16. Fliegerdivision
16. Fliegerdivision
(FpN: L 51528)
Kommandeur:
Gen.Maj. Karl Hentschel (26 Jan 45 - Mar 45)
Formation. (Jan 45)
Formed 15 January 1945 at Hechingen/64 km SSW of Stuttgart (ex-Stab/5. Jagddivision). According to other sources, 26 January may have been the official or effective date of formation. Responsible for providing tactical air support for Army Group G along the upper Rhine sector of the Western Front under Luftwaffenkdo. West. Communications support provided by Ln.-Abt. 66.[1]
Southwest Germany. (Jan 45 - Mar 45)
Jan – Feb 45: air support operations along the Rhine, generally between Mannheim and the border with Switzerland.[2]
2 Mar 45: Stab ordered disbanded this date, although this was not carried out for another month and a half.[3]
10 Mar 45: Stab rushed north to Darmstadt-Pfungstadt to direct concentrated attacks on the Ludendorff Bridge and U.S. bridgehead at Remagen on the Rhine by JG 53 and a handful of other units under the Division's command.[4]
31 Mar 45: Stab now at Gochsen.[5]
9 Apr 45: still in existence and subordinated: 1.(F)/FAGr. 100; Stab, 1.(F)/FAGr. 123; Stab, 1., 2., 3./NAGr. 13; Stab, II., III., IV./JG 53; I., II./KG 51; Stab, 6., 8., 9./KG 76 with a total of 224 aircraft, mostly Bf 109s, Fw 190s, Me 262s and Ar 234s. The Division Stab is believed to have been acting more as a tactical staff for Luftwaffenkdo. West on this date, although it was still being shown in official documents as 16. Fliegerdivision.[6]
Apr – May 45: subsequent location prior to the German capitulation on 8 and 9 May not determined.
© H.L. deZeng IV, 2023
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References
- ↑ G.Tessin- Verbände und Truppen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945. Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte; D.Caldwell- JG 26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe:347-48.
- ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signals.
- ↑ Tessin.
- ↑ ULTRA signal BT6838.
- ↑ ULTRA BT9152.
- ↑ Archiv Gruppe 66 magazine, Vol. 2/No. 7, p.21-22.