Unusual Luftwaffe Emblem and Stuka

[Micdrow]

Hi Guys,

Here is an interesting set of questions for those into luftwaffe emblems. I found this over at the Axis History Forum way back in there archives and I had never seen them before.

Any idea on what unit this is. Some thing to do with a medical unit. The last picture was quoted as an X-ray machine in the stuka. Sounded very strange to me but take a look for yourself.

 

[Airframes]

That is a strange one Paul. And it's an early JU87 as well. Maybe Erich can shed some light on it?

 

[Micdrow]

That is a strange one Paul. And it's an early JU87 as well. Maybe Erich can shed some light on it?

Hi Terrry,

I had also posted this at the LEMB board. I got part of an answer but not sure on alot of things. Link to the area Schnauzl gave me on possible units.

Sanitts-Flugbereitschaft

 

[Njaco]

Micdrow, it might be one of those ambulance units. They tried a few things with Ju 87s for personnel and such. It definately looks like a medical unit. Heres one of the things they tried. A pod on the wing. And if you look the code begins with a "T" which I believe is also the letter just barely visible in your pic.

maybe this...

T9+ = Experimental unit (Transport) High Command Luftwaffe, II./Experimental Unit Commander-in Chief Luftwaffe = Circus Rosarious, several special commandos

 

[Airframes]

Hmm. I think the thing that's throwing us is the guy in the last photo. The 'board' that he is holding certainly looks like an X-Ray film cassette - they haven't changed much over the years, even now that most have gone digital. Also, I'm not sure that that is a 'Stuka' he's sitting in, just going of the size of his seat. But he is wearing a seat-type parachute. Obviously the 'Stuka' must be linked, due to the badge, but there was no mention of JU87's in the lists at the other site, although there was one out of sequence, not shown.
I honestly don't know!

 

[Micdrow]

Thanks guys, yeah its a mystery. Ive seen the pods before and they could be used to carry wounded. But also look at the aircraft types. The one with the pods is not the same model as the top one.

Here is the other puzzle that throws me. Im thinking that an X-ray machine would take lots of power. Would the be enough power produced by a stuka to power and X-Ray?

 

[Erich]

MIC go back to WW2 day by day and look for the Aircraft Emblems pages, Christian A. has many to look at, he may just have the illusive emblem you are seeking. went through 2 volumes of Karl Ries emblems ......... and a big 0 from my end

E ~

 

[mudpuppy]

I have long been lurking on the forum and thoroughly enjoying the information and postings. What appears to be a Caduceus on the emblem really tweaked my curiosity. I've been a nurse for 17 years and a history buff as long as I can remember but I've never seen a medical symbol other than red cross associated with the Luftwaffe or wermacht. I did find this one shot in a Schiffer military history of the Ju 87A showing the emblem as part of a first aid school. Hopefully this won't just add to the mystery.
Regards,
MudPuppy

 

[Micdrow]

Nice find mudpuppy though not sure on the unit yet. I reduced the picture size for easier viewing. One things for sure there was possibly more then one aircraft or several pictures of the same aircraft. Note the back grounds of the different pictures. They all vary along with the dressing of the crew.

 

[Njaco]

That is a very early Ju 87!

 

[Micdrow]

MIC go back to WW2 day by day and look for the Aircraft Emblems pages, Christian A. has many to look at, he may just have the illusive emblem you are seeking. went through 2 volumes of Karl Ries emblems ......... and a big 0 from my end

E ~

Thanks Erich,

Will take a look closer tommorrow. I did find on the board where he had the pictures labeled with the X-ray that it was used to study the effects of dive bombing. Though Im looking for a second souce to back it up.

Paul

 

[mudpuppy]

I did find on the board where he had the pictures labeled with the X-ray that it was used to study the effects of dive bombing. Though Im looking for a second souce to back it up.

Paul

I had wondered about that. Depending upon the intensity of the x-rays or the number of times that crewman may have participated in such tests, he would likely have had some adverse effects proportionate to the exposure.
MudPuppy

 

[Airframes]

If the X-Ray gear was actually used in the aircraft, wouldn't there be exposure problems (unsharp images) due to movement? I'm just basing this on the relatively long exposure times for X-Ray films, particularly those of the period, which I guess would be Agfa. Must admit though, my first thoughts were that it was possibly being used for X-Rays of the aircraft structure, to identify perhaps stress points relative to the bomb-release gear etc under dive conditions.