1./NAGr. 16
1./NAGr. 16
(Unit Code 8I+)?
(Unit Code 5H+)?
Formation. (October 1942)
Ordered formed on or about 1 October 1942, probably at Shatalovka-East airfield/55 km south-east of Smolensk or at Konotop airfield in north-central Ukraine, from about half of the assets of the former Aufklärungsstaffel XI. Fliegerkorps. By the end of October it had 12 Bf 110s and 1 He 111 on strength, all of these coming from repaired stocks save for two which were new. Originally intended to operate as a component of NAGr. 16, which was then with 4th Panzer Army on the south side of Stalingrad, circumstances prevented this plan from being realized (see Stab/NAGr. 16).[1]
Central Russia. (December 1942 - August 1943)
December 1942: rushed north from Shatalovka or Konotop during the first half of December and attached to NAGr. 5 as reinforcements to help stop a Soviet offensive aimed at cutting off the Rzhev salient on the 9th Army front, and probably based at Dugino/65 km south of Rzhev.
17 December 1942: Bf 110 (5H+CK) failed to return from a recce mission over the Luchesa Valley in the Belyy area south-west of Rzhev, 100%, 2 KIA.
5 January 1943: Bf 110 E-3 (5H+EK) failed to return from operations over the Luchesa Valley area, 100%, 2 MIA.
March 1943: transferred with NAGr. 5 from Dugino back to Shatalovka after 9th Army and other forces were forced back from the Rzhev-Vyazma line.
9 April 1943: Bf 110 G-3 mistakenly shot down by a German fighter in Pl.Qu.36771 (east of Smolensk), 100%, 3 killed.
1 June 1943: Staffel reported 1 Bf 110 C-5, 2 Bf 110 E-3 and 5 Bf 110 G-3 on strength.
11 June 1943: 2 Bf 110 G-3s damaged during a Russian air attack on Shatalovka,
50% and 40%, Oblt. Gustav Blohm and Oblt. Johannes Radtke (both observers) WIA.
July 1943: Staffel withdrawn from operations during the second half of June or beginning of July and apparently transferred to Istres in South France to rejoin its former command, XI. Fliegerkorps (Stab at Nîmes). Between 11 and 27 July, XI. Fliegerkorps moved its 1. Fallschirmjäger-Div. (1st Paratroop Division) to Sicily and the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Div. to mainland Italy in response to the Allied invasion of Sicily on 10 July.
21 July 1943: Bf 110G crash landed at Istres-South, 35%, 1 injured.
17 August 1943: a Bf 110 G-3 and 2 Fi 156s slightly damaged at Istres-South during an Allied air attack. Over the next two weeks German forces were evacuated from Sicily and the decision was made to take the Staffel away from XI. Fliegerkorps and use it for other purposes.
28 August 1943: renamed 1./ZG 76 on or about this date at Ansbach/Bavaria.
FpN:1./NAGr. 16 (L 23231).
Staffelkapitän:
(not determined)
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ W.Dierich - Die Verbände der Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Gliederungen und Kurzchroniken – Eine Dokumentation; N.Kannapin - Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945, 3 Bde (I – III) (Osnabrück, 1980-82); AFHRA Maxwell: decimal K113 Karlsruhe Collection (Luftwaffe Gen.Qu. Einsatzbereitschaft tables); BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); M.Holm-website ww2.dk.