Kosinki airfield

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

from October 19th, 1943, III./JG 51 was based at Kostinki airfield in the Ukraine, flying missions from there over the Tshernigow area.

Can anybody please enlighten me where exactly this airstrip was situated ? Transscription from the German to Russian and now Ukranian nomenclature has its problems and I have no idea just what the current name of the place may be.

As usual - any help will be gratefully appreciated.

Regards

Jochen Prien

[ianatheling]

Hi Jochen.

A very interesting search! According to the records I have found there were three victories recorded for III./JG 51 on the 19th October. Two were recorded near the Belarus border at Tshernigow (Chernihev), one further south. However III./JG 51 were in the process of moving north due to Soviet advances. What evidence do you have that Kostinki was in the Ukraine? I have III./JG 51 at Orscha in Belarus in October 1943, so Kostinki was probably a temporary airfield on route to Orscha. It could also have been inside Belarus? I haven’t found anything yet but will keep looking at my maps.

Can you also confirm the spelling of the airfield? The title states Kosinki, while in your post you state Kostinki. I have found several settlements named Kostenki, which appears to be a common title for rural settlements. One is 120km east of Orscha, but I would imagine that this was too far east to be in German hands at this time.



Regards
Ian

[Jochen Prien]

Dear Ian,

many thanks for your message. I have since found the a/f in question which was in fact in Bjelarus, appr. 5 kms southwest of Mazyr ( or Mosyr as the German transscription would be ). The erroneous lead to Ukraine came from a hand written note of uncertain provenance in one of my references.

The correct spelling should be Kosenki, while in the records I have here there are various spellings, ranging from Kostinki over Kosinki to Kostinke - make your choice. For me the cyrillic lettering would make Kosenki the closest thing but that may be different for the English speaking community.

Anyway - thanks again and regards

Jochen Prien

[ianatheling]

Dear Jochen

On a German map of 1942 it is written as Kosinki. The map does not show an existing airfield at this time. I checked across to a modern google earth satellite picture which shows this to be the location of an existing ‘Mozyr’ airfield. The airfield is no longer in use, but looks as though it was probably a Soviet period military base.


Regards


Ian

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

Here is a little more information from ULTRA about this airfield:

07.09.43: Führer's orders that four permanent winter airfields be developed immediately for bomber and/or close support units, including Kosinki.

04.10.43: Medical Storch for wounded requested at Kosinka [sic].

27.10.43: III./S.G. 1, I./J.G. 51 and 15./J.G. 51 at KOSINKI. Also N.A.Gr. 10.

28.10.43: I./J.G. 51 will transfer with all seviceable aircraft as soon as weather permits from ORSCHA SOUTH to KOSINKI. Elements in KOSINKI to be at 3 minutes readiness. Escort operations in area of WETKA. Tasks will be issued from Geschwader Battle H.Q. STARABYCHOW.

04.12.43: III./S.G. 1 at KOSINKI.


Cheers,
Andrew A.

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