[oquaig]

Hi everyone,


The He 111 was a larger aircraft and slightly heavier with the less powerful version of the Jumo 211 engine. I was suspecting the He111, a little slower and heavier would need a longer take off run (He 111 H wing span 74' length 54' 27400 lbs; Ju 88 A5 wing span 65' length 47' 27000 lbs.) I took a look at these airfields to see if there was difference between their size and the types of aircraft based there:


Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45
Airfields
Germany (1937 borders)
Henry L. de Zeng


Lüneburg: KG 26 He 111 P


Dimensions: approx. 1150 x 1600 meters (1250 x 1750 yards) with a
rectangular shape.


Surface and Runways: level, good quality grass surface Not paved
runway...


Wünsdorf: KG 3 Ju 88 A5


Dimensions: approx. 1260 x 730 meters (1375 x 800 yards)...


Surface and Runways: grass surface on chalky sub-soil...


But this doesn't really support that argument...the reason I asked is because I was reading that III./KG 4 (He 111 H) was originally slated to fly from Grivas airfield, 3 km west of Daugavpils (aka., Dünaburg west) in July 1941 and the excuse for not sending it there was that the runway was too short. So III./KG 4 went to Prowehren instead. I believe now it was because the airfield was too crowded as Stab.I.II.III./kg 77 (Ju 88 A5) and Kampfgruppe zbV 106 with its Ju 52s both occupied this place. The rail supply situation was really tight with the Army and the Luftwaffe knocking heads over who had priority over available trains. Most of the air supply runs to 16th Army and the Luftwaffe units based in the Ostrov/Korovoi Selo/Rosko Polje/Pskov area originated from here, the closest railhead. Plus all the road bound supplies originated here for 16th Army and Panzergruppe 4 and the forward elements of Fliegerkorps I.


Grivas: KG 77 Ju 88 A5


Dimensions: approx. 1000 x 400 meters although the field itself is 2000 meters long and 400 meters wide.


Surface and Runways: grass surface