Hs 126 with bomb rack

[Steffen Arndt]

Hi All

this is a first picture test. I was able to win a pic auction of a strange configuration (at least for me). It is a Hs 126 with a bomb rack for 4x50 kg bombs. I never knew this was an option on this reconnaisance plane. I could not get 2 other pix which clearly show bombs attached.

Has anyone an idea about the unit? The code is ?E + GI .

Originally Posted by Fernando Estanislau

...it looks that the last character is F or even P.

any information appreciated

many thanks in advance

regards

Steffen

[Andreas Brekken]

Nachtschlacht or Störkampf unit.

I know these operated individual Hs 126 aircraft.

The code ?E+GI could be 4E+GI, which hints towards Aufkl.Gr.13, a unit which operated several aircraft of the type. Last letter I would indicate 20. Staffel... a Staffel number never used by the unit afaik.

5E+GI would indicate Aufkl.Gr.14, another unit with no 20. Staffel.

1E was used as far as is known by Erg.(S) Gr.1 and Erg.Staffel/ZG 1, noen of these are likely.

2E was Stab KG 54, used as far as is known only with Staffel letter A. (2E+?A).

3E was KG 6. Not likely.

6E, 7E, 8E and 9E are not known (at least not to Barry C. Rosch at the time he wrote his 'Codes and Markings').

If You are able to produce a better scan of the photo we could maybe rule out some of the above.

Regards,
Andreas

[Steffen Arndt]

Andreas

Thank you for your comments!

I added a larger scan of the Kennzeichen to the original post but I was not able to bring out more detail .

Steffen

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

I guess Christian Möller-Schulenburg would be the one to ask in regards to unit codes for the Störkampf units.

Contact me off-board for his mail address if You dot have it. If this aircraft is from one of these units he would probably be interested in seeing it.

Regards,
Andreas

[Schenck]

One Hs 126 from 2./NSGr.7 that was s/d over south Croatia in '43 had a code GE+AR. Just a hint in search of the unit.

P.S. Thanks for a beautiful photo to share with all of us.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

GE+AR would usually pass as a Stammkennzeichen, thus an aircraft specific code given to the aircraft at time of production. (I am quite sure that You know what a Stammkennzeichen is, adding this for the less experienced readers).

The reason I do not believe the aircraft in question here does have a Stammkennzeichen applied is that the third letter looks Yellow, a Staffelcolor probably.

Regards,
Andreas

[Bengt Norman]

I’ve been fooling around with this pic in PhotoShop a bit and I fail to see the second figure as an ”E”, it looks more like the number ”2” to me.
And look under the wing, there is definitely a “G” there.

[Steffen Arndt]

I’ve been fooling around with this pic in PhotoShop a bit and I fail to see the second figure as an ”E”, it looks more like the number ”2” to me.
And look under the wing, there is definitely a “G” there.

Hello Bengt, I would almost bet it is an E, look at the smaller pic. I think the somewhat washed out look resulted from some unsharp masking I tried. (I could send you an unaltered scan for your tries?!)

I interpreted the G below the wing as a/c letter (first letter after the Balkenkreuz) which was often repeated below and/or above the wing.

Schenk; Andreas:

I seems to me that the first "letter" of the code is a G, but it is almost impossible to improve this area (at least for me) . I have seen a/c coded with 4 letters with the 3rd beeing coloured so there is a possibility...

Many thanks for your input

regards

Steffen

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

I haven't gone through all data on this, but we have some theories to work from:

1. The Kennzeichen used on this aircraft is GE+GI. This would be the Stammkennzeichen on the aircraft, retained after it entered active service. This is seen frequently on aircraft in training units especially.

In effect, we would not be able to tell from the Kennzeichen which unit this aircraft was from, we would have to use a 'workaround'. First - find the WNr connected to this given Stammkennzeichen (this is a 1 to 1 connection, the very few examples showing otherwise are anomalies). Then - hope that a unit has reported this aircraft as lost.... or reported it in a Kriegstagebuch or something similar.

2. The Kennzeichen is one of 6E+GI, 7E+GI, 8E+GI or 9E+GI, all codes of units we have yet not identified. Try to locate other Kennzeichen of this unit.


The possibility that for example NSGr 7 adopted the practice to keep the Stammkennzeichen and just use the third letter of this as a individual aircraft letter is of course possible.

The conclusion this far being that we cannot tell which unit operated this aircraft until we find more info, but it is possible it could be NSGr 7.

Regards,
Andreas

[Fernando Estanislau]

...it looks that the last character is F or even P.