KGr.z.b.V. 7

KGr.z.b.V. 7

Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 7

(Unit Code: ?)

Formation. (Feb 42)

Formed during the first half of February 1942, possibly at Lvov/SE Poland, from school units as part of the emergency mobilization of provisional transport formations to help meet the crisis on the northern and central sectors of the Eastern Front prompted by the Russian counterattack west of Moscow in early December 1941. It is not known whether the Gruppe was built out to a Gruppenstab and four Staffeln, but it is said to have consisted of a mixture of different types of aircraft, mainly Ju 52s and Ju 86s.

North Russia. (Feb 42 - May 42)

18 Feb 42: based at Lemberg (Lvov)/SE Poland - ordered this date to transport Polizei-Btl. 310 with 600 men to the airfields at Siverskaya and Gatchina/near Leningrad, and on completion to transfer to Neukuhren/E Prussia for further tasks; a few days later it airlifted I./Feld-Rgt.d.Lw. 5 from-Prowehren/E Prussia to Siverskaya, and then returned to Neukuhren.

5 Mar 42: transferred to N Russia o/a this date - possibly from Fp. Oels/27 km NE of Breslau - to participate in the Demyansk airlift as a mixed Gruppe with Ju 52s and Ju 86s, but was deactivated at the end of March 1942 and its aircraft and personnel used to bring other units up to strength. A Ju 86 from the Gruppe made a belly landing at Fp. Pskov-South this date, this being one of the principal airfields used for the Demyansk operation.

Apr 42 or May 42: there is a photo of a Ju 86E of 3./KGr. z.b.V. 7 taken immediately after the Demyansk operation, and purports to show a "previously unknown" unit emblem" - actually, two emblems are shown that have not been seen before.

19 May 42: order issued this date for the Gruppe’s deactivation or disbandment - aircraft and personnel were to be used to fill up other units.

FpN:(L 35836)

Kommandeur:

(unknown)

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

(1st Draft 2022)

References

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