Help identify a photo album with M. Galland (unknown pilots/units/date/locations)

[DIscotraxxx]

Dear all,

A friend of mine bought a few years ago a small photo album of an unknown Luftwaffe pilot.
45 pictures were included, amongst them some with M. Galland, who seemed to have visited the unit of our pilot.

The problem is simple : we don’t have any info on the guys pictured, the locations, dates and units…

I extracted the best 10 pictures (numbered 1 to 10), with people, places, and units that maybe some of you guys can help us to identify.

If you have any infos, don’t hesitate to quote from which picture you may have informations.

Many thanks in advance !

See You

Vince

[Bertrand H]

Hi Vince,

Photos from 1 to 5 are taken on the airfield of Audembert (Pas-de-Calais).

On n°3 you can see in the background the hill "Mont de couple".

Bertrand

[DIscotraxxx]

Hello Bertrand,

wow many thanks, now i think it is easiest to track down the unit from this airfield.

One member of the WAF told us that a picture from the same event with M. Galland was available on the book "Ein Fliegerleben in Krieg und Frieden" by Wener Held ? Anyone is having that book to check ?

Sincerely Yours,

Vincent

[ChristianK]

Picture #9 was taken at the Zwinger in Dresden, Saxony.

Cheers,
Christian

[Bertrand H]

Hi,

A quick look on this excellent website will give you stab/JG26 and I./JG26 at Audembert.

http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg26.htm

More info also in the books of D. CAldwell and dr Prien.

Bertrand

[DIscotraxxx]

Hi,

many thanks Christian for the identification of the Zwinger !

A nice website by someone i was in contact with in the past :

http://www.anciens-aerodromes.com/?p=2097

Infact M. Galland was of course in the Audembert airfield, as he was the Kommodore of the JG 26.

Maybe the picture was taken after a victory by M. Galland ?

His Me-109 don't have the unit mark on the side.

Sincerely Yours,

Vincent

[ouidjat]

Originally Posted by DIscotraxxx

His Me-109 don't have the unit mark on the side.

Hi Vincent,

Note the small MG131 fairing on cowling ... WNr.6711.
No unit markings on that one, indeed.
Normally it wears <- plus one "1" over the "Strich" but cannot say if it is or not. Place is hidden.

Note, too, the aperture for gun camera lens on leading edge. It is opened on this photo serie. On most of the picture it is closed (except one! But not that visible if one doesn't know!).

So, one F-4 gun camera on one F-2! Fairing for this camera is quite angular; need to check further but, from memory, I think late fairings were a little bit different though I'm not that sure writing this ...

Regards, Franck.

PS: Scans are that bad on original photo album??? Or they got this aspect after modifications and saving??

[ouidjat]

Originally Posted by ouidjat

PS: Scans are that bad on original photo album??? Or they got this aspect after modifications and saving??

Ach! Sorry!

I just read your first post! This happens when one wants to make a huge scan using 1200pp capacities thinking it will be SUPER!
But no ... better to make a medium scan using standard 300pp or 600pp max; result is far more better than this.

Regards, Franck.

[DIscotraxxx]

Hello Franck,

thanks for all the infos you gave us !

Unfortunately the original pictures are not that good. Many are blurred (the ones with M. Galland), and they were scanned at 300dpi.
The pictures i posted are screenshots after i added "copyright protections".

See You

Vincent

[ouidjat]

You're welcome!

If you have the opportunity to make better scans and share with us ... It will be a pleasure!