Aviation Archaeology: Restoring B-17G 44-6393 “Starduster” and honouring the airmen who flew on the Flying Fortresses during WW2
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos by Greg Stathatos During WWII the B-17s flew over 290,000 missions and dropped more the 640,000 tons of bombs. The B-17 is the only aircraft to have flown in every theater of the war, from Pearl Harbor to the Aleutian Islands, South Pacific, Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean. Over 4,735 B-17s were […]
Aegean Hawks: Behind the scenes at the Hellenic Navy Helicopter Command
By Pierre Kosmidis ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΣΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΕΔΩ Marathon is famous worldwide from the Battle thas was fought in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by warriors from the city of Plataea and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. The battle was […]
Aviation Archaeology: Research, project experiences and concepts on Aviation Heritage.
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos: Dr. Timmy Gambin and Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum The Department of Classics & Archaeology, Faculty of Arts at the University of Malta is hosting an International Conference on Aviation Archaeology and Heritage in collaboration with the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum from 16 to 18 November 2017. The Aviation Archaeology and Heritage Conference will […]
The Heinkel He111 of Leros, shot down on 14 November 1943
By Pierre Kosmidis On 14 November 1943, the crews of two 46 Squadron Beaufighters, Flight Lieutenant D. J. A. Crerar (pilot) with Pilot Officer L. Charles, and Flying Officer B. F. Wild (pilot) together with Flight Sergeant R. W. Gibbons, shared in the destruction of a Heinkel He 111H (8011/6N+EP) of II./K.G. 100. This was […]
“With fire and knife the world always goes forth” – Interview with respected author Byron Tesapsides
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos submitted by Byron Tesapsides Few researchers focusing on World War 2 in Greece are so knowledgeable as Mr. Byron Tesapsides, from Thessaloniki, is. Mr. Tesapsides, a prolific author of books related to WW2 in Greece and collector of thousands of rare and previously unpublished photos documenting the nazi occupation of Greece […]
The 73 year Odyssey of a lost seaman’s family and the submarine lost in 1943
By Pierre Kosmidis Read more here: Submarine HMS P311, sunk in January 1943: “Only the forgotten are truly dead” Massimo Domenico Bondone, the experienced Italian deep wreck scuba diver, who is credited with the recent discovery and the identification of the ill-fated British submarine P311 received the following message from Paul Denison, a family member of a […]
“The Germans in the Aegean, 1941-45”: Book review and presentation
By Pierre Kosmidis Jean-Louis Roba is an acclaimed author of 120 books on the Second World War. One of his first works is the book “The Germans in the Aegean Sea” on the occupation of the Greek islands by the German army. Jean-Louis Roba est un acclamé auteur de 120 livres sur la Deuxième Guerre Mondiale. […]
Steamship “Patris”: Sitting upright on the seabed for 89 years
By Pierre Kosmidis An unknown wreck was positively identified near Patroklos island in the Saronic Gulf by the diving team of Antonis Grafas in 2014. The steamship “Patris” (“Homeland” in English), formerly the French “Saint Rémi”, sank in the early hours of June 15, 1927, after being rammed by the steamer “Moschanthi Toya”, formerly the British yacht “Catania”, due to […]
Rod Pearce: Searching for WW2 aircraft wrecks and giving closure
By Pierre Kosmidis Rod Pearce has dedicated his time and efforts finding underwater aircraft wrecks and seeking closure to the families of hundreds -if not thousands- of Missing in Action (MIA) airmen from all nations that fought during World War Two. Rod has been diving in Papua New Guinea for 40 years and is credited […]
James Zampelis: O μοναδικός Αυστραλός ελληνικής καταγωγής που σκοτώθηκε στη Μάχη της Κρήτης το 1941
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos and additional media submitted by Jim Claven and used by permission READ THE ENGLISH VERSION Μια άγνωστη ιστορία στο ευρύ κοινό ήρθε στο φως χάρη στις προσπάθειες του Αυστραλού ιστορικού Jim Claven, ο οποίος ερευνά εδώ και χρόνια την παρουσία των Αυστραλών στην Ελλάδα. Πρόκειται για τον James Zampelis, ή […]