Hi Brian
Malye Karmakuly on Novaya Zemlya was a meteorological station that became a small settlement and the administrative center of the island until 1926. It was shelled with 44 rounds from the 88mm deck gun by U-601 during the night of 26/27 July 1942. The primary target was the radio station, but the shelling also destroyed two warehouses, three residential houses and two GST flying boats (Soviet built PBY-5 Catalinas) lying at anchor in the bay. One man was killed and four others injured. After this attack the Soviet Navy set up coastal defense and anti-aircraft guns and even built an airstrip nearby that was opened on 25 October 1942.
A seaplane base was established by U-255 at Mys Sporyy Navolok on the east coast of the northernmost part of Novaya Zemlya during Operation "Wunderland II" from 31 July to 14 September 1943. Together with several other U-boats they refueled five Bv 138 flying boats of SAGr 130 which flew ice reconnaissance and searched for Soviet convoys in the Kara Sea as preparation of a planned attack of the German heavy cruiser LÜTZOW on the Siberian sea route. However, no convoys were sighted and on two occasions the U-boats rescued the crews of crashed Blohm & Voss flying boats:
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http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showpo...3&postcount=41