Data Plates Exposed :)

[stephen f. polyak]

Dear TOCH:

Do any folks enjoy seeing data plates?

Wanting to both stimulate research and expand knowledge of Luftwaffe aircraft history, I will, from time to time, post a picture of a surviving plate. I'm hoping this will be well received and produce some interesting threads. Comments are always welcome.

First up is a Werk-Nr plate from a Ju 87 D-3 . . .

Warm regards in cold January,
Steve

[David Ransome]

Thanks for sharing these Steve!

Dataplates are always useful in helping to date specific aircraft and production batches, as well as confirming aircraft in crash locations etc.

For your plates would you be able to say where the plates were found, if found at the wreck sites?

Keep up the good work, I'm still crawling my way through the He111 production!

Regards

David

[stephen f. polyak]

Hi Dave,

It's good to hear from you.

This plate was recovered in the mid-80s at RAF Kenley. It and many others, taken for intelligence purposes, were disposed of at Kenley by burial sometime postwar. Plates found there represented aircraft shot down or captured throughout the period of the war where the British were involved beginning with the Battle of Britain. My guess is that the Ju 87 plate came from North Africa, but I have no confirmation. I’m hoping to learn more about the plates found at Kenley as well as this particular airplane.

Keep up the good work with the He 111 research. I will be sure to include a plate from that Luftwaffe workhorse in the future.

All the best,
Steve