On the 16th of May 1940, this Dornier Do17Z of 9./JG76 was badly damaged by ground fire during a low-level attack on Allied motorized columns near Avesnes and possibly, also attacked by Moranes of GC III/2. As a result it crashed at 12:30pm near a railway level crossing at La Graveline, a hamlet north of Beaumont, Belgium, with one of the crew members, Uffz G. Elterich KIA.
The 9th Staffel of KG76 was a low-level attack unit, their Dorniers Do17Zs being specially adapted for the role with extra armour protection fitted and a fixed 20mm MG FF cannon mounted on the nose.

Do17Z of 9./KG76

Major Gordon Gollob  of 2nd group 3rd Fighter Squadron (Stab II./JG3) after returning from a combat mission sees a hole in the fuselage of his fighter Messerschmitt Bf.109F-4. 



Lucky escape

Amendola, near Foggia, Southern Italy. From the diary and the personal photo collection of Bob Hannings, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, 65th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force, USAAF: « he last of our ME-109’s was left by operations upon departing Amendola. A few men and myself were amongst the last to leave so we burned it. I think the pilots had become wary of the 109’s after their many mishaps and the death of Lt. Harold R. Gohman who perished upon bailing out of one». The 57th Fighter Group, P-47D Thunderbolt, let Amendola, where was based from 22 October 1943, across Arcola, near Naples, on 16 January 1944. Therefor the photo date around this day. Victor Sierra

