Ju88 werk # for Jonn Cunningham's first AI kill

[hamishunger]

Hi all,
A quick question regarding a group of a/c relics I recently purchased. The vendor wrote that these parts come from a JU88 A-5 number 2189, this aircraft was the first AI radar kill by the RAF. This checks out with the Kraker Luftwaffe Archive and is of some interest to me, so I purchased these relics. However, one of the parts that I received has a data plate showing a werk #1037??. Whilst I can't read the full number its obviously not the same as #2189. Should I be asking for a refund, or is it possible that these parts came from the advertised aircraft?

 

[Snautzer01]

The werknr marking on the relic is from that part and not the plane.

 

[Wurger]

I agree. All depends on of what part the data plate is. There were many devices and systems made by different manufacturers and used for the final product. In the case the Ju-88. Each of the makers used his own ID plates. The serial no. 2189 doesn't maen that there weren't others in order to ID a fuel pomp , oleos used for assembling of the plane .. for instance. A picture of the plate could help to find out more.

 

[hamishunger]

The two replies I have had are very reassuring thank you, I was thinking along those lines because it wouldn't make sense to manufacture individual components for individual aircraft builds. That being said, when a plane wreck is dug up, there must be a 'main' data plate that identifies the actual aircraft from others of the same type. In the case of this aircraft it must have been a Junkers data plate with the werk#2189, where on an aircraft did German a/c manufacturers tend to put them? Could anybody recommend any literature specifically dedicated to WW2 data plates?

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves these plates could be somewhere in the cockpit, fuselage etc. Regarding the books for the topic I don't remind myself of such ones. But there is a lot of examples of the plates you may find via the Internet. Just type "Ju-88 data plate" in the net browser.

 

[Snautzer01]

A plane crashing in england would have stirred intrest then and now. You either trust the seller or go on finding out yourself.
What proof did the seller give you that this was that perticular wreck?
You will not be the first one having a genuine piece of a plane but not with the history you think it has. A piece of a bf 109 flown by Hartmann will sell higher then " i found this in a puddle " piece .

 

[pbehn]

According to wiki on John Cunningham "
Keeping in the enemy's blind spot, he flew below it and adjusted his speed to match the German pilot. After closing the range as much as he dared, he fired with all four cannons, downing the Junkers Ju 88, which exploded upon hitting the ground near Wittering, Cambridgeshire at 00:35. Cunningham's victim, 3./KG 54 Ju 88 flown by Unteroffizier Kaspar Sondermeister, was not claimed as destroyed. However, after interrogation of the two German survivors who affirmed the circumstances, Cunningham was granted the victory.[20][21][22][23][24]

So the place and time were well known but any pieces should be from an aircraft that crashed and exploded.

 

[hamishunger]

As far as any proof goes, you always have to trust the seller, most COAs aren't worth the paper they are printed on. I bought these from a seller who runs a website that is devoted to WW2 relics, so I trust their integrity far more than say somebody on eBay. At the end of the day, unless you dig these things up yourself, you can never be sure of their provenance. Thanks for all your import/advice, I will now include these pieces in a tribute board to John Cunningham.

 

[Snautzer01]

Nice. You can show us when you are done if you like.

 

[Tony Kambic]

Nice. You can show us when you are done if you like.

Some primary data plates on German aircraft were located in the tail section as that section survived crashes and the data plate could be found in it. Look on Bookie's Focke-Wulf-190 website under manufacturer's plates at A-9 560024. The triangular one is a type found in the tail section. Other primary data plates were attached to larger sections of the fuselage and so a primary data plate generally exhibits tearing at the rivet holes from being removed from a larger piece. If you have a data plate still attached to a smaller piece, then it is most likely a component data plate. Most component data plates exhibit a Gerat Nr. ( component Type ), Werke Nr. ( serial number ), and Hersteller ( factory making the part ).