21.10.2016

Research notes - Unit strength reports part II

A natural follow-up of the previous post on unit strength reporting is of course to look at how the Generalquartiermeister reported the personell of a unit with regards to operational readiness.

For a flying unit the smallest entity was of course the single aircraft and its corresponding crew - and this was also the highest granularity used for reporting. For a unit equipped with single engine fighter aircraft the corresponding crew unit would be the pilot - for a multi-engined bomber aircraft the crew unit could be as large as 5 for a Heinkel He 111 or later in the war even higher for a Heinkel He 177.

Representation of aircrew

Chart explaining the symbols used by the Generalquartiermeister 6. Abteilung for their graphical representation of strength reports for the operational units of the Luftwaffe.


There were two symbols used to represent aircrew as shown in the illustration above. A circle filled in with colour in a given pattern, and a circle with a superimposed triangle.


The colour blue were used to indicate the status of the crew up to the established strength of a unit, while the colour green was used to indicate any additional available aircrew above the established strength - but here numbers and letters were used to report the number and individual status - the green disc used to show that the unit had additional aircrew only.
  • A filled blue circle represents a crew (remember - a crew not a single crew member for aircraft types with more than one crew member!) on strength and ready for operations.
  • A circle with lines tilted at 45 degrees angle indicate a crew which is conditionally ready for operations - for example a crew which is not yet fully qualified for night operations due to missing instrument flying training and so on.
  • A circle with a blue cross would indicate a crew in the unit, but not ready for operations - "nicht einsatzbereit".
  • An empty square indicate that there are a number of crews missing from the established strength.
Strength report for III./JG 52, showing 23 pilots ready for operations, and nine conditionally ready. The unit is missing 8 pilots from its established strength of 40 pilots at this point in time.

As mentioned, hte colour green is used to show the number of additional complete crew above the Sollstärke or established strength of the unit.

The following examples show some variations where alle the variants are used in one way or another:  
Strength return of III./J.G.26, illustrating the use of a green circle to indicate aircrew in the unit above established strength. Note the pencilled remark showing that in addition to the 40 pilots of the established strenght of the unit, they had three pilots which were conditionally ready and one pilot not ready for operations. 


Strength return of II./N.J.G.1 showing that at this particular point in time they did not have a single crew ready for operational sorties, even if they had a full roster according to the Sollstärke.

19.10.2016

Research notes - Unit strength reports part I

I have been working on all elements of the supply chain of the German Luftwaffe for some time. Now and then important pieces of information resurface from deep within the wartime archives.

Today I want to share some information on unit strength reporting - the reports used by the central command structures in order to have control over the detailed fighting strength of the Luftwaffe at any given time.

The basic structure of the reporting of units strength was based on the basic tactical building blocks of the Luftwaffe.

For a flying unit the smallest entity was of course the single aircraft and its corresponding crew - and this was also the highest granularity used for reporting. For a unit equipped with single engine fighter aircraft the corresponding crew unit would be the pilot - for a multi-engined bomber aircraft the crew unit could be as large as 5 for a Heinkel He 111 or later in the war even higher for a Heinkel He 177.

Representation of aircraft

Chart explaining the symbols used by the Generalquartiermeister 6. Abteilung for their graphical representation of strength reports for the operational units of the Luftwaffe.



There were three symbols used to represent an aircraft as shown in the illustration above:

  • A square was used to represent an operational aircraft - colour and pattern coded to represent the readiness status.
  • A triangle was used to represent a transport aircraft. Note that for transport units their aircraft used for operations were defined as a "Kampfflugzeug" - operational aircraft - and thus reported using a square.
  • A square tilted 45 degrees was used to represent communications aircraft assigned to the unit.

A combination of patterns and colours were used to give a total overview of the operational status.

The colour blue were used to indicate aircraft of the "Muster" - which I will call model in English - the unit was operating according to their "Sollstärke" - established strength.

  • A filled blue square will represent an aircraft of the model which the unit were set up with which is on strength an ready for operations.
  • A square filled with a blue cross would indicate an aircraft of the correct model, but not ready for operations - "nicht einsatzbereit".
  • An empty square indicate that there are aircraft missing from the established strength.
Strength report for III./JG 52, an unusually plain strength report with no comments, excess aircraft or other peculiarities.

Seen above is an example of a strength report from III./JG 52 - showing their established strength at 40 aircraft at this point in time. They have reported 30 aircraft in the unit, of which only 14 are ready for operations and 16 are not. This is a very plain vanilla version of a strength reports - usually they are filled with both comments and other additional information of which more will be shown later in this text, and in other strength report blog posts to come.


Additional colours used as illustrated in the chart are yellow, red, brown and green.

The colour yellow are used to indicate aircraft that are on the strength of the unit,but of a model not to be on strength or expected to be used by the unit according to established strength.

Red colour are used to indicate that the unit is currently converting to a new model of aircraft, or that the unit is recuperating or at rest.

Aircraft of older versions than the one currently assigned to the unit are indicated by the colour brown.

Finally, the colour green is used to show the number of additional aircraft above the Sollstärke or established strength of the unit.

The following examples show some variations where alle the colours are used in one way or another:  
Strength return of II./JG 5 during conversion from Bf 109E to Bf 109F-4. Note the additional four Bf 109F-4 "zugewiesen", indicating that they have been allotted from production but not yet received by the unit. Also note the excess number of  ten Bf 109E, of which seven are ready for operations. The unit also had a communications aircraft, not serviceable at this point in time, as indicated by the square tilted 45 degrees and drawn between the aircraft and crew returns.


Strength return of II./N.J.G.1 showing seven Ju 88 C, an aircraft model which the unit should not have been equipped with. These are shown in yellow on the strength return.
Strength return of III./J.G. 5 showing the use of the brown colour for older models of aircraft in the reports. It is of interest to note that the units hould have been equipped with Bf 109G series aircraft at this point - but the strength retur show a mix of older models, namely 34 Bf 109F-4 and five Bf 109E-series aircraft.

22.05.2016

Luftwaffe airfields in Norway I - Gossen

Using satellite images and current maps I have started to try to overlay the imagery of the layout and position of Norwegian airfields used by the Luftwaffe onto modern maps and satellite images, in order to be able to use modern features like the Google Earth application to rediscover these airfields.

The imagery used by RAF was based on aerial photography from reconnoissance aircraft - and as you will se they are pretty accurate. I could possibly have tweaked the overlays even more - but as a general idea of how the now more or less vanished airfield at Gossen once looked - I find it to be adequate.

As this is a new posting series it would be nice to get some feedback with regards to it being worth the effort to create them.

Layout of Gossen airfield on a modern map. The dotted line denotes the planned SE-NE runway.
As one can see from the following image where I have superimposed the layout of the airfield with a satellite image, the current airfield at Gossen is rather miniscule compared to the runway in use by the Luftwaffe.

Layout of Gossen airfield superimposed on a recent satellite image. Note how the roads are still the same, which would be an important help for a field walk. 

21.05.2016

My photo collection - part 003 - Bf 110G-2 of II./JG 5 at Herdla airfield

I recently acquired the image below for my collection and wanted to share it with the community. It show the only Messerschmitt Bf 110 listed at Herdla when the war ended - or rather when a final count of the remnants of the once mighty Luftwaffe was made on August 10th 1945.

Messerschmitt Bf 110G-2, Werknr. 120167, coded 3U+EW - note the E visible under the starboard wing - this code of course revealing the former operator - the IV. Gruppe of ZG 26. Of interest is the additional fuel tanks - a hint of the task these aircraft was used for late in the war - convoy protection along the coast. 
Geographical location is given away by the well known maintenance hangar in the background, which was painted red, with painted on fake doors and windows in the usual fashion with white framing, in an attempt to camouflage it as a typical Norwegian farm barn.

My source for the aircraft code and Werknummer is the above mentioned list of aircraft in Norway on August 10th 1945. Note the war and weather beaten appearance of the airframe itself.

The spinners have been removed, probably by the chap sitting across the nose of the aircraft and his colleagues, as a preparation to meet the conditions as set at the surrender of the German armed forces in Norway, where the propellers and rudders were to be dismantled rendering the aircraft unserviceable. The rudders and propeller blades has not yet been removed - suggesting that this photographs was taken some time in May 1945 shortly after the end of hostilities.

All in all a rather peaceful image of a war machine which has run the course of its operational life.

28.04.2016

Rare reconnoissance aircraft in the far north, Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-3 of 1.(F)/124

Earlier this month the following very rare photos of aircraft of the 1.(F)/124 long range reconnoissance unit was sold on eBay.

When talking long range reconnoissance over the tundra of the northern flank of the Luftwaffe presence, we are usually talking about Junkers Ju 88 variants.

But the unit operated a small number of other makes and models only - and someone has obviously been able to copy the (my speculation) photos from the album of a technician of the unit, showing the only Messerschmitt Bf 110 operated by the unit.

Aircraft technician H. Märtens in the pilot seat of G2 + ZH of 1.(F)/124


The aircraft was a F-3 variant, as identified by the Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen for the unit. These records along with the strength returns of the unit show that it was operated by the unit from September 1942 and all the way through September 1943 when it was transferred to another unit.

Full side view of the single Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-3 operated by 1.(F)/124

Closeup of the code of G2 + ZH of 1.(F)/124

The emblem and code G2 + ZH clearly identify it as an aircraft of the unit

As the unit was stationed at Kirkenes in the far north, and the only other unit operating the aircraft type in this area was the 13.(Z)/JG 5, my speculation was that this unit took over the aircraft. As the unit did indeed receive a single Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-3 from another unit, I believe this is proof enough that this lone swallow in the 1.(F)/124 did indeed end up in the Zerstörer Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5.

It did not stay long in the unit, however, by the end of October 1943 it had already been transferred on to another unit. I have not been able to trace this yet, and it is highly likely that it was transferred to a training unit at this stage of its life.

02.04.2016

Altering and correcting a loss record

Hi, all!

It has been some time since my last blog entry - I will try to get more out this year. I just got myself a new Microsoft Surface Pro, which will help me to utilize more of my travelling time to do Luftwaffe research (and of course work...)

This post is going to be about one specific loss record in my database, but also and more importantly about the natural sceptisism we should have as researchers.

My team have, as you all probably know by now, more or less completed the entry of all available loss records for the Luftwaffe from the Gen.Qu.6.Abt. material into a relational database. This give us ample opportunity to analyze and cross reference with other sources.

My example today is a loss record from the document dated May 28th 1940. For those familiar with the loss record document from that period, the losses reported in a given document referred to the losses which occured two days previous unless the date is  - as the name of the document indicates:

Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden am 26.5.1940

Loss number 20 in this document relates to a He 59 of 1./706, which was strafed while it was lying at anchor after an emergency landing near Ålesund on the western coast of Norway.

We naturally registered this loss with a loss date of May 26th 1940, and it has been registered with this information until today. While reading through a new set of sources I came across the following two messages transferred from the 196 Infantry Division to the Armeegruppe XXI, Ia:

The first message read

Fernschreiben. 18.5.40 22.30 Uhr  

An Gruppe XXI, Ia

Heute deutsches Flugzeug, Hptm. Beitzke, bei Alsnes, 8 km westl. Alesund notgelandet. Nach Verständigung durch deutschen Konsul Aleshund mit Drontheim wurden 3 Mann von dort mit Flugzeug abgeholt.

196. Inf. Div. Ic

and the second

Fernschreiben. 19.5.40 12.50 Uhr  

An Gruppe XXI, Ia


Gestern bei Alesund notgelandet "He 59". Hptm. Beitzke, heute morgen durch zwei englische Flugzeuge mit Maschinengewehr zum Sinken gebracht.

196. J.D. Ic

So - after reviewing this new information the loss record was altered to read as seen here:

Loss record in the loss database

The next natural step is to see if I have any Kriegstagebuch entries for the given date that I have yet to review - in order to see if I can find more information on the aircraft and crew, and I would also like to try to identify the aircraft that attacked the moored He 59.