Luftwaffenkommando Don
Luftwaffenkommando Don
(FpN: L 05489)
Kommandierender General und Befehlshaber:
Gen.Lt. Günther Korten (26 Aug 42 - 17 Feb 43)
Subordinate Commands and Units:
Combat
3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 22
3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 100
NAGr. 10
I./JG 52
III./St.G. 2
I./KG 1
I. and III./KG 3
10. Flakdivision
Formation, Territorial Authority and Headquarters Locations:
(See below)
Formation and History. (Aug 42 - Feb 43)
Formed 26 August 1942 in Kharkov/S Russia (ex-Stab (Gen.Kdo.)/I. Fliegerkorps, which
had been reassigned from N Russia to S Russia at end of June 1942) for support of the newly created Heeresgruppe B and, from late Nov 1942, both Heeresgruppe B and Heeresgruppe Don. In command of air operations along the middle Don sector between Voronezh and the area north of Stalingrad, but subordinated to OKL in Berlin rather than Luftflotte 4. Lw.-Kdo. Don initially had only a small complement of around 80 first-line combat aircraft (1 bomber Gruppe and 2 fighter Gruppen) to cover a 480 kilometer front. Following the massive Soviet counteroffensive along the Stalingrad front that began on 19 Nov 1942, Lw.-Kdo. Don was gradually reinforced, especially after mid-December. Stab/Lw.-Kdo. Don or an advanced tactical HQ of it was located at Starobelsk/SE of Kharkov in December. In January, its bombers flew interdiction missions against Soviet railway lines east of the Don and hit enemy infantry and tank concentrations around Millerovo to the west of Stalingrad. On 17 Feb 1943, Lw.-Kdo. Don reverted back to its former designation (I. Fliegerkorps).[1]
Flugbereitschaft Luftflottenkommando Don
Formation, History and Losses. (Aug 42 - Feb 43)
Formed 26 August 1942 as a component of Lw.-Kdo. Don (ex-Flugbereitschaft/I. Fliegerkorps). Reverted back to its former designation on 17 February 1943.
29 Aug 42: Bf 108 D-1 crash landed at Fp. Rossosh, 10%.
9 Sep 42: Fh 104 A-1 force landed at Grigorovka along the Don in poor visibility, 15%.
12 Oct 42: Bf 108 B-1 crash landed at Fp. Millerovo due to a strong cross wind, 10%.
19 Dec 42: Fi 156 “trop” crash landed near Starobelsk, 30%.
20 Dec 42: Fi 156 “trop” damaged landing at Fp. Rossosh, 45%.
26 Dec 42: Fi 156 “trop” bombed on the ground at Fp. Rossosh, 20%.
5 Feb 43: Fi 156 destroyed at Volchansk/62 km NE of Kharkov to prevent capture by the advancing Russians, 100%.
9 Feb 43: Fi 156 destroyed at Kharkov to prevent capture by the advancing Russians, 100%.
© H.L. deZeng IV, 2023
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References
- ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); G.Tessin-Tes; British Air Ministry-Rise&Fall:180-82; Plocher-GAF 1942:231-32; K-O.Hoffmann-Ln.-:187; M.Holm-website ww2.dk.