Need W.Nr. and subtype for the Ju88A of the Gesch Kde of KG51, 9K+AA, which force landed on 3.6.40 in France

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

On June 3, 1940, the Ju88A of Oberst Josef Kammhuber, the Gesch Kde of KG51, was shot down:

According to the EOE DB: “June 3, 1940: Stab KG51 Junkers Ju88A-1. Dive brakes failed to retract after dive-bombing Étampes airfield then both engines set alight in attacks by S/Lt Salva of GC I/3 and S/Lt Thollon of GC I/8 near Claye-Souilly and belly-landed south of Cocherel 2.00 p.m. FF Oberst Josef Kammhuber (Geschwaderkommodore), BO Lt Horst Krösch, and BF Lt Werner Lüderitz captured unhurt. BS Uffz Karl Schneider captured wounded in leg. Aircraft 9K+AA a write-off."

The aircraft was salvaged and was subsequently photographed in a hangar in France (Étamps??), where I've got two photos in the EoE photo DB showing the fuselage with the wings and engines removed. The hanger also contains the fuselage of the Gesch Kde's previous a/c, a He111, apparently 9K+AA, which was also salvaged after a forced landing.

Typically, Ju88s of KG51 had the W.Nr. painted on the top of both sides of the fin, and one of my photos shows this to be the case for this a/c. However, at the angle of the photo the W.Nr. is not readable. On the other photo the tip of the rudder isn't visible. I think this is likely to have been a well-photographed a/c, and I'm hoping that either a photo exists showing the top of the rudder with this W.Nr. visible or a written record exists providing the W.Nr. of this a/c.

At the same time, I'd like to locate any photos which might exist of this a/c "belly-landed south of Cocherel." These are very likely to exist.

Who can help?

Regards,

[Chris Goss]

As you know, I have a photo from Lüderitz of their earlier (a few days before) crash landing back in Germany so could the one in the hangar be the first crash landing?