Did the Allies use Captured German Aircraft?

Nothing on the Ju 52/3m in War Prizes.

Incidentally, I am surprised that noone has mentioned the Messerschmitt Aldon, aka the Messerschmitt Bf 108B-1 Taifun!

Two Bf 108B-1s were imported pre-war by a Mr H.J. Aldington through company AFN Ltd. Both of the Bf 108B-1s subsequently served with the RAF as DK280 and ES955 respectively. A third Bf 108B-1 flown by the German embassy, D-IJHW, was abandoned at Croydon due to a flat tyre on 3 September, 1939, and later served with the RAF as AW167. In RAF service, the Bf 108B-1 was known as the Aldon, a name derived from the name of the importer.

Although flown by a variety of units, by 1942, all three were operated by the Maintenance Command Communications Squadron at Andover.

Regards,

Jan

There were lots of evaluated aircraft in RAF markings(Bf109, Fw190, he111, Ju88 etc) and hacks, especially in North Africa (Cr42, Storch, Ju87, he111, Ju52 + others) but there were few operational use in RAF service.

The He115s and the CANT have been mentioned, and some Storches were used in North Africa. Some former Yugoslavian Dornier 22s were used in Egypt

Post-war, there were a lot of German transport aircraft used in Germany and Austria

i remember seeing somewhere a Ju-88 in RAF markings..i think it landed [ by force, or mistake ] in England sometime during the war.. it was then evaluated by the RAF, and gave her RAF roundels…. it would have took a very brave crew to fly her over Britain then….
wasnt a captured B-17 or something shot down by German fighters….

And Soviets used captured Focke-Wulf 190 Ds, equipping several squadrons with them. There’s even some good photos of Doras in Russian markings.

And also the Ju 52!
Interesting article in the current issue of the german mag “Klassiker der Luftfahrt”.
Source: http://www.klassiker-der-luftfahrt.de/

A captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4/Trop with the emblem (a skull) of the 85th Squadron, 79th Fighter Group painted on each side of the aircraft. Painted in a patch work of colours, the groups pilots used the machine as a hotrod, flying it out Gerbini, Sicily. The lack of spare tires and scowls from command brass eventually led to a grounding of the aircraft. Photo by Charles Jaslow.

Mark,

Thanks for the reply. Possibly Lavariano as that is where they were based during the period, but of course there is no way of knowing whether it may have been photographed on a visit to another base, unless someone can specifically recognise the Airfield.

Steve

And Soviets used captured Focke-Wulf 190 Ds, equipping several squadrons with them. There’s even some good photos of Doras in Russian markings.

If there are any other photos of 239 Wing P-40s and P-51s that you could share I would appreciate it.

Steve Mackenzie
ADF Serials Mustang Page co-ordinator
http://www.adf-serials.com/2a68.shtml

Steve,

Top stuff, and the forum at it’s best.

Although the shots are Australian source this was the only one of a P-51. There were no P-40’s.

I assume this would put the location at Lavariano.

Mark

Mark,

Thanks for posting the Mustang photo as that is one I have not seen before. While 450 Sqn did have a single Mustang in Nov 1944, that is not it.

Your photo of OK-F is taken post 12th May 1945. 450 Sqn received a small number of Mustangs for training purposes (alongside their P-40Ns) between the end of the war in May 1945 and their disbandment in Aug 1945 (and return home to Oz).

The airframes involved were as follows :

FB244 F 12/5/45 10/8/45
FB252 T 12/5/45 18/6/45
KH597 R 25/6/45 7/7/45
KM250 R 11/7/45 27/7/45
HB927 T 23/6/45 23/7/45

The first two (FB244 and FB252) were transferred from 3 Sqn RAAF and showed the 3 Sqn “Southern Cross’ rudders. This is clearly seen on your photo of OK-F which is of course FB244.

If there are any other photos of 239 Wing P-40s and P-51s that you could share I would appreciate it.

Steve Mackenzie
ADF Serials Mustang Page co-ordinator
http://www.adf-serials.com/2a68.shtml

Allied forces did use the Fieseler Storch aircraft in quite large numbers during the war, and France continued building and equipping squadrons of both Storch and Focke Wulf 190 aircraft after the war.

Like Churchill, Eisenhower was also flown around France in a Storch.

Mark12,
450 Squadron also operated out of Fano (Nov 44-Feb 45) and Cervia (Feb 45-May45) at around that time following a spell at Lesi (Sept44-Nov44) if that helps. Any chance of posting a scan of the MkIII?
Regards,
David M3

David,

Here it is. Lightly cleaned up.

I would refer interested parties to page 442 of Fighter Squadrons of the RAF by John Rawlings and I quote – “The one and only. A Mustang III was used by No. 450 from Jesi in November, 1944, but the squadron was not fully re-equipped with Mustangs”

And that Spitfire I note is a MK XIX as I see the nose and five blade prop sticking out from behind a light transport in another shot.

Photos from the Langdon Badger Collection.

Mark

Mark12,
450 Squadron also operated out of Fano (Nov 44-Feb 45) and Cervia (Feb 45-May45) at around that time following a spell at Lesi (Sept44-Nov44) if that helps. Any chance of posting a scan of the MkIII?
Regards,
David M3

Hi,

Didn’t the RAF use He115’s from Malta for dopping off agents? Can’t remember if these were German of Norwegian examples though.

Alex

They where ex Norwegian Marine, belive 2 or 3 models flew to England after Norway was invaded. The germans took 1 or 2 and put them to use. All the planes was shoot down or crashed during the war. I know I have a picture of oine of them somwhere, will try to post it.

If the Mustang III shot is contemporary, then according to John Rawlings, it was operated at Jesi, Italy, post November 1944.

Mark

Looks very much indeed like a PR Spitfire . I just wonder if this is southern Italy ( with something like a 221 Wimpey in the backgound if it was Foggia or Grottagli?) Just a muse. Anybody got anything firmer?

Thanks again, Mark.

If it is a PR XIX, that would indicate that the photo was taken after May 1944, and therefore somewhere in southern Italy. If so, the Ju 52 may have possibly belonged to a unit based in Italy, such as III/TG 2, which was reformed from K GrzbV 106 at Brindisi during May 1943. Incidentally, the Ju 52 lacks the white rear-fuselage band and white wingtip, indicating an aircraft based in North Africa. The glider tug hook is interesting, though.

I’ll check my copy of War Prizes tonight.

Regards,

Jan

Thanks Mark12,

Any visible squadron codes on the Spitfire? It has the appearance of a PR variant, although I am most likely mistaken.

Regards,

Jan

Jan,

I have just the image I took of the print with my digital. The Spitfire is mighty small, but racked up there is the hint of a single small ‘E’ at about 2 o’clock on the roundel. It might be a smudge. 🙂

The tail group looks more like a PRXIX rather than a PRXI but I cannot be sure.

Mark

Thanks Mark12,

Any visible squadron codes on the Spitfire? It has the appearance of a PR variant, although I am most likely mistaken.

Regards,

Jan

Interesting photo, Mark12,

Can anyone identify the stammkennzeichen (i.e. factory or unit codes) ??+HH of the Ju 52/3m? I don’t have my copy of War Prizes at hand, but is there any mention of a likely Ju 52 in it?

According to this site: http://www.luftwaffe-experten.org/stammkennzeichen.html, two Ju 52/3ms were issued the codes CQ+HH and NA+HH respectively. However, I would presume these codes to be factory codes, and not those of operational units.

Regards,

Jan

Here is an adjacent low grade shot with the JU 52 to the far right.

I have checked that HH would not be an appropriate RAF code.

Mark