Captured Bf109G-6 WNr.166133 with american flag

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Snautzer01

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Mar 26, 2007
Bf109G-6 WNr.166133 "Rote 31" Capt. Constantin "Bazu" Cantacuzino, Grupul 9 vanatoare, San Giovanni, 27 August 1944 (Well known bird but this angel i havent seen before)

Me109 camo_93_Bf109G-6 WNr.166133 Rote 31Capt. Constantin Bazu Cantacuzino, Grupul 9 vanatoare, .JPG
 
The US markings were applied by the Romanians.

Cantacuzino (the leading ARR ace) was on a 'diplomatic mission' to deliver details of peace overtures from the Romanians to the Western Allies. The markings were an effort to avoid being shot down on the way and they obviously worked.

It is a very convoluted and murky story, but 'Bazu' got to fly back to Romania in a P-51 !


Cheers

Steve
 
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'Bazu' had flown the ranking US PoW, a Colonel Gunn, to Italy with him in the Bf 109 which must have been a bit of a squeeze. He was trying to set up a deal using the US PoWs held in Romania as a bargaining position.

He flew an armed P-51 on the return flight, as acknowledged by Colonel Daniel who led the flight of three P-51s. There is an account in Robert Goebel's 'Mustang Ace'.

'At last the Mustangs were off the ground and on their way, with Lt.Col. Daniel leading, Cantacuzino on his wing, and Little Henry outside the Romanian - in echelon. Somewhere over Yugoslavia the Romanian ace moved out to a wider position, until he was about a hundred yards from Daniel. Immediately, Henry got his gun switch on and slid in behind him, not quite sure of what was going on but determined to be ready for whatever it was [he had earlier been ordered to shoot down 'Bazu' if he tried 'anything funny']. Captain Cantacuzino fired a short burst from his machine guns and then, as if satisfied, pulled back into his former slot. Much to Henry's relief Cantacuzino stayed there for the rest of the flight.
What Cantacuzino was trying to do with his guns will remain a mystery, since neither Daniel, nor Little Henry ever saw him again.'


Maybe they thought an ace with 60 victories would be a handy asset should they meet the Luftwaffe on the way to Bucharest.

Cheers

Steve
 
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