KGr.z.b.V. 400
KGr. z.b.V. 400
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 400
(Unit Code: 4F+)
Formation. (Dec 41)
Formed 7 December 1941 at Hildesheim/29 km SE of Hannover using instructor personnel from a number of FFS C (multi-engine) and BFS (instrument) schools along with Ju 52 transports taken from 25 or more units, schools and Luftwaffe establishments. Organizationally, KGr.z.b.V. 400 had a Gruppenstab and four Staffeln (1. – 4.). Assigned to Lufttransportführer Mittelmeer and departed Hildesheim on 9 December for Foggia and Brindisi to reinforce airlift operations between Italy and North Africa.[1]
Italy, Greece, Crete and North Africa. (Dec 41 - Nov 42
Dec 41: on arrival in Italy the Gruppe was initially assigned to transport replacement personnel to North Africa. Flights to Tripoli and elsewhere in Libya were mainly staged through Trapani/Sicily and airfields on Crete.[2]
12 Dec 41: Ju 52 (9G+HH) shot down by a fighter near Crete, 100%, 4 MIA.[3]
14 Dec 41: Ju 52 struck an obstacle near Foggia, 100%, 4 KIA and 1 WIA.
15 Dec 41: Ju 52 (GA+WX) shot down by a fighter off the west coast of Greece, 100%, 4 MIA.
19 Dec 41: 3.St. Ju 52 crashed near Heraklion (Iráklion)/Crete, 100%, Staffelkapitän Oblt. Hermann Bäuerle WIA plus 4 KIA.
19 Dec 41: 2 Ju 52s (incl. DE+TY) from 1. Staffel crashed into the sea off Crete, both 100%, 2 KIA and 5 MIA.
22 and 29 Dec 41: 4 Ju 52s strafed and bombed on the ground during RAF attacks on Castel Benito and El Agheila, all 100%, no casualties.
23 Jan 42: Gruppe now based at Catania/Sicily with 3. Staffel detached at Trapani.[4]
3 Feb 42: 3.St. Ju 52 crashed while taking off from Fp. Trapani, 60%.
18 Mar 42: transferred from Catania to Brindisi and began airlifting replacement personnel at an average rate of 700 men a day from Brindisi to Athens and then to Crete.[5]
10 Apr 42: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Malemes (Máleme)/NW Crete, 100%.
21 Apr 42: operating from Fp. Malemes.
12 May 42: 4 Ju 52s shot down by fighters on a flight from Malemes to Derna/Libya, all 100%, all crew personnel either KIA or MIA.
12 Jun 42: Ju 52 sabotaged at Fp. Benina near Benghazi, 100%.
Jul 42: still at Brindisi assigned to Lufttransportführer Mittelmeer.[6]
24 Jul 42: 1.St. Ju 52 crashed at Tobruk due to engine failure, 60%.
15 Aug 42: at Brindisi.[7]
24 Aug 42: Ju 52 crashed at Tobruk due to engine trouble, 80%.
Sep – Oct 42: operating from Athens-Tatoi to North Africa via Malemes/Crete transporting personnel, equipment and fuel.[8]
7 Oct 42: 2 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Fp. Malemes, both 100%.
30 Oct 42: Ju 52 shot down by a fighter at Marsa Matruh/W Egypt, 100%, 1 WIA.
31 Oct 42: Ju 52 shot down by a fighter near Marsa Matruh, 100%, 2 WIA.
18 Nov 42: Ju 52 shot down by a fighter near Benghazi, 100%, 1 KIA.
18 Nov 42: Ju 52 destroyed on the ground during a low-level enemy raid on Fp. Sidi el Magrun/SSE of Benghazi, 100%.
25 Nov 42: Gruppe ordered withdrawn from the Mediterranean theater and transferred to Braunschweig-Waggum to rest and refit.[9]
Germany, Poland, Russia and France. (Dec 42 - Apr 43)
Jan 43: refitting at Braunschweig-Waggum pending assignment to Luftflotte 4 in South Russia.[10]
28 Jan 43: Ju 52 crashed at Warsaw due to severe icing, 100%, 4 crew and 18 military passengers WIA.
19 Feb 43: Ju 52 crashed NE of Radom/Poland, 100%, 3 KIA.
27 Mar 43: Ju 52 struck the ground, crashed and burned at Condedes (not located), 100%, 4 KIA.
13 Apr 43: transferred from Braunschweig-Waggum to Mons-en-Chaussée/19 km WNW of St-Quentin in NE France on or about this date.[11]
15-30 Apr 43: said to have moved to South France during the second half of April, so Mons-en-Chaussée may have been just a temporary stop along the way.[12]
1 May 43: renamed III./TG 4.[13]
FpN:Gruppenstab (L 43116)
1. Staffel (L 43705)
2. Staffel (L 44328)
3. Staffel (L 44940)
4. Staffel (L 45448)
Kommandeur:
Obstlt. Otto Pfister (7 Dec 41 - 1 Feb 43)
Maj. Herbert Heyer (1 Feb 43 - 1 May 43)
Also see:
BÄNSCH, Paul, Lt. Pilot.
BÄUERLE, Hermann, Oblt. Pilot. Staka 3./KGr.z.b.V. 400.
DÖLLING, Heinrich, Oblt.d.R. Pilot? Staka 4./KGr.z.b.V. 400.
CLAUSEN, ? , Hptm. Pilot?
FESKEWERTH, ? , Oblt.
HEIMISCH, Erwin, Hptm. Staka 1./KGr.z.b.V. 400.
HORNUNG, Walter, Maj. Pilot. RK. Staka 4./KGr.z.b.V. 400.
JÖLING, ? , Oblt. WIA.
KADEL, Wilhelm, Oblt.(Kr.O.). WIA.
KRUMMRICH, Alfred, Lt.(Kr.O./Ln.).
NIELMANN, Werner, Lt. MIA.
REUSS, ? , Oblt. Staffelführer 1./KGr. z.b.V. 400.
RICHTER, Kurt, Hptm. Pilot. Staka 2./KGr.z.b.V. 400.
RISCHBIETER, Arnold, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
SCHEUNPFLUG, Hans, Hptm.
SCHOLZ, Otto, Oblt.
SELHAUSEN, Dietrich, Oblt. Pilot. Stafü 1./KGr.z.b.V. 400. WIA.
STEIN, Josef, Oblt. Pilot.
STEINER, ? , Oblt. Pilot.
STEINHAUSEN, Dietrich, Oblt. WIA.
TINNER, Rudolf, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
WASSERKAMPF, Gerhard, Oblt.
ZANDER, Hans, Hptm. Pilot. Staka 4./KGr.z.b.V. 400.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
Additional Notes and Losses
14.4.42: Ju 52 (W.Nr. 6352) Brindisi, crashlanding due to bad weather, 10%.[14]
References
- ↑ G.Tessin-Tes; K.Kössler-Transporter – wer kennt sie schon!: Die Kennzeichen der Transportfliegerverbände der Luftwaffe von 1937-1945:22; F.Morzik- German Air Force Airlift Operations:124.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit; PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signals.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
- ↑ ULTRA signal (number not recorded); PRO London: AIR 40/1996.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:126.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:128.
- ↑ PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
- ↑ ULTRA signal QT4862.
- ↑ ULTRA signal QT6860.
- ↑ G.Tessin-op cit.
- ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents-op cit.
- ↑ K.Kössler-op cit.
- ↑ Ob.d.L. order Nr. 7794/43 in Bukowski/Trilus-Fliegerhorst Schönwalde/Berlin: Ausbildungs-und Erprobungsstätte der Luftwaffe 1935-1945:115; K.Kössler-op cit; G.Tessin-op cit; N.Kannapin-Feldpostübersicht.
- ↑ RL2-III/1180 30.4.42 pg 5 entry 52
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