Messerschmitt Me 210 A-1 “2N+LT” Crash Landed at Gerbini

Image size: 1600 x 914 pixel. 479 KB
Date: Thursday, 4 March 1943
Place: Gerbini, Sicily, Italia
Photographer: Unknown

The low rigidity of this sandbag box prevented that this Messerschmitt Me 210 A-1 “2N+LT” werknummer 0205 (gelb L) of 9.Staffel / Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1) sustained more than 40% damage. The aircraft crashed due unknown reasons during take off on March 4th 1943 in Gerbini. If the box would have been made from more rigid material the crew may not have been so lucky! The Me 210 carries the white fuselage band for the Mediterranean. Its subsequent history is unknown. Gerbini airfield was located some 10 kilometers west of Catania/Sicily. These sandbag boxes were typical for Gerbini as this bare field had no other means of protection. Note the painted camouflage on the sandbags! III.Gruppe/ZG 1 used Gerbini as a forward field from February until March 1943.

Source:
Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002

A Messerschmitt Me 210 from Ergänzungsstaffel Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1)

Image size: 1600 x 754 pixel. 303 KB
Date: Between January - March 1942
Place: Bryansk, Bryansk Oblast, Soviet Union
Photographer: Unknown

A Messerschmitt Me 210 with unit marking “1 E + JC”, werknummer 120013. Prior to this the marking “1 E” was allocated to Ergänzungsstaffel Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1). In this case however the fourth letter should have been “E”. This aircraft carries the letter “C” which identifies this aircraft as belonging to Stab of a II. Gruppe. It might be that this aircraft was handed over from the Ergänzungsgruppe to II./ZG 1 and that only the last letter was changed. The yellow fuselage band supports this theory as II./ZG 1 was the only Me 210 unit to fly operations on the Eastern Front. They operated between January and March 1942 from Briansk. Note also the different size of the unit markings. The aircraft letter “J” is probably green.

Source:

Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002