AMIOT 354 n°34/GB1/34 May 14,1940

[fredcompa]

Heloo everyone!
We're looking for the crew from this plane on May 14th 1940.
Forced landing near Maastricht,probably crashed in France

On board was Col.FRANCOIS, Cdr of the Groupement de Bombardements n°9.
Pilot obs.?; front gunner?; upper gunner?.


Thanks! Fredcompa

[Alex Smart]

Hi,
Taken from 12 Days in May.
On approach to Sedan one Amiot was hit by flak and fell in flames. After releasing their bombs the remaining bombers were attacked by Bf110C's of III/ZG26 and a second fell in flames; another crash landed and all the others returned badly damaged and unfit for further ops. There were 13 Amiots at the start.
Alex

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hi Alex,

the action you refer is not the good one. Yours is the daylight raid by outdated Amiot 143 in Sedan area. It is still amazing that only two of them were lost. Usually these slow bombers were only used at night.

The Amiot 354 that was hit by Flak near Maastricht was a more modern AC and was flying a recon mission.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Guys

I have ONE problem though. The written sources says that this Amiot 354 was s/n 30 and NOT 34 as listed

What is YOUR source Fredcompa?
Laurent, can you check your records as well please??

Cheers
Stig

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The only thing I have about this aircraft is from the book of Mr and Ms Martin "Invisibles Vainqueurs", and both in the main body of the text and in the loss lists at the end of the book, the serial number is given as 30.

A n°34 serving with GB I/34 may be a typo. If there is a typo in the Martin's book (something that is always possible), it was probably done while consulting the sources rather than during writing the book.

[Jerome Ribeiro]

Hi Laurent,

At the end of the book titled Docavia n°23 "Léo 45, Amiot 350 et autres B4" from Jean CUNY & Raymond DANEL, I guess you will find the MSN of the Amiot 354 series, especially the 30 & 34 and their brief history.
Unfortunately, I have not this book in hand as I am currently travelling.

Maybe someone has this book in his collection and can give information on this both A/C?

Cheers

Jerome

[pourteau]

relaté dans le "journal de marche" du GB-9



L’avion AMIOT 354 N° 28 piloté par le Colonel FRANCOIS, est touché sur Maestricht par la D.C.A. légère à 600 mètres, au moment où il bombarde un carrefour au S.O. de la Ville encombré de convois et de troupes; il est brutalement privé de courant électriuqe: hélices, volets, lumière du tableau de bord. L’atterrissage difficile dans ces conditions sur un terrain de campagne, conduit l’avion en dehors du terrain où il se brise complètement. Le pilote subit un traumatisme sérieux dans la région lombaire et l’abdomen avec courbatures sérieuses.


best regards