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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists World War Two Aircraft  He111 |
[UP] - Beaufighter - Flying Fortress - Fw190 - Halifax - He111 - Hurricane - Lancaster - Liberator - P-38 Lightning - Me109 - Me262 - Mosquito - Mustang - Spitfire - Thunderbolt - More Aircraft |
| He111 Aviation Prints |
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Night Reaper, 4th May 1942 by David Pentland. Hawker Hurricane IIc of top Czech ace Flt. Lt. K.M. Kuttlewascher, No.1 Fighter Squadron on a night intruder sortie from RAF Tangmere. On this mission he destroyed three Heinkel IIIs over their own airfield, St. Andre, in occupied France. |
Total Commitment by Ivan Berryman. On the afternoon of 5th September 1940, Spitfires of 41 Sqn intercepted a large formation of Heinkel 111 bombers and their escorts over the Thames estuary, en route for London. Flying N3162 as Red 2, Flight Lieutenant Eric Lock attacked the bombers head on as they began to turn north. In a fraught combat, Lock was to destroy two He.111s and a Bf.109 on that single mission, setting him on course to become the highest scoring ace in the RAF during the Battle of Britain with sixteen confirmed victories and one shared. His final total at the end of the war was twenty six kills confirmed and eight probables. |
Spitfire! by David Pentland. Sussex Coast, England, 16th August 1940. For Donald MacDonald, Squadron leader of 64 Squadron, this particular day was fairly eventful. Catching the JG54 fighters and III/KG55 bombers on the coast, he personally accounted for one Me109E destroyed, another damaged, and a third probable. Continuing his attack he shared in the destruction of a He111P-2, and heavily damaged a second. |
Down and Out by Ivan Berryman. In the evening of 18th of July 1941, Alex Thom took off in his No.87 Sqn Hurricane to intercept an enemy aircraft, spotted off the Scilly Isles. Attacking the enemy Heinkel He111 at an altitude of 1000 feet, his windscreen became covered in oil from the damaged machine. His wingman F/O Roscoe then also made an attack on the Heinkel, and it descended to sea level, eventually crash landing on the surface. Thom circled the downed aircraft as the crew hastily took to their dinghy before the Heinkel sank. |
Steinhoff Tribute by Robert Taylor. Macky Steinhoff in action over the White Cliffs of Dover. It is August, and the height of the Battle of Britain: Heinkel 111 bombers have attacked airfields and radar stations along the south coast, and a frantic dog-fight has developed as Me109s of JG-52 clash with Hurricanes of the RAFs No. 32 Squadron. Mackys Me109E, which dominates the picture, provides a magnificently detailed study of this superlative fighter, as he and his fellow Luftwaffe pilots do their best to protect the retreating Heinkels. Below is a wonderful panoramic aerial view of Dover Harbour, the legendary White Cliffs, and the carefully researched landscape showing the south-eastern tip of the British Isles as it was in 1940. |
Wing Commander Bob Doe during the Battle of Britain by Graeme Lothian. (P) Wing Commander Bob Doe in his Spitfire is shown attacking Heinkel He-111s during the Battle of Britain. |
Close Encounter by Ivan Berryman. Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1As of No.610 (County of Chester) Sqn RAAF, intercept incoming Heinkel 111H-16s of the 9th Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 53 Legion Condor during the big daylight raids on London of August and September 1940 - the climax of the Battle of Britain. Spitfire N3029 (DW-K) was shot down by a Bf109 on the 5th of September 1940 and crash-landed near Gravesend, Kent, thankfully without injury to Sgt Willcocks, the pilot. For the record, N3029 was rebuilt and, following some brief flying in the UK, was sent overseas by convoy to the Middle East. Ironically, the ship carrying this aircraft was torpedoed en route and both ship and all its cargo were lost. |
Battle of Britain by Graeme Lothian. Spitfires of No.19 Squadron RAF, including Flt Sgt George Unwin (QV-H) attack a formation of He111 bombers during the Battle of Britain. |
Doe's Griffin by David Pentland. Portland, England, 30th September 1940. Already an accomplished Spitfire ace with at least 10 confirmed kills, Bob Doe had just transferred from 234 squadron to 238 Hurricane squadron when he intercepted and brought down a Heinkel He111P-2 from I/KG55 Griffin Geschwader. |
Kampfgeschwader 27 (KG 27 Boelcke) Ident codes 1G. by M A Kinnear. Formed May 1939 KG 27 was part of Luftflotte 3 during the Battle of Britain, with their Headquarters and I Gruppe based at Tours, II Gruppe at Dinard and Bourges, and III Gruppe at Rennes. KG 27 was equipped with Henikel III before and during the Battle, using this type for most of the War - including operational service on the Eastern Front. Oberleutnant Gerhard Krems: Born 4th May 1920, Gerhard Krems joined the Luftwaffe on 9th November 1938 commencing pilot training on 15th March 1939 at LKS (2) Flight Training School, Gatow, Berlin. He graduated to multi-engine training at FFS (C) 3 School at Lonnewitz, 1st November 1939 followed by night and instrument flight training at Stargard, which he completed 15th April 1940. The next day he started operational training on the Do17 at the Reconnaissance Flying School, Grossenhain. Promoted to Leutnant 1st June 1940, Gerhard was sent to a holding unit at Weimer-Hohra to await a posting to operational staffel. On 15th August 1940 he joined Stabsstaffel/KG 27 in France. During the Battle of Britain, Gerhard completed 39 operational sorties (most of these being in the Heinkel III IG+BA, the subject of this aerofile) and was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class (EK II) 21st October, 1940, First Class (EK I) on 18th November 1940. On 22nd April 1941 he was awarded the Bomber Aircrew Qualification Clasp in Bronze for completing 20 operations. The following day Gerhard completed his 39th and final operation over England, after which he along with KG27 was sent east to take part in the invasion of Russia. On 30th June 1941, Gerhard was awarded the Wound Badge, followed by the award of the Silver Aircrew Clasp on 25th July, for completing 60 operations. He was then awarded the Gold Clasp, 10th October 1941, for completing 110 operations, followed by the Honour Goblet on 26th October 1941. Transferring to 2 Staffel KG27 on 27th January 1942, Gerhard became the first in his unit to be awarded the Knights Cross (RK) 25th May 1942. This was followed by the Russian Front Medal on 25th November 1942, and on 20th December 1942 by the Gold Clasp with Pendant for completing 200+ operations. On 15th March 1943, Gerhard gained the Krimschild for the Crimean Campaign. Transferred to Ia/Stab Gen. Kdo. I Fliegerkorps on 21st May 1944 which he served with until the War in Europe ended on 8th May 1945 - 4 days after his 25th birthday - when he was interned by Russian forces. During his wartime service, Gerhard completed 250 operations, and was held in captivity until release on 20th October 1945. From 1946-1950 he studied at Berlin University and graduated as an engineer. During a long career in the water industry, he became internationally well known, especially for his scientific research work for well constructions. He finally retired in 1980. |
Fury of Assault by Robert Taylor. When Luftwaffe bombers first appeared in force in the night skies over London in September 1940 they heralded the beginning of The Blitz - the most sustained period of concentrated bombing aimed at British cities during World War II. Robert Taylors evocative painting brings to life the frightening scenario of the Luftwaffes night bombing campaign. It is December 1941, and London is once again under concentrated attack. With fires raging below, the armada of German bombers is clearly visible in the night sky as they sweep across the city. Shimmering in the glow of destruction, a lone Hurricane night-fighter from 85 Squadron, based at nearby Gravesend, engages Heinkel 111s of KG55 in a desperate attempt to break up the formations. |
An Early Bath by Ivan Berryman. In the early evening of the 18th of July 1941, following coastguard reports of an enemy aircraft in their vicinity, two Hurricanes of 87 Sqn on detachment at the Airfield at St Mary's, Scilly Isles were scrambled to an area some 30 miles south west of the Scilly Isles where they intercepted a lone Heinkel He111. Alex Thom was the first to attack, his windscreen being sprayed with oil as his rounds tore into the Heinkel's starboard engine. Breaking away, his wingman F/O Roscoe now took over the chase, but the German bomber was already mortally wounded and was observed to alight onto the sea where upon the crew immediately took to their life raft as the Heinkel began to sink beneath the waves just minutes later, Thom circled overhead until he saw the motor launch arrive to pick up the German aircrew before returning back to St Mary's. |
Hurricane on my Tail by Stan Stokes. With Europe occupied by Nazi forces, Great Britain was the last obstacle in Hitlers plan to rule Europe. Hitlers invasion plan called for his Luftwaffe to gain control of the air over Britain in the first few weeks of attack, which would be followed by pulverizing bombing attacks on the British coastline, and finally by a blitzkrieg style invasion spearheaded by Panzer Divisions supported by fighters and dive bombers. The Germans had assembled over 100 well-equipped divisions by the Summer of 1940 for its invasion of Britain, and on August 8 the Luftwaffe attacks commenced. The Germans had underestimated the capability of the British air defense and both the will and skill of its pilots. In the first ten days of German attacks RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires shot down 697 German aircraft, while losing only 153 aircraft and 93 flight personnel of their own. By months end the German strategists shifted to all out attacks on British airfields, aircraft plants, and munitions factories. Effectively utilizing radar to pinpoint incoming strikes, and by widely dispersing their own aircraft so few could be destroyed during any single attack, the RAF fought back. During this second phase of attack the Germans lost an additional 562 aircraft compared to only 219 for the Brits. However, every German plane shot down resulted in the death or capture of its trained flight crews, but in more than half of the RAF losses the experienced pilot was saved. Forced to react to ever increasing losses, the Germans shifted their strategy to strategic night bombing raids on London and several other major cities. A year after The Battle Of Britain commenced Germany was forced to abandon major air operations directed at Britain marking this conflict the first major battle in the history of warfare fought solely by aircraft, as not a single Nazi soldier voluntarily set foot on British soil. The Hawker Hurricane while less glamorized than the Supermarine Spitfire, was the fighter most widely used by the RAF during the first two years of the War. The Hurricane was the first British fighter to exceed 300 MPH, and the first to carry eight machine guns. In excess of 14,000 Hurricanes were produced through 1944. The Heinkel He. 111 medium bomber pictured in Stan Stokes painting, Hurricane on My Tail!, was widely used by the Luftwaffe (7,300 produced) during the Battle of Britain. The 111 could carry a 5,500 pound bomb load and had a maximum speed of 252 MPH. In total the Germans lost 2,375 aircraft during the Battle of Britain. The inspiration and determination of the RAFs Hurricane and Spitfire pilots during this conflict lead to Winston Churchills often quoted remark, Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. |
One on the Run by Ivan Berryman. A pair of 79 Sqn Hurricanes attacking a Heinkel 111 on 15th August 1940. The nearest Hurricane is that of F/Lt Owen Tracey, who eventually destroyed the He.111 that was on its way to bomb Newcastle. |
Gauntlet by Anthony Saunders. Portsmouth August 26th 1940, the lone spitfire of Squadron Leader Sandy Johnstone breaks the ranks and picks off one of the menacing Heinkels only to encounter an equally determined attack from a BF109. We were brought to readiness in the middle of lunch and scrambled to intercept mixed bag of 100+ Heinkel IIIs and DO 17s approaching Portsmouth from the South. The controller did a first class job and positioned us one thousand feet above the target. with the sun behind us, allowing us to spot the raiders from a long way off. No escorting Messchersmitts were in sight at the time, although a sizable force was to turn up soon after. then something strange happened. I was about to give a ticking off to our chaps for misusing the R/T when I realised I was listening to German voices. It appeared we were both using the same frequency and, although having no knowledge of the language it sounded from the monotonous flow of the conversation that they were unaware of our presence. as soon as we dived towards the leading formation, however we were assailed immediately to loud shouts of Achtung Spitfuern Spitfuern! as our bullets began to take their toll. In spite of having taken jerry by surprise our bag was only six, with others claimed as damaged, before the remainder dived for cloud cover and turned for home. In the meantime the escorting fighters were amongst us when two of our fellows were badly shot up. Hector Maclean stopped a cannon shell on his cockpit, blowing his foot off above the ankle although, in spite of his grave injuries, he managed to fly his spitfire back to Tangmere to land with wheels retracted. Cyril Babbages aircraft was also badly damaged in the action. forcing him to abandon it and take to his parachute. He was ultimately picked up by a rescue launch and put ashore at Bognor, having suffered only minor injuries. I personally accounted for one Heinkel III in the action (Sandy Johnson) . No. 602 City of Glasgow auxiliary squadron was a household name long before WWII began. It had been the first auxiliary squadron to get into the air in 1925, two of its members, Lord Clydeside and David McIntyre were the first to fly over Mount Everest in 1933: the squadron sweeped the board in gunnery and bombing in 1935, beating the regular squadrons at their own game. It was the first auxiliary Squadron to be equipped with Spitfire Fighters as far back as March 1939 and it was the first squadron to shoot down the first enemy aircraft on British soil. The squadron moved south from Drem airfield in East Lothian on August 14th 1940 to relieve the already battered no. 145 squadron at Westhampnett, Tangmeres satelitte station in Sussex. The squadron suffered 5 casualties during the battle. The squadron remained at Westhampnett until December 1940 to be replaced by no. 610 auxiliary airforce squadron. No 602 squadron itself remained active up until 1957 when it was put into mothballs. |
Calling Starlight by Philip West. Royal Air Force Beaufighter used as a nightfighter, shoots down a German Heinkel III over the coast of England. |
| He111 Pilot and aircrew signature details |
Oberleutnant Joachim Berking Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Oberleutnant Joachim Berking Joining the Luftwafte in November 1939, Joachim Berking was commissioned and trained as a pilot on Ju52s and He111s as part of KG53 based at Lille in northern France. In May 1942 he was posted to KG55 Grief in Russia, joining the 4th Staffel based in Djepropetrowsk, where he completed 291 combat missions, of which 60 were night operations. In November 1943 he returned to France to become head of training of 1 L/KG5 5 at Dijon. After this posting he converted to fighters, training on the Me109, and in April 1945 was posted to command 4./JG27 Marseille. He received the Iron Cross I and II, the German Cross in Gold, and a special honorary trophy from Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering for outstanding services in air combat. |
Unteroffizier Fahnenjunker Walter Bogdan Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Unteroffizier Fahnenjunker Walter Bogdan Walter Bogdan joined the Luftwaffe in March 1941, and after completing his training as a radio operator, was posted to join KG55 flying Heinkel He111s. He flew over 110 combat missions in He111s as radio operator to Leutnant Kessler. On their seventh mission they were forced to make an emergency landing during the siege of Stalingrad, and in April 1944 encountered a second emergency landing on his 75th mission. His final and 110th mission occured in July 1944 when, attacking Brjansk railway station, his aircraft was hit 122 times, but he and his pilot managed to get their aircraft safely home. |
Oberleutnant Karl-Horst Meyer zum Felde Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Oberleutnant Karl-Horst Meyer zum Felde With a passion for flying Karl-Horst joined the Luftwafte in October 1938, and following the outbreak of war he flew night operations as a pilot with KG55 over France before taking part in the great Blitz raids over England. After the invasion of Russia he transferred to the Eastern Front and fought at Stalingrad, making several emergency landings including one major incident when, having lost an engine to enemy action, he made a forced landing on one engine in the countryside of south Russia, where he had to join German ground units. He flew both He111s and Ju88s during the war, and was awarded the German Cross in Gold. |
  Oberst Hajo Hermann Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2010 | Oberst Hajo Hermann Hans-Joachim Hermann was born on August 1st 1913 in Kiel, Germany. Hans-Joachim Hermann began his military career as an infantry officer, but after his introduction to gliding – and an invitation from Herman Göring, he transferred to the newly-created Luftwaffe and was commissioned in 1935. In August 1936, Herrmann was in the first group of Germans to arrive in Spain to support General Franco's Nationalist forces. Initially Hans-Joachim Hermann flew bombing operations in the Junkers 52 before becoming a founder member of the Condor Legion, whosemain mission was to attack airfields and defensive positions near Madrid. Many more bombing operations followed, and in April 1937 he returned to Germany. When Germany invading Poland Hermann took off in his Heinkel He111 to bomb railway lines in Poland on the first day. This was the first of 18 targets that Hermann attacked before his unit moved to support the German invasion of Norway. His unit was deployed to bomb targets near Oslo and Stavanger and after the fall of Norway, Hermann's unit was re-equipped with the Junkers 88 and moved to support the German army during the blitzkrieg across the Low Countries and France. During the battle of Britain Hermann was the commander of the 7th Staffel of KG-4, and he led many bombing attacks on England. His first target was oil refineries at Thames Haven and on the night of the 7th / 8th of September 1940 he attacked London. This was his 69th operation against England, when he bombed the India Dock. By the end of the Battle of Britian Hajo Hermann had flown 21 missions over London. A formidable figure in the Luftwaffe, Hajo Hermann was originally awarded the Knight's Cross in 1940 as a bomber pilot. In February 1941 while based in Sicily, Hermann led dive-bombing attacks against airfields on Malta. He was also ordered to hold the British Fleet in check. Attacks against the Royal Navy's heaviest ships followed. On April 7th 1941 following the German advance into Greece, Hermann's unit started mining and bombing operations in the eastern Mediterranean. On one attack, against shipping in Piraeus harbour, Hermann's bomb hit Clan Fraser, which was carrying 350 tons of high explosive. The resulting explosion sank 10 other ships and closed the port for many months. Hermann flew over 320 operations with KG4. In July 1941 Hermann was appointed commander of a bomber group, initially based in France to attack targets in England, before moving to a new base in the far north of Norway. His unit attacked Allied convoys heading for Murmansk with supplies for the Russians - these artic convoys included PQ-17, which was continously attacked. PQ -17 would lose a total of 24 merchantmen and only 11 ships made it through. With II./JG30, Hermann sank a total of 12 ships and in 1942 Hermann was assigned to the general staff in Germany, where he became a close confidant of Göring. In July 1942 he was appointed to the Luftwaffe operational staff. During the summer of 1943 as the Royal Air Force carried out night bombing raids, Hermann devised the tactic of using day fighters to hunt alone rather than in packs. As a bomber man himself, his ideas initially gained little support from the Luftwaffe's night fighter staff, but Göring supported the idea. Flown by experienced night fighter pilots and ex-instructors, the fighters waited in the darkness above their Allied targets, using the light of fires below to illuminate the bombers before attacking. He was responsible for the formation of JG300 and founded the highly successful Wilde Sau (Wild Boar) tactics of free roaming Fw190 night fighters. Hermann himself flew more than 50 wild boar missions and was twice forced to bail out of his stricken fighter. In December 1943 he was appointed Luftwaffe Inspector of Aerial Defence. At the end of 1944 he led the 9th Flieger division and created the famous Rammkommando. Hermann was credited with shooting down nine RAF bombers. After being Inspector General of night fighters, Hermann was appointed to command the First Fighter Division, when he continued to fly on operations. At the end of the war he was captured by the Russians. He spent 10 years in Soviet camps and was one of the last to be released, returning to Germany on October 12th 1955. Hajo Hermann awarded the Knight's Cross, Oak Leaves and Swords. Sadly, we have learned that Hajo Hermann passed away on 5th November 2010. A Clipped Signature is Available |
Unteroffizier Kurt Kesten Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Unteroffizier Kurt Kesten Kurt Kesten was born in 1922 and entered the Luftwaffe in 1941. He flew many types of training aircraft, and later flew the He-111, Do-17, and ju-88. Kesten served with SG 3, KG 30, and KG (j) 30 where he flew the FW190 F Mistel combination. His last assignment prior to the end of the War was at Rostcock-Marienehe, a former Heinkel factory airfield, where he flew the Mistel combination. After Mistel operations had ended Kesten flew a number of fighter-bomber missions in the FW-190 F. Kesten was awarded the Iron Cross Class 2. He currently resides in Hannoversch-Munden, Germany. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  Oberleutnant Herbert E Knaebel Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2009 | Oberleutnant Herbert E Knaebel Born on February 21, 1918 in Wolmirstedt, Germany, Herbert Knaebel was interested in aviation as a youngster. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1936, was trained as a pilot, earned his wings, and joined the Kampfgeschwader Hindenburg. Knaebel volunteered for combat duty and joined the Condor Legion in Spain, where he flew the Heinkel 111 on 62 missions during the Spanish Civil War. At the end of this conflict Knaebel rejoined his old unit. As World War 11 erupted Knaebel was pressed into duty during the attacks on Poland, France, and eventually during the Battle of Britain. Knaebel became the first Luftwaffe bomber pilot to fly his 100th mission. Herbert was fortunate to fly many of these mission without incident. However, on April 9,1941 Knaebel flew his 162nd and most eventful mission, which was to prove to be his last. While attacking a British convoy in the North Sea, Knaebel's Heinkel 111 was hit by anti-aircraft fire from two destroyers. With two of his crew critically injured, Knaebel was attempting to return to base when an RAF Hurricane targeted Knaebel's aircraft. The Hurricane ultimately brought down Knaebel's craft, and Knaebel and his navigator, the only other surviving crewman, bailed out. Demonstrating the gallantry and respect often exhibited by fellow airmen, even if on opposing sides, the Hurricane pilot dropped a yellow marker, and flew back and forth to a destroyer, which finally picked up the two survivors from the cold waters. Knaebel became, as he describes it, 'a guest of the King' (i.e.- prisoner of war) following his rescue. He spent one year of captivity in England, but was later transferred to Canada. As a POW Knaebel took advantage of the opportunity to further educate himself, as he had access in the camp to many books. He was released in Canada in 1947. Returning to Germany to complete his education, Herbert married his wife Mary in 1951. The young couple immigrated to Canada where Herbert worked for the International Nickel Company and later U.S. Steel in Northern Quebec. In 1962 the Knaebels decided to look for a warmer climate, and they immigrated to the Central Coast of California. Herbert worked for a time at Vandenburg AF13 near Santa Maria, California. Bitten by the California bug, he decided to pass up the opportunity for a permanent position which would have necessitated a move to Arkansas. Instead Knaebel joined a local company as its Chief Chemist, a position he retained for twenty-two years prior to his retirement. Herbert and his wife Mary were resident in Santa Maria, where Herbert enjoyed a daily swim under the warm California skys. Sadly, Herbert Knaebel passed away on 17th October 2009. A Clipped Signature is Available |
 Stabsgefreiter Hubert-Ludwig Pflaum Our estimated value of this signature : £25 | Stabsgefreiter Hubert-Ludwig Pflaum After joining the Luftwaffe and completing his flight training, he originally flew Heinkel 111 bombers with IV./KG 27 Boelcke. Towards the end of the war, however, he transferred to train as a fighter pilot, and after qualifying joined II./JG53 PikAs where he flew Bf109s with 6 Staffel in the Defence of the Reich. |
Feldwebel Karl Rubmeyer Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Feldwebel Karl Rubmeyer Karl Rubmeyer was born in 1918 at Roche near UeIzen, Germany. He entered the Luftwaffe in 1940. He flew the standard types of training aircraft and the He-111, ju~86, Ju-88, captured French Saiman 202, Caudron 405, and the Mistel combination. He served with Uberfuhrunggsgeschader West and KG 30 and KG 200 where he flew the Mistel. His last assignment was at the former Heinkel factory airfield at Rostock-Marienehe. Rubmeyer attained the rank of Feldwebel and received the Iron Cross Class 2. Following the War Rubmeyer served as the Secretary in a printing business. He currently resides in Germany. A Clipped Signature is Available |
 Oberleutnant Heinrich Sudel Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2011 | Oberleutnant Heinrich Sudel Having joined the Luftwaffe in 1937, Heinrich Sudel was an experienced Observer in He111s by the time war broke out. He flew a total of 408 combat missions in Heinkels, both in the West over France and England, and on the Eastern Front. In September 1940 whilst over England, his aircraft was badly damaged by RAF fighters, but his pilot managed to reach the safety of the French coast on one engine. He finished the war commanding L/KG55, and had been awarded the Knights Cross, the Iron Cross I and II, and the German Cross in Gold. Heinrich Sudel passed away on 12th August 2011. |
| He111 Squadron details |
GR122 Country : Germany | GR122 Formed 1.5.34 in Prenzlau from 1./Aufkl.Gr.222. On 1.10.36 renamed 3.Aufkl.Gr.121. Reformed 1.9.37 in Prenzlau from Aufklärungsstaffel/LG Greifswald. On 1.10.37 re designated 1./Aufkl.Gr.22. Reformed 1.11.38 in Goslar. Commanding officers of •Obstlt Hermann Fricke, 1 Nov 1938 - 1 Apr 1939 •Maj Werner Kreipe, 1 Apr 1939 - 4 Dec 1939 •Maj Günther Heinze, 5 Dec 1939 - Mar 1941 •Oberst Fritz Koehler, 20 Mar 1941 - 11 Sep 1942 •Oberst Roman Schneider, Sep 1942 - 20 Mar 1943 •Maj Helmuth Orlowski, 22 Mar 1943 - 8 Nov 1943 •Hptm Friedrich Hopsspe, 1943 - 1944 •Hptm Heinz Maetzel, 1944 - May 1945 |
KG26 Country : Germany In May 1945 it began to rescue encircled German soldiers from the Courland pocket as the Red Army closed in. The Gruppe's last operation, on 9 May | KG26 Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) "Löwengeschwader" Luftwaffe bomber wing unit during World War II. Its units participated on all of the fronts in the European Theatre until the end of the war. It operated three of the major German aircraft medium bomber types; the Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 88 and the Junkers Ju 188. The unit engaged in both strategic bombing, close air support, anti-shipping and aerial interdiction operations. The majority of its operational life – not entirely unlike another Luftwaffe wing designated KG 40 — was spent on anti-shipping missions Commanding officers Major-General Hans Siburg (1 May 1939 – September 1939) Oberst Robert Fuchs (29 September 1939 – June 1940) Oberstleutnant Karl Freiherr von Wechmar (July 1940 – 19 November 1940) Killed in action Oberst Robert Fuchs (November 1940 – acting) Oberstlt Benno Kosch (25 November 1940 – 11 February 1941) Oberst Alexander Holle (December 1940 – June 1941) General-Major Ernst-August Roth (15 December 1941 – 2 February 1942) Oberst Karl Stockmann (November 1942 – 31 January 1943) Oberstlt Werner Klümper (1 February 1943 – November 1944) Oberstlt Wilhelm Stemmler (November 1944 – January 1945) Oberstlt Georg Teske (February 1945 – 9 May 1945) |
KG27 Country : Germany | KG27 Formed May 1939 KG 27 was part of Luftflotte 3 during the Battle of Britain, with their Headquarters and I Gruppe based at Tours, II Gruppe at Dinard and Bourges, and III Gruppe at Rennes. KG 27 was equipped with Henikel III before and during the Battle, using this type for most of the War - including operational service on the Eastern Front. |
KG4 Country : Germany | KG4 |
KG53 Country : Germany | KG53 |
KG54 Country : Germany | KG54 Kampfgeschwader 54 "Totenkopf"(German pronunciation: [ kampfɡəʃvaːdɐ fiːɐ ʊntfʏnftsɪç ]) (KG 54) was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II. It served on nearly all the fronts in the European Theatre where the German Luftwaffe operated. KG 54 was formed in May 1939. The bomber wing was equipped with two of the major German medium bomber types; the Heinkel He 111 and the Junkers Ju 88. It was given and insignia of a human skull, which was sometimes displayed on a shield-like device, but more often depicted over a normal camouflage pattern. It bore a strikingly close graphic resemblance to that of the 3rd SS Panzer Division, known as the "Death's Head Division". The Totenkopf motif was inspired by the Braunschweiger Black Hussars KG 54 began it's first campaign in September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland, which began World War II. It spent the Phoney War resting and refitting though it did carry out leaflet-dropping over France. In April 1940KG 54 briefly supported the Operation Weserübung, the invasions of Denmark and Norway. In May 1940KG 54 played a critical and controversial role in Fall Gelb, the German offensive into Western Europe. On 14 May 1940, as the Battle of the Netherlands reached a climax, KG 54 carried out the Rotterdam Blitz, which destroyed the centre of the city and killed many civilians. The attack played a role in the surrender of the Dutch Army.[2] KG 54 continued to support German forces in the Battle of Belgium and Battle of France through to the surrender of the latter in June 1940. From July 1940 it fought in the Battle of Britain sustaining considerable losses and thereafter in The Blitz.KG 54 also provided tertiary support to the Kriegsmarine, German Navy, the Battle of the Atlantic. From June 1941 to October 1942 it fought on the Eastern Front after Operation Barbarossa and the invasion of the Soviet Union. In 1943 it served in the Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres of war.KG 54 fought on the Italian Front and participated in Operation Steinbock over England. It supported German forces in the night intruder role over the beachheads in June 1944 and served on the Western Front until October 1944, when the last of its groups was disbanded |
KG77 Country : Germany | KG77 Kampfgeschwader 77 was formed on 1 May 1939 at Praha-Kbely, Kampfgeschwader 77 in Czechoslovakia with Stab./KG 77 and I Gruppe. II Gruppe at Praha-Kbely on the same date. The unit was allocated to Luftflotte 4, and equipped with the Do 17Z, while III./KG 77 was not made operational until 26 August 1939, again in Königgrätz, now Hradec Králové. While training in the summer of 1939 the Geschwader "worked up" on the Dornier Do 17Z and He 111. During the Polish campaign I. and III. Gruppes of KG 77 took part in combat operations. Operating from Breslau-Schöngarten (today Copernicus Airport Wrocław), I./KG 77 committed 108 bombers to the campaign. Operating from Breslau under Luftflotte 4. The unit participated in the Battle of Bzura, and carried out raids in the areas of Galicia, Radom, Kielce and Warsaw against rail, airfield and troop targets During the advance through Belgiuma nd France The Unit committed 111 bombers to the campaign. From its base at Werl it operated over Belgium and northern France, attacking French armour targets in the Reims and Amiens area. KG 77 supported the German Army during the Battle of Dunkirk, and it supported the southern offensive, Fall Rot until the French surrender. Its most notable action during the campaign was its part in Operation Paula, an all-out attack on Paris airfields, 3 June 1940. During the battle of Britain In mid-July 1940 all three gruppen returned to Germany to convert to the Junkers Ju 88. When III./KG 77 returned to France in late August (it was still based at Regensburg on 26 August) it had 35 Ju 88s operational. This gruppe suffered losses of 9 Ju 88s on a single mission against Gravesend on 18 September, one of the highest losses of any gruppe in a single mission.I./KG 77 in conjunction with II. and III. gruppe supported operations during the Blitz. On 27 September I./KG 77 lost six J 88s when raiding London, while II./KG 77 lost another six on the same night. During 1941 the Geschwader also took part in the Battle of the Atlantic. It attempted to support the German battleship Bismarck during her Atlantic operation during 26–28 May 1941. However, the unit was unable to intervene before she sank. The Geschwader did manage to sink the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Mashona on 28 May 1941, as the British forces withdrew to port. Daylight and night attacks were undertaken over the British Isles again from 27 July - 13 August 1942. I and III./KG 77 were the only units committed to Operation Barbarossa, with a total of 59 Ju 88s.[4] The Geschwader supported Army Group North's drive into the Baltic states and took part in the Siege of Leningrad. During this period I./KG 77 helped defeat a strong Soviet counter-attack by the 11th Army and 34th Army. KG 77 also supported Operation Beowulf, the invasion of the Baltic islands of Osel, Moon and Dago. During the battle for Estonia it inflicted severe losses on Soviet shipping, with the same dive-bombing tactics used over Norway, France and Britain. KGr 806 sank the Soviet destroyer Karl Marx on 8 August 1941 in Loksa Bay, Tallinn. On 28 August the Ju 88s had more success when KG 77 and KGr 806 sank the 2,026 grt steamer Vironia, the 2,317 grt Lucerne, the 1,423 Atis Kronvalds and the ice breaker Krisjanis Valdemars (2,250 grt). The rest of the Soviet "fleet", were forced to change course. This took them through a heavily mined area. As a result, 21 Soviet warships, including five destroyers, struck mines and sank. On 29 August, the Ju 88s accounted for the transport ships Vtoraya Pyatiletka (3,974 grt), Kalpaks (2,190 grt) and Leningradsovet (1,270 grt) sunk. Furthermore, the ships Ivan Papanin, Saule, Kazakhstan and the Serp i Molot were damaged. Some 5,000 Soviet soldiers were lost. KG 77 was largely withdrawn from Russia, although I./KG 77 continued to operate on the Eastern Front until July 1942, supporting German forces during Operation Seydlitz and the Second Battle of Kharkov. I./KG 77 was reformed as I./KG 6 on 31 August 1942, after the unit ceased operations over Great Britain. However I./KG 77 was reformed again on 10 September 1942. The Kampfgeschwader carried out operations in the Mediterranean and North Africa until June 1943, taking part in the Siege of Malta and the Second Battle of El Alamein. The unit also resisted the Allied invasion of Sicily, probably destroying the U.S. Liberty ship SS Robert Rowan on 11 July. KG 77 made constant night attacks against Allied Naval forces from 10 July - 25 August 1943. After retraining naval attack methods, the unit could now operate with effective torpedo methods. I./KG 77 operated from Salon in southern France from March - July 1944, attacking American convoys of the coast of Algeria. KG 77's primary responsibility was anti-shipping in the English Channel. Committed under the command of Luftflotte 3, KG 77 supported the German Army, although at night to avoid overwhelming Allied air superiority forces, until 1 September 1944 (Wikipedia) |
KGR806 Country : Germany Kampfgruppe 806 from 11.39. On 1.9.42 redesignated III./KG54 | KGR806 Known as Kampfgruppe 806 from 11.39. On 1.9.42 redesignated III./KG54: Stab/KGr.806 became Stab III./KG54 1./KGr.806 became 7./KG54 2./KGr.806 became 8./KG54 3./KGr.806 became 9./KG54 commanded by Obstlt Wolfgang von Wild, 10.39 - 3.7.40 Obstlt Hans Emig, 4.41 - 28.6.41 Major Hartwig, 6.41 - 7.41 and Major Richard Linke, 7.41 - 9.42 22.10.39 - 12.39 Dievenow* He 60, He 114, He 111J ?12.39- 21.3.40 Uetersen** He 111J 21.3.40 - 5.4.40 Varelbusch** He 111J 5.4.40 - 7.40 Uetersen** He 111J, Ju 88A 7.40 - 11.9.40 Nantes Ju 88A 11.9.40 - 4.6.41 Caen-Carpiquet Ju 88A 4.6.41 - 8.41 Prowehren*** Fl. Fü. Ostsee Ju 88A 8.41 - 27.10.41 Riga Fl. Fü. Ostsee Ju 88A 27.10.41 - 11.41 Siwerskaja Ju 88A 11.41 - 12.41 Uetersen Ju 88A 12.41 - 1.9.42 Catania II. Fliegerkorps Ju 88A |
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