5.(H)/11
5.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 11
Unit Code: (6M + )
also as: 5.(H)/11 (Pz)
Formation. (Oct 40)
Formed in January 1941 at Dijon/France using assets taken from 1.(H)/11. The aircraft provided were Henschel Hs 126’s and were probably those discarded by 1.(H)/11, which was re-equipped with Fw 189’s at this time.[1]
South Russia. (Jun 41 - Oct 41?)
22.6.41: after formation, training and workup, the Staffel moved east via Breslau and Brieg and was placed under Koluft Panzergruppe l/Army Group South for the attack on the Soviet Union, for which it was assigned to support 11th Panzer Division along a line of advance from the Zamosc area in SE Poland into western Ukraine via Yampol, Berdichev (7 July), Belaya Tserkov (16 July), Uman (o/a 1 August), the Dnieper River crossings around Cherkassy in September, and then to the Gomel area for reassignment to the central sector or the front and the attack on Moscow.
28.6.41: (Ob.d.H.) - Staka Oblt. v. Wittig WIA by ground fire at Piraty.
2.7.41: Uffz. Koepper and Fw. Aermes, both of 5.(H)/11 (Pz), cited in the daily Ob.d.L. report for shooting down a Soviet fighter that together with 4 others attacked their Henschel Hs 126.
8.7.41: Staffel operating from Fp.Polonnoye/81 km NW of Berdichev. From the above date to May 1942 there is no further mention of 5(H)/11 in the Luftwaffe's General Quartermaster Loss Reports, and no entries have so far been found in other documents. It is probable that the Staffel stayed with 11th Panzer Division as described above until October 1941 when the Division changed fronts to reinforce the attack on Moscow. The Staffel likely departed at that time for Germany, or was temporarily inactivated then converted to Fw 189’s in early 1942. Since the preceding was written, the following additional information has been found in surviving documents:
5.10.41: departed the front in N Ukraine via Linowka (Lynivka) and Wolhynien (Volhynia)/NW Ukraine and moved to Germany and France to rest, refit and re-equip. According to documents, the exact time it spent re-equipping and regrouping in France appears to have been from 13 Nov 41 to 21 May 42.
2.42: now at Mourmelon near Reims in France re-equipping with Fw 189s, this continuing until mid-May.
South Russia. (May 42 - Mar 44)
18.3.42: many of the ground personnel had been used earlier for a Luftwaffen-Gefechtsverband that was sent to defend the airfield at Anissowo-Gorodischtsche along with ground personnel of 3.(H)/21 and 5.(H)/32, all of which came under Gruppenfliegerstab 32. The Staffel reported heavy casualties while manning defensive positions in the nearby village of Troitzkyj (Troitskiy – not located) this date.
16.5.42: Staffel in transfer to Stalino for assignment to NAGr. 9.
1 Jun 42: Staffel reported 7 x Fw 189A-1 on strength.
12.6.42: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189A-3 shot up by AA-fire near Kupyansk/100 km E of Kharkov, 10%, 1 WIA.
20.6.42: Staffel reported 9(9) Fw189’s on strength.
7/42: Staffel assigned to NAGr. 9 for the advance into North Caucasia.
24.8.42: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 shot up by a fighter near Stepnoye/N of Mozdok, 10%, Oblt. Bernhard Zirnmermann WIA and 1 KIA.
31.8.42: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 pilot WIA by an attacking fighter over Kalinovskaya/NNW of Groznyy.
10.9.42: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 shot down by AA-fire over Chervlennaya/NNE of Groznyy, 100%, crew safe.
19.9.42: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 shot up near Bogdanovka, 50%, pilot KIA.
7.10.42: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 damaged in bombing at Voznisenskaya, 20%, 2 WIA.
21.10.42: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 returned to Fp.Rabeilshiy shot up by AA-fire, 70%.
17.11.42: Staffel transferred from North Caucasia to Rossosh on the Don north of Stalingrad for operations under NAGr. 1. From this date to around March 1943 the Staffel’s activities become very confusing, and it is not even clear which NAGr. it was subordinated to (1?, 9?, 14?). In fact, it may have been divided among several.
12/42: Now said to be under NAGr.14. Maybe.
1/43: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 (6M+MN) FTR from, over or at Fp.Armavir/N Caucasia, 100%, Oblt. Wilhelm Plinzer (observer) + 2 MIA.
1/43: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189 shot down by a fighter over Voronezhkoye, 85%.
27.2.43: (Lfl.4) -Oblt. Aribo Körner (observer) KIA NE of Taganrog by an attacking fighter.
10.3.43: (Lfl.4) -2 Fw 189s shot up by fighters at Slavyansk/N of Stalino, 60% and 20%, 2 WIA.
29.3.43: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189A-2 shot down by a fighter over Novo Bukhmutski, 100%, 1 KIA and 2 WIA.
12.4.43: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189A-2 crashed at Fp.Taganrog due to mechanical problems, 85%, 3 injured.
28.5.43: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189A-3 damaged in bombing at Fp.Kuteynikovo/123 km NW of Rostov, 70%.
1.6.43: Staffel reported 9 x Fw 189A-2 and 3 x Fw 189A-3 on strength.
9.6.43: (Lfl.4) -Fw 189A-2 “Trop” shot up by a fighter over Matveyev-Kurgan/75 km NW of Rostov, 30%, 1 KIA.
6/43 - 2/44: the Staffel’s activities became consolidated with those of NAGr. 14 to September 1943 and then with those of NAGr. 9 from October 1943 to January or February 1944. (see there).
3/44: converted to Bf 109G’s at Herzogenaurach/Germany and renamed 2./NAGr. 8.
FpN:(L 41118)
Staffelkapitäne:
Oblt. Ludwig von Wittig (1/41 - 6/41?) 1/41, 4/41, 6/41
Hptm. Karl Euler (6/41 - 4/43?) 8/41, 12/41, 4/42
© H.L. deZeng IV, 2021
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); G.Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945. Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte (Osnabrück, 1980); BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); PRO London: AIR 40/1981 and 1982; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-77 roll 922/669); AFHRA Maxwell: Karlsruhe Collection decimal KC-K113.309-3/v.1.