Kdo. Sperling
Sonderkommando Sperling ("Sparrow')
Unit Code: (T9 + )
Formation
Formed o/a 1 October 1944 at Rheine/NW Germany (ex-Sonderkommando Götz) with Arado Ar 234B twin-engine jets as a high-altitude strategic reconnaissance unit. Tactically under Stab./Aufklärungsgruppe 123 and Luftwaffenkdo. West, and Versuchsverband OKL for all other purposes. [1]
West (Oct 1944 – Mar 1945)
10/44: in addition to photo reconnaissance missions, the Kommando also flew observation- calibration sorties for the V-2 rockets launched on Antwerpen and other targets in Allied territory.
5.10.44: flew a photo reconnaissance sortie over East Anglia.[2]
6.10.44: flew a recce sortie over South England.[3]
7.10.44: ordered to carry out a recce mission over South England, but heavy cloud cover forced a switch to the Limburg area for reconnaissance over the Western Front.[4]
15.10.44: reported a strength of 5 pilots and 32 technicians o/a this date. [5]
3.11.44: flew recce operations over eastern Belgium and South Holland from Rheine directly under Lw.Kdo.West.[6]
26.11.44: at Rheine - reported 3(1) Ar 234s and 4 pilots on strength. [7].
2.12.44: flew recce along the Maas River between Liege and Givet for Lw.Kdo.West.[8]
14.12.44: Kdo. Sperling reported that nothing could be said about further sea-borne landings from England owing to the lack of coverage of the possible points of departure from South and Southeast England. The Kdo. would be able to provide this information at any time. However, it would be constrained by the weather and range limitations of the aircraft.[9]
18.12.44: Reconnaissance of Meuse bridges.
21.12.1944: T9 + IH (Oblt. E. Sommer) took off from Bilbis Airfield to perform a photo-reconnaissance mission over the front. Returned to Weisbaden- Erbenheim Airfield, the aircraft was damaged by friendly flak, landing during the late morning hours.
28.12.44: ordered to investigate the feasibility of moving to Limburg as a result of Sonderkommando Hecht being transferred to Rheine.[10]
31.12.44: A single Ar 234B flew over Antwerp-St.Trond-Venlo.
10.1.45: flew strategic reconnaissance along the roads in Holland and Belgium, and over Allied airfields in eastern France for Lw.Kdo.West. [11]
23.1.45: lost one Ar 234 on the ground during a low-level Allied attack on Rheine.[12]
Commenced training of 1.(F)/123.[13]
29.1.45: Ar 234B written off in a landing accident.[14]
3.2.45: One Ar 234B Photographic reconnaissance in the Nijmegen — Venlo-Roermond area.[15]
6.2.45: One Ar 234B Photographic reconnaissance in the Nijmegen—Venlo-Roermond-Armhem area.[15]
8.2.45: Two Ar 234Bs operating in the Strassburg-Schlettstadt area, the sortie was not completed due to bad weather.
10.2.45: Ar 234B destroyed in a fighter-bomber attack.[16]
Sortie by one Ar 234B to Nijmegen-Hasselt area broken off due to fighter defences.[15]
11.2.45: Sortie to Humber estuary and Hull. This aircraft was shot down by two Tempests on return to base.
Also operated two Ar 234Bs to the Nijmegen-Eidhoven-Masstricht sector but both sorties were not completed due to bad weather.[17]
16.2.45: handed over its 3 Ar 234s to Sonderkdo. Sommer, then in the process of being set up in North Italy.[18]
13.3.45: the remnants of Sd.Kdo. Sperling incorporated into 1.(F)/123 o/a this date.[19]
23.3.45: Kdo. Sperling moved from Rheine to Rheinsehlen with 1.(F)/ 123.[20]
6.4.45: Kdo Sperling moved again to Liibeck-Blanksee.[21]
2.5.45: Moved to Hohn (nr Rendsburg).[22]
FpN: Sd.Kdo. Sperling (none found).
Führer:
Hptm. Horst Götz (10/44 - 3/45)
Also see:
BÖHMER, ? , Oblt.z.S.
GÖTZ, Horst, Hptm., Führer (1.10.44 - 3.45)
MUFFEY, Werner, Oblt.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2022).
(1st Draft 2022)
References
- ↑ Smith/Creek-Ar 234
- ↑ Smith/Creek-op.cit
- ↑ ULTRA HP2488
- ↑ ULTRA HP2921
- ↑ Smith/Creek
- ↑ ULTRA HP5385
- ↑ ULTRA HP8195
- ↑ ULTRA HP8472
- ↑ ULTRA T398/76
- ↑ ULTRA BT577
- ↑ ULTRA BT2147
- ↑ ULTRA BT3285
- ↑ Smith, Creek and Petrick — On Special Missions p74.
- ↑ Smith, Creek and Petrick — On Special Missions p74.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 AIR 20/7891 via Steve Coates, LRG
- ↑ Smith, Creek and Petrick — On Special Missions p74.
- ↑ AIR 20/7891 via Steve Coates, LRG
- ↑ BA-MA RL 4 II/32
- ↑ ULTRA BT7057
- ↑ Smith, Creek and Petrick — On Special Missions p74.
- ↑ Smith, Creek and Petrick — On Special Missions p74.
- ↑ Smith, Creek and Petrick — On Special Missions p76.