Do 17P, F6+HM shot down on 23th Nov. 1939

[Peter Cornwell]

Hans,

Sorry, but that is all nonsense. The aircraft you describe is not that queried by Adriano although shot down on the same day:

3.(F)/122 Dornier Do17P. Shot down by F/O E. J. Kain of No.73 Sqdn during photo-reconnaissance mission over Reims. Crash-landed ripping off starboard engine at ‘Le Fond de Bériotte’, La Besace, near Raucourt-et-Flaba 10.15 a.m. Oberfw Baptist Schlapp, Uffz Helmut-Heinz Gründling, and Uffz Alfred Molek captured wounded, admitted to hospital in Le Chesne. Aircraft fired by crew.

Also, the machine-gun being inspected by No. 1 Squadron pilots in the photo you mention came from their first victory in France on October 30, 1939:

2.(F)/123 Dornier Do17P. Shot down by P/O Mould of No.1 Squadron during photo-reconnaissance sortie south-west of Toul. Crashed and exploded at Traveron, north of Sauvigny 2.45 p.m. Hptmn Balduin von Normann und Audenhove (Staffelkapitän), Oberlt Hermann Heisterbergk, and Fw Friedrich Pfeuffer killed. Aircraft a write-off.

Finally, 'Pissy' Palmer was not flying L1924 (an aircraft never allocated to No. 1 Squadron) and 'Cobber' Kain did not die in a car accident, he was killed in a flying accident on June 7, 1940:

73 SQUADRON, ÉCHEMINES

Hurricane L1826. Stalled during series of flick rolls at 800 feet shortly after take-off for Le Mans; crashed and burned out 11.20 a.m. Flying Officer E. J. Kain thrown from the aircraft and killed. Aircraft TP*B a write-off.