Romanian Military History Forum - Part of Romanian Army in the Second World War Website



  Reply to this topicStart new topicStart Poll

> "Polish" squadron marking on PZL.37 Los - German?
Grzegorz
Posted: May 10, 2008 11:42 am
Quote Post


Soldat
*

Group: Members
Posts: 3
Member No.: 2071
Joined: May 09, 2008



In the big book about PZL.37 Los, published by AJ-Press and co-authored by Denes Bernad, there are two photographs showing PZL.37 Los with typical Polish squadron (eskadra) markings, a fox and a girl on the triangle.
However, both pictures were made AFTER fall of Poland, one comes from German staged propaganda film and clearly shows staged scene of burning Polish planes on the airfield, and the second photo comes from 1940 Romania, and shows Los in Romanian hangar, with clear signs of repainting (application of the Romanian camouflage).

While authors of the book state that the squadron markings on these planes are Polish, my hypothesis is that these were applied by Germans after plane have been captured, for propaganda reasons (kind of propaganda fil "scenography").

My reason is, that no other examples of Los unit marking are known (except "Ursa Maior" non-standard marking), and the Germans have really made a lot of preparationf for their propaganda films, even preparing bunch of Czech Avia biplane fighters with "Polish" markings and fake squadron markings.

Now to the question: could the Los, seen on the photo in Romanian hangar with Polish squadron marking, been obtained by Romanians from German hands? Or could it have been used in Romania for some German photos/filming?



Pictures:
Still form German propaganda film ("Polish soldiers" are in fact German actors):
user posted image

The same planes photographed from different angle, discussed marking and German personnel clearly visible:
user posted image

Photo of the other plane with marking, in Romanian hangar:
user posted image
(all the pictures come from discussed book and are copyrighted)

Thanks in advance for the answers.
PMEmail Poster
Top
Dénes
Posted: May 10, 2008 04:14 pm
Quote Post


Admin
Group Icon

Group: Admin
Posts: 4368
Member No.: 4
Joined: June 17, 2003



QUOTE (Grzegorz @ May 10, 2008 05:42 pm)
Now to the question: could the Los, seen on the photo in Romanian hangar with Polish squadron marking, been obtained by Romanians from German hands? Or could it have been used in Romania for some German photos/filming?

The short answer is No.
These airplanes sought refuge in Rumanian territory in mid-September 1939, before the Germans and the Soviets completely occupied Poland.

No 'Los' was supplied to Rumania by the Germans.

Gen. Dénes
PMEmail PosterUsers Website
Top
Grzegorz
Posted: May 10, 2008 06:28 pm
Quote Post


Soldat
*

Group: Members
Posts: 3
Member No.: 2071
Joined: May 09, 2008



Denes! Many thanks for the quick answer. What about the second part of my question? What if Germans have used Los, already in Romanian hands, for some film or photographs? Could it be possible in the 1940 reality?
And is that possible to estimate when the photo was made? Caption says, that plane on the foreground was damaged by Romanians in some accident (broken undercarriage, so 22nd March, 27th August or 25th Sept.?), so the photo was for sure made after that accident.

For me the whole thing is very interesting - especially because these are both markings of squadrons (eskadra) disbanded in March 1939!

Greetings from Warsaw!

Grzegorz
PMEmail Poster
Top
Florin
Posted: June 15, 2008 04:55 am
Quote Post


General de corp de armata
*

Group: Members
Posts: 1879
Member No.: 17
Joined: June 22, 2003



QUOTE (Grzegorz @ May 10, 2008 01:28 pm)
............. What if Germans have used Los, already in Romanian hands, for some film or photographs? Could it be possible in the 1940 reality?
.................

Romania entered into a closer link with Germany only in September 1940.
By then, the German propaganda had a different concern: the Battle of England.
It would not make sense to ask some planes from the Romanians for a propaganda movie, for a subject already an "ancient history".
PM
Top
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

Topic Options Reply to this topicStart new topicStart Poll

 






[ Script Execution time: 0.0095 ]   [ 14 queries used ]   [ GZIP Enabled ]