German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

No Flak-Abschußmeldungen at NARA WashDC. All that survived are at BA-MA Freiburg.

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Salut Federic,

there are very few in the NARA archive. I found them and took some copies last year especially for french area. Wich date/place you are looking for?

Regards

Lino

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Bonjour Lino,

At the beginning of next year I am starting the writing of a story about the loss on April 28, 1944 of two American bombers over Avord A/D, an airfield right in Centre of France. I have a huge file on the loss of these two bombers, the escape of five flyers throught France, several testimonies, photographs and so on, but very few regarding the German side especially those who shot down the two B-17 bombers.

On April 28th the three names of German soldiers I found in the cemetery register belong to the "leichte Flak-Abteilung 673 (v)" and three others to the "1. Flughafenbetriebskompanie KG 66". Ironically several of the airmen who were killed that day were descendants of German immigrants.

Larry, thanks a lot for your message about the Flak-Abschußmeldungen at NARA.

Regards,
Frederic.

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Bonsoir Federic,

in the Nara archives are only 7 boxes containing original german Flak reports (Maybe around 400 reports). So the change they have a report for your case is more than low.
I made about 500 pictures, but couldn't find what you are looking for. (But i was focused when taking pictures only in southern french, bavaria and italy area.)
I was looking also in the german claims for Flak units (source military archive Freiburg), but couldn't find on a first look claims for Avord the 28th april 1944. Maybe other crash locations possible?

A bientot

Lino

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

JaFü II. Jagdkorps/Lfl. 3:
28.04.44 Hptm. Kurt Bühligen Stab II./JG 2 B-17 £ HF: 5.000 m. [40 km. E. Bourges]11.58- 12.25 Film C. 2027/I VNE: ASM

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Salut Federic,
i have a B-17 at Baugy, shot down at 11:58. The quality of the document is poor, the Flak unit should be "gem. 442" (gemischte Flak-Abteilung 442 ).
There is another claim for a Fortress by "gem. 442" at 11:50, but the loaction seems to "Bourget". But it is hard to read.
I can send you the pages if you like, send me your email adress via PM.

Regards

Lino

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Film C. 2027/I

This 16mm microfilm also has all of the Flak-Abschußmeldungen for 28 April, too, but summarized into a one-line entry that gives the location, type of e/a, altitude the Flak hit the e/a, the identity of the Flak-Batterie making the claim.

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

4235 440428 B-17 42-97199 91 324 Cater, James C Avord Avord F
4241 440428 B-17 42-3806 Georgia Rebel II 381 535 Henslin, Harold F Avord Airbase Baugy (8 km NE St.Avord) F

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Lino

It is Bourges not Bourget, the main city near Avord.
Take a look at your PM.

Regards,
Frederic

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Hi FrankieS,

Both bombers were shot down by Flak. You are right with your last message. Lt. Cater’s crew (5 EVD, 5 POW) and Lt. Henslin (3 POW, 7 KIA).

Regards,
Frederic

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Hi Larry,

Film C. 2027/I - I can find this reference at Freiburg?

Regards,
Frederic

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

8 Jun 44: gem.Flak-Abt. 442(v) ordered to move by rail from Avord to Flers in Normandy; on 10 Jun the destination was changed to Le Mans; then on 16 Jun to Tours where is was to protect the airfield at Tours.
[Source: various ULTRA signals from the DEFE 3 collection].

Here are the Flak units at Avord in spring 1944:

Station Units (on various dates): le.Flak-Abt. 763 (Mar 43); le.Flak-Abt. 673 (Apr 44); gem.Flak-Abt. 442 (May 44); Lw.-Bauleitung Avord (c.1940-44); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 29/VII (1941 – Aug 44).

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Yes. You can also order a copy as a microfilm or as a DVR from Freiburg's vendor, Selke. Warning: the entries were made by Luftwaffenhelferinnen using colored pencils. Now, 68 years later, it is very, very faint and difficult to read.

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Merci beaucoup Larry. I know...some documents get old badly.
For June 1, 1944 I have also 6. Gemischte Flak-Abteilung 496 (o).

Regards,
Frederic

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Yes, as with 442 and 673, 496 was also under Flak-Rgt. 59 (Paris) during April and May 1944, so some of its batteries were assigned to airfield defense.

Unlike the Flak units in the Reich, the Flak in the occupied countries moved around with great frequency and that, along with the massive destruction of Luftwaffe records, makes it difficult to determine where an Abteilung or a Batterie was on a particular day.

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

gem.Flakabteilung (mot.)
Stab mit Nachr.-Zug: 4 Offz., 2 Beamte, 31 Uffz., 93 Mannsch., mit 1 le. MG, 112 Handfeuerwaffen, 28 Kfz., 11 Krädern.
1. – 3. Battr. je: 4 Offz., 53 Uffz., 110 Mannsch., mit 2 le. MG, 171 Handfeuerwaffen, 4 2cm-Flak, 4 8,8cm Flak, 36 Kfz., 3 Krädern.
4. – 5. Battr. je: 6 Offz., 65 Uffz., 139 Mannsch., mit 2 le. MG, 209 Handfeuerwaffen, 9 2cm-Flak, 3 2cm-Flakvierlingen, 4 60cm-Flakscheinwerfer, 58 Kfz., 5 Krädern.
le.Flakkolonne: 2 Offz., 10 Uffz., 56 Mannsch., mit 2 le. MG, 71 Handfeuerwaffen, 28 Kfz., 2 Krädern.
Total Personnel: 30 officers, 2 officials, 330 NCOs, 757 men = 1,119.
Total Flak Weapons: 12 x 8,8cm, 30 x 2cm, 6 x 2cm-Flakvierlingen (4-barrel 20mm Flak guns), 8 x 60cm searchlights.
Total Vehicles: 280 trucks, 32 motorcycles.

By 1944, these totals had increased to 1,300 officers and men, 12 to 18 x 8,8cm and 33 x 2cm.

Note: the above is for a motorized gem.Flak-Abt. A gem.Flak-Abt.(v) would only have about 70 trucks instead of 280.

Re: German Anti-Aircraft reports (US Archives)
 

Merci beaucoup Larry for these additional info.

All the best,
Frederic