Wettererkundungsstaffel 26 (1st)

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Wettererkundungsstaffel 26 [1st Formation]


Unit Code: (5M + )


Formation

Formed 1 June 1939 at Wesendorf/33 km N of Braunschweig in Lower Saxony from instructors and graduates of Blindflugschule 6 Wesendorf specifically for assignment to Luftflotte 2. Initially equipped with Heinkel He 111s, but some of these were apparently exchanged for Dornier Do 17s some weeks later. [1]


West - Germany and Belgium

7/39 - 8/39: reportedly transferred from Wesendorf (a training airfield) to Goslar (an operational airfield) a few weeks after formation.[2]

1.9.39: now at Braunschweig directly under Luftflotte 2 with 6 Do 17Ps and began flying weather reconnaissance missions off the German coast over the North Sea and Baltic. [3]

6.9.39: commenced weather reconnaissance operations over the British Isles this date and a number of these flights were made over the following months. [4]

31.3.40: (Lfl.2) - Do 17Z (5M+M) shot down by a Spitfire over the eastern end of the English Channel while flying a routine weather mission over the English Midlands, 100%, 4 MIA. Other sources say the aircraft was shot down off the West Frisian islands. [5]

10.5.40: at Münster-Loddenheide under Luftflotte 2 with 6 Do 17Zs and 4 He 111Hs for the commencement of the attack on France and the Low Countries. Other authoritative sources state these were He 111Js.[6]

5/40: transferred from M-Loddenheide to Köln-Ostheim toward the end of May (24th)? [7]

1.6.40: (Lfl.2) - Do 17Z attacked by fighters and forced down near Calais, 50%, 1 WIA. [8]

6/40: transferred to Brussels-Grimberghen where the Staffel remained for the next 12 months. From here, the Staffel flew weather recce sorties over the Orkney Islands, Irish Sea and France, it’s aircraft having been outfitted with long-range fuel tanks. [9]

11.7.40: (Lfl.2) - Do 17 (5M+M) belonging to Westa 261 shot down into the North Sea by a RAF Hurricane near Cromer, 100%, 4 MIA. This earliest reference found to a Westa 261, which was a detached component of Westa 26.

13.8.40: at Brussels-Grimberghen with 5 Do 17Zs, 4 He 111Hs and 1 Bf 110 for the air offensive against England (Battle of Britain).[10]

9/40 - 4/41: flew 3 to 5 weather reconnaissance sorties a day over and in the vicinity of the British Isles.

4.1.41: Do 17Z (5M+I) was shot down into the Channel off Portland by a Spitfire, 100%, 4 KIA. [11]

4.5.41: (Lfl.2) - Focke-Wulf FW 44 Staffel hack crashed at Brussels-Grimberghen, 80%, 2 injured.

6/41: according to a Staffel summary in original documents, Wekusta 26 flew 954 missions between 10 May 1940 and 4 June 1941, of which 433 were over England, 376 over the North Sea, 119 over the Channel, the Irish Sea and the Atlantic, and 26 over France. [12]


Central Russia

4.6.41: transferred from B-Grimberghen to Warsaw-Bielany.

22.6.41: at Warsaw-Bielany directly under Luftflotte 2 for the attack on the Soviet Union this date with 4 Do 17Zs, 3 He 111Hs and 5 Bf 110s and began flying operational missions over the central sector of the Eastern Front the same date. [13]

30.6.41: Do 17Z (5M+J) shot down by AA-fire near Gomel, 100%, 4 MIA. However, the crew managed to evade capture behind enemy lines and were safely back in German hands on 2 July.[14]

7/41: transferred to Minsk in July. [15]

3.7.41: He 111 (5M+D) crashed near Kobrin when both engines failed and Bf 110 (5M+02) was shot up by a fighter and force landed near Danlowiczy. [16]

8.7.41: Wekusta 26 flew its 1,000th operational sortie. [17]

7/41 – 8/41: 2 Bf 110s, 1Do17Z and 1 Ju 88 damaged during operations, including 1 (a Bf 110) by AA-fire, all without casualties. [18]

20.8.41: (Lfl.2) - He 111H-3 (5M+A) failed to return from a flight in the Orel-Kalinin area, 100%, 4 MIA. The aircraft had lost an engine and was then shot down by a fighter, 100%, 1 KIA, 2 WIA and 1 MIA (but survived). [19]

28.8.41: Bf 110 (5M+O) failed to return, 100%, 2 MIA. [20]

9/41: now operating from Seschinskaya and Smolensk-Nord. [21]

1.9.41: Bf 110 (5M+T) crashed and burned at Novgorod-Severskiy airdfield, 100%, crew safe. [22]

5.9.41: Bf 110 (5M+Q) shot up by ground fire but made it back to base with 1 KIA on board. [23]

16.9.41: Do 17Z (5M+K) bombed on the ground at Smolensk-Nord, 100%. [24]

24.9.41: Staffel main body transferred to Orsha. [25]

5.10.41: Ju 88 (5M+Z) crashed at Orsha due to engine failure, 100%, 2 killed and 2 safe.[26]

18.10.41: (Lfl.2) - Bf 110 crashed at Fp.Smolensk during a test flight, 100%, 3 killed. [27]

21.10.41: Staffel based at Orsha. [28]

11/41: in mid-November, Wekusta 26 was ordered back to Germany transferring from Orsha > Warsaw > Finsterwalde > Würzburg to rest, regroup, replenish and replace its aircraft with Ju 88’s.

12/41: Westa 26 ordered to transfer to Sicily with much of the rest of the forces assigned to Luftflotte 2. [29]

5.12.41: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 damaged taking off from Fp.Würzburg in Germany, 40%. [30]


Mediterranean

1/42: ordered to the Mediterranean Theater, the Staffel arriving at Trapani/W Sicily from Germany beginning on 28 December 1941 and continuing through 19 January 1942, it remained there until October 1942 when the Staffel was divided into two operational components. While based at Trapani in 1942, Westa 26 was used mainly for maritime reconnaissance and convoy escort, during which several British submarines were attacked and one claimed sunk. Many of these missions were into the western Mediterranean toward Gibraltar and necessitated refueling at Cagliari in southern Sardinia. [31]

13.1.42:; (Süd) - Ju 88 crash landed at Padua (Padova) near Venice in N Italy, 50%, 2 injured. Aircraft probably in transfer from Germany to Sicily.

30.1.42: Ju 88 D-1 (5M+Y) ditched off the east coast of Italy due to engine failure, 100%, 1 lost, 3 rescued. [32]

4/42: two Ju 88 D-1 crashes were reported by the Staffel during April, both without casualties. [33]

20.5.42: Wetterkette Kreta of Wekusta 26 established at Kastelli airfield on Crete to cover the eastern Mediterranean. [34]

24.5.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-1 crash landed at Trapani, 35%.

26.7.42: Ju 88 A-4 (5M+E) intercepted by fighters at medium altitude over the approaches to Alexandria harbor and set on fire, 100%, 3 KIA, 1 survived, rescued and became a POW. [35]

22.8.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-1 crashed at Catania/Sicily due to engine failure, 100%, 1 killed and 3 injured.

10/42: while the main body of the Staffel remained at Trapani, the detached Wetterkette on Crete, operating under X.Fliegerkorps, was being referred to now as Westa 26/1 (or Westa 261). [36]

24.10.42: Wekusta 26 flew its 2,000th operational sortie this date (in a Ju 88 D-1 from Trapani). [37]

27.10.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-5 (5M+J) force landed at Palma de Mallorca off the east coast of Spain due to engine trouble, 100%, crew of 4 turned over to the German Air Attache in Madrid and were repatriated. [38]

28.10.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 A-5 (5M+C) crashed after taking off from Fp.Heraklion/Crete, 100%, 1 injured, 3 safe.

13.11.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+F) believed shot down by a fighter between Tunis and Algiers, 100%, 1 WIA and 3 POW.

24.11.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-1 shot down between Suda/Crete and Tunisia, 100%, 1 KIA.

25.11.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-1 (4U+GH), evidently borrowed from 2.(F)/123, believed shot down by a fighter over Algiers Bay (or off Cape Serrat), 100%, Oblt. Wilhelm Küster (pilot) + 3 MIA.

28.11.42: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+G) failed to return from a routine weather flight over the western Med, 100%, Staka Hptm. Helmut Gleue + 3 MIA.

4.1.43: (Süd) - Ju 88 A-4 crashed at Trapani, 60%; other sources state the aircraft failed to return from a general reconnaissance sortie off the coast of Algeria, 100%, crew MIA. [39]

9.1.43: 1 Ju 88 from Crete flew a recce of the Benghazi area for X.Fliegerkorps.[40]

27.1.43: 1 Ju 88 flew a day recce west of Crete for X.Fliegerkorps.[41]

8.2.43: Crete component based at Kastelli and attached to 2.(F)/123. [42]

13.2.43: (Süd) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+B) FTR between Trapani and Tunis, 100%, 4 MIA.

14.2.43 (Süd) - Ju 88 A-4 "Trop" (5M+Z) believed shot down by a fighter between Crete and Sicily, 100%, Hptm. Josef Speckner (pilot) + 3 MIA.

4.3.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+F) FTR - no details, 100%, 3 KIA and 1 MIA.

30.3.43: Ju 88 D-1 crashed, 100%, crew KIA - no further details. [43]

4.4.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 crashed on Marettimo Is. off the western tip of Sicily, 100%, 1 killed and 1 injured.

19.4.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+G) FTR - no details, 100%, 4 MIA.

20.4.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 shot down by a fighter near Cape Bon/Tunisia and crash landed on the beach, 100%, 4 WIA. [44]

26.4.43: Westa 26/1 now at Athens-Tatoi operating under X.Fliegerkorps with 6(5) Ju 88s.[45]

2.5.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 FTR - no details, 100%, 4 MIA.

6.5.43: main component of Westa 26 now at Frosinone/c.75 km SE of Rome operating under Stab/Aufkl.Gr.122 with 4 Ju 88D-1s and 4 Ju 88A-4s - had just transferred from Trapani.[46]

9.6.43: Westa 26/1 disbanded and used to form Westa 27 at Athens-Tatoi.[47]

17.6.43: Westa 26 at Frosinone under Stab/122 with 10(6) Ju 88s - from Frosinone the Staffel flew one or two weather flights a day over the western Mediterranean, with occasional conventional recce sorties as requested by Stab/122. [48]

29.6.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+K) FTR - no details, 100%, 4 MIA.

30.6.43: (Lf1.2) - Ju 88 A-4 (5M+H) FTR - no details, 100%, 4 MIA.

1.7:43: (Mitte) - He 111 H-11 damaged landing at Fp.Würzburg, 35%. This aircraft was probably on a courier flight.

7.7.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+D) FTR - no details, 100%, 3 MIA.

12.7.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (F6+AK), apparently borrowed from 2.(F)/122, shot down in the area off Cape Alice in the Gulf of Taranto, 100%, 4 MIA (but later rescued). [49]

21.7.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 shot up by a night fighter and crashed at Fp.Rome-Centocello, 100%, 4 KIA.

27.7.43: Luftflotte 2 ordered Wekusta 26 reorganized into a general long-range reconnaissance unit attached to Aufkl.Gr. (F)/122 with a single Kette assigned to weather flights. From summer 1943 on, most missions were flown at night. [50]

6.8.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+S) FTR - no details, 100%, 4 MIA.

12.9.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+R) FTR from over Salerno, 100%, 1 KIA.

23.9.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+Y) FTR from over the Tyrrhenian Sea, 100%, 4 MIA.

7.10.43: Staffel transferred from Frosinone to Guidonia on 18 September and then to Perugia a few days later, mainly due to heavy Allied bombing of Frosinone following Italy’s capitulation on 8 September. [51]

11.10.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 A-4 crash landed at Perugia due to engine failure, 80%.

15.10.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88D (5M+T) FTR from area off the southwest coast of Italy, 100%, 4 MIA.

23.10.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 (5M+D) FTR from flight over Italy, 100%, 4 MIA.

1.12.43: after celebrating its 2,500th operational mission in October, Wekusta 26 flew its last weather flight this date. [52]

3.12.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+S) force landed at sea off Ancona, 100%, 2 missing.

24,12.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+H) FTR and believed shot down by a fighter, 100%, 4 MIA.

25.12.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+H) crashed into Monte Stillo to the west of Foggia, 100%, 4 killed. [53]This appears to be the same aircraft noted in the entry for 24 December. The different dates possibly suggest a night mission flown 24/25 December.

26.12.43: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 D-1 (5M+C) FTR from mission over the Adriatic, 100%, 4 MIA.

1/44 - 6/44: now as a component of Aufkl.Gr. (F)/122, flew routine general and weather reconnaissance flights from Perugia. [54]

5/44: Staffel transferred from Perugia to Bergamo-South at the beginning of May. [55]

6/44: Westa 26 averaged 3 flights a night to the Rome-Naples area and then back to Bergamo via Corsica. [56]

5.6.44: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 A-4 (5M+H) FTR from maritime recce flight in the Elba area, 100%, 4 MIA.

14.6.44: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 A-4 (5M+F) FTR from night recce to the Elba-Livorno area, 100%, 4 MIA.

15.6.44: orders issued renaming the Staffel 6.(F)/122 by OKL this date, but the change-over did not become effective until approximately 1 July 1944. [57]

30.6.44: (Lfl.2) - Ju 88 T-1 (5M+D) FTR from a night recce mission to the Ancona area,100%, 4 MIA.

1.7.44: during its wartime career, Westa 26 completed around 2,850 operational sorties from September 1939 to the end of June 1944. [58]



FpN: Westa 26 (L 32972).



Staffelkapitän

Hptm. Sigmund Freiherr v. Rottberg (7/39 - 5/41)

Hptm. Martin Finkeldey (5/41 – 3/42)

Hptm. Helmut Gleue (3/42 - 11/42) MIA 28.11.42

Oblt. Wilhelm Küster (11/42 - 11/42) MIA 25.11.42

Hptm. Georg Schiedel (11/42 - 1/44) KIA 3.1.44

Oblt. Friedrich Brinkmann (1/44 - 6/44)


Special Note:

The history of the Luftwaffe Weather Service, this Staffel, all of the other Staffeln, the Wetterflugstellen, the Wetterketten and all other components engaged in meteorological reconnaissance activities are covered in extensive detail in: Kington, John A. & Franz Selinger, WEKUSTA – Luftwaffe Meteorological Reconnaissance Units & Operations 1938-1945, Ottringham/East Yorkshire (U.K.), 2006. Accordingly, rather than repeat what has already been treated in considerable detail, the researcher/reader is encouraged to see this extraordinary study.


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

(1st Draft 2022)

References

  1. ↑ Dierich; Ries-Lw.Story:174
  2. ↑ Dierich
  3. ↑ Balke- I:390; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.121.
  4. ↑ Shores-FE:53
  5. ↑ LRs; Shores-FE:188; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.123.
  6. ↑ Balke - I:401; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.123.
  7. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.123.
  8. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.123.
  9. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.123.
  10. ↑ Balke - I:408
  11. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.124.
  12. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.124.
  13. ↑ Balke - I:417; KTemplate:Anchor ington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  14. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126
  15. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  16. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  17. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  18. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  19. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  20. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  21. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  22. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  23. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  24. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  25. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  26. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  27. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  28. ↑ Karlsruhe Collection
  29. ↑ Dierich
  30. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126.
  31. ↑ AMWIS; Beale-AWI:16; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.126-28.
  32. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.128.
  33. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.128.
  34. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.129.
  35. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.129.
  36. ↑ F.Selinger letter 13 Jan 1993; AMWIS; LR evidence; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.130.
  37. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.131.
  38. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.130.
  39. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.132.
  40. ↑ ULTRA VM890
  41. ↑ ULTRA VM2633
  42. ↑ ULTRA VM4490; VM5386; VM7337
  43. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.132.
  44. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.132.
  45. ↑ ULTRA ML447
  46. ↑ ULTRA ML1357
  47. ↑ F.Selinger- op.cit.
  48. ↑ ULTRA ML4595;329 Wing Sigint reports
  49. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.132.
  50. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.132.
  51. ↑ CSDIC; AirMin Sigint; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.132.
  52. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.133.
  53. ↑ CSDIC AFHQ A.299
  54. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.133.
  55. ↑ ULTRA
  56. ↑ Beale-AWI:32
  57. ↑ BA-MA RL 2 III/59 via N.Beale letter dated 14 Jul 1991
  58. ↑ Beale-AWI:99


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