Can you identify a german aircraft by its main engine data plate??

[stephen f. polyak]

Hi,

Engine plates are a bit outside my lane, but for what it's worth...

Given what you describe, indeed there was a Jumo 211, including, apparently, an H model. The He111, Ju87 and Ju88 were among its notable employers, and there are others.

I have had a few engine plates: Argus, D-Benz/M-Benz, BMW and Jumo. These have included what I believe to be main plates. What you describe does not quite "match" what I am familiar with - the letter-number combination Werk-Nr seems an odd form. I would expect numbers only. Is it in fact a main plate or main number; perhaps other TOCH members can verify? Could the "MZM" part of the Werk-Nr be a submaker's code? If so, mzm is: Gebr. Schniewind A.-G., Weberei Neviges/Rhld.

As to your main question: I know that sometimes at least, captured aircraft evaluation reports did list both airplane and engine main Werk-Nr. However, I don't think that was absolute practice. As for such details in German factory or operational records, I do not know. So even with a proper, certain Werk-Nr, it's a long shot, and if that's not a proper number, it's no shot at all.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the "provenance" given an airplane relic has turned out to fall amongst fantasy, the latest retold version of what once was truth, and a bold lie.

Good luck,
Steve