Some glider aerial photos from Facebook

Nice pictures Neil,

Many I had not seen before!
I know the Facebook page you are talking about because I sent Pat a message this morning about the location to find them.
definitely worth some studying!

John

 

Hi Guys,

Found one of the new about 1Km south east of Sainte Marie du Mont

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The wrecks in this photo are new to me too!

Regards,

Pat

 

Hi Neil,

I could be wrong, but I think this is the wreckage at the south-west corner of the field to the immediate west of the 'Keystone Field' - the black arrow at lower right is pointing to the wreck below (if I am correct :dodgy:

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Your second from last photo is over the Boutteville Marshes.

Regards,

Pat

 

Hi Neil,

Did you notice the unaccounted for skid mark in the double Horsa wreck aerial as indicated by the yellow arrows below?:

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I am pretty sure I can see the same skid mark leading to a third (probable) Horsa in the extract below from NCAP_ACIU_US7GR_1857_8010 flown on the 12th June:

Image Credit: RCAHMS/www.ncap.org.uk​

I thought first it might be leading to the fighter wreck in this photo from the collection, but that aircraft is too far from the hedgerow.

However...

The fighter is close by

If you flip the photo horizontally, you get a 100% match!

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Normally I would not show the location of a fighter on the public section of the Forum, but in this case there is no buried treason as it has only slid along the field surface.

Regards,

Pat

 

Pat,
All I can say is wow! Impressive work already!

John

 

Thanks John,

Do you see the fighter on frame 8010?

There seems to be a very small dot at the right spot, but the light must be only reflecting off the cockpit or some other small area of the fuselage :huh:

Just scanning from 'D-Day Gliders' now; there is a match for Neil's ground photo wreckage therein on page 128 (x2 I think). Back soon...

Regards,

Pat

 

One more item,

I note with interest that the area of the two Horsa wrecks and the fighter is just on the northeast corner across the lane from the site of the American ALG A-16. A good view of the closed strip can be seen in the IGN cover below flown in 1947:

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I wonder if the fighter was recovered by personnel from the A-16 ALG?

Regards,

Pat

 

Hi Pat,
I see the reflection of what may be the fighter (P-47) but can't actually see the plane. I do think you nailed the location for sure though. I don't know how you figured out to flip the frame for the match, but many other frames where these photos were found are also reversed too.

John

 

The two short bits of hedgerow are visible in the double Horsa wreck aerial but they would only match the fighter photo if flipped

P47...would you consider a RAF Typhoon?

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I am pretty sure I can see RAF roundels on the side and the starboard wing.

Regards,

Pat

 

OK, Neil's ground wreckage photo:

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There are good ties above to the Horsa/Waco wreckage seen in four photos on page 128 of Philippe Esvelin's 'D-Day Gliders' - see below:

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These photos in turn are from the 'Ripsom' Collection in Philippe's charge and are known to have been taken on LZ-W. The only good location thereon which I could find is the wreckage indicated on the 'Keystone' aerial as shown by the black arrow at lower right below:

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For those readers unsure of where we are, the location is the south-west corner of the field to the immediate west of the 'Keystone' field below:

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Not rock solid, but I think its a good candidate for the location. Anyone like to comment?

Regards,

Pat

 

Pat,
I'm just not sure which black arrow pointing to a wreck you are referring to.
It seems to be a combination of a Waco and a heavily wrecked Horsa.

John

 

John,

If you go to the bottom right corner of the 'Keystone' aerial and work your way up the right-hand side, its the first black arrow you meet. I'll mark it up tonight.

Regards,

Pat

 

Hi Neil,

There are a number of reasonably good ties to the 'Ripsom' photos. Here are some of my observations:

• Gap in background hedgerow - the elderberry bush with the white flowers is just visible above the Horsa fuselage section in the Ripsom photo #3 and the last tree before the gap shows a good match in the same photo #3
• Impact damage to leading edge of Waco wing also looks to be identical to that seen in the Ripsom photo #3
• The Horsa sled appears to have been moved, as its standing vertical in your photo, but is leaning in photo #3

BTW, what do you make of the fighter?

Regards,

Pat

 

Hi Pat and Neil,

After further review I agree with you that it likely is a Typhoon.
Zooming in didn't reveal to much and not seeing the large pointed nose cone threw me off a bit and I agree on the insignia.

John