RAF Hurricane Pic Battle of France May 1940. Important for SoW Devs?

[Crumpp]

The pilot of this Spitfire was over Upottery field when he had problems changing from one fuel tank to another. He landed wheels down but when he realised he was going to collide with some parked C-47’s he pulled his landing gear up and slid safely to a stop.

No big ditches here either...

http://www.southwestairfields.com/page14.html

Airplanes are funny like that when ditched. Sometimes they will plough up the pavement or like my friends Bo, barely break a few grass stalks.

[JVM]

I think this A/C may have been shot down.
Nothing lets think it was abandoned; other abandoned A/C usually show as at least a little bit burnt-out wrecks due to standing order to destroy whatever is left behind...and they were usually on their wheels!

Nothing like that here:

- thoroughly sawed-off propeller blades
- everything easily removable removed (access panels, covers, spinner...)
- identification marks supporting surfaces removed, not absent! on the rear fuselage one can clearly see the tubular structure because someone removed the canvas...

All this means souvenir hunters, german ones in this case...This was typical of the time (1940) and of the curiosity of advancing troops when seeing a shot down aircraft!

Beside I believe the half black+ half light green or blue underwing colors have been used on England-based aircraft, not French-based, but I would not be certain about this.

JV

[Crumpp]

This was typical of the time (1940)

You really think looting the airplane dates it to just 1940?

I would think souvenir hunting is a human activity not restricted to a time period in six years of conflict.

I think this A/C may have been shot down.

I agree. There was also multiple Hurricanes brought down over Occupied Europe in 1941-42.

As for the "1940 distinguishing features" of the aircraft such as the armor, I know some Luftwaffe units flew early war aircraft all the way until the end. Jabostaffle, JG5 for example flew FW-190A2/3's until 1944-45 time period.

Certainly not common for such an early variants to be in use that late in the war but it did occur.

An aircraft to be operating a few years past its manufacture date is not unusual at all though.

[SlipBall]

My thought's on being shot down differ. I think this aircraft was most likly used in an early type of Zirkus Rosarius, and had a mishap on landing one day. Because of the damage and lack of replacement parts, she was left at the fields edge and forgotten.

[MB_Avro_UK]

Hi all,

As the OP I'd like to say that I appreciate your inputs. Yes, it's an interesting photograph. The soldier appears to have LW piping on the collar tab.

This second photograph of a Hurricane is similar. The rear has German writing upon it and indicates June 1940 with probably a French location.




Best Regards,
MB_Avro.