CHAPTER SIX
Having noticed the transfer of nearly all German fighter units to the new Eastern Front, the RAF launched an ambitious aerial offensive over Northern France/Belgium, the so called ‘Non-Stop Offensive’. It turned out to be very costly and a large number of British planes were destroyed, some of them falling nearly intact into German hands.
In the night offensives launched against German towns, British bombers damaged or disoriented landed in enemy-held territories and were captured. In this way, in August 1942, the Luftwaffe acquired its sole Stirling, a bomber already obsolete at the time.
In the theatre of the Mediterranean Sea, planes were only rarely captured by either side. The air fighting occurred mainly over the Libyan desert, and all planes which force-landed in the open were usually considered 100 per cent lost. Indeed, specialised recovery units were scarce and didn’t have enough vehicles to operate in the harsh desert conditions. The best way to save something was to dismantle the most valuable parts and leave the rest of the plane/wreck rusting in the sand.
On 29 August 1941, in the execution of the famed ‘Non-Stop Offensive’, Spitfire PK-O (P8713) of No. 315 (Polish) Squadron was lost.
The fighter landed in Belgium on the strand of Westende and was quickly recovered by the Germans.
Fuselage of PK-O. This plane was probably sent to Germany, but we do not know if it was tested there or scrapped immediately.
A Wellington captured on a crude airfield in North Africa. As it was nearly impossible to evacuate these planes, souvenir hunters have already ‘unclothed’ it.
A Lysander, probably found along the famed Via Balbia in Libya. The Luftwaffe acquired two such planes, probably captured when engaged in special missions in France. One of them was displayed in the static ‘museum’ of Nanterre.
A shot down Hurricane examined by German flyers in Libya.
The difficulties involved in ferrying planes are attested by this photo of a ‘liberated’ Hurricane at the end of 1941. In a counter-offensive, British troops found the captured Hurricane repainted in German markings. It could not be evacuated and was so retaken by the original owners.
This Blenheim was sent to Germany. It is possible that it was captured in the desert, as it was attached to an Australian squadron.
On the morning of 8 November 1941, pupils of EJG 26 stationed on Maldegem airfields were surprised to discover, facing their barracks, a British Wellington.
In the east, after the first success of Operation Barbarossa, Soviet planes were no longer captured on so great a scale. Some of the new machines were nevertheless tested by the German specialists.
This bomber, GR-Z (Z1277) of No. 300 (Polish) Sq. was disoriented in a mission over the Reich and landed intact in Belgium. On the same night, another Wellington from No. 304 Sq. landed on the Belgian airfield of St Truiden (St-Trond), and its crew were captured.
GR-Z was heavily photographed. Notice the insignia of the squadron.
After having been repainted in German markings, GR-Z departs for Germany.
On 12 April 1942, a Spitfire (AB131) of No. 521 Sq. engaged in a test flight landed by mistake on St Truiden (St-Trond) airfield, its Canadian pilot becoming a POW.
Personnel of II./NJG 1 based on that airfield took numerous photographs of the ‘intruder’, an ex-plane of No. 1401 Meteorological Flight.
Spitfire Vb RF-E (AA940) of No. 303 (Polish) Sq. was shot down in Circus 143 on 27 April 1942 and landed near Lille. The pilot became a POW. The fate of the plane is unknown.
Bergungskommandos salvaged shot down planes all over Europe. This Spitfire, recovered on a beach in Northern France was probably heavily damaged by waves and salt water but could perhaps become a source of spare parts.
All the wrecks were assembled in depots, as here in French St-Omer. Spare parts were recovered and the rest of the metal was sent to the furnaces.
The first giant Short Stirling bomber to be captured intact was MG-F (N3705) of No. 7 Sq. On the night of 15/16 August 1942, engaged in ‘Gardening’ (dropping of sea mines), with two engines and the compass out of action, it landed near Dutch Gorinchen.
The nose of the bomber was damaged. The plane had to be repaired before being repainted for its ferry flight.
On one of the large wings of the Stirling. This plane was studied in Rechlin before being used in April 1944 as a target to test new air-air munitions.
A Boston having made a belly landing, probably in France. It seems that no such plane was used in the Luftwaffe.
In the landing operations of Dieppe (19 August 1942), No. 350 (Belgian) Sq. lost P/O H. Marchal who was captured. His Spitfire Vb MN-Z (AR380), after recovery, seems to have been tested by the Luftwaffe.
At end of 1942, the transport units of the Luftwaffe were heavily engaged on the Eastern Front (Stalingrad) and the Med. Losses were high. To help quickly fill the gaps, Regia Aeronautica lent some Savoia Marchetti included in a special transport squadron, the Savoia Staffel. One of those planes is seen here on Maleme airfield (Crete).
Maleme. The Savoia Staffel is ready to fly to Africa. In fact the first Italian transport planes entered the Luftwaffe in April 1942.
Two German soldiers pose in front of a Savoia Staffel plane.
