|
Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the German Luftwaffe and the Air Forces of its Allies. |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Conventional wisdom wrong for 9./KG76 insignia during 1940?
Hello,
For many years, all the way back to the pioneering Karl Ries books (Vol 4 Markings and Cam., P.103), the reported insignia of 9./KG76 was a red and white shield with three upwardly pointed yellow arrows superimposed over it. This includes the current "bible" by Rolfe and Ketley. However, a couple of years ago, Chris Goss, in his excellent "Do17 in Focus" book by Red Kite, published two photos (P.50) of a battered Do17Z carrying the codes F1+HN, and the purported insignia of 9./KG76 after flying through an explosion on May 17, 1940. This could always by a formerly 9 Staffel a/c which transferred to 5 Staffel without changing or painting out the previous unit's insignia. However, I've done a quick search of the EOE DB, including recently acquired photos of F1+CT that crashed on May 16, 1940, and it clearly carried no insignia, at least on the starboard nose. The DB does not have any example of the purported 9 Staffel insignia associated definitely with a 9 Staffel-coded a/c. Since it has recently become evident that the long-reported insignia of 3./KG76 was probably, in fact, the insignia of 4./KG76, it makes me suspicious that conventional wisdom and reporting about the 9 Staffel insignia may be wrong and that this really was the insignia of 5./KG76. Does anyone have any info or photos, other than the reference book illustrations, that might prove one way or another which conclusion is correct? II./KG76 had a complicated history during the spring of 1940, and it's possible that markings anomalies existed in the aircraft flown by the unit, but so far I've seen no proof to support the conventional wisdom on this subject. Unfortunately, examples from 9./KG76 shot down on the famous Kenley raid of August 18, 1940, don't show any examples of this insignia that I've been able to find. Who knows something about this? Thanks in advance, |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Conventional wisdom wrong for 9./KG76 insignia during 1940?
Hi Larry, is the Do17 you refer to F1+CT the one which crashed over the rail lines at Beaumont 16.5.40?
A picture of this crash features in The Battle of France Then and Now by Peter Cornwell pg 301. Best regs, Steve. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Re: Conventional wisdom wrong for 9./KG76 insignia during 1940?
Steve,
Yes, it is, but I have no proof that this one didn't have a unit insignia on the port side. I'm now convinced that we have all 9 staffel insignia for KG76 during 1940 properly identified. Regards, Larry |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Friendly fire WWII | Brian | Allied and Soviet Air Forces | 803 | 8th July 2023 15:47 |
Wrong Color on I./KG53 Insignia? | Larry Hickey | Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces | 1 | 22nd October 2008 22:41 |
Insignia for 6./KG76 during the spring of 1940? | Larry Hickey | Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces | 7 | 15th May 2008 23:26 |
Looking for ID of insignia on Stab I./KG 51 a/c 1940 | Larry Hickey | Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces | 2 | 7th February 2007 03:44 |
Fighter pilots' guts | Hawk-Eye | Allied and Soviet Air Forces | 44 | 8th April 2005 14:25 |