Verb.Kdo. (S) V

Verbindungskommando (S) V

Code: possibly (8M+ )

Ordered formed September 1941 at Hildesheim. Renamed Schleppgruppe 3 in October 1943.

FpNs

Stab/V(? – no FpN found - existence questionable (*6/42 by renaming Go-Kdo./Lw.Kdo.Ost).

1 (DFS) Staffel/V: L 49 413 (*7/42 by renaming 7 DFS 230-Staffel. 13 Dec. 1943 ге- named 1 (DFS) /Schleppgruppe 3).

1 (Go) Staffel/V: L 49 112 (*7/42 by renaming & Gо 242-Staffel. 13 Dec. 1943 re-named 2 (Go)/Schleppgruppe 3).

Initially formed with a cadre of 6 glider crews at Hildesheim as Go-Kommando/VIII Fliegerkorps, the detachment picked up its Go 242 gliders at Eschwege and flew to Smolensk in Central Russia, arriving on 2 October 1941. Here it sat inactive until 16 January 1942, when it was ordered to airlift ammunition and equipment to elements of the 216 Infantry Division cut off in the town of Sukhinichi, 230 km southeast of Smolensk. Five Go 242s successfully completed the mission over the next few days, while a sixth was lost behind Russian lines. It continued transport missions in the rear areas behind the front and in May, when VIII Fliegerkorps left for South Russia, it was renamed Go-Kommando/Luftwaffenkommando Ost, and then in June Verbindungskommando (S) V.

During the summer and fall of 1942, the Kommando used its He 111s to drop supplies to cut off ground troops and its gliders to transport aircraft engines and parts from rear depots to operational units at the front. At the beginning of December, an all-out effort was put in force to deliver vital supplies to the German garrison surrounded in Velikiye Luki. Initially, these were container-dropped by the Kommando's He 111s, but on 16 December glider operations commenced from the airfield at Orsha. Of 25 gliders sent to Velikiye Luki before the garrison surrendered on 16 January 1943, 17 came down within the town and successfully delivered their loads.

Following the crippling loss of gliders during the Velikiye Luki operation, VK(S) V spent the next four months as a provisional bomber unit. The He 111s of 1 (Go) Staffel attacked targets between Smolensk and Nevel in support of the Army, while the Hs 126s of 1 (DFS) Staffel flew harassing missions, often against Partisan-controlled areas behind the front. In early July, VK(S) V returned to its true role to meet the support requirements for Operation "Zitadelle", the offensive at Kursk. Operating from Olsufyevo and Bryansk into the airfields around Orel, the He 111s delivered supplies to Panzer units while the DFS 230s brought up fuel and ammunition. Wounded were evacuated to the rear on the return flights The offensive failed and by late August the Kommando withdrew by way of Bobruisk to Bialystok. Here it was renamed Schleppgruppe 3 in October.

Commanding Officers

Obstlt. Friedrich Edler v. Braun (6/42 - ? )

Hptm./Maj. Ernst Geres ( ? - 9/43) 5/43

Stations

Hildesheim/SE Hannover (9/41 - 9/41)

Smolensk/North (C.Russia) (10/41 - 12/42)

Orsha/South (C.Russia) (12/42 – 1/43)

Smolensk/North (1/43 - са, 6/43)

Bryansk/C.Russia (7/43 - са, 8/43)

Bobruisk/C.Russia (са. 8/43 - са. 9/43)

Bialystok/NE Poland (ca. 9/43 - 10/43)

Equipment and Returns* Ju 52, He 111, Do17 and Hs 126 aircraft, and DFS 230 and Go 242 gliders (1941 - 10/43).

• Reported 2 Ju 52s, 6 He 111s and 4 Go 242s on strength 14 Apr. 1942.

• Reported 4 He 111s, 5 Hs 126s and 6 DFS 230s serviceable on 10 Feb. 1943.

• Reported 7 He 111s, 3 Do 17's, 10 Hs 126s, 15 DFS 230s and 10 Gо 242s оп strength at the end of May 1943.

Markings

As noted above, the unit code (Verbandsabzeichen) was possibly (8M+ ), but only one or two examples of this have been found, too few to be certain.

Distinctions and Remarks

Carried out the first use of gliders to deliver supplies to surrounded ground forces (Sukhinichi, January 1942).

Also see:

ADAM, Kurt. Oblt.

AUDERER, Hermann, Oblt. Pilot. Staka 1. (Go)/VK(S) V.

BRAUN, Friedrich Benno Erich Hubert, Edler von, Obstlt. Kdr. of VK(S) V.

HARTUNG, Heinrich, Oblt. Staka 1.(Go)/VK(S) V.

RICHTER, Hans, Oblt. Staka 1.(DFS 230)/VK(S) V.

SCHUMACHER (SCHUHMACHER?), ? , Oblt. Pilot. Staka 1.(Go)/VK(S) V. MIA.

VK(S) V - Representative Losses

9.8.42: He 111 H-6 crashed at Martinovo/153 km NW of Vitebsk – no details, 80%.

30.8.42: He 111 returned to Bobruisk airfield shot up, 75%, 1 WIA.

30.11.42: Ju 52 (GV+LH) failed to return (no details). 100%, crew of 5 plus 6 passengers all MIA.

8.12.42: Ju 52 crashed and burned – no details, 100%, 4 KIA.

1.1.43: He 111 shot up AA fire and force landed near Polotsk/99 km WNW of Vitebsk, 1 KIA.

2.1.43: He 111 (L5+FH) crashed S of Zagorye nr. Smolensk due to unstated causes, 100%, Staka Oblt. Schumacher plus 4 others MIA.

7.1.43: He 111 force landed near Nevel and caught fire, 100%, crew safe.

12.1.43: Hs 126 B-1 force landed near Nevel due to engine trouble, 40%.

25.3.43: He 111 H-6 (75%) towing a Go 242 (55%) struck an obstacle and crashed at Orsha/South airfield.

25.4.43: Go 242 crashed at Orsha/South airfield, 100%, 3 killed.

22.6.43: He 111 H-6 (30%) towing a Go 242 (60%) crash landed at one of the Warsaw airfields.

12.8.43: 3 x Hs 126s damaged (40%, 10%, 10%) at Orsha/South airfield in an accidental explosion of German bombs.

3.9.43: Go 242 bombed on the ground at Konotop airfield.

11.9.43: He 111H crash landed at Nezhin/96 km WSW of Konotop and then blown up by German troops to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, 100%.

11.10.43: 3 x He111 H-6s bombed on the ground at Orsha/South airfield, 80%, 50% and 25%.

© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress, 2023).

(1st Draft 2023)

References

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