Ju-52 Unit Identity

[chuckschmitz]

Looking for some help in identifying the attached photo of a Ju-52. I believe the marking places it in KGzbV 172. However was this a wing or group marking? The cowling looks to be yellow or white which would place it on the Eastern Front or in the Med. Any thoughts?

Chuck

[Doug Stankey]

Referring to the Karl Ries book:
Ries, Karl. Photo-Collection of Luftwaffe Emblemes (Mainz:Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, 1976).

This claims that this is a Geschwader emblem. This seems to me to be a weak guess. It is unknown if this insignia had originated with KGr.z.b.V. 172 and carried it on when it was re-designated as I./KG.z.b.V 172 on 26 August 1939 or perhaps this insignia was created later on.

From your photo, I would estimate that the motor cowl is yellow and the stripe (which some Ju 52s had) is in fact just a shadow of the prop blade.

I conclude therefore: that this is a Ju 52 of I./KGz.b.V. 172 (under Stab/KG.z.b.V. 2) in either the Balkans campaign of April/May 1941 or based near Athens in May 1941(subordinated to Stab/K.G.z.b.V. 1 in turn under XI. Fliegerkorps) for airborne ops against the Allied positions on Crete, starting 20 May 1941.


I hope that this clarifies things somewhat.

DGS

[ouidjat]

Hello All, hello Doug,

I think Chuck was talking about THE Stripe not Prop shadow. Here is the same picture with modifications.
Regards,
Franck.

[obdl3945]

Hi...

Ketley & Rolfe's Luftwaffe Emblems 1939-1945 (Hikoki) state the 'leaping stag' was an alternative emblem for KGrzbV 106, used for a short period during the Balkans campaign and Crete in 1941. Am I missing something with a connection to KGzbV 172, other than the parent code of '4V' being used by both units at various points (Rosch's Luftwaffe Codes, marking & units, 1939 - 1945) ?

Regards...

PS: This comment is added sometime after the above... apologies, I now believe the identification of the particular unit in question was determined by the last letter of the code. I live and learn... ! So, does this mean the emblem was used by both units at some point, then?

[chuckschmitz]

Thank you all for your comments. I'm sure the research will continue as it seems to do with all things Luftwaffe.

[cheruskerarmin]

Posting 21/2 years after i even try to enlight the constant 'mystery' aound the deer (leaping stag) emblem:

This emblem was - for still unknown reasons - used by KGrzbV106 during the balkan/crete campaign 1941. Before and after this period the unit used the blue Narvik-emblem.
KGrzbV40 and KGrzb60 were formed by drawing a/c from other units especially for
operation merkur (crete). A lot of these came from KGrzbV106 - retaining the
white deer emblem.
If you find a pic of a Ju52 with this emblem it depends on the fuselage code, to
which unit it did belong. The questionmark standing for the individual a/c letter.

KGrzbV106 4V+?C-N-P-R-S for Stab and the three staffeln
KGrzbV40 9P+?B-H-K-L-M
KGrzbV60 9P+?D-T-U-V-W

The association of the deer emblem with KGzbV172 is most likely completely wrong.
Maybe it was assumed and published wrongly once and then simply copied a lot in other publications.

I./KGzbV172 already used it's wellknown 'running pig in a star' emblem at crete,
pictorial evidence exists. Codes were 4V+?D-U-T-V-W.

II./KGzbV172 is still a mystery, it is mentioned in a lot of books being a part of the
crete 1941 units. Others saying it wasn't operational. AFAIK no emblems or even codes (?) are known.

ATB
Armin

[chuckschmitz]

Danke. Thanks for the new info