The Eagles Over Europe Project

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Oops, I did mean Oblt. Gordon Gollob's Sta Kap a/c with 3./ZG76 from the beginning of the war period. Thanx to Chris Goss for correcting my spelling.

Regards,

[Chris Goss]

Only photos I have are of CL & UL with an indistinct DL in the distance & Jaeger's FL nose (but no markings)

[Larry Hickey]

Chris,

Thanx for checking. If we just knew for sure that Gollob flew the "A" aircraft with the Staffel, that would be enough to create a highly accurate profile, as we have plenty of examples of Bf110C-1s from I./ZG76 around the beginning of the war to work from.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

An earlier post indicated that this photo of the Gr Kdr's a/c with Stab V.(Z)/LG1 might have been taken at Alencon AF, France. However, it has now been claimed that this was at Villacoublay, near Paris. Does anyone have photos from circa June-August, 1940, that would verify this location as Villacoublay?

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-bxk...-bxkFZQv-L.jpg

Any help resolving this would be appreciated.

[Chris Goss]

I believe I have a number of photos but the hangars are much bigger. Fuselage cross might indicate the photo was taken earlier than early Summer 1940?

[MW Giles]

I think it is, go to

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65...amaged-hangars

Regards

Martin

[Larry Hickey]

Chris,

Most likely time for this to have been taken is right after end of the FC, circa 06.40.

Martin: this referenced film clip looks like a serious possibility, even though it was taken around five years after my photo was taken. I hope we can find a photo of this taken nearer to the time of my photo to confirm the match up. Definitely looks promising though. However, I would have expected lots of wrecked or abandoned French aircraft at Villacoublay if this was taken in June or July, 1940. Also, the absence of any bomb damage to the AF buildings also bothers me. My photo cannot have been taken later than September, 1940, because the assigned pilot, Horst Liensberger, was shot down and KIA on 27.09.40, although apparently not in this aircraft.

Regards,

[Chris Goss]

The photos I have show quite a bit of bomb damage hence my caution

[F19Gladiator]

Comparing with the film at 01:28 I'd say it is a match with the photo in Post#1! Several building details can be recognized on both photo and film.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Thanx for all of your comments and help. So it appears pretty firmly established that the photo of L1+XB was taken at Villacoublay. Now my problem, for profile sequencing, is when. This couldn't be earlier than the latter part of June, 1940, after the airfield was captured, or later than the beginning of September, 1940 (pilot shot down and KIA 27.09.40 and white noses by early Sept on unit aircraft). Does anyone have any photos of this area of Villacoublay right after it was captured? My presumption is that at least for a while there would be evidence of the defeated French Air Force on the field, but I don't see any sign of that. There is at least a two-month time window here when damaged or destroyed French aircraft could have been cleared from the airfield, and at least preliminary repairs could have been made to bomb damage to make the field suitable for bomber operations during the BoB (I think part of KG55 was based there). The question comes down to is this late or end WC/FC (06.40) or early BoB (07-08.40)?

Any further evidence or thoughts?

Regards,