Books on flying captured aircraft

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Bill Nolen
Flying Captured Allied Aircraft
Mon Feb 5 21:55:03 2001


Greetings,
I"m read a interesting book, "Luftwaffe Test Pilot, Flying captured Allied Aircraft of World War 2" Published in German in 1977 and English in 1980. Author: Hans-Werner
Lerche. Herr Lerche was one of the chief test pilots at the Luftwaffe Test Center at Rechlin and flew all the major Allied Aircraft which was captured by the Germans.
These AC range from the B-17, B-24, P-47, P-51, Spitfire, Yak-3 and La-5FN. The author's comments and comparisons to German AC such as the Heinkel's, Junkers,
Me-109,210,410 & 262A, FW-190's, etc. is quite interesting. In all there are technical details on 125 Allied and German aircraft. For more details go to the Soviet & Allied
Discussion Board.
Bill

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Lars Sundin
H-W Lerche book
Tue Feb 6 07:23:26 2001


Joining Bill in his appreciation of this book (which I have in the Jane´s English edition, ISBN 0 7106 0031 3), I might add that there also are pictures of captured Allied
aircraft in Luftwaffe markings. You can also read about Mr Lerche´s flying and engineering training as well as of his last flight in late April 1945 in the Do 335 now preserved
in the USA (see also http://www.kotfsc.com/aircraft/do-335.htm ).

Lars Sundin

(For additional discussion on Lerche's book, see the topic "Books on Hans Werner Lerche" in the "References & Reference Materials" forum.

Regards,
Richard)

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 19 August 2002).]

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Mike Murphy
Other interesting books / articles on this subject
Sat Feb 10 19:50:25 2001


I agree, Lerche's book is very interesting and informative --- it certainly whet's the apetite for more information on this subject.

As an additional comment, there are other interesting books or articles on the subject of captured / foreign aircraft in Luftwaffe service including:

1. Strangers in a Strange Land Vol. 1 (Squadron Signal pub) by Hans Heiri Stapfer. Usually available on the web for
$ 10 - $ 15 used condition. A number of photos and color drawings are included as well as interesting discussions on specific aircraft that were captured.

2. Fremde Vogel unterm Balkenkreuz I have scanned photos from this book, but haven't been able to find a copy for sale.....it contains a number of photos of captured
aircraft in Luftwaffe service organized by country of origin. This book was published in the early 1980s I think.

3. Il Ricco Bottino (The Rich Booty) by Hans Werner Neulen. Excellent book on captured Italian aircraft in Luftwaffe service. around $ 18.

4. The Luftwaffe from Training School to the Front (Chapter 10) by Meyer and Stipdonk. Chapter 10 provides a number of photos of captured aircraft.

5. Foto Archiv Band 8. Although several Band in this excellent publication include at least one or two photos of captured aircraft..Band 8 includes by far the most with
several types I not seen elsewhere. You can order this one online at the following site:
www.stormbirds.com/flugzeug/ (http://www.stormbirds.com/flugzeug/)

Flugzeug magazine and Jet & Prop magazine, also available at this web address, have published excellent articles on this subject. Included are: Fiat G-12; Bloch SO 161;
Hopfner Ha 11/33; Brequet Br 521 Bizerte (2 parts); SM-75/SM 82; Rechlin September 1943 display; SE 200 etc.

6. Luftwaffe Fledglings 1935 - 1945. by Ketley and Rolfe. Although not exclusively about captured aircraft, this book nevertheless contains quite a bit of interesting
information, photos and drawings concerning captured aircraft used as trainers.

7. Modell Fan magazine ran a series of articles in the late 1970s and early 1980s entitled 'Sie Flogen mit dem Balkenkreuz' there were at least 13 or 14 articles in this
series, maybe more.

8. The Czech magazine REVI has published comprehensive articles by Igor Mrkvanek on captured Czech aircraft in Luftwaffe service. Very informative.

9. Flypast has published at least two very interesting articles on captured British aircraft in Luftwaffe Service.

10. Luftwaffe Codes, Markings and Units (Barry Rosch) contains quite a bit of information on captured aircraft organized by Luftwaffe unit. Some photos and drawings of
captured aircraft are included throughout the book.

11. The Luftwaffe Verband Journal has published several articles on aircraft evaluated at Rechlin or operated by Versuchsverband.

I'd appreciate hearing about other sources of information on this interesting topic.

Mike

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Dave Brown
dbrown@dt.smithgroup.com
Books
Wed Feb 14 18:02:39 2001


A similar book covered the RAF's test pilots. A Most Secret Place: Boscombe Downs. I can't remember the author's name. Boscombe Downs was where the RAF tested
all of their military aircraft. The information was recently declassified. As well as their own aircraft, the RAF evaluated the B-17, the B-24, the P-38 and the P-51 during that
time.

Dave Brown

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Matt Gibbs
Enemy Aircraft Flight
Fri Apr 27 00:47:42 2001


Greetings!
Apologies if this has been asked but I used the search to no avail. I am looking for information on non-german aircraft that the Luftwaffe used either to evaluate or utilise in covert operations etc. Did they get their hands on many of the variants of Spitfire..? Any information would be of help. I have seen a pic of spitfire mark9 with yellow tailfin and black paint overall but are there others..?
Regards,
Matt Gibbs

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Olivier Lefebvre
Re: Enemy Aircraft Flight
Fri Apr 27 07:03:50 2001


Check the book "Strangers in a strange land" Squadron Signal Publication. It's out of print but you can find it in second hands books specialized library.
Regarding the Spitfire, the Luftwaffe exhibited several Spits in it Museums in non-flyable conditions.
The 2. Staffel of Verschsverband Oberbefehlshader der Luftwaffe operated 3 Spifires for training purpose. One of them being a Mk IX (T9+BB).

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Timo Niiranen
Captured Allied Aircraft
Fri Apr 27 11:51:45 2001


Hi,

check this link out. A lot of pictures of Allied iron in Luftwaffe colors.

http://www.luftarchiv.de/inhalt/alliiert/index.htm

Timo Niiranen
Helsinki, Finland

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 27 May 2001).]

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Mike Murphy
Captured Spitfires
Sat Apr 28 08:16:51 2001


Matt -

I'm sending you some loose photos of various captured Spitfire variants that carried the Balkenkrueuz. Also, an article from Modell Magazin on a captured Spitfire Mk XI.

There was a 2-part article published in Flypast in June/July 1996 by Cynrik De Decker and Jean-Louis Roba (Air War Europe Website) which discussed various British aircraft that were captured and evaluated by the Luftwaffe. I can send scans if you are interested.

I think AeroJournal #11 has a more recent article on this same subject by the same authors (unfortunately, I don't have a copy of this issue).

Mike

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Mr. Gianmaria Spagnoletti
Caged Eagles
Sat Apr 28 22:12:10 2001


Take a look at this site: http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/capture.htm

Regards
Gianmaria

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Terrence Daniels
Liberator listing
Tue May 1 07:27:35 2001


Hiya Matt,

Here's a listing of captured B-24 Liberators I compiled in a .TXT file. I put this together after I found out that my grandfather was involved in testing one of them for possible covert uses; he flew one of the "unknowns" unfortunately (or one that was never recorded as lost/in LW posession). It may be useful to you, hope it helps.

BTW it's fairly comprehensive, this is at least a week's worth of internet scouring and cross-referencing. http://www.lwag.org/ubb/wink.gif

Luftwaffe-Captured B-24 Liberators
--------------------------------------------


BOOKS:
--------------------------------------------


"Flying Captured Allied Aircraft of World War 2"
Hans-Werner Lerche
ISBN #0-531-03711-8

"KG 200 - The True Story"
Peter Stahl

"Strangers in a Strange Land"
Hans-Eiri Stapfer
ISBN #0-89747-198-9

WEBSITES:
--------------------------------------------

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html
USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF serial numbers.

http://www.melchiorre.com/sunshine/
Details on "Sunshine", #42-52106.

http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/capture.htm
Caged Eagles: Captured Allied Aircraft Markings.

http://members.tripod.com/~Tachel_KG200/HISTORY.HTM
Short historical rundown on KG 200.


AIRCRAFT LIST
--------------------------------------------
Skz./Tkz., U.S. Serial, Type, Info
--------------------------------------------


I-RAIN 41-23659 B-24D-1-CO
(98th BG) Captured on 20 Feb. 1943. "Blonde Bomber II". First B-24 in Axis hands. Accidentally landed at Pachino, Sicily. Put in Italian markings, then taken from Sicily to Guidonia. Brought to Germany by Italian crew, operated in original desert camo as I-RAIN, then Dark Green/Light Gray later. Later to KG 200.


NF+KB 41-28641 B-24H-5-DT
(453rd BG) Captured on 04 Feb. 1944. Later to KG 200 as NF+KB. Used for supply missions to Rhodes in late 1944. Recaptured by U.S. troops at Salzburg, Austria.


CL+XC? ? B-24H or J
Captured at Eger. Ferried from there to unknown location, 18 March 1944, by Hans-Werner Lerche.


? 42-52106 B-24H-5-FO
(719th BS/449th BG) Captured on 29 Mar. 1944, Venegono, Italy. "Sunshine". Engine failure on mission, attempted for Switzerland but landed short after being hit by flak. Used in propaganda film with crew and German actors, then repainted in LW markings and used on intruder missions, infiltrating RAF bomber streams at night. Lost to German flak on 06 April 1945 while on a low-level transfer flight from Hildesheim to Bavaria, trying to stay ahead of advancing Allied forces.


NF+LF 42-78106 B-24G-5-NT
(460th BG) Captured on 09 June 1944, near Fussach.


KO+XA 41-28779 B-24H-15-DT
(564th BS/389th BG) Captured on 20 June 1944, near Stettin. KG 200 aircaft. Original colors, with German markings. Photographed on fire after nose-wheel collapsed during a takeoff on soft ground at Hildesheim, 13 April 1945. Apparently flown in original Allied colors (Olive Drab/Neutral Gray), Balkenkreuz in standard places, codes in light color underwing, no fueselage codes.

CL+XZ 42-78247 B-24G-10-NT
(765th BS/461st BG) Captured late 1944, at Landsberg. Flown by Lerche to Oberpfaffenhofen, Dec. 1944, to the Aviation Radio Research Institute (FFO). Used to test radar and other electronics.

NF+PB ? B-24
Destroyed by fire after being strafed at Halle, 1945.


? ? B-24J
Unidentified KG 200 aircraft in full Luftwaffe markings, photographed after being shot down by German flak.

[This message has been edited by Richard T Eger (edited 27 May 2001).]

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Tom Willis
Lw B-24s
Tue May 1 20:39:34 2001


Hi

A lot of work has gone into this listing; so well done.

There are at least two that I would like to correct:

41-28641; all photos show this a/c with the code +KB. The full code should read as A3+KB, which is the unit Verband-
kennzeichen for KG200. It is possible that the aircraft may have been issued with a Stkz but this is not known and as far as I know never been recorded.

The B-24 coded NF+PB is a red-herring; this particular aircraft is in fact a Ju 290; the wreckage of the fuselage showing the code is similar in appearance to the B-24s. The correct code of the Ju 290 is again A3+PB.

I hope that this helps

Kind regards


Tom Willis

[Richard T Eger]

Thomas Genth's aviation page site is a combination homage to Thomas's grandfather and father, both of whom served in the Luftwaffe, and a survivor's photo album. The website address is:

http://members.aol.com/tgenth/index.html

The above gets you to Thomas's The Page, in which he gives a history of the services of his grandfather and father. Thomas's grandfather, Adolf Genth, served in both WW I and WW II. He held the following positions in WW II:

Staffelkapitaen II. Kampfgeschwader 153 in Finsterwalde
Member of the Generalstab
Chief of the IV. Flieger-Korps

His father, Karl Georg Genth, served in the Luftwaffe from 1944 to 1945 - his age at that time 20 years. He served in III JG26 (squadron).

Further down The Page you come to his family photo albums covering WW I, WW II, and post WW II. I'm not sure all are family related, but they are very nice photos, indeed, and each can be enlarged.

WW II - Descriptive text adds to the value of the photos presented here.

<U>Part I</U>

Do 17z of III KG76 - 1 color profile and 5 b&w photos

<U>Part II</U>

Do17z - 1 b&w photo
Aircrew - 1 b&w photo
Arado 96B - 5 B&W photos
Dewoitine 520 in Luftwaffe markings - 2 color profiles

<U>Part III</U>

Dewoitine 520 of the JG101 in Luftwaffe markings in Pau (France) - - 12 b&w photos
Me 109 G12 - 3 b&w photos
Potez 63 in Luftwaffe markings - 1 b&w photo

<U>Part IV</U>

Me 109 (some G) - 11 b&w photos

<U>Part V</U>

Fw 190 (mainly A) - 12 b&w photos
Fw 190D-9 - 3 b&w photos

<U>Part VI</U>

Ar 234 - 5 b&w photos

<U>Part VII</U>

Me 262 - 3 b&w photos

<U>Part VIII</U>

Captured B-17F, 42-30048, "Flak Dancer" - 4 b&w photos

<U>Part IX</U>

Crash landed P-47, "Double 'S'" - 2 b&w photos of plane, 1 of pilot

<U>Part X</U>

Two crashed Spitfires - 2 b&w photos


The next section presents beautiful color photos of 5 survivors.

Survivors

<U>Do 335A-0 Deutsches Museum Muenchen (Smithonian)</U> - WN 240102 (VG+PH) - 3 color photos at Deutches Museum

<U>Me 109G-2 Luftwaffenmuseum Berlin-Gatow</U> - "Yellow 4" - 3 color photos

<U>Me 109G-2 (Luftfahrtmuseum Hannover - Laatzen)</U> - "White 3" - 3 color photos. Also color photo of rebuilt Me 109 fuselage.

<U>Me109 G6 (D-FMBB, Messerschmitt - Stiftung)</U> - FM+BB - 14 color photos

<U>Me 262A ("White 3", Deutsches Museum Munich)</U> - WN 500071 - 8 color photos


Regards,
Richard

[Richard T Eger]

The following information was buried within a 12 O'Clock High! thread:

Mike Murphy
Thanks very much !
Sun May 6 23:12:24 2001


Mr. Ehrengardt and Tom Willis -

Thanks very much for the information. It would be great if someone would publish a book about captured French aircraft similar to Neulen's 'The Rich Booty' or 'Strangers in a Strange Land'.

Mike

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Tom Willis
Polish aircraft
Sun May 6 22:14:03 2001


Hi Mike

The photo of the RWD 13 is the only new photo of a Polish type in German markings. There are photos of the PZL P.37 and the PWS 26 which I have seen before.

I have 'bought the book' and I find it well worth the investment; the photos are excellent (as are all Hikoki publications), the text is a little compressed but the drawings and Appendix lists are all excellent. For any person interested in Air Forces prior to the 2nd World War it will be a must to have.

If any people that do purchase a copy of White Eagles because of this review I wonder if Kikoki would like to send me a complimentary copy of their next addition as yet to be published. Leg pulling aside it would be nice; do not get many free books even when I contribute photos and research material.

Hope this helps

Kind regards


Tom

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Mike Murphy
Thanks for the information
Sun May 6 23:07:08 2001


Tom -

Thanks very much for the information about 'White Eagles'. I am interested in aircraft of the inter-war period, but continue to focus on captured aircraft that were evaluated and/or operated by the Luftwaffe.

I have received some excellent leads through the 12 och! site concerning soft and hardcover books and magazines that contain captured aircraft photos, color profiles and/or text information. Some of these include:

1. Strangers in a Strange Land.
2. The Rich Booty
3. Die Flugzeugfuhrer Ausbildung der Deutschen Luftwaffe
(Band I and II)
4. Luftwaffe Test Pilot
5. Deutsche Flugzeugfuhrer Schulen und ihren Machinen
6. The Luftwaffe from Training School to the Front
7. Foto Archiv Band 8 (and other Band in this series)
8. Flypast June, July 1996 issues
9. Flugzeug Magazine, various issues
10. Jet & Prop Magazine various issues
11. Avions magazine, various issues
12. AeroJournal issue 10
13. Modell Fan magazine, 'Sie Flogen mit dem Balkenkreuz' series of the late 70s and early 80s.
14. Luftwaffe Verband Journal, various issues
15. The D'Italia series of monographs
16. REVI magazine, various issues
17. Scale Aircraft Modeler International, Vol 5:12,
Vol 6:12, Vol 7:2
18. Replic issue 99
19. Aircam Aviation series No. 26
20. Mushroom Model Magazine Vol 2 No. 3
21. Airfix Magazine, 1967 issue with German Late 298 photo.
22. Squadron Signal in Action series on the Fiat CR 32/42
23. Squadron Signal in Action series Polikarpov Fighters pt. 1 and 2.
24. Squadron Signal in Action Il-2
25. Air International, various issues.

I'd very much appreciate any additional references you (and other 12 och! devotees) can suggest that containo information and photos this subject.

Thanks again,

Mike

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Mike Murphy
Forgot to include Fremde Vogel in the list !
Sun May 6 23:13:55 2001


I forgot to include 'Fremde Vogel unterm Balkenkreuz' in the list of captured aircraft references. This is an excellent photo resource, but hard to find at least in the U.S.

Mike

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Mikael Olrog
some more books
Mon May 7 08:47:04 2001


Dora Kurfürst und Rote 13, Karl Ries, series I-IV
Le Morane-Saulnier MS 406, Avions
Le Caudron Goeland, Cortet & Espérou (Avions)
Le Latecoere 298, Morareau & Ledet (Avions)

Best wishes
/Mikael

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Peter 'Mikolaj' Mikolajski
Visit http://www.capturedplanes.prv.pl
Wed May 9 00:20:18 2001


Mike!

You forgot about our website. In Bibliography section is about 200 entries of books, magazines, websites and other sources.
Our site is open now and sonn will be updated.

Regards

Peter

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Mike Murphy
You're right !
Wed May 9 02:00:24 2001


You're right Peter -

I was thinking primarily of books and magazines I had on hand when I listed resources on captured aircraft in Luftwaffe service in general, and captured French aircraft in particular.

I should have mentioned the fact that the International Captured Group website provides an extensive bibliography including thumbnail photos of various hardcover books which contain information about captured aircraft. In fact just scanning back through the list of books in the bibliography section reminded me that I left out some of my favorites from the short list I gave in the previous posting.

Two other excellent websites that have photos and information about captured aircraft in Luftwaffe service are:

http://www.volny.cz/vsuma/captured/ by Sumak

http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/bonenne/Index.html by Lennart Nilsson

Mike