Ofw. Walter Karbstein, 2./ZG 76

 

While researching his history of ZG 76, author Peter Kaššák came across a unique gun camera video from this unit. It was filmed by Ofw. Walter Karbstein of 2./ZG 76 on Sunday 2 April 1944. On this date, Bf 110 Gustavs of I. and III. Gruppe of ZG 76 were scrambled from Ansbach and Öttingen and participated alongside crews of II./ZG 1 in the defensive actions over the Reich as US bomber formations flew a major raid on targets in Austria and Yugoslavia, including the ball-bearing plant at Steyr. Some 28 Bf 110 Gs were airborne at 09:15 and, upon return at about midday, reported just one claim that would be confirmed - Walter Karbstein's attack on a lone B-17. Karbstein was in 2. Staffel, but flew his attack in cooperation with others. His victim was likely destroyed southwest of Linz at 5000 meters at about 11:15. Thanks to the Eric Zemper Collection of the 457th BG Association we can see this action on a short gun camera video clip - Karbstein's Bf 110 closes from astern on a lone B-17 which already appears to have had its port wing set on fire but continues to fly straight and level. Note the picture shake as the German pilot unleashes his salvos; 

 Just a short time after this action ZG 76 converted onto the Me 410 and battled against the 15th USAAF over the south of the Reich area. On one such sortie, flown on 27 June 1944, the Stab flight of Zerstörergeschwader 76 lost two machines - one of them was the Messerschmitt Me 410 B-2/U2 coded 'M8 + chevron 3', which crashed at Bánhida in Hungary. The crew, consisting of pilot Ofw. Walter Karbstein and his Bordfunker Uffz. Ernst Keller, were both killed. 

 A civilian photo of Walter Karbstein taken when he entered military service 

This material does not appear in the recent book published by Peter Kaššák and M. Žatkovič entitled 'Zerstörergeschwader 76 - History of the German Luftwaffe unit 1939 - 1945'. 

Since publication Peter's book has received excellent reviews from Luftwaffe and airwar history enthusiasts - " one of the best texts on a Luftwaffe unit of the past 10-20 years.." It is a high quality 'print-on-demand' title, available at the lulu.com book store and previously reviewed on this blog here. 

The Eric Zemper collection can be found at https://457thbombgroupassoc.org

..150th issue of leading German aviation magazine "Klassiker der Luftfahrt" - Luftwaffe in Greece

 

"...  In the winter of 1999, when the editorial teams of the aviation group of Motor Presse Stuttgart decided to put the history articles from FLUG REVUE into a special issue, probably no one realised that 23 years later this magazine would become a permanent fixture in the German market. Today you are holding the 150th issue of the magazine for aviation history in your hands. 150 issues of emotion, detailed aircraft reports, news, glimpses behind closed hangar doors and the best photography. The latest warbirds and historic aircraft, completed restorations, hitherto unknown photographs from the  WW II era, as well as reports and photos from events and airshows around the world. The classic of aviation reliably provides you with the latest news and historical background... in this issue [..] exciting and previously unpublished colour photos taken by a German soldier stationed near Athens. We publish these rare photographs in our gallery.." 

 Colour image on the front cover of the 150th issue of 'Klassiker der Luftfahrt' - Bf 110s of the Sonderkommando Junck (4./ZG 76) seen in Athens during a stop-over en route to Iraq..

Note the air intake and the enlarged 'tropicalised' radiators, indicating that the machines visible here are Bf 110 E sub-types.  Given the absence of white spinner and nose these machines may have not originally been on the strength of ZG 76 - the third machine from the camera does not have the Haifischmaul (shark mouth) either.  (Thanks to GP for the pointer!)

Also on this blog;

Air war in Syria and Iraq May-June 1941

PDF extract of the latest issue of 'Klassiker der Luftfahrt' on the publisher's website here

new book title - " 16 June 1944 " by Peter Kaššák

 

"  AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a number of oil depots and refineries in the Vienna area through extremely heavy and determined opposition, including waves of rocket-firing Ju-88s. While covering the bombers during the penetration, target, and withdrawal phases of the mission, pilots of the 1st, 31st, 52nd, 82nd, and 325th Fighter groups down 40 GAF fighters between 0935 hours and noon.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack oil-industry targets around Bratislava.."

Eric Hammel in 'Air War Europa'.

Books describing a single day's events in the long war in the air have been popular since the classic Ethell/Price "Target Berlin" and perhaps even before that with the Middlebrook-penned "Schweinfurt-Regensburg". This is Peter Kaššák's second book covering one particular day - his previously released "Ordinary Day" related in detail the events of March 2, 1945 one of the last major battles of the air war over Germany. In  his new self-published title, "16 June 1944" the author relates the story of the US 15th AF attack on Vienna's petroleum refineries (Floridsdorf, Kagran, Schwechat) and the supplementary mission mounted on the same occasion against Bratislava'a 'Apollo' fuel refinery. Both raids were notable firsts in the campaign against Axis oil and the recently posted CO of 8.Jagddivision (formerly JaFü Ostmark or Austria) Obst. Gotthard Handrick (J 88, JG 77 etc etc ) could deploy only meagre resources, a handful of Gruppen from JG 302, ZG 1 and ZG 76 assisted by the Hungarian JGr. 101 and the Slovakian 'emergency flight'. Other units from 7.Jagddivision such as I./JG 300 based in southern Germany also participated in the air battles. 

The bulk of the text and images recount events as seen by the attackers as some 170 B-17s and nearly 500 B-24s were dispatched over the targets from bases situated along the 'heel' of Italy's boot, while the German and Hungarian defenders response is detailed in the text and then summarised in the last 15-20 pages of this 150-page title. Each Bomb Group's sorties are analysed in their own 'target' chapter with exciting personal accounts, a treatment extended to the escorts with chapters covering the actions of the 1st and 82nd FG P-38s and the P-51s of the 31st, 52nd and 325th FGs. Chapter 12, " Yellow-tailed Mustangs in action" recounts the 52nd FG's only loss during the raid - a P-51 B shot down by a P-38! This was the only escort fighter lost on the Bratislava mission and after 12 days in Budapest prison pilot 2nd Lt. Fred Crawford ended up in Stalag Luft III. The raid on the Bratislava refinery  - situated on the Danube just 33 miles from Vienna -  was flown by around 160 B-24s of the 98th, 450th,  479th and 376th BGs. Although small, the Czech petroleum industry supplied high grade oils and gasoline for the German war effort  and the author's account is probably a first in English.

" ..Suddenly the nose gunner's voice crackled the expected dreaded news - 'German fighters, 12 o' clock high, closing fast...' With adrenalin flowing I was no longer cold. The German planes hit like Thor's hammer, all guns firing. More went through the formation than broke short. I tried to hit them as they roared past but failed. I couldn't swing the heavy machine gun fast enough..Luckily for us they were concentrating on the first section. The first wave of fighters left us. I reloaded, shovelled empty cartridges overboard and prepared for the next attack. Then the slower German machines arrived - Me 410s, Bf 110s and Ju 88s - a second attack wave. ...[..]  out of the cloud layer above us and from the left a single Bf 110 fired rockets on our first section..it was caught in the cross fire and set alight..burning fiercely it rammed into a B-24  and both planes exploded.. the single Bf 110 was followed by a wave of Bf 110s...."

This vivid personal account is 'interrupted' by the author to  be 'dissected' and analysed - the reader even discovers who was flying the single rocket-firing twin out in front. Some of the most vivid accounts from the bomber crews concern the 459th BG - one B-24 released its bombs through closed bomb bay doors setting the big heavy on fire. The text highlights many more notable combat actions and incidents as crews were downed and then either rounded up on the ground or helped to evade by partisans. One downed 460th BG crew got into a firefight with the Germans hunting them but reached the Yugoslav coast just five days after being brought down.

 

On 16 June 1944 the German and Axis defenders flew at least 200 sorties and in both JG 302 and ZG 76 there was a certain amount of satisfaction at their performance. While ZG 1 made no claims their actions contributed to the break-up of the bomber formations. 'Stories' such as Hammel's "rocket-firing Ju 88s" are assessed and other 'myths' that crop up in the literature are closely examined (black-painted Bf 109s ? - quite possibly, yes). The descriptions of combat are backed up with the usual array of Appendices detailing claims and losses and include a German fighter Gradnetz  grid chart for the zone of operations. A final 'conclusion' details what happened next at the installations hit - the Schwechat refinery was not hit again until September but was regularly raided into 1945, while at Floridsdorf there were more raids in June 1944. The air battle of 16 June 1944 was just the beginning of a series of huge clashes in this central European region while the 'battle for oil' was only just getting underway.

 This is a very worthy and well-done 'print on demand' book from a well-known researcher.  Peter Kaššák has written and produced this book single-handedly and his exhaustive research has resulted in a very readable account. The text is loaded with photos - not just portraits either - and print and paper quality is good. An excellent little title to add to your WW II airwar library! 

Peter Kaššák "16 June 1944" via lulu.com. Click here for more info and orders

Below; jacket illustration of Peter Kassaks' "16 June 1944". Top image shows a formation of 4./ZG 76 Me 410s on June 16.

Ostermann's Friedrichs, May 1942 - new JG 54 decals from AIMS and new Bf 110 conversion and update sets

 

During May 1942, as he was approaching 100 victories, Helmut Ostermann flew - and crashed - two different Friedrichs in quick succession, one on 10 May and the other on 12 May 1942 - this is a matter of record. The two different aircraft were crash landed within two days of each other, one after the other. Only one of these machines appears to feature in photographs and it has been generally thought up to now that it had differently finished fuselage sides  - the starboard side was apparently left in the original paint scheme – the exact colours of which are a matter of conjecture but most probably 74/75 – whereas the port side of the fuselage was completely sprayed over in what is usually said to be a light gray, resulting in a marked difference of the appearance of the two sides of this a/c. I spoke to John MacIllmurray at AIMS who has an interesting theory about Ostermann’s machine(s) and who is currently preparing a new JG 54 decal sheet for release early in the New Year which will feature markings for Ostermann's Friedrichs.

"...The first Friedrich (W Nr. 13088 in 'standard' gray-greens) crashed on 10 May 42 ripping off the tail aft of the III. Gruppe symbol. The second machine - lost on 12 May two days later - was W.Nr 13125. Here the crash-landing also tore off  the tail - on this occasion though in the middle of the III Gruppe bar!  The photo report that appeared in Luftwaffe in Focus (5/2004 edition) actually mixes up photos from the two crash-landings! What was striking about the 'second' aircraft was the 76 overspray on the fuselage sides. Yes, RLM 76 sprayed over the fuselage sides and, yes, the photographs show two aircraft which look similar but they are not the same at all. Not surprisingly modellers and model companies are confusing them. What was the reason behind the 76 overspray? Well, most people imagine that this colour is a faint white or gray overspray - but what would be the point of that in mid-May? It is clearly much darker than the white of the fuselage Balkenkreuz or the white outline of the numeral. My theory is that this may have been an attempt for concealment. Obviously high-altitude combat as such didn't occur in the East, but in painting over the fuselage sides in 76, Ostermann may have been looking for altitude concealment from low-flying Sturmoviks or even ground personnel/troops when flying his long-range strafing sorties behind the lines.." 

See the Luftwaffe Gallery JG 54 'Special' for an account of these types of long-range strafing sorties flown by Ostermann. In the event the 'blue' machine, WNr. 13125, was only flown by Ostermann for two days before it crashed on 12 May 1942...

to reprise the differences on the two machines as seen in the various ‘crash’ photos that have been published;

Ostermann's 'gray-green' F-4 (W Nr. 13088) - 'wet' crash location, no straw under nose, no mud on top most prop lower area, different angle of half and half RLM 70 / white painted spinner, different damage to spinner tip, different painting of rear section of spinner, different damage to rear fuselage - ripped off aft of III Gruppe symbol - lower engine cowl ripped off in the crash. See clearly right side photo and small photo of left side!

Ostermann's 'blue' machine (W.Nr 13125)

High up demarcation 74/76 machine, 'dry' crash location, straw under nose, mud on upper prop, angle of white/RLM 70 spinner different, painting of spinner different, tail ripped off near beginning of III Gruppe symbol and the lower engine cowling intact and in situ. Note too the 8th Staffel bird may well be also in a different place on the two aircraft - 13088 has it near the front of the cowl, 13125 it is in the centre as per normal. 

Bf 109 F-4 – WerkNr. 13 088 – was covered in detail in JFV 9/III, JG 54 Luftwaffe Gallery and various editions of Luftwaffe im Focus and pictures published thus far are usually thought to show an aircraft with differently finished fuselage sides. This highly unusual scheme could be seen on a number of 8./JG 54 Bf 109 F-4s in the spring of 1942, apparently being some kind of intermediate scheme during the spring thaw. (III./JG 54 was only some 50 km south of Leningrad)

But, as is evident from John's comments, it may well be that we have actually been looking at two different aircraft, one of which was 13 088, the other 13 125....over to John again;

"..Regardless of the similarities between 13088 crashed on the 10th and 13125 crashed on  12 May the fact remains that the crash photos from the left show 13125 and the photos from the right show 13088. The photos show two aircraft with two different tail rips, two different spinners and one with lower cowl ripped off and one without - two different crashes - two different aircraft - two different locations - regardless of similarities. It is perhaps a little odd that 13088's 74/75 fuselage is only ever seen from the right and bizarre in the extreme that 13125 in the 'high up' RLM 76 is only ever seen from the left but that is what we have been left with! Since the crash photos show one side only of both aircraft it cannot be proven that work was started to paint the left side of 13088 RLM 76 nor can it be proven that 13125 had the RLM 76 finished on the right for that matter but the head-on photo of it on a dry sunny day (LiF 5/2004) would suggest that it is more finished than un-finished...."

Preview image of just some of the subjects on the forthcoming AIMS JG 54 decal sheet

A final word from John at AIMS;

".. if I'm wrong about this then that's cool too - I am happy to be wrong and thankfully it does not in any way change the decal designs - just the instructions. Okay so the identical paint scheme on the tail plane and wings of both aircraft could be a 'problem for sure but less of a problem - in my mind - than believing all the crash photos are the same aircraft. It would not be the first time an aircraft crashed in an unfinished condition but rare none the less..."

AIMS is also almost ready to start taking orders on a new Bf 110 conversion set - a Bf 110 G-2/R1 conversion for the 32nd Dragon C-7 kit. There are also new 1/72 and 1/48 update sets for the Eduard G-2/R-1 or G-2 kits in the pipeline ..

The Bf 110 G-2/R1 sub-type was a Pulkzerstörer for defence of the Reich duties mounting the imposing 3.7cm Bordkanone Flak 18 under the fuselage. After trials this variant first equipped ZG 76 in late 1943/early 1944. Some of these machines were also equipped with WGr. 21 rocket launchers under each wing. Below, decal sheet extract depicting ZG 76 machines

"M8+NP" a Bf 110 G-2/R1 seen in Wertheim in late 1943. FF Uffz. Herbert Stengel on the right. Note the lower fuselage fairing/housing for the cannon rather resembled the 'Dackelbauch' fitting seen on the Bf 110 D. The cannon muzzle brake was perforated.

More photos and data on the Bf 110 G-2/R1 Flak 18 on this blog here

Bf 110 Zerstörergeschwader 76 -ebay photo find #311

Gruppenkommandeur Walter Grabmann of II. Gruppe of the Zerstörergeschwader 76 ("Haifischgruppe") alongside a sharkmouth Bf 110, seen here shortly after his return from captivity (POW on 18 May 1940) on the field at Sovet, near Dinant and Ciney, Belgium, 1940

Tim de Craene's Ebay sales are here

Fotoabzug = "repro" - ebay photo find 263

.. it is me or are there a lot of 'repros' appearing for sale on ebay at the moment... ironically I notice even certain 'well-known' repositories of on-line images are adopting 'privacy' mode to prevent unscrupulous ebay sellers from copying and then offering 'their' treasures for sale in repro format.

" Sehr schöner Fotoabzug einer Zerstörermaschine vom Typ Bf 110 des ZG 1 oder SKG 210, aufgenommen 1943/44 in Italien. Sehr schön sind das Staffelabzeichen in Form einer Wespe und viele Details zu sehen..."

So while the repro above appears to be quite nice ....there are plenty of others being offered out there of more mediocre quality.

Below; poor quality copy/repro of a photo of the Friedrich flown by the Kommandeur of III./JG 3 August 1941 currently on offer at 85 euros here - yes I've seen the nice sharp original photo and it's not this!

To quote a recent correspondent;

  " ..I'm sending you a copy of something that is really starting to irritate me on eBay: the same photos sold by our usual Ukrainians and a ridiculous German calling himself H******en in more than mediocre quality. These people will apparently stop at nothing to earn a few Euros, to the point of selling unspeakable crap. The original was very clear, as you will see...Not only is the well drying up, but it would appear that all and sundry are pouring their garbage into it. You're going to tell me "nothing new under the sun" and you wouldn't be wrong..."

Bf 110 C/D Kommandeur I./ZG 76 II./JG 77 Emil in Norwegen - ebay photo find #222

Kommandeur I./ZG 76 until his death in combat on 30 April 1940 was Hptm. Günther Reinecke who flew Bf 110 C 'Doppelwinkel M8+AB'. Reinecke was brought down off the coast of Norway by the defensive fire of the Blenheim he was attacking (on 24 April according to Geirr Haarr). Note so-called 'Dackelbauch' belly fuel tank..presumably this airfield scene was taken at Stavanger-Sola..

Interim Kommandeur was Hptm. Werner Hansen until replaced by Hptm. Werner Restemeyer who was lost in Bf 110 D "M8+AB" over the North Sea off Newcastle on 15 August 1940.

On offer here

decals for this machine are available on John MacIllmurray's AIMS "Stab Bf 110s" sheet which is reviewed on this blog here. Go to John's site

One of Hptm. Karl Hentschel's II./JG 77 Emils in Norway also via Marco at koelsch333 Ebay sales

Kommandeur I./ZG 76 Hptm. Günter Reinecke - Jever, German Bight, Marienkäfer ladybird emblem 2./ZG 76

Established in Pardubitz in May 1939 I./ZG 76 was re-named as II./NJG 1 in September 1940. Kommandeur I./ZG 76 until his death in combat on 30 April 1940 was Hptm. Günter Reinecke (below, middle) who flew Bf 110 C 'Doppelwinkel M8+AB'. Reinecke was brought down off the coast of Norway by the defensive fire of the Blenheim he was attacking. He was replaced by Hptm. Werner Restemeyer (lost in Bf 110 D "M8+AB" over the North Sea off Newcastle on 15 August 1940) (via the Luftwaffe officer career summaries resource here)

Based in Jever in late 1939 the crews of I./ZG 76 - including Helmut Lent, Gordon Gollob and the Staka 2./ZG 76 Wolfgang Falck - were successful over the German Bight on 18 December 1939 against RAF medium bombers.

Below; a pre-sortie briefing in front of the Bf 110 C assigned to the Gruppenadjutant Oblt. Hans Jäger in Stavanger-Sola, April 1940. This aircraft, on the strength of the Stab I./ZG 76, wore the code (Kennung) chevron M8+CB



via Michael Meyer's Ebay sales here

Below;  a 2./ZG 76 Bf 110 C displaying the unit’s Marienkäfer ladybird emblem seen in Jever in December 1939. In the cockpit is Lt. Maximilian Gräff, who returned his second victory during the German Bight raid of 18 December 1939, claiming a Wellington 25 km. NW. of Borkum. Gräff was KIA that same month.

Messerschmitt ME110 II./ZG 76 Haifisch-Geschwader im Flug M8+C -daily Ebay photo find #207

Super selection of shark-mouth Bf 110s on offer from Marko Auer - Messerschmitt ME110 II./ZG76 Haifisch-Geschwader im Flug M8+C

on offer here

and via the Archiv KH, this ZG 76 'ace' presumably flying M8+ZC seen on reel 78. Note the mottled finish, yellow rudders and line of white victory markings on the tailfin.

These stills were captured from footage made available via the Agentur Karl Höffkes film archive AKH and are reproduced here with the kind permission of Karl Höffkes.

Bf 110 Pulkzerstörer 'bomber destroyers' -daily ebay photo find #205

A well-known image currently on offer here that dates from the Defence of the Reich period of autumn 1943 to spring 1944. While a heavily tinted view of the same shot featured on the jacket of Don Caldwell's superlative 'Day fighters in Defence of the Reich' the image was not captioned and does not appear inside the book. Bf 110 Pulkzerstörer (lit. 'formation destroyers') in action over a snow-covered landscape. These are Bf 110 G-2/R1 sub-types. The aircraft appear to be toting the imposing 37 mm Bordkanone Flak 18 cannon under the fuselage. This large-calibre weapon was trialed and briefly employed against USAAF bomber formations, first equipping ZG 76 in early 1944, so these machines may be on the strength of that unit. However the close-up view on the Caldwell book jacket appears to show an aircraft coded "2N + BP" - presumably of ZG 1. (ZG 76 used the M8 code through 1944-45). Bf 110 G-2 sub-types could mount various armament kits -the M 1 conversion kit (2 x MG 151/20) under the fuselage, the M 5 kit comprising two BR 21 double pipe 21 cm Raketenwerfer grenade launchers (as here) and the M 3 armament kit of two MK 108 30 mm cannon. Aircraft such as these were heavily armed for the bomber destroyer role but particularly ill suited for combat with enemy fighters.

Pilot Flugzeugführer Uffz. Herbert Weiner of 1./ ZG 26 seen wearing his EK I in Wunstorf in late 1943 in front of his Me 110 G-2 toting the BK 37mm Flak 18 cannon.

A line-up of Me 110 G-2 37mm Flak 18 cannon toting Zerstörer of 1./ZG 1 in Wunstorf in August 1943.

On offer here

 More on the BK 37mm Flak 18 cannon equipped Bf 110s in the Defence of the Reich on this blog

http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/bf-110-g-with-37mm-flak-18-cannon.html

Me110 ZG 76 Haifisch Geschwader beim Start, Fw 190 Ergänzungs-Schlachtgruppe SG 152 - daily Ebay photo find #197

via Olivier Rogge Ebay sales

Me110 C/D ZG 76 Haifisch Geschwader beim Start

according to the seller a selection of FW 190 F/ G from the Ergänzungs-Schlachtgruppe, ( Micky-Maus Staffelwappen

"Triangle B" below was published by C.Ehrengardt in a recent Aerojournal "Fw 190 Jabo special" reviewed on this blog here. This machine is labelled as WNr. 1112 Fw 190 A-5 from 1./SG 152 early 1944..an advanced operational school unit, an Einsatzkommando went to Italy and flew sorties around Monte Cassino and Anzio. I./SG 152 was established from the  Ergänzungs-Schlachtgruppe at Debkin Irena in November 1943 under Hptm. Karl Kennel

On offer here

Air War in Syria and Iraq May-June 1941 (part 1) Fliegerführer Irak Oberst Junck Sonderkommando Vichy Air Force GC III/6 in Syria

One of three Lufthansa Junkers Ju 90 A-0 transports assigned to the Fliegerführer Irak Oberst Junck and seen on Sicily against the backdrop of Mount Etna during May 1941. These machines were painted in Iraqi markings for transit via Vichy French airfields in Syria.

Sonderkommando Junck was a 120-man strong 'expeditionary force' cobbled together by the Luftwaffe to support the Iraqi insurrection of Rashid Ali against the British. Ali, a German 'puppet', was not slow in reminding his German friends of  the promises of support that Hitler had made, hopeful that Ali could wage Jihad against the British and chase them out of Iraq! But with operations against Crete in full swing and Barbarossa looming large, the Luftwaffe hierarchy had little enthusiasm for mounting air operations some 2,000 kms from their prinicipal theatre HQ in Athens. However on 1 May 1941 Oberst Werner Junck - Jagdfliegerführer 3  in Deauville, France - was summoned to Berlin and tasked with coordinating Luftwaffe air operations in Iraq. His first task was to establish an "air bridge" via Syria in support of Ali's Iraqi rebels then engaged in operations against the British, particularly the large air base at RAF Habbaniya, west of Baghdad. Junck received  a Staffel of Bf 110s (4./ZG 76), another of He 111 bombers and some twenty transports based in Mosul in northern Iraq.

Also at Catania when the pictures above were taken was a force of Vichy French aircraft in transit from North Africa to the Middle East. They were embarking on the biggest test that the so-called 'Armistice' air force would face in their short existence - defending French colonial possessions against the British and their 'Free French' allies. The Ali insurrection in Iraq, the closure of the Mosul-Haifa pipeline and German aircraft transiting via French bases led the British to mount Operation Exporter, a ground offensive against Vichy (French) territory in the Middle East.

Images currently on offer via Marco at koelsch333 Ebay sales here

The Vichy French fighter force sent to Syria with the agreement of the Germans comprised the yellow-tailed Dewoitine D.520s of GC III/6, the aircraft transiting via Italy and Greece to arrive at Rayak, Lebanon on 27 May 1941 after a 3,800 km journey from North Africa. GC III/6 was commanded by Cdt Geille while the pilot roster included ace S/Lt Pierre Le Gloan, who had already achieved notoriety with five claims in one sortie against the Italians on 15 June 1940. He would return seven air combat victories against the Allies in Syria. The British launched Operation Exporter on 8 June 1941, the D.520 fighters of GC III/6 coming under attack from Tomahawks of No 3 Squadron RAAF. Five D.520s were damaged and one set alight in their first 'action' of this campaign.

Below;  D.520 coded '33' seen in an official Bundesarchiv PK propaganda reporter photo in North Africa prior to the unit's transfer to Syria - note the outlined fuselage cocarde

For their journey to the Middle East the D.520s of GC III/6 were accompanied by four Potez 650 and one Farman 223 of GT II/15. The French force was held up in Athens for two days while en route to Syria due to the intense aerial activity resulting from operations against the island of Crete.

Below; Potez 650  no.15 " Adj-chef Renouard "of GT II/15 seen en route to Syria, May 1941. This particular machine was damaged in a strafing attack by Tomahawks on 26 June at Homs.

Images currently on offer here