Vichy French He111 ?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, by Sir Basil Lidell Hart.

Has anyone got or seen the book(s) ?

Aparently on page 120 of Volume 2

There is a photo of a He111 taken in Syria which show the aircraft with Vichy markings on its tail surfaces.

Anyone ?

Alex

[John Beaman]

Hi Alex:

Are you talking about the orange-yellow and red Vichey stripes? I ask because while I do not have the book you mention, Chris Shores Dust Clouds In The Middle East, a pretty comprehensive history, does not have any He-111s in the Syria/Lebanon section. It does have photos of the German He-111s in Iraq. They are painted over with the "nationalist" markings which include vertical stripes on the rudder.

[CJE]

This a/c belonged a diplomatic mission and had to comply with RLM orders requiring a/c flying to and from Syria/Lebbanon with yellow markings.

[Skyraider3D]

We need a Vichy-French sub-forum
...or perhaps at least the comment that Vichy goes under "general"?
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showth...newpost&t=6195

[Modeldad]

CJE: Would you please clarify your satement about the aircraft. Would this He 111 have had French cocardes? Or, did Luftwaffe aircraft in the arera also have to comply with the Yellow / red marking?

Were any Vichy marking aslo applied to the cowlings.

[Alex Smart]

hello All,

First to John, I have "Dust Clouds in the Middle East", I do not have HISTORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, by Sir Basil Lidell Hart, Hence my question about the photo said to be in it.

Second to CJE, Thank you, but have you seen the book and is there a photo ? I would assume that the a/c would be in "Civil" markings with the Yellow regional markings on the tail areas and engine cowls. Yes ? If so can you tell us the Civil registration letters carried?

Thirdly to Steven, Thank you for expanding on my question, I would also like to read the answer to you additional remarks.

And to Skyraider£D, You eco my thoughts, as i have not found any forum that deals with the Vichy Air Force or Naval Air force at all. In fact , and I could be wrong , I have not found any that deal very well on the French Air War at all.

Thank you All
Alex

[Graham Boak]

This may or may not be relevant, but there is a photo of a civil He 111, German registration, said to belong to the organisation overseeing the Armistice agreements. It was taken late in the North African campaign, I believe, and shows an aircraft apparently in 02 over 65, but no sign of additional markings.

[Rémi Baudru]

During the spring 1941, the Germans painted two He 111 with spurious french marking :
- an He 111G-2 = transport plane with a metal nose (D-ADBX) with was hastly converted in "F-ADBX". The spurious french markings where large tricolored bands on the wings and the tail.
- an He 111 with glased nose and upper and lower turrets still iln position. The plane was repainted with 6 positions french cocardes and a small tricolored flag on the rudder.
These two planes, with german crews, where used to transport from Rhodos to Syria germans officials (negotiations prior of the use of french airfields for refuelling the small number of germans planes which where sent to help the Irakians who where trying to liberate their country).
Please forgive my very basic english.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

This may or may not be relevant, but there is a photo of a civil He 111, German registration, said to belong to the organisation overseeing the Armistice agreements. It was taken late in the North African campaign, I believe, and shows an aircraft apparently in 02 over 65, but no sign of additional markings.

It's in Smith/Creek/Petrick "On Special Missions" and was WNr. 2457, D-ARAJ and was in German civil markings. The colour shot appears to be pale grey overall.

[CJE]

This photograph was taken at Aleppo on June 25th.
This one wears no registration.