4(F)14 loss 19 May 1940

[Spanferkel]

Does anyone have information on a 4(F)14 loss on May 19,1940, shot down over the Mormal Wood near Loeguinol. Apparently lost to French fighter(s)? One crew member was BO Lt. Frans-Josef Menge.

Many thanks

Jeremy

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Source: "Les victoires de l'Aviation de chasse française, vol 2", by Arnaud Gillet

A Do 17 of 4.(F)/14 took off at 17.02 to try to locate the Allied armored forces that may oppose the advancing Panzer south of Valenciennes. The mission was successful and as the crew reported the position of the sighting they were attacked by French fighters (9 Morane 406 of GC III/3 patrolling the Cambrai-Le Quesnoy-Le Cateau area).
The Dornier was attacked by all fighters in a row and tried to escape in clouds before flying on the deck while the rear gunner fired as much as he could. Caporal-chef Josef Stehlik, a Czech pilot flying with the Armée de l'Air, finally shot down it and it crashed near Locquignol, in the Mormal Forest, at 18h31 local hour (19h31 German time).
The three crew (Lt Georg Losse (pilot), Lt Franz-Josef Menge (observer), Fw Heinrich Ambrosch (radio)) were killed. Two were found dead in the wreckage, the third was reported to have been killed by a French soldier retreating among the refugees.

[Jim P.]

Don't remember seeing that title before. Is it still available? If so, could you list publishing details?

[Spanferkel]

Excellant,

Many thanks Laurent.

Cheers

Jeremy

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Originally Posted by Jim P.

Don't remember seeing that title before. Is it still available? If so, could you list publishing details?

Hi Jim,

these books are fairly new, first was published around two years ago IIRC.

They are three books: vol 1 covers the victories from 10 to 15 May 1940, vol 2 16 May to 4 June and vol 3 5 to 24 June.

The third volume has been released only some months ago, and all three books are available, at least in specialized bookshops in France.

Here is a link for the vol 2 (you can order from here, for example, but you will also find the ISBN):
http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobibl...id_article=619

The same for vol 1:
http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobibl...id_article=249

And for vol 3:
http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobibl...id_article=988

Mr Gillet is now working on a fourth volume that will provide the list of German losses during the campain, according to what he wrote at the end of the third book.

These books are very useful, but they only cover fights in which French pilots claimed something, so a part of the battles (those the French lost with no claim, or those who see no claim by any side) are not described. The RAF or Belgian or Dutch side of the air battle is usually not described, even when they fought in the same battle, except when there was a case of international "friendly fire".

As far as I know they are in French only.