Date:	Wednesday 10 January 1940
Time:
Type:	Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3
Owner/operator:	I./JG 54 Luftwaffe
Registration:
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Hirtzfelden, Haut-Rhin -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
On 10 January 1940 Lt Raymond Félix, the commander of the 3rd escadrille of GR II/55, was ordered to send two Potez 63.11 with 9 fighters of GC II/7 for a photograpic recon east of the Rhine around Grezhausen at noon. Félix was late to take off with Potez 63.11 n°184 and went directly to the frontline, not seeing that the other Potez and escort were waiting him over the airfield.

He was intercepted by six Bf109E of I./JG 54 and chased at low level. During the chase Lt Ernst Schütz, the TO of I./JG 54, was killed when his Bf 109 E-3 hit the ground and burned near Hirtzfelden, 20 km SSE of Colmar, France. It is not known if he was hit by return fire or hit the ground due to a pilot error.

But the Potez was shot down at Blotzheim (Haut-Rhin) by Oblt. Reinhard Seiler of 1./JG 54 and the three crew (Lieutenant Raymond Félix (pilot), Lieutenant Pierre Boulard (observer) and Sergent-chef Marcel Chancrin (gunner)) were killed.

"Ils étaient là. L’Armée de l’Air septembre 1939 - juin 1940", by Jacqueline and Paul Martin, ISBN 2-9514567-2-7
Luftwaffe claim lists by Tony Wood and Jim Perry (http://lesbutler.co.uk/claims/tonywood.htm)
Batailles aériennes n° 3 (French magazine), 1997-1998
JG 54 loss list, by Günther Rosipal (http://www.jg54greenhearts.com/LossList.htm)
"Les pertes de la chasse de jour allemande en France 1939-1945. Vol 1: September 1939 - December 1940", by Pierre Watteeuw (Hors Série Avions n° 10). ISBN 2-914017-14-6
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirtzfelden
http://www.maplandia.com/france/alsace/haut-rhin/guebwiller/hirtzfelden/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
10-Jan-2017 09:45	Laurent Rizzotti	Added
26-Jan-2020 16:51	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, Operator]