FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

On 31 Mar 45, a section of 6 Beaufighters of 252 Sqn attacked Calado airfield. A closer look at one of the camera gun shots shows a heavilly camouflaged FW 200 with the typical wellenmuster camouflage. Does anyone have any records of such an aircraft being found at this Greek airfield after hostilities?

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Hello Chris,

I think this one must be it. Found on Rhodes after the war.
I have no idea if Calado is on this island.
Picture from Hyperscale.

Regards,

Hans

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

The actual name of the airfield is Kalathos (Calato) airfield on Rhodes. Therefore,it probably is the FW-200 depicted. Probably had some mechanical problem(lack of fuel?) and could not make the return trip. The Fw-200s and B24s were flown by I/KG-200 to resupply the Greek islands.

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

That answers it then! Many thanks to you all

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Hi all,

I’d like to make a side note on that airfield.

Calato was a small village, where the italians (Rodi was a part of Italy since 1912) builted fuel and ammunition dumps and quarters. The airfield, one of the three builted by Italians on the island, was coded N.806 by Regia Aeronautica and was in the flood plan of the Gaddura river, just North of Calato. It was usually called (and still is indeed) Gadurrà.

After the sept 1943 the Germans used the italian infrastructure in Calato as military prison.

Sorry the digression.

ciao a tutti

Re: FW 200 Calato, Rhodes
 

For more of the Fw 200 story see the attached extracts from National Archives AIR40/1871.

kaki3152: please note that there is no record of KG 200 sending B-24s to Rhodes, only Ju 290s.

II.KG 4 was also active in the Greek Islands to the end of the war with He 111s in the transport role (and dropping the occasional bomb). See page 376 of Kampfflieger, Bombers of the Luftwaffe: Volume Four, Summer 1943–June 1945 (Classic Publications, Shepperton) ISBN 1 903223 50 4

Re: FW 200 Calato, Rhodes
 

Sorry, there was a third attachment ...

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Good day! I am a new member. I am interested in the aircraft mentioned here. My father and his colleagues were sent to Rodos, immediately after the war,to fix the plane. The idea was to use it to fly their own troops back home. The plane was fixed, but no-one could fly it! It fellinto disrepair, as subsequent photographs revealed. I have a total of 4 pics of this aircraft, taken at Rodos (Rhodes). Including the one shown here, courtesy of William Marshall. I would be keen to see the Beaufighter pics. I also have some other Beaufighter action pics, from dad's collection...

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Send me a PM please-there is just one camera gun shot showing the FW 200 under attack (they missed because they didn't see it camouflaged under the trees)

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Herewith the photograph of the FW200 on Kalathos (Gadurra), Rhodos (Rhodes):
Back: Cpl Young; F/Sgt Curtis; Cpl Sinclair; Lt van der Spuy (my father); WO Szulczewski; ?
Front: ?; Sgt Barnwell; ?; ?

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

PAF-INDEX The Polish pilot is st.sierż. (F/Sgt) Władysław Szulczewski, 783689, born 22.01.1902, therefore I presume he was a ferry pilot. A multinational composition of the group still seems weird for me, though. Any chance for a good (as big as possible) scan of the photo?

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Herewith the back of the photograph. My father wrote 'Self' for himself. The other names, well, that is the best I could figure out

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Hi Chris, Franek,
let us talk. This particular plane has led to many rumours (KG200 was mentioned for instance), none verified.

And does anyone know what the camouflage was called, and the colours?

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Rumours are just what they are, rumours. It seems there is no proof for any other involvement, at least with the current knowledge.
The camouflage seems the standard 72/73/65 with a very pale squigle, sand or white perhaps.

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Look at my first posting as regards camouflage

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Good job
please have a look to the Rhodes airports history at
www.dodecaneso.org
thanks

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Hi All,

Did only me notice the W.Nr. 0226 ? on the front end of gondola of G6+FY?

cheers
ed

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Yes, Ed, I did notice. What does it designate (what is the W Nr?). And how can you be sure this is G6+FY? Sorry if these are stupid questions!

And welcome Luciano!

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

Ah! Going back to the flights in and out of Calado, the plane under attack must be G6+AY, and the deserted one must be G6+FY. Is that right?

Re: FW 200 Calado Airfield
 

´W.Nr.´ is the Werk Nummer (i.e. factory number, some say serial number). The FW 200 Condors´s had W.Nr. 2000, 2484, 2892 to 2895, 2993 to 2996, 3098 to 3099, 3324 (12 machines, basically the A & B versions), then come 200 0001 to 200 0268 (268 machines, basically C & D versions). Some parts of history of this one was this (if correct)...

0226 FW 200 C-3/U7 (DP+ON) Luftwaffe - Transferred to Karlshagen, tested there 09.10. to 13.10.1943 - Transferred to Peenemunde-West, Erprobungskommando 15 on 15.10.1943 - Later to KG 100 in Italy (?) - [G6+FY] 14./TG 4 - Transferred to Sonderkommando Condor - [G6+FY] Abandoned and ´captured´ at Gadurra, Rohdes by 17.05.1945 [Photo]