Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Flitzer
II/KG 200 had a number of FW 190(BT) in September 1944. It was planned to form three Staffeln with these, but the aircraft were prone to accidents, unable to carry such heavy loads under operational conditions. A few, based at Stavanger flew some individual attacks against British warships in the North Sea.
(KG 200 The True Story, P.W. Stahl)
|
Sorry but I think Stahl is wrong about this (he flew with 4. Staffel in I./KG 200).
For a start, II./KG 200 from February - November 1944 was composed as follows:
1. Staffel: He 111 and Go 242 (planned to test the Kochgeraet anti-shipping system)
2. Staffel: Fw 190 Totaleinsatz (i.e. suicide attacks with heavy conventional bombs)
3. Staffel: Kommando Schaefer (Ground combat unit with no aircraft)
4. Staffel: Training and replacement Staffel for Totaleinsatz and Rechenberg.
In November 1944, III./KG 66 became then ew II./KG 200 and operated Ju 188 pathfinders and Mistel composite aircraft.
III./KG 200 did not form until 8 January 1945 and this was done by renaming I./SG 5.
(All this information comes from original documents in the Bundesarchiv, Freiburg: files RL2 III/64 and RL2 III/66)
Does anyone have evidence of even a single BT mission against British warships off Norway? If it's true, which ships were attacked and on what dates? The Luftwaffe's records may have been lost but those of the Royal Navy have not and it wouldn't be hard to check. A bombed-up Fw 190 F had a 150 km radius of action so British Admiralty situation reports for Norwegian waters would undoubtedly mention any fighter-bomber attacks on RN ships.
About the only bit Stahl gets right here is that III./KG 200 was based in stavanger for a while - but in early 1945.