Blenheim identity May 1940

[Pieter H]

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for the inputs.
The only flight date I have for the L4856 of No 59 Sqn is a recon mission on May 11 over the Maastricht Tongeren area at about 17.00. Aircraft was hit by ground fire and returned with a damaged right engine. At least not formally written off per that date. It is unlikely that after that date a No 59 Sqn Blenheim flew over the Netherlands. This machine is not in Bob Baxters loss list of Blenheims during the french campaign.

So I tend to opt for the No 15 Sqn machine L8856 as suggested by Hans. On the picture - which is by the way from the dutch book Mei 1940 of Wim Schoenmaker and Thijs Postma - there seem to be some vague contours of dunes in the background, which would support a location close to the coast like Aardenburg in Zeeuws Vlaanderen.

Kind regards, Pieter

[Peter T]

Hi Pieter,
the source of the picture in the French book is T. Postma, so I think it will be the same image. I have several other photographs of this Blenheim, all taken on an airfield in France. Unfortunately I have no prcise location.
Regards
Peter