KGr.z.b.V. 200
KGr. z.b.V. 200
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 200
(Unit Code: used KG 40 code F8+)
Formation. (Dec 42)
Formed at the end of November or beginning of December 1942 at Berlin-Staaken as a provisional transport unit for employment in the Stalingrad airlift operation. Consisted of a Gruppenstab and two Fw 200 Staffeln, the first of which was equipped with 11 Fw 200s temporarily taken from IV./KG 40 and the second with 10 Fw 200s taken from I./KG 40.[1]
South Russia. (Jan 43 - Feb 43)
Jan 43: transferred from Berlin-Staaken to Stalino at the end of December or beginning of January to begin airlift operations to Stalingrad.[2]
10 Jan 43: 2 Fw 200s (incl. F8+HW) destroyed at Stalingrad-Pitomnik, 100% and 90%, 5 WIA and 5 MIA.
12 Jan 43: Fw 200 reported missing on a flight from Stalingrad-Gumrak, 100%, 6 MIA.
12 Jan 43: Ju 290 crashed while taking off from Stalingrad-Pitomnik, 95%, 5 crew KIA and 1 WIA, 40 passengers KIA and 35 WIA. The passengers were mostly wounded being evacuated from the surrounded city.
16 Jan 43: Fw 200 blown up by German troops at Fp. Stalingrad-Pitomnik to prevent capture by the enemy.
18 Jan 43: transferred from Stalino to Zaporozhye.[3]
22 Jan 43: Fw 200 shot up by Russian fighters in the vicinity of Voroshilovgrad, 50%.
23 Jan 43: Fw 200 shot up by Russian fighters in the vicinity of Voroshilovgrad, 40%.
31 Jan 43: Fw 200 (F8+GW) failed to return from a flight to Stalingrad - no details, 100%, 6 MIA.
Feb 43: following the conclusion of the Stalingrad airlift, Grossadmiral Doenitz recalled KGrzbV 200 so it could continue operations over the Atlantic. However, due to the situation now being encountered in the Kuban (North Caucasia), these orders were temporarily countermanded as the unit was needed for short-term combat and supply missions for Luftflotte 4 in the Kuban.
Feb 43: operating from Zaporozhye, the Gruppe began flying supplies to Krasnodar and Slavyanskaya in North Caucasia after the surrender of Stalingrad on 2 February. On the return flights, the Fw 200s brought out 55 tons of copper, vital to the German war industry, and 830 wounded who were evacuated to rear area hospitals.
4 Feb 43: a number of specialist mechanics arrived at Zaporozhye from IV./KG 40 based at Chateaudun in France.
5 Feb 43: six Fw 200s moved supplies from Zaporozhe to Slavyanskaya, then flew two missions between Slavyanskaya and Kerch IV - they returned with a similar cargo of wounded and copper.
6 Feb 43: seven Fw 200s flew supplies from Zaporozhe to Krasnodar and then returned to Zaporozhe via Bagerovo/Crimea.
8 Feb 43: six Fw 200s brought up ammunition from Zaporozhe to Timashevskaya and brought out soldiers and wounded personnel to Bagerovo. They then flew supplies from Bagerovo to Krasnodar and finally returned to Zaporozhe laden with more copper.
9 Feb 43: orders were issued for the Gruppe to prepare to return to Berlin-Staaken. Three Fw 200s flew supplies from Zaporozhe to Krasnodar, flew back to Mariupol (Zhdanov) taking more supplies forward to Slavyanskaya and then returned to Zaporozhe.
10 Feb 43: two Fw 200s flew similar missions to those flown on 5 February.
11 Feb 43: four Fw 200s flew similar missions to those flown on 5 February.
12 Feb 43: three Fw 200s flew similar missions to those flown on 5 February.
12 Feb 43: Fw 200 crash landed at Berlin-Staaken in bad weather, 40%.
13 Feb 43: one Fw 200 flew the unit’s final mission from Zaporozhe to an unknown airfield within the Kuban Bridgehead. The airfields at Krasnodar and Timashevskaya had by now been evacuated.
13 Feb 43: ordered to leave South Russia for Berlin-Staaken, but this was delayed and the first aircraft did not depart until 22 February. One of the deciding factors in favour of withdrawing the Fw 200s from the supply missions was their vulnerability once the Russian artillery was within range of the landing grounds. On arrival at Staaken the Gruppe was immediately disbanded and the aircraft and crews returned to KG 40. The remnants of 1. and 3./KG 40 were then combined to create a new 8./KG 40. [4]
FpN:(none assigned)
Kommandeur:
Maj. Hans-Jürgen Willers (1 Jan 43 - 28 Feb 43)
Also see:
HÄNIG, Walter, Flugkapitän. KIA.
SCHULTE-VOGELHEIM, Franz, Oblt. Staka.
WISKANDT, Hugo, Maj.d.R.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
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