Aufklärungsstaffel (See) 222
Aufklärungsstaffel (See) 222
(Unit Code X4+)
Formation and History. (Mar 43 - Jul 43)
Ordered formed 10 March 1943 at Travemünde by reorganizing and renaming Lufttransportstaffel (See) 222. Equipped with BV 222 flying boats plus 5 attached BV 138 flying boats at Biscarrosse/SW France that belonged to 3./Küstenfliegergruppe 406. Work continued at Travemünde to outfit the BV 222s for the Staffel’s new role as a long-range maritime reconnaissance unit and additional crews were trained. The first two BV 222 flying boats (V3 and V5) were transferred from Travemünde to Biscarrosse on 17 May and 12 June, and the first operational sortie was flown on 9 June. Operating over the Atlantic in the long-range maritime reconnaissance and U-boat cooperation role, the Staffel was attached to 3./Küstenfliegergruppe 406 under Fliegerführer Atlantik. BV 138 (KL+MA) failed to return from a mission on 19 June and the crew of 5 was reported MIA. On 20 June it lost two of its four BV 222s during a dusk strafing attack on its moorings by 4 RAF Mosquitos, which also devastated the BV 138s of 3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 406. The same date, BV 138 (NA+PS) was believed shot down near Biscarrosse, probably by the same raiders that attacked the base, Oblt. Karl-Heinz Jammers plus 4 were all reported MIA. By early July replacements had been delivered to Travemünde to restore the Staffel to a strength of 5 BV 222s, and on 13 (15?) July 1943, as part of the general reorganization of maritime reconnaissance units, it was ordered renamed 1.(F)/Seeaufklärungsgruppe 129 at Travemünde.[1]
FpN:(L 49038)
Staffelkapitän:
Hptm. Fritz? Führer (10 Mar 43 - 15 Jul 43)
Also see:
BLUME, Walter, Oblt.
EWALD, Kurt, Oblt.
FEHRENBACH, Karl, Oblt.(Kr.O.)
FEITMEYER, Walter, Hptm.
FÜHRER, Fritz?, Hptm., Staka, (5.42 - ? ); (10.3.43 - 15.7.43)
HASENBERG, Bernhard, Hptm.
JAMMERS, Karl-Heinz, Oblt.
KNACKFUSS, Walter, Oblt.(Kr.O.)
MENARD, Karl-Heinz, Oblt.
MÖHRING, Friedrich?, Hptm.
MROCHEN, Heinz (Werner?), Oblt.
SCHMUTZLER(SCHMUTZER?), Karl, Hptm.
SCHRAMM, Willi, Oblt./Hptm. (Kr.O.)
SCHRÖDER, Rudolf, Hptm.
SPANNIEL, Hans (Willi?), Lt.
STEINBACH, Heinz, Lt.
WARNINGHOF (WARNINGHOFF?), ? , Lt.
© H.L. deZeng IV, 2022
References
- ↑ N.Kannapin-Feldpostübersicht; S.Neitzel-Der Einsatz der deutschen Luftwaffe über dem Atlantik und der Nordsee 1939-1940:165; G.Ott, “Blohm & Voss BV 222 V2”, in Jet & Prop magazine, Hefte (issues) 2/2003, 3/2003 and 4/2003; J-P.Défieux-Répertoire des Unités Aériennes de la Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Reconnaissance Aéronavale; W.Green-Warplanes of the Third Reich:96-97.