Talk:Normandija – Neman
Poster
Seen on the wall :
ON EARTH AND OVER US Zeman Pinch HOOKS THE ENEMY.
(I hope that the translator is right).LVCDC 11:09, 8 April 2014 (MDT)
Junkers 88 or A.A.B. 1 ?
During German occupation of France, most of the aviation manufacturers worked for German ones. Low rates and strategic views led to put mostly jobs linked to repair battle and operational damages. Toulouse and Boulogne were two main center for such task with the Ju 88. During the summer 1944, uprising of French Underground freed South West (including Toulouse) and despite german sabotages by retreating troops, several airframes were sized by manufacturer's workers and pilots. Despite airframe's poor state and lack of documentation, technician and workers were able to puzzle through whole France the parts to put in the air nearly twenty Junkers 88 mainly used against German Atlantic "pockets" where german soldiers were trapped. At fall of 1944 and after VE day, French government ordered 90 new aircrafts. Built at Boulogne(sur Seine, near Paris), they were the first and only production of Ateliers Aéronautiques de Boulogne before this manufacture was merged with SNCASE (September 1945).
The lack of spare parts led these Ju 88 / AAB1 to be withdrawed mostly before 1950, the very last one being used in 1953 for Ramjet tests.
A careful look to the screenshots reveals the overpainted French roundels. Instead of archive footage, this scene is probably a post war action filmed with a French aircraft acting a German one. In fact, as no Junker / AAB1 had flew since seven years, it's probably a former movie scene used again. The question is : from which movie are these pictures ? LVCDC 09:35, 17 December 2014 (MST)
- Interesting question, indeed. It's a fact that roundels have been overpainted on these pictures.
- Unfortunately, I couldn't find any info on these AAB 1, and Christian Santoir in http://www.aeromovies.fr/articles.php?lng=en&pg=183&mnuid=1425&tconfig=0 doesn't help much neither.Sixcyl 13:32, 17 December 2014 (MST)
- A very interesting book on this subject : Junkers 88 et 188 français by Pierre Dumollard (sold out !). A pilot remembers he flew for a movie acting like a downed bomber ... probably for "Normandie Niemen" movie. The author underlines that the movie of 1960 is far later of this flight (probably in April 1946 !).
- Another interesting point : a picture with a Junkers 88 of Groupe Dor (Major Dor Flight), with its unusual color scheme ("mouchetis") but with Luftwaffe markings ! Later a picture displays another one again with French roundels ... but we guess easily temporary German cross and svatiska overpainted. Probably in 1945 or 1946. For which movie ? LVCDC 13:57, 17 December 2014 (MST)
- A very interesting book on this subject : Junkers 88 et 188 français by Pierre Dumollard (sold out !). A pilot remembers he flew for a movie acting like a downed bomber ... probably for "Normandie Niemen" movie. The author underlines that the movie of 1960 is far later of this flight (probably in April 1946 !).
- Another one seen in Dunkirk (1958) LVCDC (talk) 01:52, 15 April 2024 (UTC)