6.(H)/13
6.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 13
Code: (4E + )
also as: 6.(H)/13 (Pz)
Formation and Training. (Jan 41 - May 41)
Formed about January 1941 in the West, possibly at St.-Omer in northeast France, using assets taken from 1.(H)/13 and equipped with Hs 126s. The order directing the Staffel’s formation may have been issued in December 1940. Another source states that it was formed at Göppingen.[1]
Central Russia. (Jun 41 - Oct 41)
22.6.41: Brest-Litovsk area in eastern Poland under Koluft Panzergruppe 2/Army Group Center for the attack on the Soviet Union this date, and assigned to support 18. Panzer-Division/XXXXVII. Armeekorps (mot) along a line of advance from the Brest-Litovsk area to Minsk - Borisov - Orsha – Smolensk (16 July) - Konotop area (25 August) - Bryansk (6 October).
11.8.41: Staffel at Smolensk-South under Gruppenfliegerstab 31 in support of 18. Panzer-Division.
13.9.41: Hs 126 shot up by a Russian fighter near Novgorod-Severski/N of Konotop, 40%.
28.9.41: Hs 126 failed to return from a recce mission in the Glukhov area/NE of Konotop, 100%, 2 MIA.
1.11.41: Staffel returned to Germany this date and, after rest and home leave for the personnel, began conversion to the Fw 189. It is not known where the conversion took place, but during March 1942 a Klemm Kl 35 belonging to the Staffel made a crash landing at Fp. Laval in NW France.
1.3.42: Staffel reported just 3 x Fw 189 A-1s on strength, but this increased to 7 by 1 April.
South Russia. (May 42 - Mar 43)
24.5.42: Staffel arrived at Fp. Kharkov I and assigned to Nahaufklärungsgruppe 4 for the German summer offensive in South Russia.
6.6.42: Fw 189 crashed at Prague-Kbely in Czechoslovakia, 80%, 3 killed.
15.6.42: Fi 156 crashed due to engine failure near Poltava, 50%.
19.6.42: Fi 156 (4E+LP) crashed en-route from Kharkov to Volchansk, 100%, pilot killed.
20.6.42: Staffel reported 8(8) Fw 189s on strength.
19.7.42: Fw 189 (4E+EP) failed to return (FTR) to Millerovo from a recce mission, 100%, 3 WIA.
28.7.42: one of the Staffel’s ground servicing personnel KIA by a land mine at Fp. Frolov/WSW of Stalingrad.
29.9.42: Fw 189 (4E+AP) FTR over Planquadrat 35212 (south of Stalingrad), 100%, 4 MIA, but later returned.
1.11.42: Staffel reported 5 x Fw 189 A-2 and 2 x Fw 189 A-3 on strength.
3.11.42: Fw 189 damaged in bombing at Fp.Yelampiyevski/72 km NW of Stalingrad, 10%.
10.11.42: Staffel still at Fp.Yelampiyevski.
17.11.42: 6.(H)/13 ordered to turn over all aircraft to NAGr. 16 and then move to Konotop to rest, refit and re-equip under NAGr. 4. To what extent this order was carried out has not been determined. Just two days later the Soviets opened their overwhelming counteroffensive around Stalingrad and wreaked havoc on the Axis forces along that sector of the front. Many ad hoc units were formed from the remnants of smashed formations, one of which was called Aufklärungsgruppe Fleischmann. The Staffel was assigned to Aufkl.Gr. Fleischmann around the latter part of November or early December.
8.12.42: Fw 189 shot down by a Russian fighter in Pl.Qu.3954 (Oblivskaya area west of Stalingrad), 100%, 3 KIA.
2.43: Staffel listed as destroyed at Stalingrad.
3.43: remnants of 6.(H)/13 identified in the Kharkov area, and either these and/or other survivors are believed to have been incorporated into NAGr. 4 at Jesau/East Prussia, particularly 1./NAGr.4.
FpN:6.(H)/13 (L 45596).
Staffelkapitän:
(none identified)
Also see:
BRAUN, Paul, Lt.
DECHANT, Hermann, Oblt.
REICHEL, Joachim, Maj.
SCHRÖDER, Heinrich, Oblt.
TESTMANN, Kurt, Lt.
TOSTMANN, Dr. (jur.) Kurt, Lt.
WILDT, Heinz, Lt.
WINTERHOFF, Heinz, Lt.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress). (1st Draft 2021)
References
- ↑ J.-P.Défieux - Répertoire des Unités Aériennes de la Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Reconnaissance Aéronavale (Nanterre, privately published, n.d. (c 1988-90?); W.Dierich - Die Verbände der Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Gliederungen und Kurzchroniken – Eine Dokumentation; N.Kannapin - Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-313 roll 85/898, roll 93/486); (T-321 roll 115/001ff); AFHRA Maxwell decimal Karlsruhe Collection KC-Kl13.309-3/ v.1; Leyendecker Ltr. to H.L.deZeng dated 23.4.93; BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 20/274-77; BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); BA-MA Freiburg: Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen (Aircraft Availability Status Reports – FzB) in: M.Holm-website (ww2.dk ); PRO London: AIR 40/1975; PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence reports and lists based on ULTRA, “Y” Service intercepts, captured documents and PoW interrogations.