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Re: Trying to ID the correct location for AF where I./ZG2 was based during early August, 1940: "St Aubin-Thiberville, France"
I have no problem with Gerhard's reply. He covers all the bases and his thoughts and facts are accurate and make complete sense.
But the issue concerning Saint-Aubin - Thiberville is still open. During offensive operations, the Luftwaffe as well as other air forces could be "based" at one airfield while operating temporarily from an advanced landing ground (Absprunghafen) where all or elements of the Gruppe flew to tank up before staging their mission against the designated target. The aircraft at the Absprunghafen could be there for a few days or they could return to their base airfield on completion of the mission. An Absprunghafen could be just a fairly flat pasture or meadow that was temporarily stocked-up with fuel and/or ammunition sufficient for one or more missions. Only the Wartungs (servicing) echelon of the Staffel/Gruppe would accompany the aircraft to the Absprunghafen while the maintenance (Werft-) echelon would remain at the base airfield.
The sum of the aggrigate information that we have in this thread on Saint-Aubin - Thiberville points increasingly toward it being an Absprunghafen rather than a base airfield (Fliegerhorst), that is, if it was actually used at all. The absence of any listing for it in the A.I.2.(b) Gazetteer of 1 September 1943 largely substantiates this hypothesis.
L.
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