The 'Asparagus Waco'

Hi All,

Recent work on the 'Colour footage of gliders around Hiesville?' thread had produced an error in my post #4 therein whereby I had linked footage of a lone Waco in the middle of a large field to the final scene in the colour footage. The error is now corrected in post #25 of that thread.

However, the lone Waco first referred to needs clarification as a result and this thread now deals with this glider. The footage is ten seconds long between time marks 50min15sec and 50min25sec below:

[video=youtube]https://youtu.be/2vnrbX22cDY?t=50m15s[/video]​

Here are some screenshots from the footage, with ties labelled thereon which, in my view, tags the location to a field on the eastern side of the N13, just below Fauville:

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Note the:

• large single bush and the group of smaller ones to the left of the Waco
• farmhouse or farm buildings circled yellow
• damage to port side wing tip
• hedgerow features A and B
• single Horsa in Field E, circled green

These ties are all present in a combination of the extract from NCAP_ACIU_US30_4108_1097 flown on the 8th June and the extract from the oblique aerial view from the International Historic Films 'DZ Normandy' DVD below:

Image Credit: RCAHMS/www.ncap.org.uk

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The only missing feature is the jeep track seen in the first ground footage screenshot above when you compare frame 1097 of US30/4108. The only conclusion I can come to is that the jeep track was not present on the 8th June when this sortie was flown.

Anyone see any errors or omissions which might generate doubt?

Thanks,

Pat

 

Thanks Neil,

At the lower right of your photo, we have a good glimpse into Field D, which is the same field centered below:

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Note the lone Horsa in Field E on the lower right above. The red markings were used to tie this photo to ground shots and footage in earlier work.

In case readers are getting confused as to where we are, below is a GE finder chart showing the location as things stand today:

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We also have a good candidate for that lone Horsa but cannot relate the story until a new pending publication is released.

Regards,

Pat

 

Hi Neil,

I would simply go to the closest farmhouse, find out who owns the fields of LZ 'W' and ask permission to do a walkabout. You may be refused and if such be the case, then all you can do is accept the decision. However, if you are granted permission, then be sure to drop back after the walk with a bottle of wine or some such token. It will be appreciated and you may well be invited to see the collection of glider parts in the cow house!

I have used this approach over many years to gain access to prime wildfowling marshlands

Below is a still from ground footage showing the ties to the zoomed area in the red square of my last post above:

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...and a very rare photo showing the same fields later in the summer when almost all the gliders had been burnt:

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The yellow labels do not refer to chalk numbers.

Regards,

Pat

 

Hi Hans,

My reference is to Niels's book about armour on the Cotentin.

How is that project going Niels?

Regards,

Pat

 

BTW Guys,

The photo which is the subject of Neil's thread 'New Horsa photograph in Normandy?' is showing the inside of the northern hedgerow of Field 'C', looking westwards from the northernmost corner.

Just a little add-on here.

Regards,

Pat