Nachtaufklärungsstaffel 2

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Nachtaufklärungsstaffel 2

(Unit Code: K7 + )


also as: Nachtflugstaffel 2 (June 1941 – April 1942)
Nachtaufkl.St. 2 d.Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.H. (April 1942 - c. November 1942)
2.(F)/Nacht (short form in use 1942-1945)



Formation. (June 1941)

Formed 1 June 1941 with Dornier Do l7s for the campaign in the East. The place of formation is not known.[1]


Central Russia. (June 1941 – June 1944)

June 1941 – September 1941: although no mention of the Staffel has so far been found for this

period in primary sources, secondary sources place it at Dubowo/13 km south-west of Suwałki in north-east Poland at the start of the attack on Russia on 22 June 1941. It moved forward to Smolensk-North in August and remained there until early 1943. The Staffel’s mission was to provide night photographic reconnaissance support to Wehrmacht forces on the central sector of the Eastern Front, coming under Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres (OKH – Commander-in-Chief of the Army) and VIII. Fliegerkorps until April 1942 when it was reassigned to Fernaufklärungsgruppe 2. It dispatched and average of 4 to 6 aircraft most nights, these being equipped with between 4 to 10 flash bombs for target illumination. The most common targets were airfields (to determine occupancy details), marshalling yards, river crossings and road traffic headed toward the front.[2]

4 October 1941: Do 17M crash landed at Zerkovichi, 40%.[3]

22 January 1942: Do 17 force landed at Smolensk-North airfield due to engine trouble, 30%.

20 February 1942: based at Smolensk-North directly under VIII. Fliegerkorps.[4]

1 March 1942: Staffel reported 11 Do 17M, 1 Do 17Z and 1 He 111 P-2 on strength.[5]

19 March 1942: Do 17M (K7+NK) failed to return from a recce mission over the Kalinin area, 100%, 3 MIA.

31 March 1942: Do 17M shot up by a fighter and crash landed at Smolensk airfield, 80%, 2 WIA.

15 May 1942: at Smolensk-North airfield under FAGr. 2.[6]

26 May 42: Do l7Z shot up by a fighter, 30%, Staka Hptm. Scholvin + 1 WIA.

18 July 1942: Do 17M (K7+NK) failed to return from operations - no details, 100%, 3 MIA.

5 September 1942: Do 17M damaged taking off from Smolensk-North, 80%, 1 killed, 2 injured.

16 September 1942: Do 17M (K7+MK) failed to return from operations south-west of Bryansk (in Pl.Qu.5312), 100%, 4 WIA.

12 October 1942: still at Smolensk-North.

15 October 1942: Oblt. Heinz/Schröder (observer) WIA by AA-fire during a mission – details lacking.

1 November 1942: Staffel reported 5 Do 17M, 4 Do 17Z and 2 Do 215 B-4 on strength.[7]

December 1942: now based at Orsha. However, this may have been only a detachment.[8]

26 December 1942: Do l7Z ran out of fuel and force landed at Terekhi, 40%, 1 injured.

30 December 1942: Do 2l5 B-5 crashed at Orsha due to engine failure, 60%, Oblt. Heinz Laubisch, Oblt. Karl Licht + 1 other all injured.

24 January 1943: Do 215B-4 force landed at Yartsevo/north-east of Smolensk due to engine fire, 30%.

29 January 1943: Do 217E failed to return from operations - no details, 100%, Staka Hptm. Schellwien (observer) + 3 all MIA.

6 February 1943: Do l7Z (K7+NK) failed to return from operations - no details, 100%, Oblt. Willi Ruser + 3 MIA.

27 February 1943: Do 217 E-4 crash landed at Smolensk, 25%.

March 1943: Staffel transferred from Smolensk to Orsha at the end of February or beginning of March as German forces east of Smolensk pulled back in a retrograde movement called Operation Büffel (Buffalo) that as a side effect placed the Luftwaffe airfields around Smolensk at increased risk from Soviet air attacks.[9]

5 March 1943: Do 17Z (K7+KK) got lost, ran out of fuel and crashed - location not reported, 100%, 4 MIA.

16 March 1943: Do 217 damaged undercarriage while taxiing at Orsha-South, 30%.

8 April 1943: Do 217 damaged landing at Orsha-South, 30%.

17 April 1943: Do l7Z (100%), Do 2l7 E-4 (60%) and Do 217 K-l (35%) destroyed or damaged during Russian air attack on Fp.Orsha-South.

20 April 1943: Do 17M damaged in repeat raid on Orsha-South, 40%.

23 April 1943: Staffel transferred from Orsha-South to Shatalovka/55 km south-east of Smolensk on or about this date; while based there over the next four months, some recce missions were staged through Orel and Orsha where one or two planes may have been temporarily stationed.[10]

25 April 1943: Do 217K crashed at Shatalovka-West, 100%, 2 killed and 2 injured.

10 May 1943: Do 217 K-1 damaged its undercarriage landing at Ore1-West, 15%.

7 June 1943: Do 217 E-4 damaged undercarriage landing at Orsha-South, 55%.

10 July 1943: at Shatalovka - Staffe1 reported 12(7) Do 217s on strength.[11]

19 July 1943: Do 217 K-1 damaged landing at Ore1-West, 50%.

22 July 1943: 2 Do 217 K-1s damaged taxiing at Shatalovka-East, 35% and 10%.

7 August 1943: Do 217 K-1 caught fire and crashed on take-off from Orsha-South when an aerial flash bomb used in night photography work accidently exploded on board, 100%, Oblt. Fritz/Kuschke (observer) + 1 injured, and 2 killed.

10 August 1943: Do 217 K-1 (K7+GK) failed to return from operations and last reported over the area south-west of Roslavl (P1.Qu.24), 100%, 4 MIA.

20 August 1943: Do 217 K-1 (K7+FK) force landed south-east of Krichev/125 km south-east of Orsha due to engine failure, 100%, Oblt. Günter Weigt (observer) + 3 MIA.

28 August 1943: Staffe1 transferred from Shatalovka to Star. Bykhov airfield/42 km south of Mogilev on or about date.[12]

9 September 1943: Do 217 K-1 shot up by AA-fire and crash landed at Star. Bykhov, 45%.

11 September 1943: Do 217 K-1 damaged undercarriage landing at Star. Bykhov, 35%.

18 September 1943: Do 217E destroyed in a landing collision with a Ju 52 at Star. Bykhov, 100%, 4 killed.

September 1943: Staffe1 transferred from Star. Bykhov to Baranowicze airfield/130 km south-west of Minsk, but missions were frequently staged through Orsha.[13]

11 October 1943: He 111 H-11 (K7+UK) failed to return from operations over the Smo1ensk area, 100%, 4 MIA.

11 October 1943: Ju 88 C-6 belly landed at Orsha-South due to technical problems, 20%.

20 November 1943: He 111 H-11 crash landed at Baranowicze airfield, 20%.

25 November 1943: Do 217 E-4 damaged its undercarriage at Baranowicze, probably while landing, 40%.

1 December 1943: Staffel reported 4 Do 217 K-1, 3 D0 217 E-4, 1 Ju 88 A-4 and 1 Ju 88 C-6 on strength.[14]

December 1943 – June 1944: remained at Baranowicze, but no details.[15]

1 June 1944: Staffel reported 16 Do 217M and 2 Ju 188 F-1 on strength.[16]

22 June 1944: operating from Baranowicze, 2.(F)/Nacht provided photo coverage during the now-famous night attack on Poltava and Mirgorod airfields in Ukraine by IV.F1iegerkorps that destroyed 40+ USAAF 8th AF B-17 bombers there on a shuttle mission from England.[17]

28 June 1944: still at Baranowicze under FAGr. 2, but departed a few days later. Baranowicze was taken by Soviet forces on 8 July.[18]


Poland and North Germany. (July 1944 – May 1945)

July 1944 – October 1944: Staffel not located, but almost certainly it remained with FAGr. 2 and moved first to Nasielsk/45 km north of Warsaw and then to Thorn (Torun)/north Poland in September. Secondary sources state that it also used Brieg/40 km south-east of Breslau in Silesia between August and December 1944, but this has not been confirmed.[19]

29 November 1944: at Thorn (Torun) under FAGr. 2 with a total of 15 aircraft.[20]

1 December 1944: six additional aircraft were received giving the Staffel 19 Do 217 M-1 and 2 Ju 188 D-2 night reconnaissance aircraft.[21]

10 January 1945: Thorn with 21(11) Do 217s and Ju 188s on strength.[22]

January 1945: transferred from Thorn to Kolberg in mid-January and then to Oranienburg at the end of January with 12 Do 217Ms due to the rapid advance of the Soviet winter offensive into West Prussia and Pomerania.[23]

3 February 1945: transferred from Oranienburg to Neuruppin in strength of Do 217M 12(8); Ju 188D 0 (0).[24]

1/2 March 1945: 1 Do 217 operating in the area Küstrin-Posen-Schneidemähl-Bromberg-Thorn-Schwetz-Konitz-Tuchel dropping 5 SD 70 on motor vehicles. 3 destroyed. Additionally, 1 Do 217 operating in the area bounded by Pinne – Schwerin – Bromberg – Soldin – Pyritz-Schneidemühl-Konitz-Tuchel dropped 12 SD 70 on transport vehicles in Qu. 7454 with bombs on the target. Also, 5,000 leaflets were released over the Küstrin area.[25]

2/3 March 1945: 3 Do 217’s dropped in front of H.Gr. Weichsel 24 SD 70, 6 AB 70 on motor vehicle concentrations on the outskirts of Schwiebus in Qu. 4341 and N of Deutsch-Krohe. Fuel dump set on fire by direct hit. Flames and explosions observed.[26]

3/4 March 1945: 1 Do 217 in area Elbing Pr. Hollend – Allenstein dropped 6 AB 70 on motor vehicles in Qu. 05682 without seeing the results; 1 Do 217 operating in the area Küstrin-Pyritz-Königsberg-Landsberg-Hohensalza-Bromberg dropped 2 SD 250 on a concentration of vehicles at Arnswalde with good results, 4 SD 70 on another vehicle concentration in Vietz, but the bombs landed a little way from the target, and 5,000 leaflets for own troops; 1 Do 217 flew to the area Bärwalde-Landsberg-Posen-Küstrin-Schwiebus-Crossen and released 2 AB 250 and 4 SD 50 on a motor vehicle column, on a railway station and on a flak position on the eastern edge of Posen, the Flak position ceased firing as a result of this attack; finally, 1 Do 217 was sent the area of Köslin-Bublitz-Pollnow-Rummelsburg where it dropped 6 AB 70 on a vehicle concentration in Qu.6424 - no results were seen.[27]

4 March 1945: instructions issued that in light of the developing situation Einsatzkommando 2./(F) N to be redeployed to Neuruppin. The redeployment might be impacted by the bad weather and will probably only be possible in the morning.[28]

4 March 1945: Do 217M belly landed at Oranienburg, 65%.

5/6 March 1945: 1 Do 217 in area Kallis – Berlinchen - 15 SD 50 dropped with hits close to vehicles in Qu. 5461, and 6,000 leaflets for own troops in area Kolberg-Köslin; 1 Do 217 flew road and rail reconnaissance in front of H. Gr. Weichsel and dropped 16 SD 50 on traffic in the area SW of Stargard as well as 5,000 leaflets on own troops; 1 Do 217 operated in the area Neuruppin-Frankfurt-Schwiebus-Crossen-Küstrin-Thorn-Bromberg with 16 SD 50 dropped on motor transport near Ruppin along with 5,000 leaflets for own troops; 1 Do 217 operated near Landsberg with 16 SD 50 dropped on vehicles NW of Landesberg and N of Woldenberg.[29]

6/7 March 1945: 1 Do 217 operating in front of 3. Pz. Armee and 9. Armee. Dropped 8 SD 70 on motor transport in the Berlinchen area but the results were not seen. 5,000 leaflets were also released.[30]

8 March 1945: Staffel located at Neuruppin under FAGr 2 in a strength of Do 217 M 12 (5); Ju 188 1 (0) and Ju 88 1 (0).[31]

9 March 1945: Do 217M Wnr. 326221 (K7+GK), lost on a combat sortie vicinity of Niedwerder (Neuruppin) - Fw. Brenner (F) killed, Lt. Gebener (B), Lt. Marx (B – for instruction), Uffz. Riesz (Bf) and Uffz. Siegesmund (Bs) all injured.[32]

9/10 March 1945: 1 Do 217 in area Posen-Frankfurt-Schneidemühl-Hohenzalza dropped 30,000 leaflets for own troops; 1 Do 217 in area Pyritz-Kallis-Schwerin dropped 12 AB 70 on a vehicle column in (Qu.) 4322 with bombs detonating next to road and between vehicles without seeing the individual results, plus 30,000 leaflets released; 1 Do 217 in area Kästrin – Posen – Elbing - Graudenz – Schneidemähl – Königsberk-Neumark with 12 AB 70 dropped on vehicles in reconnaissance area without seeing results, additionally, 6,000 leaflets released for own troops and 30,000 dropped on enemy troops; 1 Do 217 in area Landsberg – Graudenz – Kunitz dropped 8 AB 70 on motor vehicles at Friedeberg, but results not seen, also 20,000 leaflets for our own troops.[33]

19 March 1945: Do 217M damaged landing at Neuruppin, 20%.

27 March 1945: Ju 188 D-2 damaged landing at Neuruppin, 25%.

29 March 1945: still at Neuruppin under FAGr. 2.[34]

7 April 1945: Staffe1 flew an evening attack on a railway station and motor transport columns with SC 70 cluster bombs, and also dropped leaflets.[35] (micros).

28 April 1945: 2.(F)/Nacht still operational in North Germany under FAGr. 2.[36]

1-8 May 1945: the Staffel is said to have moved to Beldringe airfield/8.5 km north of Odense in south Denmark and surrendered to British forces between 6 and 8 May. Nachtaufklärungsstaffel 2 lost just 16 aircraft to enemy action between 1 March 1942 and the end of December 1944, mainly due to the Soviet Air Force’s failure to develop much of a night fighter arm.



FpN: L 30751



Staffelkapitän:

Hptm. Hans-Eberhard Scholvin ( ? - ? ) 5/42

Hptm. Hans Schellwien (1942 - 29 January 1943) MIA

Hptm. Paul Palmer ( ? - ? ) 5/43

Hptm. Heinrich Engelhardt ( ? - 8 May 1945) 6/44

*(Note: Scholvin and Hptm. Schellwien are possibly one and the same)





Also see:

ANDREAS, Bruno, Lt.

FISSEL, Heinz, Oblt.

HOFFMANN, Helmut, Lt. ?

KOHN, H., Lt.

KUHN, Heinrich, Lt.

KUSCHKE, Fritz, Oblt.

LAUBISCH, Heinz Paul, Oblt.

LICHT, Karl (Karl-Heinz), Oblt.

MATTHAEUS, Karl.-Heinz, Lt.

MEIER, Hartmut, Lt./Oblt.

OTTO, Siegfried, Oblt./Hptm.

RUSER, Willi (Wilhelm), Oblt.

SCHRÖDER, Heinz, Oblt.

VALETON, Bernard, Lt.

WEIGT, Günter, Oblt.

WEIKERT, F., Oblt.





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

(1st Draft 2022)

Additional Notes and Losses

24.3.1945: Ju 188D-2 (K7+BK), crewed by Günther Kauschke, Uffz. Klein Uffz. Troeger and Nestler, left Neuruppin at 18.45 hrs for its forward base at Werneuchen, where it would be loaded with the fuel for the coming sortie.

The aircraft departed Werneuchen at 20.10 hrs on the following route – Landberg - Konitz – Kulm – Thorn – Warsaw – Lowitsch – Posen – Landsberg – Frankfurt; the aircraft was landed back at Neuruppin at 00.11 hrs on 25.3.1945 having been in the air for 4 hrs. The crew had been tasked with photographing the bridges over the Vistula at Warsaw (4 bridges destroyed and 2 still standing). In addition the crew reported sighting 2 trains and a number of motor vehicles, flak of various types was also encountered on the sortie.[37]

1.4.1945: Ju 188D-2 (K7+CK), crewed by Günther Kauschke, Uffz. Klein, Uffz. Gerok and Nestler, left Neuruppin at 16.00 hrs for the 20 minute transfer flight to Werneuchen which was its jumping off point for the next sortie.[38]

2.4.1945: Ju 188D-2 (K7+CK), crewed by Günther Kauschke, Uffz. Klein, Uffz. Gerok and Nestler, refuelled and departed Werneuchen at 21.12 hrs on the following route – Kustrin – Stettin – Belgard – Stargard – Disch.Krone – Küslin – Danzig – Königsburg – Schwerin – Crossen – Frankfurt; the aircraft landed back at Neurupppin at 02.23 hrs on 3.4.1945. The aircraft was carrying 2 SC 500s, the crew reported the sighting of 1100 motor vehicles.[39]

5.4.1945: Ju 188D-2 (K7+CK), transfer flight from Neuruppin to Finow. Departed Neuruppin at 18.05 hrs, flight time 30 minutes.[40]


References

  1. ↑ W.Dierich - Die Verbände der Luftwaffe 1935-1945: Gliederungen und Kurzchroniken – Eine Dokumentation (Stuttgart, 1976); G.Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945. 16+ Bde. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag, 1965-c.1990.
  2. ↑ D.Wadman et al - Aufklärer: Luftwaffe Reconnaissance Aircraft & Units 1935-1945 (Aldershot (Hants), 1997), pp.17-19; M.Holm – web site ww2.dk.
  3. ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs).
  4. ↑ NARA WashDC: RG 242 (Microcopy T-3l2 roll 166/526).
  5. ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen (Aircraft Availability Status Reports – FzB) in: M.Holm-website (ww2.dk).
  6. ↑ T-312 microfilms, op cit.
  7. ↑ Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen reports, op cit.
  8. ↑ PRO London: AIR 40 Air Ministry intelligence reports and lists based on ULTRA, “Y” Service intercepts, captured documents and PoW interrogations.
  9. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry, op cit.
  10. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry, op cit.
  11. ↑ Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Gen.Qu. Einsatzbereitschaft tables via the Karlsruhe Collection, Decimal K113.
  12. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry, op cit.
  13. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry, op cit.
  14. ↑ Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen reports, op cit.
  15. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry, op cit.
  16. ↑ Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen reports, op cit.
  17. ↑ NARA Microcopy T-971 (von Rohden Collection); R.Muller - The German Air War in Russia, pp.208-14.
  18. ↑ NARA T-311 roll 228/491.
  19. ↑ M.Holm – web site ww2.dk.
  20. ↑ BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 40/Kart.
  21. ↑ Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen reports, op cit.
  22. ↑ Gen.Qu. Einsatzbereitschaft tables via Archiv-v.2/6, p.25.
  23. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry, op cit.
  24. ↑ AIR 40 Air Ministry, op cit.; T321 R050 frame 4796154 - E-Meldung 3.2.1945 18.00 Uhr.
  25. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 1603.jpg frame 4758457 - Nachtschlußmeldung Lfl. 6 vom 1/2.3.1945.
  26. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 1515.jpg frame 4758369 - Nachtschlußmeldung Lfl. 6 vom 2/3.3.1945.
  27. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 1450.jpg frame 4758304 - Nachtschlußmeldung Lfl. 6 vom 3/4.3.1945.
  28. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 1472.jpg frame 4758326 - Aktennotiz 4.3.1945.
  29. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 1302.jpg frame 4758156 - Nachtschlußmeldung Lfl. 6 vom 5/6.3.1945.
  30. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 1217.jpg frame 4758071 - NTemplate:Anchor achtschlußmeldung Lfl. 6 vom 6/7.3.1945.
  31. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 1135.jpg frame 4757989 - Einsatzmeldung Gliederung der flg. Verbände des Lfl. Kdo. 6 Stand 8.3.45, 20.00 Uhr.
  32. ↑ T321 R017 KTB OKL 45-03 pg 0996.jpg frame 4757850.
  33. ↑ Various Nachtschlußmeldung Lfl. 6.
  34. ↑ Dierich – o. cit; NARA T-321 roll 50/876.
  35. ↑ NARA T-321 roll 50.
  36. ↑ AFHRA Maxwell document in decimal 512.625S.
  37. ↑ Simon Kovach collection - G. Kauschke Flugbuch and Leistungsbuch – research/translation by Dirk L.
  38. ↑ Simon Kovach collection - G. Kauschke Flugbuch and Leistungsbuch – research/translation by Dirk L.
  39. ↑ Simon Kovach collection - G. Kauschke Flugbuch and Leistungsbuch – research/translation by Dirk L.
  40. ↑ Simon Kovach collection - G. Kauschke Flugbuch and Leistungsbuch – research/translation by Dirk L.


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