Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

According to German records the first LMAs were dropped in the Thames and off Downs and Harwich on the night of 20 Nov 39 (10 mines total) by He 59s. The only unit I can positively link is Hptm Gerd Stein's 3./906-can anyone add any more units?

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

21.11.39
In the late evening the first German mines were placed within the English coastal waters. During the forenoon following units were transferred to take part in this operation:
1./106 with 9 He 115`s from Norderney to List/Sylt
3./106 with 8 He 59`s from Großenbrode to Borkum
1./506 with 7 He 115`s from Norderney to List/Sylt
146 LMA (520 kg total weight) and LMB (949 kg total weight) mines were available. The mines should be dropped in glide with throttled back engines to make no much noise. The mines were fitted with special fuses that were named as M-1. The mines were fitted with chute (falling speed approx. 20 m/sec) and dropped from altitudes of at least 150 m.
In the early evening 9 He 59`s of 3./906 had taken off from Norderney, each seaplane was armed with two LMA mines. Shipping lanes off Harwich, King`s Channel (Thames) and Black Deep (Thames Estuary) were the first target areas. Unfortunately the first mission showed lack of experience of the observers, which resulted in navigational errors and problems. The major light beacon of Thames Estuary (North Hinder lightship) changed its signal for this night and this change had been noticed only by squadron commander, Hptm. Stein. Also the radio navigation equipment of He 59 (Peil G I) turned out to be inaccurate. In this way 5 crews had had to abort the mission due to navigational problems and the remaining crews reported following results:
Off Harwich – 1 LMA, the second mine could be not released (hung-up mine)
Kings Channel – 4 LMA
Black Deep – 2 LMA
All nine seaplanes returned safely to base.

War diary indicates only 8 aircraft:

No.1 aircraft V: Stein, Horten, Fehr, Idstein
No.2 aircraft N: Lorenz, zum Brock, Hermsen, Gollmer
No.3 aircraft T: Toball, Coenen, Mommertz, Bihlmaier
No.4 aircraft U: Schulz, Mammen, Haupt, Sobotta
No.5 aircraft Z: Frasedorff, Simon, Linge, Strutz
No.6 aircraft X: Schröder, Stoodt, Raffler, Siersch
No.7 aircraft R: Müller Fritz, Exner, Schmidt, Müller W
No.8 aircraft O: Speidel, Friedler, Butzke, Burzlaff

Takeoffs: 16.32-17.05 hrs
Landings: 21.00-00.18 hrs

BR

Robert

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Thanks Robert had a feeling you might have this. So was it 20 November (according to Kriegsmarine) or 21 November? Also were the other units involved in the attack on 22-23 November?

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

At 18.11.39 ten He.59 from 3./906 were transferred from List to Norderney for mining operations. Already at same day one Kette started with mines but returned via bad weather. Next day again bad weather, so first real operation was made 20.11.39, from 16.35-17.00 to 23.00-00.36(21). 9 He.59 participated, all returned.
Next day there was two staffeln - 3./906 and 3./106, 8 He.59 each. Times was 16.25-51 to 22.32-23.40 for 3./106, 16.35-54 to 23.07-00.18(22) for 3./906. Plane Z from 3./906 aborted and returned 21.15 via fuel loss.
He.115 (from 3./506) made its first mining flight only at 6.12.39 from Norderney.
Source is KTB KuFlGr 106 which commanded all staffeln, and 3./906's KTB.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Thanks Igor. Never seen a He 59 with a mine let alone 2!

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Sorry I mixed up both days.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Some great photos here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjuQT3Fq4lw

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Interesting video but statements that some He.59 lay mines during Battle of Britain (if i understand it correct) is wrong.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Gentlemen

There are too many "next days" and "mixed up days" here

Can we have instead correct date statements please?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Igor is right. the He 59 as a combat aircraft was obsolete by the start of 1940, its demise not helped by this:

In December 1939, the Luftwaffe proposed 7./KG 26 (He 111), a staffel from I./KG 30 (Ju 88) and even 1./KG 40 (Fw 200) be used experimentally for mine dropping. However, on 1 February 1940 9 Flieger Division (9.Flg.Div) was formed at Jever in northern Germany and placed under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (OBdL). The first commander of 9.Flg.Div was Generalleutnant Joachim Coeler . Units assigned to Coeler's Division were KGr 126 flying from Marx and commanded by Hptm Gerd Stein and two He 115 units based on the coast at Norderney-3./506 commanded by Hptm Ernst-Wilhelm Bergemann and 3./906 commanded by Hptm Werner Klümper. KGr 126 would carry out bombing and mining of maritime targets while the He 115s carried out armed reconnaissance and some torpedo missions.


Still did not see any photos of the He 59 with LMA or LMB in the You Tube piece

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

He.59 have significant losses during mining operation in beginning of December 1939, but there was no replace for them at the moment. He.115 suitable for minelaying were only in one staffel. He.111H for mines not arrived nor 1939, not Janiary/February 1940. Then all aerodromes for hydroplanes became frozen and then Fuhrer ordered at 1.2.40 that all little-scaled minelaying operation must be stopped.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

That is interesting Igor as it corresponds with the formation of 9 Flg Div. It also corresponds with Hptm Gerd Stein moving to 7./KG 26 and then KGr 126. BTW the He 59 losses seemed to be due to weather or technical

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

There was meeting between C./SKL, Chef des Generalstab der Luftwaffe and gen. Coeler (9 FD's commander), 19.2.40. Last one reported that his unit can start massive use of mines from 1.4.40 but may be from 1.5.40. To that time (19.2.40) Luftwaffe possesed only 30 LMA and 20 LMB. Jeschonek give from Goering strong wish to Kriegsmarine not to use mine until 9 FD was ready to mass operation.
Also i read one extract from data of abt. I(L) of SKL dated 15.3.40 which say that there is only 10 combat ready He.111H-4 for minelaying. To 1.5.40 this report expect 9 FD will have 2 Gruppen of He.111 and one Ju.88. But then Norwegian campaign say its word.
At 4.4.40 ban to use mines by Krigsmarine subordinated planes was lifted by Fuhrer.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

I'm not aware about KGr 126 mining operations in beginning of 1940. I know its composition was like you write above, one staffel from each KG 26, KG 30 and KG 40. Its training must be ended to end of winter 1939/40, but possibly delayed to summer. At night 26/27.7.40 KGr 126 laid its 1000 mine.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

And yes, He.59's losses were not during enemy actions, but there was 9 accidents 6-8.12.39 (not all 100% however) in two staffeln. At 10.12.39 3./106 and 3./906 have 19 planes between them but only 14 combat ready.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

All interesting thank you Igor. KGr 126's first loss was 4 Apr 40 and first combat casualty 30 Apr 40 which is reported as being the night that KGr 126 flew its 4th mining mission

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

An aside if I may. YouTube is filled with AI generated nonsense and completely amateur work. A few high school kids, or adults, thought it would be fun to dash off a video at the Imperial War Museum and say bad things about the Nazis. This isn't anywhere near what can be called scholarship. Sources for images are rarely mentioned, as compared to an actual, professionally produced documentary one might see from the BBC.

I think good point to mining operation is look in Munitionslage reports (RL 2-III/631). No LMA or LMB was expended in 1940 until decade 11-20.4.40, when diminution was 25 LMB.

But there was operation of He.115 (3./506) - 9 LMB at 17.4.40, 10 LMB at 20.4.40.
Then 12 LMB at 22.4.40, 11 LMB 30.4.40. In all 42 LMB, but diminution in april was 87 LMB. So other 45 LMB was dropped by KGr 126 in same days/nights, i think.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

That would explain 4th mission of KGr 126 occurring on 30 April. Interesting that Hptm Ernst-Wilhelm Bergmann's 3./506 was still dropping mines as it was also preparing to carry out limited torpedo attacks

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

He already made two at 12 and 17 March (each with 3 He.115). Then no attack until 16/17.5.40, however 3./506 periodically receive orders to be ready for fly torpedo mission early in April.

Re: Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39
 

Thanks Igor. I have a note of these unsuccessful torpedo attacks-another subject altogether