[Larry deZeng]

Dan H. -

KGr. z.b.V. 21 and 22 were the only two Transportgruppen to be equipped with the Ju 86 for use in Russia. Neither was ever based in North Caucasia or Crimea and both were disbanded on 20 January 1943. I believe they flew a few supply-dropping missions over N Cauc. and a couple of Ju 86s operated from Salsk in mid-January 1943, but that's it, AFIK. Nearly the entire fleet of Ju 86s in Russia was destroyed on the ground at Tatsinskaya on 24 December 1942, according to von Richthofen's diary.


KGr. z.b.V. 22
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 22
(Unit Code: none)

Formation. (Nov 42)
Ordered to assemble and form at Zichenau (Ciechanów)/78 km NNW of Warsaw on 29 November 1942 and then proceed to Morosovskaya/202 km NE of Rostov to take part in the Stalingrad airlift operation. Consisted of a Gruppenstab and two Staffeln with a total of 14 Ju 86s temporarily taken from training schools and other units in Germany.1

South Russia. (Dec 42 - Jan 43)
Dec 42: plans changed shortly after formation and KGr. z.b.V. 22 was directed to Tatsinskaya instead of Morosovskaya, the two airfields being fairly close to each other.
12 Dec 42: operating from Tatsinskaya - Ju 86 (RB+NI) reported missing on a flight from Tatsinskaya to Stalingrad-Pitomnik and believed shot down, 100%, 3 MIA.
16 Dec 42: Ju 86 bombed on the ground at Fp. Stalingrad-Basargino, 100%.
16 Dec 42: Ju 86 (RD+RS) missing on a flight from Varbovka to Tatsinskaya, 100%, 4 MIA.
18-24 Dec 42: in the space of a week the Gruppe reported 14 Ju 86s destroyed and 6 more moderately to severely damaged, most of these victims of Russian air attacks on Tatsinskaya on 24 December, 2 KIA and 2 WIA.
27 Dec 42: Ju 86 destroyed on the ground by enemy fire at Fp. Kotelnikovo, 100%.
23 Jan 43: Ju 86 destroyed on the ground at Fp. Salsk to prevent capture by the approaching Russians.
26 Jan 43: Ju 86 crashed at Fp. Proskurov/W Ukraine due to engine trouble, 90%, 1 KIA and 2 WIA.
Jan 43: after being virtually wiped out the third week of December, aside from a couple of Ju 86s that survived and a couple of more that were unserviceable at Kotelnikovo and Salsk, the Gruppe was disbanded in January. The date of disbandment is unknown, but it was probably the same date KGr. z.b.V. 21 was ordered disbanded, 20 January 1943.


KGr. z.b.V. 21
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 21
(Unit Code: none)

also as: KGr. z.b.V. S 21
KGr. 21
KGr. S 21

31 Jan 43: one of its last remaining Ju 86s was destroyed in a runway accident at Fp. Taganrog on this date, 100%.

L.