Photos + 7-4-05

[Larry Hickey]

The first 109, http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...item=6191537704, is Oblt. Seiler's F in Russia during the late summer of 1941. For a similar view of the entire aircraft see P. 62 of Barbas' "Aircraft of the Luftwaffe Fighter Aces, Vol II," or P. 14 of "Planes of the Luftwaffe Fighter Aces, Vol I. This view includes the rudder with Seiler's victory scoreboard.

The second 109, http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...item=6191349229, is probably an E-4, that appears to be "Yellow 1," of 3./JG 51, which would make it the a/c flown by Oblt. Richard Leppla, the St. Kap. This apparently represents the third known aircraft that he crash-landed during the French Campaign and the Battle of Britain. It (a) either crash-landed in France sometime in late May or early June, 1940, followed by a crash-landing by a replacement "Yellow 1" on 24.6.40, or b) is an aircraft assigned to Leppla immediately after he crash-landed on a French beach in a different "Yellow 1," on 18.8.40. The latter is discounted by the fact that there appears to be no yellow markings on the tail of the aircraft. The rudder appears to carry a scoreboard, which if it is a/c (a) above, would probably be four victory tabs. The dark area below it could be combat damage, or some other type of scoreboard markings other than aerial victory tabs. Leppla scored his 4th victory on 22.5.40, and did not score another confirmed victory until 28.7.40. If this was the immediate replacement a/c for (b), before yellow markings could be added, the victory tabs could total 5-7, depending on the date. If anyone else can shed any light on this photo, or provide a close-up of the tail markings, I would appreciate hearing from them here or in my private mailbox on this board.

Of course, there is a small possibility that this is "Yellow 11" of the same unit, but the spacing doesn't seem to fit that scenario very well.

Thanks,

Larry Hickey