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Re: Questions about K.G.55 and K.G.z.b.v. 5
Rik -
First, I./KG 55 (1st Formation) and KGr. z.b.V. 5 existed at the same time during 1942 and early 1943 in Russia as two separate units with no connection to one another. Then, on 1 May 1943, everything changed - I./KG 55 goes out of existence until 10 June, KGr. z.b.V. 5 is renamed TGr. 10. On 10 June 1943, TGr. 10 becomes the new I./KG 55. You can see it all play out below:
I./KG 55 (First Formation)
Mar-Apr 43: handed over remaining aircraft to the other two Gruppen of KG 55 and transferred by train to Barth on the Baltic coast in North Germany to rest, refit and re-equip; on 1 May 43 the Gruppe was renamed III./LG 1.
KGr. z.b.V. 5
1 May 43: KGr.z.b.V. 5 was ordered renamed Transportfliegergruppe 10, which in turn became I./KG 55 on or about 10 June 1943.
Transportfliegergruppe 10
Formation and History. (May 43 - Jun 43)
Formed 1 May 1943 at Samorsk/28 km NW of Kerch in eastern Crimea by renaming KGr.z.b.V. 5. On 5 May it reported a He 111H-6 shot up over the tip of the Taman Peninsula across the strait from Kerch with 10% damage. During May it moved to Stalino in eastern Ukraine where it was renamed I./KG 55 on 10 June 1943. This Gruppe had all German personnel and is not to be confused with TGr. 10 (Italien).
I./KG 55 (Second Formation)
Formation, Refit, Training and Special Operations. (Jun 43 - Aug 43)
Formed 10 June 1943 at Stalino in eastern Ukraine by renaming Transportfliegergruppe 10 (ex-Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 5), a former transport unit. Equipped with Heinkel He 111H bombers. The Gruppe’s movements and activities over the next several months are somewhat unclear, but it is known that it transferred to Wiesbaden in Germany on 20 May (still as Transportfliegergruppe 10) for home leave, refit, re-equipping and training. This presumably took place after handing over its remaining Heinkels at Stalino to the other Gruppen of KG 55. On 28 July it was ordered to Landsberg/Lech in South Germany and from there flew clandestine reconnaissance flights over northeastern Italy as part of Gefechtsverband Sigel. These flights were made to identify the march route possibilities for German troops following the overthrow and arrest of Mussolini on 24 July, and then continued to mid-August. Immediately after that the Gruppe began transferring from Landsberg to Dnepropetrovsk and then Zaporozhye in eastern Ukraine.
L.
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