[Larry deZeng]

Hi Ian, it's great to see that you are alive, kicking and still collecting! The following should help answer your questions:

Aufklärungsstaffel 1.(F)/123 (3d Formation)
(Unit Code 4U+)

Also as: 1.(F)/Aufklärungsgruppe 123
1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 123


Formation. (January 1945)
Ordered formed 1 January 1945, probably at Brieg/Silesia (ex-3.(F)/Nacht), with instructions to equip with the Arado Ar 234 twin-engine jet.

North Germany. (January 1945 - May 1945)
15 January 1945: ordered to transfer to Rheine airfield in north-west Germany this date or over the next few days.
23 January 1945: began Ar 234 conversion training at Rheine under the instruction of pilots from Sonderkommando Sperling, who had been flying the jet for some months.
10 February 1945: Ar 234 B-l (4U+DH) shot down by a RAF Tempest over Rheine while returning from a photo recce mission to Hull/north-east England, 100%, Staka Hptm. Felde KIA. This was the first Ar 234 jet shot down by Allied fighters.
February 1945: the Staffel's mission was to fly photo recce over eastern England between Hull and Dover covering harbors and post-launch damage assessment of V-l and V-2 attacks on England.
5 March 1945: ordered relieved by 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 33 this date.
13 March 1945: Sonderkommando Sperling incorporated into 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 123 on or about this date but it retained its separate identify.
23 March 1945: transferred to Reinsehlen as Rheine became increasingly untenable due to constant Allied air attacks on the airfield.
6 April 1945: ordered by 14. Fliegerdivision to transfer from Reinsehlen to Lübeck-Blankensee.
9 April 1945: Staffel reported 8(4) Ar 234s on strength.
24 April 1945: Lübeck-Blankensee under 14. Fliegerdivision in a strength of 178 officers and men.
2 May 1945: transferred from Lübeck-Blankensee to Hohn near Rendsburg/Schleswig-Holstein, losing Ar 234 (4U+EH) to a Spitfire en-route.
3 May 1945: moved to Schleswig-Land and may have flown the last long-range reconnaissance mission of the war for the Luftwaffe. Two Ar 234s were sent up in the early evening, one to determine the location of British armored spearheads north of Hamburg and the other to check enemy progress in the Lübeck area. Both aircraft returned safely and the next day, 4 May, the Staffel transferred to Grove/Denrnark where it surrendered on 8 May.


FpN: (L 31545)


Staffelkapitän:
Hptm. Hans Felde (January 1945 - 2 or 10 February 1945) KIA
Hptm. Horst Götz (c.11 February 1945 - 8 May 1945)





© H.L. deZeng IV, 2003