Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 During WW2 both sides utilized captured equipment and vehicles for many reasons. When it came to aircraft, captured assets became valuable intelligence work. Opposites sides could reverse engineer new technology, learn performance capabilities, and learn weaknesses. Pilots could train against them in their own planes without fear of getting shot down. So this thread is for images related to this topic. Feel free to add photos, stories, etc. Below is a captured British Spitfire. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured American Lockheed P-38 Lightning twin boom fighter-bomber. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured British Hawker Hurricane fighter. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured American made Curtiss H-75 Hawk from the French Campaign in 1940. Many of these were sent to Finland to bolster their Air Forces. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Here is an early US P-51 Mustang, most likely a "B" model 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Here is the more famous version of the Mustang, the "D" model, easily recognized by the bubble canopy. Behind the P-51 you can also see another American made fighter, the P-47 Thunderbolt. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured British Vickers Wellington. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured US Boeing B-17 Bombers. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured US made Curtis P-40 fighters used by the Japanese. These were the fighters used by the American Volunteer Group (AVG) while flying for the Chinese, the Flying Tigers. This aircraft was the standard US Air Corps fighter early in the war. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured aircraft at Flugplatz Langenlebarn, Luftkriegsschule 7 (Tulln-LL). There were virtually all types of captured aircraft at Flugplatz Tulln-LL which were for a short time at the airfield before moving on. These included Wellington, Fortress, Liberator, Lightning and many more types. Schulflugzeug Caudron C445 Avia 534 (France) RB+CH - Flugzeugführerschule A/B 112, 1940 RC+FL - Flugzeugführerschule A/B 114, 4.4.1940-16.4.1940 TC+OL - Flugzeugführerschule A/B 112, 1940 (Source: Gotech.at) Benes-Mraz Be50, in use with Ff.Sch.112, 1940 Liberator B-24 Was for a short period along with other types at Langenlebarn, Summer 1944 Letov S-328 /CZ), served with Fl.F.Sch.112, 1940 Praga E39 served with Fl.F.Sch.112, 1940 B-17, present at the airfield in Summer 1944 Lockeed Lightning, captured and brought to the airfield in Summer 1944 Zlin XII (CZ), flown to the airfield by test pilot Beate Uhse* in March and April 1941. *Beate Uhse was a woman pilot, who also worked for the Luftwaffe. She was a successful businesswoman (Flensburg) after the war. Information/pictures: Gotech.at Salzburg-Maxglan, captured B-24 with Kennung A3+KB (Photo: Airpower.at) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured French Bloch M174A 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured US B-17 by Japanese forces. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured Consolidated B-24 Liberator Bomber. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured US made P-40 fighter. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Captured Russian Yak 1-B fighter. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achtung Spitfire! Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 On 18/01/2020 at 16:12, Gildwiller1918 said: Captured US Boeing B-17 Bombers. I'm amazed the Germans captured so many allied aircraft. Do you know if these were crashed aircraft that had been repaired or were they based in locations that were overun? That seems unlikely with the American examples though. I pride myself on aircraft recognition but at a glance I took the spitfire to be a 109. Says a lot for the paint job as both fighters look considerably different! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 Sometimes these aircraft were captured on the ground, such as North Africa or Italy. From what I read, a lot were from emergency landings such as zero to no fuel or damaged and they landed where ever they could, or they glided in in which the Germans would recover and repair them. Some US B-17s would make emergency landings in Denmark, Holland and other occupied territories. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 https://www.gotech.at/fremde_lfz/fremde_lfz_in_lale.htm All types of captured aircraft were also in use by the Germans. There were several American aircraft at the base at Langenlebarn (Tulln/Austria) during the war years. There was an exhibition these aircraft including B.17, Liberator, Lightning and many more. Also French and Italian aircraft were used for training and administrative purposes. Till the Summer of 1944 Langenlebarn had been the only airfield in the proximity of Wien, which had been so far unscathed. That was soon to change. On 26. June 1944 there was a massive air battle over the airbase at Langenlebarn., 7 American machines were downed, sixty six of their crew survived and were taken prisoner. On 8th July was a further large scale attack by the US 25th Air Force on targets in the area of Wien. Over 520 bombers were supported by 200 fighters. Almost daily airbattles took place over and around the airfield throughout the Summer till around Autumn, when things quietened down, but the Allies were steadily getting nearer. Units from all directions came and went using the air base facilities for landing, tanking up, short stays before moving on. Hungarian and Italian aircraft came, also bomber and stuka formations from the nearby Eastern Front. In December the Air School closed all activities and prepared for ground defence. In March and April 1945 civilians were evacuated, some of the last evacuations being on 2. April. The Russians captured the airfield on 7. April. Last remainder of the school personnel under Generalmajor Dietrich Volkmann surrendered to the Americans at Sixtdorf and Radstadt on 9. May 1945. Flugzeuge, die großes Aufsehen erregten a) Amerikanisches Beuteflugzeug vom Typ Lockheed P-38 „Lightning“ Im Jahr 1944 sorgten zwei Flugzeuge, die am Fliegerhorst landeten, für großes Aufsehen. Das eine Flugzeug war ein in deutsche Hände gefallenes amerikanisches Jagdflugzeug vom Typ Lockheed P-38 „Lightning“. Dieses Flugzeug wurde vom Flugplatz Fels am Wagram nach Langenlebarn überstellt, um an der Luftkriegsschule 7 vorgezeigt zu werden. Gleichzeitig zum Überstellungsflug des amerikanischen Jagdflugzeuges befand sich der Kommandeur der Luftkriegsschule 7, Generalmajor Dietrich Volkmann, mit einem zweimotorigen Schulflugzeug vom Typ Focke Wulf FW 58 "Weihe" auf einem Erprobungsflug, Als sich die Flugstrecken der beiden Flugzeuge kreuzten, glaubte Generalmajor Volkmann, dass es sich bei dem Jagdflugzeug um eine feindliche Maschine handeln würde. Nach der Landung in Langenlebarn besichtigten die Angehörigen der Luftkriegsschule 7 und viele Bedienstete des Fliegerhorstes das amerikanische Beuteflugzeug. Am Montag den 26. Juni 1944 kam es zu einem großen Luftkampf über dem Tullner Feld . Bei diesem Kampf stürzten sieben amerikanische Flugzeuge im Gebiet des Tullner Feldes ab. Von den 77 Mann Besatzung konnten sich bis auf zehn Flieger alle retten.Die Ereignisse dieses Tages notierte der damalige Flugschüler Ludwig Schranner mit folgenden Worten in seinem Tagebuch: „..Gegen 10 Uhr erscheint von Wien kommend ein Verband von etwa 300 „Liberators“ die sich nach einem Angriff auf Wien anscheinend auf dem Heimflug befinden. Da erscheint plötzlich etwa 40 Fw 190 und Me 109. Im Nu gerät der feindliche Pulk direkt über unsere Platz in Unordnung. In kurzer Zeit werden 12 „Liberators“ abgeschossen, auch 3 Me 109 stürzen ab. Einige der amerikanischen Besatzungen landen mit ihren Fallschirmen auf unserem Platz und werden gefangen genommen. Es sind lauter blutjunge, schneidige, sympathische Burschen, nicht älter als wir selbst. Wir unterhalten uns auch mit ihnen und erfahren, dass sie von den deutschen Jägern sehr beeindruckt sind. Kurz darauf landen die deutschen Jäger, um sich neu aufzutanken und neue Munition zu fassen. Ein Fhj.-Uffz., der seinen ersten Luftsieg errungen hat, erzählt tolle Erlebnisse. Kurz, ich bin von dem ersten Luftkampf den ich gesehen habe, sehr beeindruckt....“ Der Einsatz am 26. Juni 1944 war für die 15. US-Luftflotte mit schweren Verlusten verbunden. Im Laufe der nächsten Tage werden mehrere amerikanische Flieger, die in den Donauauen gelandet waren, gefangen genommen und vorerst der Luftkriegsschule 7 übergeben. Die acht toten amerikanischen Flieger, von denen zwei vorerst nicht zu identifizieren waren, wurden im Beisein von alliierten Kriegsgefangenen am Friedhof von Tulln beigesetzt. Bei einem der toten amerikanischen Flieger, der in der Donau ertrunken war, fanden die deutschen Soldaten eine Karte des Tullner Feldes. Auf dieser Karte war das Gelände des Fliegerhorstes Tulln/ Langenlebarn schraffiert eingezeichnet. Diese besondere Kennzeichnung konnte vorerst nicht erklärt werden. Später stellte sich heraus, dass diese besondere Kennzeichnung des Flugplatzgeländes bedeutete, dass dieser Platz als möglicher Notlandeplatz geeignet war. Im Verlaufe des Sommers 1944 wurde der Fliegerhorst Langenlebarn auch als Zwischenlandeplatz für deutsche Jagdflugzeuge genützt, die im Rahmen der Reichsverteidigung die täglich einfliegenden amerikanischen Bombergeschwader bekämpfen sollten. Am Samstag den 8. Juli 1944 erfolgte ein weiterer Großangriff der 15. amerikanischen Luftflotte auf Ziele im Wiener Raum. Der Verband bestand aus 520 Bomber der von etwa 200 Jagdflugzeugen geschützt wurde. Als Abwehrmaßnahme wurden Teile des Jagdgeschwaders 77 vom italienischen Flugplatz Ghedi nach Tulln/Langenlebarn verlegt. In seinem Buch: „Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 77- Teil 4“ beschreibt Jochen Prien auf Seite 1983 die Ereignisse vom 8. Juli 1944 wie folgt: „...Stabsschwarm und beide Gruppen sollten zur Bekämpfung der Viermot-Einflüge eingesetzt werden; dazu überführten die fliegenden Teile am Morgen nach Tulln, von wo aus der weitere Einsatz erfolgen sollte. 08.02 - 09.30 Uhr: Überführung von Ghedi nach Tulln; nach Eintreffen dort stellte sich heraus, dass das JG 77 der erste Jagdverband war, der dort eingefallen war, so dass das Platzpersonal überhaupt nicht auf die Erfordernisse eines Jagdverbandes eingerichtet war und alle Einsatzvorbereitungen - namentlich das schnelle Betanken der Messerschmitts – große Schwierigkeiten bereiteten...... ......Als die Spitze der Viermotorigen 20 km vor dem Platz stand, Teppichalarm gegeben war und bereits die ersten Lightnings den Platz überflogen, waren acht Bf 109 noch nicht betankt. Um nicht am Boden gebombt zu werden, gab der Kommodere Startbefehl, der mitten durch die noch startenden Schulflugzeuge der Kriegsschule erfolgte. Kurz nach dem Start Feindberührung mit Lightnings. Da Zusatztanks abgeworfen werden mussten, konnte kein Angriff auf die Bomber erfolgen...... ....Am frühen Abend erfolgte die Rückverlegung von Tulln nach Ghedi und Bettola, wo die Maschinen gegen 20.45 Uhr einfielen...“ Bei diesem Einsatz konnte Hauptmann Baumann eine P-38 „Lightning“ abschießen. Ein Flugzeug vom Typ Me 109 ging verloren. With one of the captured American aircrew a map of the base of Langenlebarn was found, the area of the airfield was specially marked and the purpose of this was unclear. It later turned out that the area had been marked as a suitable emergency landing space! From Geschichte des Flugplatzes Langenlebarn by Dr. mag. Hubert Pringl, Wien 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achtung Spitfire! Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 So these captured aircraft were actually used in action then operationally and not just for evaluation purposes? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 I doubt if Flying Fortress, Lightning or Liberator were used, only for test and demonstration purposes, there were only a few examples, too few for any serious purpose. Smaller trainer or fighter planes may have been of some use. When the remaining French Air Force was put into storage after the fall of France in Summer 1940, some of the aircraft were later used by the Vichy Government and also by the Germans. French motors were used for the Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant, each plane had 6 motors. Much captured and foreign material was generally put to use, industry and production capacities in the occupied countries were also put to full use. * Of several captured B.17 Fortresses, some were put to use for special operations with KG 200 under the code name of "Do 200" See also earlier posts on this topic N.B.: Some of these photos may be on earlier posts In Lärz LW-Erprobungsstelle Rechlin 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achtung Spitfire! Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Great info Fritz Incidentally I saw a dive documentary on 323 Gigant a while ago. A well documented episode when two of them were seen flying low near the North Eastern tip of Sardinia and were shot down by Beaufighters of 144 Air Squadron who were on a roving patrol. One crashed on land the other in the sea. I believe the wreck was discovered in 2017. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 There is a post about this in Treasure Bunker 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achtung Spitfire! Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Can't see it in the aviation forum. Can you enlighten me please. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gildwiller1918 Posted October 31, 2020 Author Share Posted October 31, 2020 If you do a search in the Forum for 323 Gigant, it shows up in the YouTube section. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritz Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 https://www.treasurebunker.com/forums/index.php?/topic/2719-mystery-of-missing-me-323-gigant-finally-solved/&tab=comments#comment-13911 follow the link (youtube forum) Mystery of Missing Me 323 Gigant finally solved... 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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