklet. Bear in mind that Ltn. Karl Born led this operation from start to end. His report is dated 26.02.1940. The three Ju 52s were subordinated to Seenotflugkommando 1 at Norderney.

[Parabellum]

@ Peter Achs : nice pics!
The first one is perfect illustration for these peculiar "Sanitäts Ju-52s".
For the last one, the "common" Ju-52 seems to have a Stkz beginning with 1Z+.. May be was it a complement aircraft for the aerial salvage operations?
@ Everybody : thank you very much for replies which give me precisions on the orerational duty past of those planes.
@ Von Alles : where have you seen the "lot of pics of them during late spring & summer 1940 in France " that you evoke?

Best regards,

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

Originally Posted by Peter Achs

Hi,

here is a photo of the tail of a Sani-Ju 52.

Regards Peter

Most interesting to me is the small "normal" swastica on the fin. Haven´t noticed it on other photos.
Parabellum, there are some photos available in books but there was also some great shots were sold on eBay Germany long time ago showing those planes.
What I remember from a book is the swastica used on those planes matches the ones from German Red Cross in WW2 meaning a not combatent plane. This kind of swastica for Red Cross is also seen on medals and daggers (in this case with a "broken" tip).

[Peter Achs]

I found the W-Nr. for one of the Ju 52:
Ju 52, W-Nr. 6660, TA+BX, 22. Apr. 42, San.Flugber.3, near Fürstenwalde, crashed after mid-air collision, 100%

Another loss:
Ju 52, W-Nr. 6661, (TA+BY?), 14. Febr. 43, San.Flugber.4, near Karatschew, Russia, flew into the ground during bad weather, 100%

I also found a photo of a Sani-Ju 52 with reg. D-TMBT, and there are (later?) photos of the D-TABW with the normal „angled“ Swastika.

@ Sergio Luis:
The small swastika is part of the stylized eagle, see the profile.

Regards
Peter

[Von Alles]

Dear Parabellum,
I have found "a lot of pics" elsewere : there was a contempary picture of D-TABX in a copy of Signal, dated 1940.
Frequently, photos of these machines are on sale on eBay.
Other pictures in "Ju 52 in action", Karl Ries 's DK13, some copies of the french magazine Avions, etc.
Best regards
Von Alles