Trying to identify this 110 shot down in Africa or the MTO. Pictures included.

[Mysticpuma]

Thank you for the update.

I wonder then if this 110 may actually have been a victory of the 325th FG (it was taken by one of their pilots). Very intriguing!

Cheers, MP

[veltro205]

Glad to have been of help, Mystic...!

As far as your hypothesis is concerned, my opinion is that in no way that Bf 110 may have been a combat casualty: the fuselage virtually intact and the neat dismantling of the wings clearly indicate one example cannibalized by the unit and left on the abandoned airfield (wheter it is Montecorvino or elsewhere, the thing still applies.).

As I have said, there are strong possibilities that this example is among those reported abandoned in the airfield area, only transcribed with a wrong individual letter.

At least, this is what experience and observation do suggest.

HTH, all the best

P.S. I have already expressed privately to Ralph my congratulations for the fantastic work you've done. I can only repeat to you directly my admiration and heartfelt gratitude as a researcher.

Ferdinando 'veltro' D'Amico

[Skarphol]

Threads like this one is the main reason that I keep reading this forum! Very interesting!

I do not completely agree with this though:

Originally Posted by veltro205

...in no way that Bf 110 may have been a combat casualty: ...

The reason for scavenging parts of the Bf 110 is probably because it has been damaged beyond repair. The bullet holes in the fuselage indicates that it might be a victim of enemy action.
So it could well be the 325th FG who is responsible for the permanent grounding of this plane.

Skarphol

[veltro205]

One of the "habits" of soldiers everywhere is to shoot at and loot wrecks of enemy material, so a few bullet holes or some bent metal foil - IMHO - does not add anything to the story.

HTH, all the best

Ferdinando 'veltro' D'Amico

[Monguse]

Veltro and Ferdinando glad you posted and helped clear things out.

[waffen-79]

No expert here, granted, but reading post, following links and photos

That 110 wasn't shot down, it appears to be scavanged for spareparts and used later for gunnery practice

COULD have been strafed perhaps, but that's a concession

[Zorin]

1. If you take a little tour of the airfield with google streetview, you can pretty much match the background of the photo with the actual view. So yes, definitely Montecorvino.
2. There are no signs of a forced landing. Paint scratches, dirt/dust screen, or bend structures. All we know is that it was written off due to damages we can not disclose, being forced down due to enemy action being the least likely one though.
3. The damages we can see on the picture I would attibute to the retreating German forces trying to damage the aircraft beyond repair and vandalism of Allied troops.
4. As the airfield was used by units of the USAAF it is not unlikely to see 345th pilots to pay a visit. Especially the left behind Fw190s must have been of great interest.