Possible Staffel or Schwarm insignia on rudders of some 3./KG55 He111Ps during the Polish Campaign?

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Please see

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160776325019...ht_32374wt_883

This photo album, apparently belonging to an Uffz pilot in 3./KG55, shows two images of He111Ps from the Polish Campaign with a strange, elongated figure in a top hat, evening dress and carrying an umbrella (two versions), which I've seen somewhere else before. Does anyone know if there are other images of this strange figure that are on other He111s of this unit? Since there are two slightly different variations on the same theme, could this be either a Schwarm or incipient Staffel insignia?

Anybody know anything more about this, or have any possible info on who the Uffz pilot is that owned this album? One of these a/c will make a great color profile.

Regards,

[ianatheling]

Thanks, this is a fascinating album which I will spend some time looking over. My initial observations on the umbrella emblem is that this was a common theme with KG 55. The attached photo is from He 111P G1+HP WNr.1992, of Gerhard Pulver 6./KG 55. It seems to be related to the BoB/Blitz, so later than the other photos. It is not the same as those in the album, but suggests that the umbrella carrying gentleman (probably Chamberlain) was used generally with KG 55, rather than being a staffel or personal emblem.



Ian

[Larry Hickey]

Ian,

I owe you a detailed response to the email you sent a few days ago. Will get to that shortly. I'm familiar with the images of G1+HP, which are incorrectly identified in the Walter Waiss KG27 books as being KG27, and in the Hall/Quinlan KG55 book as being related to the Battle of Britain. In fact, they are 6./KG55 and date back to the Polish Campaign and Phoney War period. Different He111s carrying the code G1+HP were shot down during both the WC (FC) and the BoB, and this one pre-dates both of them.

Your idea that cartoon characters carrying an umbrella were common in KG55 (and other units) is accurate, and they were usually a send up on Chamberlain. However, I'm not sure if that is the case with these figures on the 3./KG55 He111 rudders during the PC. They may be, but there also may be a character in German culture or literature from the time that this represents. Just want to explore that option. I also want to see if we can turn up any other images of this figure, or variations thereof, in the published photos out there. Somewhere I've seen this imagery before, but I can't put my finger on it at the moment.

Regards,

[ianatheling]

I have finished looking through the album. There are no further remarks at present on the rudder art or the pilot. The only comments are that the 3./KG 55 aircraft are a mixture of He 111P-2 and P-4 aircraft. Either side of these there are several He 111B-1 aircraft and a Ju 52/3m. These appear to belong to II and III./KG 257 in 1938. There is no direct link between KG 257 and KG 55, so our pilot must have transferred between them.


Ian

[John Beaman]

Interesting that the records I have list WNr. 2145 as a P-2 damaged in 1941, then repaired but then listed as a P-5 and 70% damaged with a training unit later.

[ianatheling]

Hi John

The He111P-5 was a dual-control version of the P-2 for training purposes. They were supposed to be new builds, but it would not seem impossible that a P-2 was simply converted to the dual control format. Do you have further details on the 1941 crash (Vbkz etc)?

Cheers
Ian

[John Beaman]

Ian, here's what I have:

He 111P-2, 2145, n.n., 7./KG 55, 23-Jun-41, Enemy fire., Bo WIA., 22-Jun per Goss., Lfl.4/Eins.Osten, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #3)-Vol.5, Slipcze, 40%, F, Bo Gefr. Karl Kappeler

[Chris Goss]

I have a number if photos from kaufhold of 3/KG 55- we will be in touch when I get back from France in 10 days time

[ianatheling]

Hi John, thanks for the information on 2145. I wonder whether there is evidence that this aircraft had previously been with 3./KG 55, or whether it was also 7./KG 55 in 1939; in which case it is more evidence that our umbrella carrying gentleman is not just a 3./KG 55 figure?


Ian

[Larry Hickey]

Ian, John & Chris,

Thanx for your comments. John, now we know what happened to the a/c, which I hope to use as a color profile. So this will allow us to put a history with it.

Chris, your comment sounds exciting. Will await your return from France.

In the meantime, I know that I've seen at least one other published photo of that strange, elongated man on the tail of a He111. Does anyone else remember seeing this artwork? It may have been 20-40 years ago, but that character is familiar to me. Could it have ben in one of the Karl Ries books?

As always, help from all of you is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Larry