ZG26 - Bf110C film Summer 1940

[Phil Lloyd]

Unique home movie film of Bf110Cs of ZG26 in the Summer of 1940 for all of you Zerstorer researchers. A few specific coded a/c are seen here with their 'Fish chased by Crocodile' nose art which may be identifiable to specific actions.

Below are a few time stamps you can scrub to....

10:32:10 Crews refuelling and camouflaging a/c with branches -
U8+AH and U8+JH featured in this clip.

10:44:35 Bf110s in hangar and running up engines

10:53:40 U8+CH (Possibly U8+GH)

10:54:31 ZG26 Pilot with Iron Cross - anyone recognise him?

Surprisingly, film of Bf110s generally is quite rare so this is well worth a look at.
You and expand the thumbnail window to full screen.

http://www.archiv-akh.de/filme?utf-8=✓&q=#424

[egbert]

I can see Banat mountains in Romania 10:49:17 - flight in Ju52 from Vienna (10:47:50) to Turnu Severin 10:49:54.
Also Feldflugplatz in Detta, Romania 10:57:38

[Spanferkel]

Great footage.

At 11:00:06:23 the Luftwaffe officer is Herbert Kaminski (late KC winner) wearing one flying boot. The NCO to the right is his wireless operator Unteroffizier Strauch. This footage must have been just prior to his receiving the KC.

Really like this footage.

Jeremy

[egbert]

Yes indeed a remarkable footage. Specially for me.
Some of you might remember my thread on my uncle's crash near Orsova, when Helmut Rosenbaum as a passenger in a Ju 52 crashed into the nearby mountains.
In the Video @10_49_19 they fly from Turnu Severin towards Orsova. The island of Ada Kaleh is clearly visible with the river mouth in the background in Orsova where my uncle's flight turned right into the mountains where they crashed some 9km later.
@10_51_35 this is the mountain range where the ill fated flight had its CFIT.

[Andre Stewart]

Hello all,

I was catching up on old posts and came across this link -- a truly amazing film, and what's probably more surprising is the leeway given to the film maker! You get a really good feel of what unit life was like then ...

The owner of the movie cam was obviously a ground crewman, and all footage consistently show activities of the 1./ZG26. And to build on what has already been shared, I'd like to attempt an ID of a few other individuals. Do note some clips only show them for a few seconds, so I welcome any comments or opinions from other members --

Lt Werner Thierfelder [10:36:09 to 10:36:21]
First off, we've a 12-second clip showing a youthful looking Lt Thierfelder and his BF [rank and name not known] upon their return from a mission, probably in France. Their Bf-110 had sustained some damage, which other Staffel members are closely examining.

Hptm Wilhelm Spies, StKap 1./ZG26 from Aug 1940
There are at least 4 separate clips showing Hptm Wilhelm Spies --
1) 10:17:19 to 10:17:27 - probably taken in Russia, you can glimpse his RK here
2) 10:34:47 to 10:34:55 - probably taken in France
3) 10:36:28 to 10:36:44 - as above
4) 10:57:23 to 10:57:34 - location not certain, mixed with Balkans campaign footage

In almost all clips, Spies is seen upon his return from a mission, relating his experience to his audience with much excitement and hand gesticulation, perhaps because he'd gained a victory? And since we know fairly little about this officer, these film snippets are a welcome addition.

Hptm Wilhelm Makrocki, Gr Komm I./ZG26 [10:54:21 to 10:54:50]
A very nice full half-minute segment showing Hptm Makrocki being welcomed back from a mission. You can briefly see an 'A' on his aircraft which is not white, meaning he was flying U8+AB [likely green A], the Gr Komm's machine. Moreover, the presence of foreign officers [Rumanian? I'm not sure] indicates that the clip was probably taken in Apr-May 1941, prior to Makrocki's death on 21 May. Once again, Makrocki is another chap about whom little is known, hence this is an excellent piece of footage.

Obfw Karl Kennel [10:57:15 to 10:57:22]
Lastly, you can clearly make out Obfw Karl Kennel talking to an air force Oblt who appears not to be flying personnel. Kennel can seen in the same segment as Spies no.4 mentioned above.

One interesting practice of German pilots is the 'waggling of wings' upon their return from a successful mission. You read about it in pilots' personal accounts and I believe much is known about the 109 pilots doing it, but in a few clips here you actually get to see it being done by the 110 pilots as well!

Andre

[RT]

Obfw Karl Kennel [10:57:15 to 10:57:22]
Wonder if at that time he suspected that is career will end on 8.May....1945

Quite amazing, really other times


Rémi