A derelict Luftwaffe’s Henschel Hs 129 photographed by Life on El Alouina airfield, near Tunis, after the Axis forces surrender, Spring 1943. The aircraft is one of the Hs 129s employed in anti-tank role by the 5.(Pz.)/Schlachtgeschwader 1 (5/PzSG1) which arrived in Tunisi from the East Prussia on 29 November 1942 via two stops in Italy: Jesi and Bari. Very probably the aircraft of this photo had experienced a wheels-up landing, note the all propeller’s blades squashed sign of a belly landing with engines running, and afterwards lifted up and stood over its 

A derelict airplane

Tripoli, Castel Benito airfield, early 1943: the wreckage of a burnt-out Luftwaffe’s Focke Wulf FW 200 Condor, one of aircraft of this type employed on Mediterranean Theatre Operational as transport planes rather than the Condor’s typical role of maritime patrol aircraft (the Condor was originally a long range civil passenger aircraft designed for the Luft Hansa). This photo was taken just after the capture of Castel Benito by the Allied armed forces. Note, in fact, the presence in background of a British fighter: the Hawker Hurricane Mark IIB, HL681 “A” of No. 274 Squadron RAF. This latter were temporarily installed on Castel Benito there until the airfield at Mellaha could be made serviceable for use. Victor Sierra



Castel Benito: Condor’s wreck

German Luftwaffe soldier with captured Soviet AT rifles.