KGr.z.b.V. 4
KGr.z.b.V. 4
(Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 4)
Formation. (Feb 42)
Formed at the end of January or beginning of February 1942 in response to the desperate situation on the Eastern Front brought on by the Russian counteroffensive west of Moscow. The place of formation in Germany has not been determined, but it is known that many of the aircraft (Ju 52s) and crews were obtained from KGr.z.b.V. 102, then at Braunschweig-Waggum resting and refitting.[1]
North Russia and South Russia. (Feb 42 - Aug 42)
19 Feb 42: at Stettin-Altdamm - ordered this date to transport the SS-Norwegen-Brigade (1,200 men) to Siverskaya and Krasnogvardeisk near Leningrad. On completion of this task, the Gruppe was to transfer all of its Ju 86s to Seerappen in East Prussia and its Ju 52s and Ju 90s to Berlin-Staaken.[2]
22 Feb 42: previous task largely completed, began transporting V./SS-Liebstandarte (1,000 men) from Berlin-Staaken to the same destination. When these missions concluded several days later, the entire Gruppe assembled at Seerappen where its Ju 86s were handed over to KGr.z.b.V. 8.[3]
2 Mar 42: transferred from Seerappen to Riga/Latvia o/a this date to begin participation in the mass-scale airlift operations southeast of Lake Ilmen. Unlike most of the other Transportgruppen that were assigned to hauling supplies into the Demyansk pocket, KGr.z.b.V. 4 from 10 April onward was committed exclusively to dropping supplies to the garrison surrounded in Kholm. To better accomplish its new task, Luftflotte 1 ordered it to transfer from Riga to Heiligenbeil/East Prussia on the same date.[4]
Apr 42: Gruppe began transferring from East Prussia to South Russia for operations in support of Luftflotte 4. From mid-April to the beginning of May, KGr.z.b.V. 4 hauled personnel, fuel, supplies and munitions into Crimea, the Donets Basin and then along the route of march toward the Don and Stalingrad.[5]
15 Apr 42: Ju 52 damaged taking off from Fp. Nikolayev in S Ukraine, 40%.[6]
8 May 42: Ju 52 crash landed at Fp. Grammatikovo/Crimea, 25%.
20 May 42: Ju 52 (G6+BS) reported missing on a flight from Kharkov to Zürichtal/Crimea, 100%, 4 MIA.
28 May 42: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Saki/Crimea, 100%.
15 Jun 42: ordered disbanded this date, but the order was later rescinded.[7]
14 Jul 42: Ju 52 shot down by AA fire near Millerovo to the west of Stalingrad, 100%, 4 KIA.
14 Jul 42: Ju 52 shot up near Slavyansk/NNW of Stalino, 70%, 1 KIA and 1 WIA.
16 Jul 42: Ju 52 (KD+IF) reported missing on a flight from Kharkov-Voichenko to Mariyevka/30 km NW of Rossosh, 100%, 4 MIA.
20 Jul 42: Ju 52 collided with another aircraft on the ground at Fp. Yelenovka/20 km SW of Stalino, 100%.
3 Aug 42: He 111 crash-landed at Fp. Oblivskaya/WSW of Stalingrad, 40%.
Aug – Dec 42: no information on the Gruppe’s location and activities has been found.
22 Dec 42: a Ju 52 in the markings of this Gruppe crashed near Gatchina on the Leningrad Front, 90%, 5 WIA.
1943: no information - its Feldpostnummer was finally deleted on 3 Aug 43, but this does not mean that it existed until that date. In all probability, it was deactivated or dissolved on return to Germany in August 1942 and the aircraft and crews returned to the FFS C schools.
FpN:(L 06535)
Kommandeur:
Hptm. Rudolf Krause (Mar 42 - May 42)
Hptm. Georg Joas (May 42 - ? )
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ AFHRA Maxwell: decimal 512.619 British AirMin CSDIC P/W Interrogation Reports in microfilm rolls A5415-18, interrogation CSDIC AFHQ A.32.
- ↑ NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-312 roll 812, frame 8470400.
- ↑ T-312 roll 812, frame 8470554.
- ↑ F.Morzik-German Air Force Airlift Operations:147, 173A; PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal CX/MSS/879/T23.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:403.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
- ↑ G.Tessin-Tes.
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