Captured Aircrafts: France

The CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher) was a three-engined medium bomber, with wooden structure. Designed by ingegner Filippo Zappata, the "father" of the CANT Z.506[1] it had "excellent flying characteristics and good stability" and was regarded by many as "the best Italian bomber of World War II" although its wooden structure could be easily damaged by extreme climate conditions, like those experienced in North Africa and in Russia. It was used by the Italian Regia Aeronautica, Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana and Luftwaffe during World War II. It was also used by the Free France Air Force, based in the north of Africa, which used some captured examples as transports.

The Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger (German, "People's Fighter") was a German single-engine, jet-powered fighter aircraft fielded by the Luftwaffe in World War II. Designed and built quickly, and made primarily of wood as metals were in very short supply and prioritised for other aircraft, the He 162 was nevertheless the fastest of the first generation of Axis and Allied jets. Volksjäger was the Reich Air Ministry's official name for the government design program competition that the He 162 design won. Other names given to the plane include Salamander, which was the codename of its construction program, and Spatz ("Sparrow"), which was the name given to the plane by Heinkel.

On 3 May 1945, all of JG 1's surviving He 162s were restructured into two groups, I. Einsatz ("Combat") and II. Sammel ("Collection"). All JG 1's aircraft were grounded on 5 May, when General Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg signed the surrender of all German armed forces in the Netherlands, Northwest Germany and Denmark. On 6 May, when the British reached their airfields, JG 1 turned their He 162s over to the Allies, and examples were shipped to the U.S., Britain, France, and the USSR for further evaluation. Ex "Yellow 1' from 3./JG 1 was sent to France, where in May 1947 it got French code N01.

This is a photo of the only Heinkel He 111 operated by the French Armée de l'Air. It was captured in France, overhauled by SNCASE (Société Nationale de Constructions Aéronautiques de Sud-Est). This aircraft was a VIP transport plane, Wr 5113, personal aircraft of gen. Weise, commander of the 11th Panzer Division. It was captured by French troups on August 28 1944, and after several tests was assigned to the Dor group (Free French) that became later on the GB (Bomber Group) 1/31 Aunis. It was that group that was using Ju 88 A4 against German troups in what we call the Atlantic pocket. It was not used as a combat aircraft but as a transport one, mostly piloted directly by Commandant Dor. Do not confuse the Dor group (bombers) and the Doret group (Fighters).

Source: 1/48 Revell Heinkel He 111 H1 "la Pinasse" by Laurent 'Angus' Beauvais

From Aero Journal 20 French Ju88a4

Interesting stuff! Ju-88 looks pretty good in French markings.

Excellent!

Good stuff. You should write a book on captured aircraft !

Charles

Great stuff! The Ki-44 is simply another Ki-43 however.