Luftwaffe Raid on Belgian Congo in 1942
 

In this bio of Günter Frenzel :

http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-4...el-Guenter.htm

I stambled over a raid on Belgish Congo with thre captured Wellingtons !

I must admit , I know Blaichs raid on Fort Lamy , but this one is new to me !

Wohe has more on this mission ?

Jan-Hendrik

Re: Luftwaffe Raid on Belgian Congo in 1942
 

A James Bond-like raid, then an escape aboard a stolen aircraft to escape a shooting squad, then meeting the Pope, Kennedy and Ayrton Senna...

Did this man really exist ? It seems to me to be a 'bigger than life' character.

Re: Luftwaffe Raid on Belgian Congo in 1942
 

The raid was not in the year 1942, it was in late summer or autumn 1941.

Frenzel said the start was in the oasis of Giarabub. But I can´t find details at which time this oasis was in the hand of axis troops.

Re: Luftwaffe Raid on Belgian Congo in 1942
 

Giarabub seems to have always been in Allied hands, at least I could not find anything in the primary documents than indicated otherwise:

Giarabub/North (LIB) (a.k.a. Jarabub/North, L.G. 107, Al Jaghbub)
(29 46 00 N – 24 32 00 E)
General: landing ground in Cyrenaica 225 km SSW of Bardia, 207 km SSW
of Sollum, 3 km NNE of Fort Giarabub and adjacent to an important oasis of
the same name. History: early history not found, but built after Oct 41.
No Axis air units are believed to have been based here. Surface and
Dimensions: generally firm natural surface with soft patches measuring
approx. 1005 x 1005 meters (1100 x 1100 yards). German aerial photos
taken 26 Oct 41 showed dimensions of 1450 x 775 meters (1585 x 845
yards). Fuel and Ammunition: no details found regarding storage facilities.
Infrastructure: had 2 small hangars and a small building next to them on
the SW boundary. Additional buildings were located in the fortified oasis
area that had a village and a fort. Dispersal: a small number of stone pens
served as blast bays for parked aircraft. Defenses: none noted.
Remarks:
17 Jul - Oct 41: Giarabub in Allied hands but landing grounds unoccupied
and obstructed with empty oil barrels. Remained in Allied hands to the end
of the war in North Africa.
13 Nov 41: Giarabub now occupied by 14 Blenheims and 27 Hurricanes.
[Sources: AFHRA A5263 p.130 (22 Dec 42); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA;
PRO/NA; BNA AIR 40/1990; website ww2.dk]
Giarabub No. 2 (LIB) (a.k.a. Jarabub No. 2, L.G. 119, Al Jaghbub) (29
42 00 N – 24 35 00 E)
General: landing ground in Cyrenaica 243 km S of Bardia, 223 km SSW of
Sollum and 13 km SE of Giarbub (Jarabub) oasis. History: early history not
found, but built after Oct 41. No Axis air units are believed to have been
based here. Surface and Dimensions: firm natural surface measuring
- 68 -
Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45
approx. 1100 x 1370 meters (1200 x 1500 yards). Fuel and Ammunition:
no details found regarding storage facilities. Infrastructure: none.
Buildings were located in the fortified oasis area that had a village and a fort.
Dispersal: none. Defenses: none noted.
Remarks: see Giarabub/North.
[Sources: AFHRA A5263 p.131 (22 Dec 42); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA;
PRO/NA; BNA AIR 40/1990; website ww2.dk]
Giarabub No. 3 (LIB) (a.k.a. Jarabub No. 3, Gsebaid, L.G. 108, Al
Jaghbub) (29 35 00 N – 24 41 00 E)
General: landing ground in Cyrenaica 233 km SSW of Sollum, 93 km NW of
Siwa Oasis and 22 km SE of Giarbub (Jarabub). History: early history not
found, but built after Oct 41. No Axis air units are believed to have been
based here. Surface and Dimensions: firm natural surface with an irregular
shape measuring approx. 1190 x 1190 x 1830 meters (1300 x 1300 x 2000
yards). Fuel and Ammunition: Infrastructure: none. Buildings were
located in the fortified oasis area that had a village and a fort. Dispersal: none. Defenses: none noted.
Remarks:
Jun 42: built spring 1942 and became operational about this time.
[Sources: AFHRA A5263 p.132 (22 Dec 42); chronologies; BA-MA; NARA;
PRO/NA; BNA AIR 40/1990; website ww2.dk]

L.