What does OBS mean?

[cbe2009]

Hello,
On January 5.th, 1943 an He 111 H-11 was lost in the Med.
It was coded VG + IJ and had Wnr. 8130.
It belonged to KGr. zbV. OBS.

Does anyone know what OBS mean?

Thank you in advance,

Christian

[Chris Goss]

Oberbefehlshaber Süd?

[cbe2009]

Thank you Chris, that makes sense.

Kind regards,

Christian

[Larry deZeng]

OBS:

Oberbefehlshaber Sued (the "Sued" is spelled "Sud" with an Umlaut over the "u"). For reasons unknown, I can no longer make the Umlauts on this website anymore, probably due to this horrible Libre Office 5.4 software I have.

Anyway, Gen.Feldmarschall Kesselring was OBS on the date you indicated. Furthermore, the unit stated was not a KGr. z.b.V. but rather a Flugbereitschaft, and was also known as Flugbereitschaft Luftflotte 2, which Kesselring also commanded at that time. It had all sorts of different a/c, especially Ju 52s and Do 217s. Here are some other sample losses for that time frame:

15 Nov 42: Ju 52 crashed at Rome-Ciampino due to engine failure, 90%.
20 Jan 43: Ju 52 (7V+CL) ran out of fuel N of the Tiber Estuary and force landed in the water, 100%, 13 aircrew + 2 passengers killed.
11 Feb 43: Do 217 crash landed at Trapani/Sicily, 50%.
22 Feb 43: Do 217 (F5+LH) FTR on flight from Rome-Ciampino to Gabes in Tunisia, 100%, 13 aircrew + 3 high-ranking officers MIA.

L.

[Merlin]

The KGrzbV OBS was set up at at Erding on 29.11.42 with 18 He 111P and H from the Erg.Gruppen of KG 2, 27, 40, 76, 77 and seven others from other units. From 30.12.42 until 15.01.43 the group flew transport missions from Lecce in Italy to Tunesia.

Then they were ordered to the East for the Stalingrad airlift and became finally absorbed by KGrzbV 5 on 25.01.43.

[Zippy1]

Originally Posted by Merlin

The KGrzbV OBS was set up at at Erding on 29.11.42 with 18 He 111P and H from the Erg.Gruppen of KG 2, 27, 40, 76, 77 and seven others from other units. From 30.12.42 until 15.01.43 the group flew transport missions from Lecce in Italy to Tunesia.

Then they were ordered to the East for the Stalingrad airlift and became finally absorbed by KGrzbV 5 on 25.01.43.

Erding is the site of the current Munich airport.

[Chris Goss]

Looking at Larry's post 4, 16 in a Do 217 must have been one hell of a squeeze?

[Larry deZeng]

There are two VLM entries there that mention "13 aircrew". That doesn't sound right, so I wonder if it's an error in the Gen.Qu.(6.Abt.) reports or perhaps my transcription? Maybe someone could check this? My VLMs are all on old IWM microfilms from the 1980's and too tedious and cumbersome for me to mess with anymore.

L.

[Rottler]

Hello Larry,

the Ju 52 WNr. 5771 7V+CL was lost on 15 Jan 1943 (Gen.Qu. loss return 20 Jan 1943 item 74).
Victims were the crew and 6 passengers:
F Uffz Willi Klemme
Bm Gefr Karl Spormann
Bs Gefr Albert Bacher
Reg.Rat Otto Kornke Stab/O.B.S.
Stfw Klaus Wochnik Stab/O.B.S.
Uffz Walter Esser Trap.Kol.d.Lw. 89/XI
Obgfr Printzler K.Gr.z.b.V. 323
Obgefr Thomaschewski 2.(F)/122
Oblt Otto Berchtoldt 8./Schl.G. 2 (Gen.Qu. loss return 18 Mar 1943 item 194).

Regards
Leo

[Rottler]

Hello Larry,

the Do 217 WNr. 4481 Flugber.Lfl.Kdo. 2 (F5+LH) was lost on 20 Feb 1943, 6 (not 16) persons missing (Gen.Qu. loss returns 26 Feb 1943 items 207, 208 and 210):
F Ofw Hönning, Ludwig
Bf Ofw Petsch, Kurt
Bm Ofw Niemann, Heinz
Oberst Grunev, Hans Fl.Führ. 3
Oberstlt Rebrecht, Rudolf Stab/Lfl.Kdo. 2
Major i.G. Stefan, Josef Stab/Lfl.Kdo. 2.

Regards from Ludwigshafen
Leo