Recent content by John Vasco

RF1A, yes. Here's the 'periscope' attachment inside the cockpit:

Another well-known photo that I used in my book on SKG 210/ZG 1 decades ago...

Bf 110 E, W. Nr. 3484. Note the white/blue/white spinner. When the Bf 110 Staffel of Erprobungsgruppe 210 was formed in December 1940 (the previous 3. Staffel had flown Bf 109 E fighter-bombers, but the flying personnel had been transferred to 4./JG 51), they took on some Bf 110s from 1...

Bf 110 E-3 with rear-firing MGs on each side of the fuselage. A 'periscope' attachment was fitted, connected to the gunsight. The pilot would line-up an attacking enemy in his rear in his gunsight, and fire the rearward firing guns when they aligned with the gunsight. This is the original...

Iron Cross 1st Class on his left breast pocket; Ritterkreuz at his throat. Hence the term 'throat-ache' used about those who desperately wanted the Ritterkreuz.

Well known photo of GFM Albert Kesselring departing from a visit to Erprobungsgruppe 210 at Denain on 30th July 1940. Had that photo many decades ago, and put it in the book I co-wrote with Peter Cornwell, 'The Messerschmitt Bf 110 and its units in 1940', page 93.

Well known photo of GFM Albert Kesselring on a visit to II./ZG 76.

Stabsstaffel KG3 Dornier Do17Z-3, 5K+DA, W. Nr. 2619. Shot down by AA fire during sortie to attack Beckton Gas Works and crashed in the North Sea. BO Hptmn Friedrich Ŏtting (Staffelkapitän) and FF Oberfw Walter Kleine both killed, BF Uffz Ernst Völkert and BM Fw Ignaz Huber both missing.

9./KG77 Junkers Ju88A-1, 3Z+HT, W. Nr. 5107. Failed to return from attack on London and presumed shot down by AA defences. FF Lt Walther Spaar, BO Fw Josef Gallus, BF Obergefr Max Zimmermann, and BS Uffz Wilhelm Ebmeyer all missing.

From left to right: Borchers; König; Herget; Jabs & Nacke. All II./ZG 76.

3M+MH of 1./ZG 2. A close-up of the two emblems. A red hand, and the Bernbergjager on 3M+CH.

4./KG77 Junkers Ju88A-1, W. Nr. 4105. Crashed in the Starnberger See 200 m north-west of Gut Hübschenried, near Niederau, during routine domestic flight, cause unknown. FF Fw Josef Schwärzler, BO Fw Sebastian Stangl, and BS Uffz Heinz Reiser all missing.

Bf 110 E-2, W. Nr. 4401, used on towing duties.

That's not 1940. It's a Bf 109 F. The only 'F' variant flown in combat in 1940 was by Werner Mölders...

4.(F)/121 Dornier Do17P-1(3581). Crashed following collision with Ju52 of 1./KGzbV.1 shortly after take-off from Mannheim-Sandhofen. BO Oberlt Walter Riebicke, FF Uffz Heinz Zielke, and BF Uffz Hans Kramer all killed. Aircraft 100% write-off. Kramer was the wireless operator (BF = Bordfunker)...