KGr.z.b.V. 500
KGr. z.b.V. 500
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 500
(Unit Code: J6+)
Formation. (Dec 41)
Formed 10 December 1941 at München-Riem in S Germany 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. 500 had a Gruppenstab and four Staffeln (1. – 4.). Assigned to Lufttransportführer Mittelmeer for the airlifting of replacement personnel to North Africa and departed München-Riem for Trapani/W Sicily a few days following formation.[1]
Italy, Greece, Crete and North Africa. (Dec 41 - Jan 42)
Dec 41: on arriving in the Mediterranean theater, initial flights were from Greece via Crete to Derna and Benina in Libya and from Sicily to Tripoli.[2]
19 Dec 41: Ju 52 (TN+BR) crashed into the sea near Crete, 100%, 4 MIA.[3]
22 Dec 41: two of the Gruppe’s Staffeln ordered to transfer to Tripoli.[4]
23 Dec 41: a man belonging to the Gruppe was KIA during an RAF bomber raid on Arae Philaenorum/195 km SSW of Benghazi.
1 Jan 42: Ju 52 damaged in runway accident on Lampedusa Is. to the south of Sicily.
6 Jan 42: Ju 52 damaged in runway accident at Fp. Reggio Calabria/S Italy.
10 Jan 42: Ju 52 damaged in runway accident on Pantelleria Is. to the south of Sicily.
15 Jan 42: Gruppe began transferring from the Mediterranean to North Russia with a rest and refit delay in Germany en-route.[5]
North Russia. (Feb 42 - Nov 42)
26 Feb 42: arrived at Pskov-West from Germany to take part in the Demyansk airlift operation, a massive effort to fly supplies to II. Armeekorps with 6 divisions totaling 95,000 men that had become encircled on 9 February when Soviet II Guards Rifle Corps cut the last German supply road and the encirclement of the Demyansk pocket was virtually completed. The official, formal start date of the Demyansk airlift was on 12 February. With airlift headquarters at Pskov, 15 transport groups were eventually assembled for the operation, many of the Ju 52s and other aircraft coming from hastily mobilized school assets as well as the active Transportgruppen.[6]
20 Apr 42: Gruppe strengthened with the incorporation of the remaining assets of KGr.z.b.V. Oels (based at Kaunas/Lithuania on 19 April) on or about this date.[7]
7 May 42: 2 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Demyansk during a Russia air attack, 100%, 1 KIA and 2 WIA.
8 Jun 42: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Demyansk, 100%.
14 Jun 42: Ju 52 damaged undercarriage while landing at Fp. Tuleblya/21 km SSW of Lake Ilmen, 60%.
20 Jun 42: Ju 52 (W.Nr 7406) crash-landing at Pleskau due to engine trouble, 40% damage.
6 Jul 42: Ju 52 crash landed at Demyansk, 60%.
17 Jul 42: a man belonging to the Gruppe’s ground staff was struck and killed by a propeller at Fp. Pskov-West.
18 Jul 42: Ju 52 crashed at Fp. Ostrov/50 km S of Pskov due to engine failure, 75%.
15 Aug 42: still based at Pskov-West.[8]
16 Aug 42: Ju 52 rammed on the ground by another aircraft at Peski/near Demyansk, 70%.
21 Aug 42: 2 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Demyansk, 100% and 70%.
21 Aug 42: transferred from Pskov-West to Riga-Spilve in Latvia on or about this date.[9]
4 Sep 42: 3 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Demyansk, all 100%, 5 KIA and 8 WIA.
9 Nov 42: Riga-Spilve with elements at Paderborn.[10]
15 Nov 42: Ju 52 damaged at Fp. Königsberg-Devau due to icing, 30%.
25 Nov 42: Ju 52 crashed SE of Tilsit/East Prussia, 100%, 4 crew KIA and 8 Luftwaffe passengers KIA.
30 Nov 42: identified at Zichenau (Ciechanów)/78 km NNW of Warsaw, but not known whether it was based there or elements of the Gruppe were just passing through.[11]
South Russia and Germany. (Dec 42 - Apr 43)
Dec 42: transferred to South Russia at the beginning of December to take part in the Stalingrad airlift operation under VIII. Fliegerkorps.[12]
5-7 Dec 42: operating from Fp. Tatsinskaya - 3 Ju 52s reported destroyed at Stalingrad-Pitomnik following supply flights to the city, all 100%.
8 Dec 42: a man belonging to the Gruppe’s ground staff reported KIA at Fp. Tatsinskaya - cause not given.
15 Dec 42: Gruppe in transfer to Oblivskaya.[13]
8-24 Dec 42: 11 Ju 52s reported destroyed or severely damaged at Stalingrad-Pitomnik, Basargino/22 km WSW of Stalingrad and Salsk/165 km ESE of Rostov during intense efforts to fly supplies to 6. Armee surrounded in Stalingrad, 5 KIA and 8 MIA.
24 Dec 42: all or elements now at Stalino-North.[14]
8 Jan 43: Ju 52 (CH+HR) failed to return from a flight between Salsk and Pitomnik, 100%, 4 MIA.
11 Jan 43: Ju 52 crash-landed SW of Salsk, 50%.
17 Jan 43: 2 Ju 52s bombed on the ground at Fp. Sverevo/85 km SE of Voroshilovgrad, both 100%.
21 Jan 43: Ju 52 bombed on the ground at Fp. Sverevo, 100%.
30 Jan 43: Ju 52 (DM+WL) failed to return from a supply flight to Stalingrad, 100%, 4 MIA.
3 Feb 43: Ju 52 caught fire at Fp. Taganrog/60 km W of Rostov, 75%.
5 Feb 43: Ju 52 crashed at Fp. Taganrog in bad weather, 60%.
6-12 Feb 43: transferred to Kherson/S Ukraine and assigned to airlift operations into the Taman Peninsula (Kuban Bridgehead) in North Caucasia.[15]
30 Mar 43: Ju 52 force-landed near Krimskaya on the Taman Peninsula, 60%.
1 Apr 43: Ju 52 crashed and burned near Görlitz/86 km E of Dresden in Germany, 2 crew KIA and 5 passengers WIA. The Gruppe had begun transferring on or about this date from Kherson to Weimar-Nohra to rest, refit and re-equip.[16]
1 May 43: renamed II./TG 4 at Weimar-Nohra.[17]
FpN:Gruppenstab and 1. – 4. Staffel (L 40419)
Kommandeur:
Maj./Obstlt. Ludwig Beckmann (RK) (10 Dec 41 - 1943)
Maj. Günter Mauss? ( ? - ? ) 1942
Obstlt. Hans Schweitzer? ( ? - ? ) 2/42
Maj. Kurt Schneidenberger? ( ? - ? ) 1942
Maj. Josef Penkert? ( ? - ? )? 1942-43
Hptm. Dr.(jur.) Hermann (Ernst-Hermann) Mersmann? ( ? - ? ) 1943
Obstlt. Gustav Damm (DKG) (c. Jan 43 - 1 May 43)
Also see:
AHRENS, Paul, Lt.
ALBERTS, Hinrich(Heinrich?), Lt. Pilot. WIA.
BAACK, Wolfgang, Hptm. Staka 2./KGr.z.b.V. 500.
BARTEL, Fritz, Hptm./Maj. Attached.
BENZ, Kurt, Hptm. Pilot. RK. Staka 1./KGr.z.b.V. 500.
BERGER, Fritz, Hptm. Staka 2./KGr.z.b.V. 500.
BUNZEL, Rudolf, Oblt.(Kr.O.).
FITZ, Hans Werner, Lt. Pilot.
GUDERIAN, Klaus (Claus?), Lt. KIA.
HADERER, Gustav, Lt./Oblt. Pilot? Staka in KGr.z.b.V. 500?
HUYS, Bernhard, Lt./Oblt.d.R. Beobachter.
KAUFMANN, Ernst, Hptm. Pilot.
KLAEMBT (KLÄMBT?), Klaus, Oblt. Pilot. Staka 4./KGr.z.b.V. 500?
MEHLERT, Günther, Oblt. Pilot?
MICHAELIS, Rudolf, Ofw. RK.
PLIEFKE, Helmut Erich, Lt. Pilot.
RAABE, Hermann, Oblt. KIA.
SCHLIERMANN, Herman, Ofw. Pilot? RK.
SCHRÖDER, Wilhelm, Oblt.d.R. KIA.
SCHWANEBERG, Edgar, Oblt./Hptm. Pilot. Staka 3./KGr.z.b.V. 500.
SIEGEL, Hans-Joachim, Hptm.
STAHNKE Karl-Heinz, Lt. Pilot.
STREIT, Kurt, Lt.
VETTERELEIN, Hans Joachim, Lt.(Kr.O.). MIA.
ZIEGLER, Armin, Lt.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ F.Morzik- German Air Force Airlift Operations:124.
- ↑ PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence documents based on ULTRA and “Y” Service intercepts.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
- ↑ PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal (number not recorded).
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:125.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:137-175.
- ↑ F.Morzik-op cit:406.
- ↑ LR evidence.
- ↑ NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-311 (Record of Heeresgruppe Nord), roll and frame numbers not recorded.
- ↑ RG 242/T-311-op cit.
- ↑ (source unknown; probably a stray mention in German document).
- ↑ G.Tessin-Tes.
- ↑ PRO London: AIR 40/1979.
- ↑ AIR 40/1982.
- ↑ G.Tessin-op cit.
- ↑ Air Ministry intelligence documents-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.
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