First Combat sortie with Ar234 August 2, 1944 Lt. Erich Sommer

[Chris Going]

What an interesting posting! It seems to me that the most original documentation is the Kilmkenzettel, which was after all, the original label for the films from the sortie (where did you find that!) which identifies it as F81/44. This indicates a 90 minute flight from Juvincourt-the D Day Lodgement and back, with a take off at 11.30 hrs, and a return at 13.30. The camera(s) are given as RB 50/50'(s). so probably two, and thus two films, which would not be out for drying until c 14.00 hrs, and a bit later if prints are being cracked off.

Then there is Uffz Pfefferkorn's Immed Intel Rep (or whatever Bildstelle Juvincourt called them). I think the time citation there is the time the report was typed up -c 1.5-2 hrs after he notionally got the film, or a copy (I guess it was intrepreted off the Neg). Incidentally we are told elsewhere (Smith and Creek 1992, 150) that 'it took a team of twele photographic interpreters two days to produce an initial report from his films'. Pfefferkorns was thus the first of a long stream, but if it was just a rescension of estimated tonnages it would have been woeful stuff.

This leaves a small problem. Phillippe Baudins site reproduced an annotated print from the F81/44 sortie. Now the annotation indicates that one image was taken at 16.12hrs. The issue would be settled if one could read the time off the data chamber in the corner at the opposite end of the image, but I cant. I am sure its legible in the original picture though.

For what it's worth I dont think a second flight happened on Aug 2nd. When Sommer returned he found the second Arado 234 V5 flown by Goetz had arrived in the meanwhile.

My guess is that the later times are for times of completion of the first Interpretation reports.

Check with Phillippe -he should know, having been in touch with Sommer himself.

Incidentally, where did you find the Filmkennzettel and Intel Rep for the flight? -I have catalogued some others of the latter, of Utah beach, and Pegasus c 14th June, which surfaced (as ever) just too late to go into my Book of Photo Recon of D Day.

Best


ChrisG