Luftgaukommando Moskau
Luftgaukommando Moskau
(FpN: L 46350)
Kommandierender General
Gen.d.Flieger Veit Fischer (23 Oct 41 - 31 Mar 43)
Gen.Maj. Gustav Siess, acting (22 Feb 43 - 1 Apr 43)
Subordination:
Luftwaffenkdo. Ost (Nov 41 - Mar 43)
Subordinate Commands:
Kommando Flughafenbereiche (airfield regional commands) and Fliegerhorstkommandanturen (air base commands), Luftnachrichten (air force signals), Sanitäts (medical), Flak (antiaircraft), numerous ground service and support units located within its territory of authority. These changed frequently and in the absence of surviving source documentation it is not possible to list them accurately or completely.
Formation and History. (Oct 41 - Mar 43)
Ordered formed (officially) 1 November 1941 at Vyazma on the central sector of the Russian Front during Operation “Taifun” (Typhoon), the all-out German offensive toward Moscow, from an advance party of officers and other personnel from Stab/Luftgaukdo. IV in Dresden/Germany. The headquarters of the Luftgaukdo. was to be set up in Moscow following the capture of the Soviet capital, but the Russians counterattacked and drove the Germans back. Instead, the Luftgaukdo. was established in Smolensk but retained its original name. It was the sole Luftgaukommando on the central sector of the Eastern Front and supported Luftwaffenkommando Ost’s operations from the Rzhev area south to around Kursk. All airfield commands, servicing and support units located in·that sector came under Luftgaukdo. Moskau.[1]
Central Russia
Apr 42: Stab in Smolensk.
Feb 43: most of the Stab transferred from Smolensk to Minsk due to a German withdrawal from the Vyazma area to the northeast of Smolensk by Pz.AOK 3 (3d Panzer Army) and other forces. Only a forward element or command post is believed to have remained in Smolensk after this date, mainly to serve as liaison with headquarters Lw.Kdo. Ost.
1 Apr 43: renamed Luftgaukommando XXVII.
Flugbereitschaft Luftgaukommando Moskau
(FpN: none found)
Formation, History and Losses. (Oct 41 - Mar 43)
No information has so far come to light about the duty flight assigned to Luftgaukdo. Moskau, except for the aircraft lost and damaged reports noted below and a few scattered location listings from surviving documents. The few reports suggest that the Flugbereitschaft only had approximately 3 to 5 aircraft.[2]
17 May 42: a Fi 156 belonging to Flugbereitschaft Luftgaukdo. Moskau crashed near Gzhatsk airstrip, 100%, pilot injured.
22 May 42: Flugbereitschaft Luftgaukdo. Moskau based at Smolensk.
23 Oct 42: a Fi 156 crashed near Tolochin, 100%, pilot killed.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress).
(1st Draft 2006)
Return to Commands
References
- ↑ G.Tessin- Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945, Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte (Osnabrück, 1980); K.Mehner/R.Teuber - Die deutsche Luftwaffe 1939-1945: Führung und Truppe (Norderstedt: 1993); H.Plocher - The German Air Force Versus Russia, 1942, USAF Historical Studies: No. 154 (New York, 1968); N.Kannapin - Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945, 3 Bde (I – III) (Osnabrück, 1980-82); PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signals; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (scattered microfilm citations found in T-321, T-405, and T-971); (T-77 Luftwaffenpersonalamt officer assignment orders); BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 20 and RL 40/Kart files.
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).