Nachtschlachtgruppe 5 in 1944
 

Recently I received a copy of a Luftwaffe pilot's logbook, who apparently flew night harassment missions, mostly over Rumania, aboard Go 145s, in April-July 1944. Last unit code used was F9, which means NSGr. 5.
I know very little about this unit. Is there a Kriegstagebuch that survived?
Thank you.

Re: Nachtschlachtgruppe 5 in 1944
 

Hi Dénes -

Here is a little bit for the period of interest - hopefully the logbooks will give you a lot of additional detail:

Nachtschlachtgruppe 5
(Unit Code: F9+)
--------------------------
21 Mar 44: at Lyubashevka/N of Odessa.
Apr 44: all or elements operating from Iaşi/Moldavia (E Romania).
17 Apr 44: 3. Staffel formed this date with Go 145s (ex-2./NSGr. 6).
May 44: all or elements operating from Tiraspol/88 km NW of Odessa.
26 Jun 44: Moldavia under I. Fliegerkorps with Stab at Manzar/70 km SE of Kishinev, 1. Staffel at Roman/39 km N of Bacǎu, and 2. and 3. Staffel at Kishinev - equipped with Ar 66s and Go 145s.
11 Jul 44: Stab at Ianca/55 km SW of Galaţi, 2. and 3. Staffel at Roman and Kishinev.
Aug 44: all or elements operating from Ianca/55 km SW of Galaţi.
Aug 44: ordered north to Nyíregyháza/E Hungary and Nowy Targ (Neumarkt)/S Poland in late July/early August in response to the rapid Soviet advance on the Carpathian passes that were the gateway to Central Europe. However, either this order was cancelled before it could be effected due to the opening of the main Soviet offensive into Romania on 19 August, or only part of the Gruppe (most likely 1. Staffel) was able to carry it out.
1 Sep 44: withdrawing via Braşov/C Romania following the change of sides by Romania on 23-24 August that forced the Germans to beat a hasty retreat toward Hungary, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.
------------------------------
[Sources: Dierich-VdL; Tessin-Tes; Kannapin-FpÜ; M.Holm-website ww2.dk; PRO London: AIR 40/1976, 1982; Luftwaffen-Revue magazine: Heft (issue) 1/1985 (reproducing the Luftwaffe’s “Aufmarsch d. fliegende Verbände” order of battle map for 26 June 1944); BA-MA Freiburg: RL 2 III Meldungen über Flugzeugunfälle…..(Loss Reports – LRs); BA-MA Freiburg: Flugzeug-Bereitstellungen (Aircraft Availability Status Reports – FzB) in: M.Holm-website (ww2.dk); BA-MA Freiburg: Signatur RL 40/Kart (“Aufmarsch die fliegende Verbände” order of battle maps for 3 Oct, 2 Nov 44); AFHRA Maxwell: decimal 512.619 British AirMin CSDIC P/W Interrogation Reports in microfilm rolls A5415-18, interrogation CSDIC A.446; AFHRA Maxwell: decimal 512.625S (British Air Ministry) OKL document; PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal (number not recorded); NARA WashDC: RG 242/T-321 roll 50 (Lfl. 6 documents), frame 876; M.Rauchensteiner- Der Krieg in Österreich, 1945:360 (citing BA-MA document Lfl.6 Ia Flieg. Nr.3175/45g.Kdos.).]

Hope this helps,

Larry

Re: Nachtschlachtgruppe 5 in 1944
 

Thank you, Larry, for your exhaustive answer. Much appreciated.
***
The pilot in question started his front flights in the southern sector of the Eastern Front in March 1944, with a Go 145 coded 1K+GP (NSGr. 4). After a few uneventful courier flights, he reverted to Go 145, coded 2T+HP (could not identify the unit). He started night combat missions in Moldavia, Rumania, in April 1944, flying this very Go 145. In June, he switched to another Go 145, coded F9+AC, continuing his service in the same war theatre. To my sorrow, the Flugbuch abruptly ends in late July. I wanted to learn more especially about the September-October 1944 period, when he would have operated over Transylvania, had he most probaly not been shot down in July.

Re: Nachtschlachtgruppe 5 in 1944
 

Hi Dénes -

Here is some more for fall (autumn) 1944:

3 Oct 44: NSGr. 5 (less 1. Staffel) at Körösládany/SE Hungary with 22(19) aircraft under I. Fliegerkorps.
11 Oct 44: Stab and 2. Staffel transferred from Körösládany to Börgönd while 3. Staffel moved from Körösládany to Nyíregyháza.
17 Oct 44 : at Börgönd (Seregélyes) /16 km SE of Székesfehérvár in C Hungary.
2 Nov 44: NSGr. 5 (less 1. and 3. Staffel) at Bugyi/31 km S of Budapest.
17 Nov 44: 1. Staffel renamed 2./NSGr. 10, and immediately replaced by renaming 1./NSGr. 4. At the time of this re-designation, the original 1. Staffel was at Őcsény/50 km NE of Pécs in SW Hungary under II. Fliegerkorps with 10(8) aircraft.
Dec 44: now at Sárosd/60 km SW of Budapest for the struggle around the Hungarian capital that culminated in its encirclement by Russian pincers that linked up to the west of the city on 26 December.
1 Dec 44: Gruppe reported 33 x Go 145, 22 x Ar 66C/D and 1 x Ju 87D-5 on strength.

Very best,

L.