Wettererkundungsstaffel 76

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Wettererkundungsstaffel 76


Unit Code: (5Z + )




Formation

Formed 1 June 1939 at Wien-Aspern (Aspern airfield at Vienna/Austria) specifically for assignment to Luftflotte 4. Initially equipped with Heinkel He 111s.[1]


Germany (Austria), Poland and Balkans

1.9.39: Schweidnitz (Swidnica)/Silesia directly under Luftflotte 4 with 3 He 111Js for the campaign in Poland, having moved here at the end of August. [2]Returned to Aspern and Zeltweg at end of September and reduced to inactive status with a skeleton cadre. [3]

22.9.39: Do 17Z from Wekusta 76 crashed due to an unknown cause, 100%, crew KIA. This was the Staffel’s first operational loss. [4]

10.5.40: Wien-Aspern with 3 He 111Js.[5]

11.12.40: (Lfl.4) - He 111 crashed at Nados (not located), 100%, 3 killed.

2/41 – 3/41: equipment and personnel increased to operational status. [6]

6.4.41: from Wien-Aspern, supported Luftfotte 4 during the Balkan campaign, and then transferred briefly to Athens at the beginning of May.[7]

7.4.41: (Lfl.4) - He 111 H-2 crashed at Fp.Wien-Aspern, 90%, 5 killed. [8]

13.4.41: Staffel began using Plovdiv airfield/Bulgaria as an Absprunghafen (advanced landing ground or stopover/refueling field). [9]

13.5.41: Ju 88 D-1 bombed on the ground on an airfield in S Yugoslavia, 100%. [10]

16.5.41: (Lfl.4) - He 111 damaged on take-off from Athens-Eleusis, 10%.

21.5.41: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 damaged during enemy air attack on Athens-Eleusis, 50%.


South Russia

1941

22.6.41: Staffel at Rzeszow (Reichshof)/S Poland under Luftflotte 4 with 6 He 111Hs, 5 Ju 88As and 3 Bf 110s for the attack on the Soviet Union this date.[11]

23.6.41: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 A-5 (5Z+MA) damaged tires and undercarriage at Fp.Rzeszow-Jasionka while belly-landing, 30%.

24.6.41: (Lfl.4) - He 111 H-4 (5Z+FA) failed to return from a weather flight over Crimea and/or the Sea of Azov, 100%, 4 MIA.

7/41: Bf 110 shot down by AA-fire while observing rail traffic along the tracks between Zhitomir and Kiev, 100%, 2 MIA. [12]

11.8.41: Staffel now at Vinnitsa/W Ukraine, having just moved here from Rzeszow. [13]

8.9.41: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 A-5 crash landed at Fp.Vinnitsa, 90%.

26.9.41: (Lfl.4) - He 111 H-1 belly landed at Fp.Vinnitsa, 25%.

9/41: transferred from Vinnitsa to Nikolayev/S Ukraine at the end of September or beginning of October. [14]

8.10.41: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 A-5 (5Z+OA)damaged during enemy air attack on Fp.Nikolayev, 30%.

14.10.41: Ju 88 A-4 FTR – no details; 100%, crew MIA. [15]

24.10.41: He 111 P-2 crashed during a workshop flight – no further details.[16]

9.(or 24.)12.41: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88A-5 (5Z+OA) crashed in the Mariupol area during a mission over the Taman Peninsula in North Caucasia, 100%, 4 MIA.

1942

1/42 - 5/42: still at Nikolayev and remained here until August 1942. Weather and reconnaissance missions were now extended much farther to the East, e.g., the Volga River, deep into North Caucasia and to the northern coast of Turkey. [17]

1.1.42: He 111 H-4 (5Z+EA) shot down over Crimea by Soviet fighters between Kerch and Feodosiya, crash-landed near the front lines but the escaping crew captured by Russian soldiers and executed with a shot in the neck; 100%, Oblt. Albert Jahnke + 3 POW then murdered. [18]

5.3.42: a Staffel He 111 crashed into the Jaila Mountains in Crimea, 100%, 3 KIA. [19]

31.3.42: Ju 88 D-1 (5Z+IA) shot down by fighters NE of Kherson, 100%, crew of 3 safe. [20]

14.4.42: Ju 88 A-4 (5Z+RA) FTR - no details. [21]

3.6.42: (Lfl.4) - Ju 52 destroyed during enemy air raid on Fp.Nikolayev, 100%, 1 KIA and 1 WIA.

6/42 - 9/42: Staffel moved forward with headquarters Luftflotte 4, transferring first to Poltava/E Ukraine in June and then to Mariupol in August (the latter move as Wekusta 76/1). [22]

7/42 - 10/42: on 31 July 1942 (or not until October?) Wekusta 76 was divided into two components, one (Wekusta 76/1) to fly weather recce over Caucasia and the Black Sea area and the other (Wekusta 76/2) to cover the northern reaches of Luftflotte 4's territory under the operational control of Lw.Kdo. Don. At the same time, the “old” Wekusta 76 was disbanded. [23]

29.8.42: using Rostov as a refueling stopover, a Wekusta 76/1 mission flew all the way to the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea. [24]

18.10.42: Westa 76/1 at Mariupol/SE Ukraine and Westa 76/2 at Kharkov/NE Ukraine and/or Volchansk airfield/61 km NE of Kharkov.[25]

11/42: 76/1 moved from Mariupol to Novocherkassk to shorten the distance to its assigned mission area from the Volga to the Caspian Sea. [26]

29.11.42: (Don) - He 111 H-3 from Westa 76/2 shot down by AA-fire near Korodoyak on the Don River 75 km S of Voronezh, 100%, 1 WIA.

1943

1/43 – 2/43: Westa 76/2 transferred from Kharkov to Poltava at the end of January or beginning of February and Westa 76/1 moved from Mariupol to Zaporozhye- East/SE Ukraine (transfer completed 21 February). [27]

26.2.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 shot down while on flight from Poltava to the Kharkov area, 100%.

3/43: Westa 76/1 now at Zaporozhye-East, having moved there in February, and the Westa 76/2 component still at Poltava.[28]

9.3.43: Westa 76/2 transferred from Poltava to Kiev. [29]

4/43 - 6/43: few details - the Westa 76/2 component is said to have been dissolved and the Staffel once again unified, evidently at Zaporozhye-East. [30]

27.6.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 A-4 (5Z+CA) failed to return from a flight to the Astrakhan area at the north end of the Caspian Sea due to engine failure, 100%, Oblt. Heinrich Daub + 3 MIA. [31]

9.7.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 D-1 crashed at Fp.Zaporozhye-East due to engine failure while on a test flight, 35%.

15.8.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 D-1 rammed by a landing Do 217 at Fp.Zaporozhye-East, 50%.

18.9.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 D-1 (5Z+BA) missing in P1.Qu.213179 (C Ukraine area), 100%, 4 MIA.

14-17.10.43: Westa 76/1 evacuated Zaporozhye as the Russians advanced rapidly westward, moving to Nikolayev and then to Odessa/W Ukraine in mid-November.[32]

22.10.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 D-1 damaged landing at Fp.Nikolayev-East, 35%.

8.11.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 D-1 (5Z+CA) shot down by AA-fire in P1.Qu.6665 (off eastern Crimea), 100%, 4 MIA.

12.11.43: (Lfl.4) - Do 17M damaged at Berdichev, 15%.

12.11.43: all or elements of 76/1 transferred to Odessa.[33]

16.11.43: (Lfl.4) - Ju 88 D-1 shot up by a fighter over Dubrovka, 50%.

12/43: Westa 76/2 moved to Proskurov. [34]

8.12.43: (Lfl.4) – a Westa 76/2 He 111 H-3 crashed near Proskurov/W Ukraine in bad weather, 100%, Oblt. Siegfried Leuschel (pilot) + 1 killed.


Romania and Hungary

1944

19/1/44: He 111 crashed on return from a mission, 100%, Staka Oblt. Rudolf Seeger + 1 KIA, 2 others survived. [35]

29.1.44: Westa 76/2 transferred from Proskurov to Rzeszow/S Poland due to rapidly advancing Soviet forces. [36]

2/44: a He 111 (1.2.44) and a Fw 58 (8.2.44) both written off in accidents - no further details. [37]

31.3.44: Westa 76/1 transferred from Odessa to Constanta-Mamaia on the Romanian coast via Focşani and Ziliştea. [38]

2.5.44: Westa 76/1 transferred to Buzau/C Romania. [39]

11.7.44: Westa 76/1 still at Buzau - missions were now flown under very restricted conditions due to the shortage of fuel. [40]

20.7.44: He 111 H-6 from Westa 76/1 crashed into a mountain south of Braşov, 100%, 4 KIA. [41]

26.8.44: Staffel transferred from Buzau to Oradea (Grosswardein)/NW Romania where it was ordered disbanded this date and instructed to turn over all personnel and equipment to Aufkl.St. 2.(F)/100; the Staffel's highly trained meteorological specialists were to return to Germany. [42]

9/44: by early September Westa 76/1 and 76/2 personnel were assembled in Debrecen/E Hungary in a strength of 16 officers and 129 men after withdrawing from Romania and a few weeks later the disbanding process had been completed. The Staffel’s aircraft were flown to Stuhlweissenburg (Székesfehérvár)/61 km SW of Budapest where they were destroyed on 14 October by strafing USAAF P-51 Mustangs. [43]

10/44: over the course of its 5-year existence, Wekusta 76 flew over 1,000 operational missions while losing some 70 aircraft and 128 aircrew. [44]



FpNs: Westa 76 (L 00009, L 49049).



Staffelkapitän

Regierungsrat Dr. Dubois (9/39 - c.3/40)

Regierungsrat Dr. Böckel (c 3/40 - 2/41)

Hptm. Herbert Heppner (2/41 - 9/42)

Hptm. Klaus Pritzel (9/42 - c.9/43)

Oblt. Rudolf Seeger (c.9/43 - 1/44) KIA 19.1.44

Oblt. Huth (1/44 - 10/44)


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. ↑ F.Selinger letter 13 Jan 1993; LR evidence; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.149.
  2. ↑ Balke-I:394.
  3. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  4. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  5. ↑ Balke-I:405.
  6. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  7. ↑ Dierich.
  8. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  9. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.150.
  10. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  11. ↑ Balke-I1:418.
  12. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  13. ↑ NARA T-405 micros.
  14. ↑ K-O.Hoffmann; LR evidence.
  15. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.151.
  16. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  17. ↑ LR evidence; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.151.
  18. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  19. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.152.
  20. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  21. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  22. ↑ K-O,Hoffmann; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid
  23. ↑ Dierich; F,Selinger-op.cit.; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  24. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  25. ↑ PRO AIR 40/1977 and 1979; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.153.
  26. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.153.
  27. ↑ micros; Dierich; PRO AIR 40; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.154.
  28. ↑ AirMin Sigint; LR evidence; PRO AIR 40/1988.
  29. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.154.
  30. ↑ Dierich; PRO AIR 40 evidence.
  31. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.155.
  32. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  33. ↑ Dierich; PRO AIR 40/1979.
  34. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  35. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  36. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  37. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  38. ↑ Dierich; PRO AIR 40; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, p.156.
  39. ↑ Dierich; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  40. ↑ CSDIC CMF A.446.
  41. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  42. ↑ Dierich; F.Selinger-op.cit.
  43. ↑ NARA T-77:1421; F.Selinger letter 13 Feb 1992; Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.
  44. ↑ Kington/Selinger – WEKUSTA, ibid.


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