I./TG 3

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I./TG 3


Formation. (May 43)

Formed 1 May 1943 with a Gruppenstab and 1. – 4. Staffel by renaming KGr.z.b.V. 9. Place of formation is not known, but in April 1943 KGr.z.b.V. 9 had been withdrawn from operations to rest, refit and re-equip, a respite that usually occurred in Germany. Equipped with Ju 52 transports.[1]


Germany(?) and Central Russia. (May 43 - Oct 43)

Jun 43: again operation and assigned to Luftflotte 6 on the central sector of the Eastern Front.[2]

10 Jun 43: Ju 52 damaged its undercarriage landing at Slobintzky (not located), 25%.[3]

1 Jul - 31 Aug 43: I. Gruppe (or at least 1. Staffel) based at Ponyatovka (C Russia 111 km S of Smolensk and 32.5 km SW of Roslavl’) - flew daily transport missions to Orel/West, Orel/North, Shatalovka/East, Shatalovka/West, Smolensk/North, Bryansk, Gomel/North, Kharkov/North, Star. Bykov, Baranovichi, Lida, Pankovo (trf of JG 54 personnel), Ozërskaya, Warsaw-Okecie, Minsk/East, Minsk/South, Karachev, Vitebsk, Olsufyevo, Lopush, Seshchinskaya, Kirovograd, Poltava, Bol. Rudka, Konotop, Pochëp, and others).[4]

9 Jul 43: 1. Staffel Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Gorodets/25 km NW of Bryansk, 100%.

26 Jul 43: I./TG 3 (ex-KGr.z.b.V. 9) cited in Luftflotte 6 dispatches in recognition of completing its 20,000th operational sortie since its formation while taking part this date in the evacuation of Orel.

5 Aug 43: 2 Ju 52s from 1. Staffel hit by ground fire between Bryansk and Orel and slightly damaged.

6 Aug 43: Ju 52 destroyed in a mid-air collision over Fp. Poltava/E Ukraine, 100%, 3 killed.

18 Aug 43: 2 Ju 52s from 2. Staffel shot down by a night fighter NE of Bryansk, both 100%, 4 WIA.

27 Aug 43: 2.St. Ju 52 crashed at Fp. Glukhov-East/160 km W of Kursk due to pilot error, 70%.

31 Aug 43: 2.St. Ju 52 damaged its fuselage landing at Fp. Ponyatovka/111 km S of Smolensk, 30%.

2 Sep 43: 3.St. Ju 52 damaged landing at Fp. Bryansk, 30%.

3 Sep 43: 2 Ju 52s from 3. and 4. Staffel bombed on the ground at Fp. Konotop, both 100%, 1 KIA.

8 Sep 43: 1.St. Ju 52 shot up by ground fire and force landed a few kilometers SE of Chernigov, 60%.

30 Sep 43: Ju 52 ran out of fuel and force landed SE of Bobruisk, 30%.

28 Oct 43: 3.St. Ju 52 crashed at Fp. Orsha due to engine failure, 100%, 1 killed and 3 injured.

28 Oct 43: 4.St. Ju 52 crash landed at Fp. Korosten/75 km N of Zhitomir, 70%. Aircraft probably in transfer to Nikolayev.


South Russia and Romania. (Oct 43 - May 44)

28 Oct 43: based at Nikolayev/S Ukraine. The Gruppe’s primary mission from late October through March 1944 was the air supply of Crimea with flights during February and March operating from or staged through Odessa.[5]

10 Nov 43: 4.St. Ju 52 crash landed at Fp. Nikolayev in bad weather, 25%.

10 Nov 43: Ju 52 crash landed at Fp. Nikolayev, 25%.

15 Dec 43: 1.St. Ju 52 crash landed at Petrikov (117 km ESE of Lvov?), 50%.

26 Dec 43: 3.St. Ju 52 ran out of fuel and force landed at Breslau-Gandau, 70%.

1 Jan 44: at Zhitomir-North.[6]

22 Jan 44: all or major elements temporarily operating from Minsk on the central sector of the Eastern Front.[7]

6 Feb 44: at Odessa.[8]

26 Mar 44: transferred to Lvov/SE Poland to take part in a large-scale effort to keep Pz.AOK 1 supplied with container drops as it withdrew in the vicinity of Kamenets Podolsk after being cut off by advancing Soviet forces. The air supply operation continued to 10 April.[9]

Apr 44: 3. Staffel disbanded and 4. Staffel renumbered 3. Staffel (FpÜ change dated 6 May 44).[10]

17 Apr 44: all or elements of I./TG 3 once again identified at Minsk.[11]

20 Apr 44: now at Constanţa/Romania assisting with the evacuation of Crimea where heavy fighting was underway.[12]

14 May 44: Gruppe ordered by OKL to depart Constanţa and return to Minsk.[13]


Central Russia and Balkans. (May 44 - c. Nov 44)

28 Jun 44: based at Minsk-Matshulichi under Luftflotte 6.[14]

19 Aug 44: Galatz/Romania operating under I. Fliegerkorps with elements at Plock.[15]

19 Oct 44: participated in air evacuation operations in the Balkans as Heeresgruppe E withdrew north from Greece and the Aegean via Macedonia and Serbia.[16]


Eastern Germany and Czechoslovakia. (c. Dec 44 - May 45)

31 Jan 45: Ju 52 struck an obstacle while taking off from Gebersdorf (not located – there are 8 of these in Germany), 50%.

2 Feb 45: at Cottbus under Luftflotte 6.[17]

4 Feb 45: Ju 52 (4V+CH) failed to return from operations and reported missing in the Schneidemühl (Piła) area/88 km N of Poznań, 100%, crew MIA.

14 Feb 45: Ju 52 shot down by a fighter – location not reported, 100%.

17 Feb 45: Ju 52 struck an obstacle during take-off - location not given, 100%, 1 injured.

22-23 Feb 45: 3 Ju 52s lost during container-dropping operations to garrisons cut off in the fortress cities of Breslau and Glogau, all 100%, Gruppenkommandeur Hptm. Georg-Dieter Matschullat MIA (Glogau 23 Feb).

27 Feb 45: Ju 52 crashed east of Dresden due to icing, 100%, 4 killed.

1 Mar 45: now at Senftenberg (Žamberk) - Buchwalde in northern Czechoslovakia operating under VIII. Fliegerkorps.[18]

1-6 Mar 45: 5 Ju 52s failed to return and 3 others destroyed in crashes, all in operations over Breslau.

8-14 Mar 45: 8 Ju 52s failed to return and 3 others damaged in crashes, all contingent to operations over Breslau.

9 Mar 45: elements of 2. Staffel attached to I./TG 1 at Tutow and Rerik.[19]

18 Mar 45: Ju 52 reported missing in operations over Breslau.

29 Mar 45: still at Senftenberg-Buchwalde operating under VIII. Fliegerkorps.[20]

16 Apr 45: Soviet final offensive to take Berlin begins - I./TG 3 departed Buchwalde airfield and transferred to airfields in and around Prague, mainly Prague-Tschakowitz, but lost 10 Ju 52s during massive strafing attacks by 15 groups from USAAF VIII Fighter Command on Luftwaffe airfields in Germany and Czechoslovakia. In just Bohemia, 261 Luftwaffe planes were claimed, nearly all on the ground. The remaining serviceable Ju 52s were then flown to at least three dispersal fields in Czechoslovakia.[21]

22-28 Apr 45: the elements from 2. Staffel that were attached to I./TG 1 at Tutow and Rerik took part in flying supply missions to Berlin in the week or two before the capital fell to the Red Army.[22]

25 Apr 45: now at Neuenburg an der Elbe (Nymburk)/50 km east of Prague with 24 Ju 52s and still supporting VIII. Fliegerkorps (now Lw.Kdo. 8).[23]

29-30 Apr 45: 2. and 3. Staffel flew a few night supply missions to Berlin, and then on 2 May to Breslau.

3 May 45: at Prague-Tschakowitz (Prague-Čakovice) under Luftwaffenkdo. 8.[24]

4-8 May 45: Gruppe dissolved so personnel could flee westward to avoid capture by the Russians. During these last few days, 2. and 3. Staffel are believed to have flown a few courier and VIP transport flights from the Prague area to Bavaria. Elements of the disbanded Gruppe are known to have been at Königgrätz (Hradec Králové)/96 km ENE of Prague as late as 8 May.


FpNs:Gruppenstab (L 37745)

1. Staffel (L 38059)
2. Staffel (L 38609)
3. Staffel (L 09714, L 16947)
4. Staffel (L 16947)


Kommandeur:

Maj. Hans-Hermann Ellerbrock (DKG) (1 May 43 - Jul 44?) 3/44, 5/44

Hptm. Georg-Dieter Matschullat (DKG) ( ? - 8 May 45) MIA 23 Feb 45[25]

Oberst Johannes Janzen? (acting?) ( ? - ? ) 1944-45



Also see:

BEHNKE, Johannes (Hans), Hptm.(Kr.O.).

HEISE, Karl, Oblt.(Kr.O.). Beobachter. Adjutant in Gruppenstab I./TG 3.

HOFFMANN, Leonhard, Hptm. KIA.

JASCHINSKI, Erich, Ofw. (R, DKG).

KLIETZ, Arno, Lt. Pilot. KIA.

KÖDITZ(KOEDITZ?), Alfred, Oblt.(Kr.O.)/Hptm. (R, DKG). Pilot.

MÜHLEN, Hans-Heinrich von zur, Oblt.(Kr.O.). Techn.Offz.

PAULUS, Wilhelm, Lt. (R, DKG).

STUTE, Bernhard, Oblt.?

WOLFF, August, Oblt.





© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).

(1st Draft 2022)


References

  1. ↑ G.Tessin-Verbände und Truppen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945 - Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte.
  2. ↑ LR evidence.
  3. ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
  4. ↑ Flugbuch Näke, 1./TG 3, in: http://yogysoft.de/pawel/_kursk/units_pdf/transporter.pdf.
  5. ↑ PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts; F.Morzik-German Air Force Airlift Operations.
  6. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
  7. ↑ AIR 40/1977.
  8. ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
  9. ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:245.
  10. ↑ N.Kannapin-Feldpostübersicht.
  11. ↑ AIR 40/1977.
  12. ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
  13. ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
  14. ↑ RG 242/T-311 roll 228, frame 491.
  15. ↑ ULTRA signal HP4114 and BNA HW 5 intercept.
  16. ↑ ULTRA signal HP4114.
  17. ↑ T-321 roll 50 (Luftflotte 6 Anlagen) document.
  18. ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:272.
  19. ↑ Jet & Prop magazine, Heft (issue) 2/1996, p.50.
  20. ↑ T-321 roll 50, frame 876.
  21. ↑ Jakub Tomek on web site Axis History Forum, 20 Aug 2005.
  22. ↑ Jet & Prop magazine-op cit.
  23. ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:409.
  24. ↑ M.Rauchensteiner-Der Krieg in Österreich, 1945:360.
  25. ↑ Matschullat is still listed as Kdr. in Apr 45 in at least one document and in C.Zweng (p.191), so he may have survived and returned to duty.


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