The Eagles Over Europe Project

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

For captioning and profile dating purposes, I'm trying to ID the large industrial complex visible below the Bf110 in these photos. The plane is L1+XB of Hptm Horst Liensberger, the Gr Kdr of V.(Z)/LG1.

This could be a practice flight over Germany during the spring of 1940, or later during the Western Campaign or the Battle of Britain. However, I suspect that this probably was in Germany as it would seem suicidal for a heavy fighter to be overflying at such low level what would have been a heavily defended target in France or Britain. Nevertheless, does anybody recognize this very large industrial facility?

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-tzB...-tzBDrJf-L.jpg

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-GHr...-GHrTFrM-L.jpg

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

V.(Z)/LG1 was based at Alencon AF, France for about a week at the end of June and the beginning of July 1940. This photo appears in the book, "Zerstörer Gruppe," by Ludwig von Eimannsberger with the caption that it was taken at that base. However, the location doesn't fit with the markings and W.Nr. on this a/c, in terms of the career of Hptm. Horst Liensberger, the unit Gr Kdr, whose plane is in the picture.

Can anyone confirm that this is Alencon?

http://ihra.smugmug.com/photos/i-bxk...-bxkFZQv-L.jpg

Thanx for any assistance.

[edwest]

For what it's worth:

http://www.servicehistorique.sga.def...y-the-SHD.html



Ed

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,

http://www.gaumontpathearchives.com/...=14565&rang=64

http://www.gaumontpathearchives.com/...205433&rang=97

http://www.gaumontpathearchives.com/...14593&rang=163

Some movie films were made and are kept at Gaumont Pathé Archives.

http://www.gaumontpathearchives.com/...ml=5&langue=EN

It is however not possible to watch them on this website.

Best regards

Luc

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

For profiling purposes, I'm seeking a photo of the Bf110C-1 of Oblt Gordon Gallob, the Sta Kap of 3./ZG76 during the Polish Campaign period, or late 1939. He may well have been flying M8+AL, but I have no proof of that. Can anyone help? If no photos are known, is there any confirmation that the letter of his a/c as "A" at that time? He is believed to have shot down a Polish PWS-26 flown by Kpr. Mieczyslaw Rabinowicz on 05.09.39.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

1) I have received a direct email from a French source that indicates that this is the crash of Oblt. von Roon on my list of possible crashes, with a possible location of Vry, a village, near Andilly. This accounts for all the people, which apparently numbered as many as 200 visiting the crash site.

One mystery still remains, how did von Roon survive this crash for even a couple of days? Did he bail out just prior to the crash and land with severe injuries either from the air battle or a parachute jump? It's hard to see how he could have survived the crash itself, if he was still in the aircraft.

2) Luc, thanx for the excellent research on the film archives. Does anyone have access to these films? Do scans of frames exist from these that will further help tell the story of the 6 Nov air battle (or any others from the Phoney War period)? Does any of this material contain further film of the Bf109Ds that crashed? Has anyone already researched these film archives for such material?

The great support for this request is deeply appreciated. We've now gone from an unidentified smoking hole in the ground to very likely a full identification and additional information on an important air battle, that at that time was a great French success. Are there French publications that have reconstructed this action in detail and which might contain additional useful photos, other than the blog images posted earlier in this thread? Does anyone have a photo of von Roon?

[Peglar]

We can change - i seek one from Hubert Zimke..

[edwest]

Perhaps a clue from feldgrau.net


"As a result of the aerial combat which took place on November 6, 1939 against 9 French Hawk H-75 (GC II. / 5) escorting a reconnaissance plane Potez-63, two squadron leaders were killed in action; Oberleutnant Waldemar v. Roon of the 1./ JGR 102 (replaced by Hauptmann Armin Ettling) and Oberleutnant Joachim Kellner-Steinmetz of the 3./ JGR 102 (replaced by Oberleutnant Eberhard Sauer). Four other aircraft made ​​forced landings with serious damages and one injured pilot.

"Hauptmann Armin Ettling took command of the 1./JGr 102 from December 13, 1939 onwards. He was a veteran of the Legion Condor as Leutnant he had won the Spanish Cross in Gold in the J/88 and was awarded the Iron Cross 2º Class in 1939; later he assumed command of the 7./JG 2."

Sources: http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic.php?t=8741
Der Adler Nº 21 1939.

[udf_00]

AVIONS N°157 contains an article by Lionel Persyn :
http://www.avions-bateaux.com/produit/avions/1026

[Larry Hickey]

udf,

Unfortunately I don't have that issue of Avions. We're checking on ordering a copy. Looks like this would be a very helpful account. Does anyone know if there are photos of any of the other German crashes in this issue?

Back to locating precisely the crash site, I note on P. 102/3 of "Fledgling Eagles (English Edition), "Sgt. Legrand shot down one (Bf109D) which exploded on the bank of the Moselle river near Antilly..." However, Vry seems to be the opposite direction from Antilly from the Moselle River, that goes through Metz and lies only a couple of kms west of Antilly. The photo certainly looks like the crash could have been on the bank of a river. Does any reader of this board live in the vicinity of Metz, and might be able to check this out, and even possibly be able to locate this spot?

Thanx for your continuing comments and help. We're going to really nail this one. Still need help matching the other losses with photos of the German plane crashes. Anybody know about more crash photos?