Avia B.71 markings?

[jim norton]

hi,
i´m a little bit confused: avia b71 wnr. 165 is known with full stkz., wnr. 167, too. But what with wnr. 166 - does anybody has some information on this unique luftwaffe plane?
regards
jim

[Peter D Evans]

Hi Jim,

I have:

Avia B.71 WNr.165 coded SE+DZ
Avia B.71 WNr.167 coded SE+EA

...I've not got anything for WNr.166 either and the fact that the Sktz codes above go in sequence points to their possibly not being a WNr.166 allocated to the Luftwaffe?

[source, the defunct "Beuteflugzeuge 1939-45 Website"]

There was also quite a comprehensive article on the B.71 with the Luftwaffe in the defunct Luftwaffe Verband magazine, so I will check this out when I get home later...

Out of interest, we also have a large thread on Luftwaffe B.71's over on the LEMB here (membership of the LEMB is required to view the thread)

Kind regards,

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[Peter D Evans]

...on delving a bit further, it now appears that the old Beutefluge listing could have been wrong. Acording to an extensive WNr & Sktz listing in Luftwaffe Verband magazine (Issue 24, Oct 2000) page 7:

B.71A - WNr.165 - SE+DY - Avia, first flown 09-05-40
B.71A - WNr.166 - SE+DZ - Avia, first flown 21-06-40, then Erpr.Stelle
B.71A - WNr.167 - SE+EA - Avia, first flown 17-04-40

No doubt Tom Willis (Sktz guru) will correct or confirm this data...

Kind regards,

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[jim norton]

hi,
many thanks! i was looking at the Beuteflugzeuge 1939-45 Website, too and got this thing up. but now it´s clear!
what kind of duty did wnr. 166 at what kind of erpr. stelle?
all the best
jim

[Peter D Evans]

Hi Jim,

I'll double check my second source to see if mention is made of its duties at Erpr.Stelle - as a guess, I suppose it could have been involved in tug or target tug duties...

Cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[Peter D Evans]

The section of text below is reproduced from an article on the B.71 in service with the Luftwaffe written by Tom Willis and taken from "Luftwaffe Verband" Issue 23 - (July 2000)

"When the Germans took control, all the original 60 B.71 aircraft were taken over by the Luftwaffe; one was flown to E3 Department at Erpr.Stelle Rechlin for engine tests and flown between 5th April to 16th May 1939. The aircraft was then passed onto the E2 Department for basic airframe and flight tests which were conducted on 30th June 1940. One B.71 was also assigned to the armaments test center at Tarnewitz, presumably after conversion to a target tug."

From a follow-up article on the same type in "Luftwaffe Verband" Issue 24 (Oct 2000), an updated Sktz list is included, with the following types listed as having been allocated for testing:

TD+FA - B.71, WNr.109 - built by Aero & first flight 18-10-40. Transferred to E2 Dept Erpr.Stelle Rechlin 19-04-41

SE+DL or VI+BA - B.71, WNr.152 - built by Avia & first flight 21-07-39. Transferred tp Erpr.Stelle Tarnewitz 09-39?

SE+DZ - B.71, WNr.166 - built by Avia & first flight 21-06-40. Transferred to Erpr.Stelle Travemunde 05-40

Kind regards,

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[Tom1UK]

Hi Jim & Peter

The Stkz sequence SE+DA to SE+DZ was assigned to the Avia factory for late 1939/early 1940.

SE+DA - DK were assigned to Bk 534 production

SE+DL - DZ were assigned to Avia B.71A

W/Nr.152 was the 1st Production a/c under German control and should have received SE+DL but according to another researcher (I do not have my Lw Verbands to hand so cannot name him) this aircraft recieved VI+BA

I have this Stkz as going to Est Tarnewitz in 09.39 but with no W/Nr. I assumed that this was an ex Czech AF B.71 and not a German production a/c.

However, it is possible that although the SE+DL Stkz may have been assigned the a/c it may never have been given this Stkz. It is logical that the 1st production design of the target-towing Avia B.71A would be tested at the weapons facility at Est Tarnewitz.

So in thoery SE+DL & VI+BA are both correct for W/Nr.152.

If the researcher from Lw Verband would like to come forward and give a 100% certainty (factory documentation) that W/nr.152 was assigned VI+BA at the Avia factory then this querry might be resolved.

Regards

Tom Willis

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi All

Interesting topic. For someone who does not have Luftwaffe Verband, is it possible to get detailed info regarding how many Avia 71/71A Luftwaffe actually got? AND their Stammkennzeichnung?
Seems a new range started with SE+EA and another in the SE+Fx since SE+FW is known.

Also did Luftwaffe aquire any FLYING SB ex Soviet Union?

Cheers
Stig

[Tony Jones]

Hi Stig

I will scan and send to you

Regards

Tony

[Jan vd Heuvel]

Hi Stig,

Yes, at least one Russian SB flew in German markings.

I have 4 photo's of this plane, although it seems this plane is some kind of hybrid. It has features of the SB series and features of the Ar-2.

This is one of the photo's.

Regards,
Jan