Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum - Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

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Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

Were there any combat reports of He-115 seaplanes being used a lot in action from 1943 to the end of WWII for Germany in May of 1945? I know the He-115s were used a lot in 1939,1940,1941,and 1942.

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

hello edward,

the german wikipedia for "He 115" says the following:

Quote:

use
The aircraft were used as reconnaissance aircraft, bombers, torpedo aircraft and minelayers, but proved to be unsuitable in the last three roles. However, Heinkel He 115 of the coastal pilot group 706 succeeded on 11 November 1940 to sink two cargo ships, which sailed in the convoy EN 23 off the east coast of Scotland.[2] After the corresponding combat tasks had been transferred to land planes (Do 17, He 111, Ju 88) in the course of the war, the He-115 squadrons were gradually converted. In April 1942 the last two squadrons (1./406, 1./906) were in Norway, where they were used against northern sea escorts. 1944 existed only the 1.(F)/406 in Norway as reconnaissance squadron with about ten He 115.
A total of 18 aircraft were exported in the second half of 1939 and early 1940: twelve to Sweden and six to Norway. Of the Norwegian aircraft, three escaped to Great Britain during the German invasion, where they were used by the RAF to transport agents in the Mediterranean and North Sea, for example. One aircraft fell into the hands of the German Luftwaffe, another escaped to Finland.
The He 115 proved to be unsuitable for the intended combat mission due to its design as a seaplane and the associated low speed. Consequently, the aircraft was taken out of the construction program in the middle of 1940 and subsequently also out of combat operations.

source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_115

regards
ghost

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

The Kriegsmarine Operations Staff War Diary includes this item:

9 October 1944
In St. Nazaire, superior FFI units were beaten back. At 0745. An "He 115" plane with medical equipment, submarine spare parts and a General Staff Officer for the Fortress La Rochelle has landed. It has been provided to continue the flight to La Rochelle on the morning of 10 Oct.

(That is the postwar translation available at https://archive.org/details/wardiarygermann621944germ

ULTRA briefly mentions a number of other He 115 flights from Friedrichshafen to the Atlantic "fortresses" in the period October 1944–January 1945.

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward L. Hsiao (Post 271855)

Were there any combat reports of He-115 seaplanes being used a lot in action from 1943 to the end of WWII for Germany in May of 1945?

Edward, what caused you to become interested in He 115 operations?

Here is an account of an encounter between the air group of the USS Ranger and a He 115 in late 1943:

Operation Leader - The German View
http://www.airgroup4.com/german.htm

This incident was also mentioned by Neil Page on his blog:

"On 4 October 1943 aircraft from the USS Ranger attacked German shipping along the coast of Norway under the code name ‘Operation Leader’. Lt(jg) Boyd N. Mayhew was piloting one of a patrol of four VF-4 F4F-4 Wildcats which intercepted and shot down He 115 B (WNr. 1866) K6+MH of 1./406."
http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2010/0...-vol-2-of.html

If you are interested in losses, specifically, there is this excellent online loss list for the Luftwaffe's maritime units:
http://www.luftwaffe-zur-see.de/Seel...n/Jahr1943.htm

An engagement between Fleet Air Arm Hellcats and He 115s was mentioned in a thread on this forum dating from 2007:

"According to this book Ritchie was flying JV132/E-F that day as well as on 14 May, when he was credited with 1.5 He 115s destroyed, the shared one together with Lt Cdr Stan Orr. They were engaging five He 115s. Two were shot from the sky and the rest were strafed until sunk after having made emergency landings on the sea."
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=8173

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Beale (Post 271866)

The Kriegsmarine Operations Staff War Diary includes this item:

ULTRA briefly mentions a number of other He 115 flights from Friedrichshafen to the Atlantic "fortresses" in the period October 1944–January 1945.

Thank you very much, Nick! I am quite surprised that this old and slow aircraft was still in action in the closing months of the war.

Kind regards,

Dan

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

Edward-you need to define 'a lot in action'. Do you mean massed attacks like in 1942?

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

He.115 flies more or less regularly at Far North to smoke-covering mission over german convoys til June 1944 at least.

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

Dear Sir,

No I'm not talking about mass formation of He-115s in actions at all. Just the use of He-115s in action when in comes in twos,threes,fours during 1943-1945.
By the way,does the He-115s ever been launched from seaplanes tenders?

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

Thanks for everybodys interest in the He 115, one my absolute favourite Luftwaffe planes. There has been mention about the very last formal He 115 unit in WW2, and here is some of the story:

Seekommando (He 115) Friedrichshafen:
Until recently, the existence of this unit was not commonly known. It was apparently formed ad hoc on 8. October 1944 with the purpose of flying supplies to the French Atlantic coastal cities, then still under German control. The formal formation of the unit was given in a directive from Gen.Qu. 6.Abt. on 26. October 1944. Its base was at Friedrichshafen on the north shore of the Bodensee in southern Germany, the same location as the main Dornier factory. During the period from 8. October 1944 to 4. January 1945, the unit made only two successful supply missions and two missions uncompleted. Two He 115’s were lost and one aircraft sank during operations. The latter apparently happened during a supply mission to La Rochelle in the morning of 27.12.1944. During landing the floats received several hits by Flak and the aircraft partially sank. However, the crew and cargo were all rescued safely. The unit was finally disbanded on 29. January 1945. At this time the Seekdo. (He 115) Friedrichshafen had one He 115 ready for operations in Friedrichshafen, and one He 115 with damaged floats stranded in St. Nazaire. The personnel strength stood at two three-man crews and 12 technical and support personnel, most of whom went to the He 111 equipped T.Gr.30, a unit also involved in the supply missions to France.

I can add that on 11. January 1945, He 115B/C W.Nr. 2251 (ex. Fl.Erg.Gr. (See)) crashed in Friedrichshafen due to bad weather conditions. Ofw. Werner Käpf (pilot) injured and Oblt. Heinz Phillipp (observer) killed.

In addition, the 3./K.G.200 also operated a couple of He 115's in Finland.

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

Oberleutant zur See Karl Barth of 3./Ku.Fl.Gr. 506 was the only known He-115 to win the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. He won it on Feb. 16,1940. I can't think of any others He-115 pilots that did win the Knight's Cross.

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Heinkel He-115s used in 1943,1944, and 1945

"Neil page as K6+MH and luftwaffe zur see as K6+KH

post 4#
"This incident was also mentioned by Neil Page on his blog:

"On 4 October 1943 aircraft from the USS Ranger attacked German shipping along the coast of Norway under the code name ‘Operation Leader’. Lt(jg) Boyd N. Mayhew was piloting one of a patrol of four VF-4 F4F-4 Wildcats which intercepted and shot down He 115 B (WNr. 1866) K6+MH of 1./406."
http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2010/0...-vol-2-of.html

If you are interested in losses, specifically, there is this excellent online loss list for the Luftwaffe's maritime units:
http://www.luftwaffe-zur-see.de/Seel...n/Jahr1943.htm