Can anyone help with names on cowlings of these 3./TrGr186 Ju87Bs

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

I took a shot at a series of auctions today that failed miserably. Wasn't even the #2 bidder on some of the images.

The Ju87s of TrGr186 (III./StG1 after June, 1940) are not very well represented in the photographic record. It appears that either during the WC of 1940 or by the BoB, this unit, or its successor III./StG1, began putting the names of targets previously attacked on both sides of the cowlings of their Stukas. Two examples of this were auctioned today. These are probably either WC or BoB. Can anyone decipher these target names on J9+GL and J9+FL, or possibly be aware of other photos of the same a/c?

Has anyone done an analysis that would help identify when this practice began?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...OIBUAA:US:1123

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...OIBUAA:US:1123

Second issue: I wasn't able to win the photo of the entire I./TrGr186 in formation flight, probably sometime late in 1939. Does anyone by chance have a high res copy of this photo in their collection that they would be willing to share or trade with us? This same photo or a similar one appears in Mahlke's book, and also in Alfred Price's "Luftwaffe Handbook 1939-45."

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...OIBUAA:US:1123

Any help that can be provided will be much appreciated.

Regards,

[Dénes Bernád]

Originally Posted by Larry Hickey

Second issue: I wasn't able to win the photo of the entire I./TrGr186 in formation flight, probably sometime late in 1939. Does anyone by chance have a high res copy of this photo in their collection that they would be willing to share or trade with us?

Larry, I do have a postcard size copy (bought as an original photo) of this and two other photos from this series.

[Pieter H]

Hi Larry,

on the second picture I read something like "Lessfeld" or "Cossfeld"', in any case something ending with "ssfeld". Which sounds more German than anything else. So seems more like names of German towns (I suppose) than of attacked targets. Where did you get the suggestion from that the names referred to previous targets?

Regards, Pieter

[JohnnyB]

Sometimes it´s better to do a negative to read more detail. Maybe I´m wrong, but I think it´s "Hessfeld".

[Larry Hickey]

Dénes,

Since we already work together, if you can send me high-res copies of these three images, I would greatly appreciate it. They would fall under our existing arrangement. You're already working on the Stuka units right now anyway, so the timing for this is perfect.

Pieter,

I've gathered as much photography as I can find on this unit (I./TrGr186-III./StG1) during the 1939-40 period for the EOE photo Data Base. Some of the "targets" on the cowlings by early 1941 are clearly readable as places the unit attacked during the early part of the Battle of Britain. I'd like to see what Dénes has in his photos, as these may further elaborate on this practice.

Regards,

[Larry Hickey]

JohnnyB,

Excellent work. So, can anyone come up with a plausible interpretation of this name. "feld" is field in English. Could this be some English target with a town named ....field?

Anybody got any thoughts on the other name on J9+GL? Looks like a very short word.

Regards,

[JohnnyB]

Hi Larry,

if - it is "Hessfeld" so maybe two things are possible. Hessfeld is a very common surname in germany. Or it means a small town in germany.

Best regards,

JohnnyB

[JohnnyB]

Larry - could I add this question about this name into another forum for a little bit more assistance ?


Regards,

JohnnyB

[Larry Hickey]

JohnnyB,

Absolutely. Any help that anyone can provide would be most welcome.

Regards,