Aufkl. Gr. 122 Jul 1943
Jul 1943 - During the campaign in Sicily (10 July - 17 August), 2.(F)/122 with an average strength of 8 Ju 88Ds and 7 Me 410A-3s flew 3 to 10 daily recce sorties over and around Sicily, occasionally using Ottana/Sardinia as an advanced landing ground.[1]
3(F)./122 's main mission during the 1943-44 period was to fly maritime recce off the English east coast in search of convoys, this was according to P/Ws interrogated by British Intelligence.[2]
1 Jul 1943 - Stab./122 reported 1 x Ju 88D-1 and 1 x Dornier Do 215A-1 on strength.
1(F)./122 resting and refitting - the Staffel reported just 2 x Ju 88D-1 on strength.
3(F)./122 reported 10 x Ju 88D-1 and 2 x Ju 88D-5 on strength.This unit moved to Istres (southern France) during Jul 1943.[3]
4(F)./122 reported 8 x Ju 88D-1, 2 x Ju 88D-5, 1 x Ju 88A-14, 3 x He 111H-6 and 2 x He 111H-16 on strength.
5(F)./122 reported 9 x Ju 88D-5, 3 x Ju 88D-1 and 1 x Bf 109G-2 on strength.
Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
2 Jul 1943 | 4(F)./122 | Ju 88D-1 | F6+IM | 430370 | Crashed in the Kerch area due to engine failure, 90%, 3 killed and 1 injured. (Lt Max Gottinger (B), Uffz Erhard Deutschmann (Bm) and Fw Hans-Joachim Fink (Bf) ) and 1 injured (Ofw Ludwig Wagner (F))[4] |
3 Jul 1943 | 3(F)./122 | Ju 88D-1 | F6+NL | 430645 | Failed to return from a night recce to the area between Eastbourne and the Isle of Wight. Uffz Hans Hornfeck (F), Oberlt. Artur Asmus (Bb), Uffz Josef Kaus (Bf) and Gefr Walter Denk all POW.[5] |
3 Jul 1943 | 3(F)./122 | Ju 88D-1 | F6+CL | 430356 | As entry above - Failed to return from a night recce to the area between Eastbourne and the Isle of Wight. Uffz Gerhard Braumandl (F), Lt Kurt Seubert (Bb), Uffz Rudolf Deeg (Bf) all POW and Gefr. Paul Preis (Bs) killed.[5] |
4 Jul 1943 | 4(F)./122 | Ju 88A-14 | 142159 | Belly landing following technical problems.
Aircraft suffered 40% damage.Ofw. Mohr (F) and Ofw Werner(Bf) both injured.[6] | |
5 Jul 1943 | 2(F)./122 | Me 410A-1 | 149 | Crashed at Tomacella due to problems with the engines – 65%.[7] |
8 Jul 1943 – Day reconnaissance had been carried out continuously over the Ionian Sea and as far as east of Malta and over the waters to the west and south of Sicily. During these long distance operations in the afternoon of 8 July FAGr 122 aircraft detected part of the Anglo American Invasion Fleet Northwest of Malta and another element to the Southeast of Malta. These were the invasion ships of “Operation Huskey” bound for Sicily.AIR 20/8534
9-10 Jul 1943 – Allied invasion of Sicily “Operation Huskey” commences.
10 Jul 1943 – 4(F)./122 at Sarabus - Staffel reported 13(9) Ju 88s and He 111s on strength.[8]
5(F)./122 at Luga-Gostkino - Staffel reported 14(11) Ju 88s on strength.[9]
Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
11 Jul 1943 | 2(F)./122 | Ju 88D-1 | F6+GK | 430794 | Shot down over the Licata area of South Sicily, 100%, all of the crew, consisting of Fw Willi Möllers, Lt Karl Sartory, Uffz Georg Bosch and Uffz Peter Salgert were killed.[10] |
11 Jul 1943 | 2(F)./122 | Ju 88D-1 | F6+NK | 430220 | Shot down, by Spitfires of 242 Sqdn RAF, over the Licata area of South Sicily, 100%, Uffz Klammer (F), Lt Jürgen Ptellwitz (Bf) wounded, Uffz Georg Hameier killed and one other unhurt. [11] |
11 Jul 1943 | 2(F)./122 | Me 410A-1 | 166 | Forced landed at Frosinone due to pilot error, 10%.[12] |
12 Jul 1943 - An Ar 240 belong to (F)/122 arrived at Villacidro on Sardinia.[13] This Ar 240 was to fly reconnaissance of Bizerta,taking off at 13.30 hrs Z.[14]
Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
13 Jul 1943 | 3(F)./122 | Ju 88D-1 | 430438 | Crashed at Fl.Pl. Creil due to technical problems, classed as 75% damaged.[15] |
15 Jul 1943 – Aufklgr 122 ordered to carry out a sea recce towards the southeast this afternoon in area 37.52 N 16.15 E; 36.02 N 16.05 E; 36.02 N 17.05 E; 37.02 N 19.35 E; 38.57 N 17.55 E.[16]
20 Jul 1943 - 2.(F)/122 at Frosinone, 6 Ju 88 serviceable, along with 1 Me 410 serviceable.[17]
22 Jul 1943 – 4(F)./122 reported that a member of an air crew returned wounded to Sarabus although no damage to an aircraft was recorded. This followed F6+EM being attacked by Soviet fighters for 20 minutes – it was the Bordfunker who was wounded. A Do 24, with escort, had been despatched in case the Ju 88 ditched but this was not needed.[18]
Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
25 Jul 1943 | 5(F)./122 | Ju 88D-5 | Shot down by a fighter in Pl.Qu.0042, 100%, Oblt. Edwin Burgmeier + 3 KIA. |
26 Jul 1943 – 5(F)./122 sortie to Chorowitschi (58.29.00N/36.13.30E) 20km south east of Pestovo.[19]
27 Jul 1943 – On July 10 Westa 26 had moved from Trapani to Frosinone (southeast of Rome) via Catania, Citotone and Gerbini. As Luftflotte 2 had no further need for a specialised Met Recce staffel it was decided to operate Westa 26 as a general reconnaissance unit. The aircraft and personnel of Westa 26 then came under the control of Aufklgr (F)./122.[20]
Date | Unit | Aircraft Type | Code | Wkr.No. | Notes |
27 Jul 1943 | 3(F)./122 | Ju 88 | 7A+BH | 430669[21] | During a Nachtbilderkundigung of the English southeast coast a Ju88 of 3/122 was shot down by a Mosquito of 85 Squadron (S/L W P Green and F/Sgt Grimstone) Crew: Pilot:Lt Robert Ziegler, Obs: Oblt Walter Salecker, Ofw Heinz Gärtner, Uffz Albert Rippel. All were buried at Nieuwe Ooster begraafplaats at Amsterdam on 17 Aug 43. Uffz Rippel washed ahore on the beach of Noordwijk on 14 Aug 43. Seems that their aircraft crashed just off the Dutch Coast, as all were recovered/washed ashore.(RvdN) |
28 Jul 1943 | 2(F)./122 | Me 410A-1 | 133 | Forced landed at Fosinone, 50%.[22] | |
29 Jul 1943 | 2(F)./122 | Me 410 | F6+UK | 110161 | Failed to return from a sortie to the western Sicilian harbours, 100%. The crew, of Lt Martin Schwarz (F)and Uffz. Franz Prandstötter (Bf) were recorded as missing.[23] |
Links
References
- ↑ LdZ - PRO/London: 329 Wing daily “Y” Sigint reports.
- ↑ LdZ - PRO/London: P/W interrogation report ADI(K) 327/44.
- ↑ Ldz – Luftwaffe Airfields 1939-45
- ↑ Matti Salonen 122 personnel extract from database 03/01/18
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 MB – WASt – Aircrafr type, Code, Wk Nr and crew details.
- ↑ Luftwaffe Quartermaster Generals loss returns 7 Jul 1943 – Sheet 4 – entry no 56
- ↑ Wadman/Hopp – Me 410 Incidents (LL 11.07.43)
- ↑ LdZ - AFHRA/Maxwell: Karlsruhe Collection.
- ↑ LdZ - AFHRA/Maxwell: Karlsruhe Collection.
- ↑ Cull et al – Spitfire Over Sicily p134 also Pausey - F122 losses May –Dec 1943 (Wkr Nr)
- ↑ Cull et al – Spitfire Over Sicily p134 also Pausey - F122 losses May –Dec 1943 (Wkr Nr)
- ↑ Wadman/Hopp – Me 410 Incidents (LL 17.07.43)
- ↑ A.Arthy – Ultra ML7317
- ↑ A.Arthy – Ultra ML7362
- ↑ Luftwaffe Quartermaster Generals loss returns 16 Jul 1943 – Sheet 1 – entry no 7
- ↑ DEFE3/826 ML7493 p 545
- ↑ A.Arthy – Ultra ML7362
- ↑ Seaplanes over the Black Sea page 66.
- ↑ http://www.wwii-photos-maps.com/targetrussia/citynamesbeginningc/citynames-carn-czyz/slides/Chorowitschi%20%20023.html
- ↑ Kington & Selinger “Wekusta” page 132
- ↑ Code and Wnr via Andy Fletcher on Luftweaffedata Bulletin Board
- ↑ Wadman/Hopp – Me 410 Incidents (LL 05.08.43) note – originally reported as Wk.Nr 013, correction recorded 15.08.43)
- ↑ Wadman/Hopp – Me 410 Incidents (LL 02.08.43/WASt) aircrew and Wk. Nr. Identified Names also identified in one source as Schweitz and Branstötter.