Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

Hello,
I am concentrating on Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Great Britain;
and therefore looking for
original recon photos
target maps
intelligence material concerning Britain
log books
memoirs about the recon groups / staffeln taking part in the air war over Britain (especially (F).122 / (F).123)

I already collected the relevant copies in Freiburg (BAMA), Bodleian Library and NARA as well.

Publications I already have: (excluding all the Battle of Britain “bibles”)
Gastager – Easter Bunnies
Nowarra – Fernaufklaerer
Wadman – Aufklaerungsverbaende der dt. Luftwaffe
Fehse – Aufklaerungsgruppe 124
Clarke - A.H. home countries holiday snaps
www.luftwaffedata.co.uk

Over the years I already have collected a huge number of recon photos, target maps, intelligence material, ....

But if there is someone, who is also interested in this topic or supports my studies with additional information and / or items, please let me know.

thanks in advance
Harry

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

Recon units is one of those sadly neglected topics. Apart from the Bradley/Ketley/Wadman book and the Nowarra book, there really is no single “go to” reference for Luftwaffe recon. All that remains is scattered over a number of books. I see you have the “Battle of Britain” period books. That’s a good start.

Here’s a few more that might help you out:


[1] Cornwell, Peter D. The Battle of France Then and Now (Old Harrow: After the Battle, 2007). ISBN: 9-781870-067652. [BoF]

[2] Frappé, Jean-Bernard. La Luftwaffe face au débarquement allié (Bayeux: Editions Heimdal , 1999. ISBN: 2-84048-126-X [ Lwdba]

[3] Nielsen, Andreas L. The Collection & Evaluation of Intelligence - USAF Historical Studies No. 171 (Manhattan/KS:MA/AH Publishing, 190? ) ISBN – unknown – Written in 1955.

[4] Shores, Chris. Fledgling Eagles (London: Grub Street, 1991). ISBN: 0-948817-42-9 [F]

[5] Vasco, John; Peter Cornwell Zerstörer The Messerschmitt 110 and its Units in 1940 (Norwich: JAC Publications, 1995). ISBN: 0-9515737-2-1 [Z]


Comments:

[1] the Cornwell book is in a format similar to that of the Blitz books put out by After the Battle and deals with the period September 1939 to late June 1940. It deals with all aspects of the air war in the West and contains the latest and greatest data. This is a book that everyone with an interest in WWII in Europe should have. Its big, beautiful and pacted with information.

[2] This book is entirely in French but it does have a chapter dealing with NAGr. 13 and 4. and 5./123 during the Normandy battles period. There’s about 8 pages of text on these guys. The primary disadvantage of this book (apart from being in French!) is that it is very hard to obtain, and expensive.

[3] This is one of a series of Studies pertaining to the Luftwaffe (and many other topics) . Some years ago, Kansas State University offered printed versions of these (without illustrations) and I was lucky to obtain several. Item [3] has some info about recon ops, most importantly, the secret pre-war recon over France, UK, etc. and that over Russia, pre Barbarossa. In the meantime, these studies are now available for free via the internet at:

http://www.afhra.af.mil/studies/numb...ies151-200.asp

The image quality is bad but readable.

[4] The Shores books are always great and this one covers ops in the West from September 1939 to just before the start of the Battle of Britain. Recommended.

[5] This Vasco book is about Bf 110 ops in 1940 which contain some info on recon over the UK. You might also try some of his Zerstörer books in the Luftwaffe Colours series.

The Bradley/Ketley/Wadman book has some useful general information but it is, unfortunately, riddled with errors so check any info from this source carefully. For all that, it is still the best book on the subject of Luftwaffe recon so far.


I hope that you find the above useful.

DGS

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

Hello Harry,

I have researched 1 & 4./(F)123 extensively since 1996, if you visit our website; www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com and go to the loss page for Luftwaffe you will find some information and photos relating to various losses of 1 and 4.(F)123. I hope you find something of interest.

Kind regards,

Melvin

Luftwaffe researcher
(Aircrew Remembrance Society)

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

A few bits and pieces:

http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSA00868


http://www.germaninvasion.co.uk/luft...tluftwaffe.htm


http://tara.rcahms.gov.uk/isadg/isad...refNo=GB_551_2


http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/Lu...hotography.htm


http://www.njcpublications.co.uk/photos.htm





Hope this helps,
Ed

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

Hi Harry

A quick read of others' contributions to this thread suggests you are getting good, solid advice. I have one idea to add. The best way to really learn about a subject -and I'm not joking- is to write a book about it. It forces you to get to grips with the topic in the round, and exposes areas where there has been little research. You also find out- as you wade through the secondary sources- who is an original thinker, and who uncritically regurgitates secondary sources, and so on, and so forth.

It strikes me that having trawled through primary stuff at NARA, and Freiburg, as well as the Bodleian (what's there? by the way, apart from the fact that it is a wonderful library), you are fairly close to being able to disseminate original research off your own bat.

Get it onto paper -and short articles are good practice- and you people will happily come out of the woodwork and add bits and pieces and eventually you will find you have a 'Great Work' well on the way.

Contact me off board as I'd like to discuss some related matters......


Best wishes


ChrisG

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

Doug,
I don't wish to appear pedantic, but any reference to this book MUST necessarily include Peter Cornwell in the authorship. I would not countenance his omission, even for brevity. Credit has to be given where credit is due.

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

John,

That is most civil of you, dear boy. Thank you. However, the original vision was entirely yours, as were contacting veterans, organising our field trips, the photo production, captions, & the entire publication & distribution so, at the end of the day, all I did was string the words together. We managed some laughs on the journey though. Remember the dame in tight black leather wielding that plunger in our bedroom in Hamburg ? Who said aviation history was dull ?

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

I must concur that due credit be given to Peter for the sterling work he has accomplished in his loss compilations, which appear in several of the better books. We are all greatly indebted to Peter for this useful data.

I must also state again that his "Battle of France, Then and Now" is a revealing and beautiful work and must be classed as a "must have" for anyone with a serious interest in the aviation aspects of the Second World War.

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

Another book to look at is the rather strangely titled

'Adolf Hitler's Holiday Snaps - Luftwaffe Target Reconnaisance- German Aerial Photography 1939-42'

by Nigel Clarke, Nigel J Clare Publications ISBN 0-907683-45-2

This book covers Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Somerset

There are more in the series too though I do not know their ISBN.

The book contains copies of Luftwaffe photos, so at least records what they were interested in and each photo is dated.

Re: Luftwaffe reconnaissance over Britain
 

‘Hitler’s Spies’ by David Kahn has a good section on Luftwaffe PRU and places it in context with the intelligence agencies that used (or ignored) their facilities. It was written from primary sources and at a time when many interviews were possible with the people involved.

Bruce