ID of Staffel code within KGzbV1 of 1Z+IZ?

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

To what staffel and Gruppe within KGzbV1 would a Ju52/3m with the code 1Z+IZ belong? This has the white running rabbit insignia on the nose. Is there a particular time period when this code would have been used? I know Ju52s with this insignia on the nose show up as crash-landed during the invasion of Holland on May 10, 1940. I'm trying to ID a photo.

Thanx,

[byron-]

Hi Larry

I have it in the 15.th Staffel

Byron

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

So this would have been from V Gruppe? So, would the rabbit have been yellow instead of white on this aircraft? It certainly is a light color.

Thanx,

[leonventer]

Hi Larry,

I checked "Junkers Ju52 in de Blitzkrieg" by Schuurman and Kaak. It mentions that 1Z+AZ belonged to 15./KGzbV. 1, which confirms what Byron said. In Appendix 3, it lists Staffels 13, 14, 15, and 16 as belonging to IV Gruppe.

FYI, I did a cursory scan, but didn't find any specific mention or photos of 1Z+IZ.

Leon Venter

[Doug Stankey]

According to our notes, such an aircraft would be of the 15./KG.z.b.V. 1 which was part of the IV. Gruppe. This unit existed from April 1940 to the end of the war (as 15./TG 1). The rudder code was "D".

The insignia that you mention is not a Gruppe insignia, so it must either be a Staffel or a personal insignia.

HLdZ
DGS

[Larry Hickey]

Byron, Leon & Doug,

Thanks for your input. This photo can be viewed at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ht_1720wt_1602

As you will note, this is not a "white running rabbit," as I posted but a red running rabbit on a white rectangular background, which is the acknowledged insignia of 15./KGzbV 1 in Ketley & Rolfe. My mistake. I was thinking of what I remember as a similar rabbit in white which appears on some of the crashed Ju52/3m's during the invasion of Holland.

My thanx to you all.

Regards,

[Pieter H]

Larry, all,

Just back from hollidays, so sorry for late reply.
In May 1940 the KGzbV and KGrzbV used in the air transport operations over Holland each consisted of four (4) Staffeln plus a Stabstaffel!
I. Gruppe B-H-K-L-M
II. Gruppe C-N-P-R-S
III. Gruppe D-T-U-V-W
IV. Gruppe F-X-Y-Z-Q
This in contrast to all other Geschwadern that had three Staffen per Gruppe.
I./ and II./KGzbV.1 Gruppen were established units, but III./ and IV./ were created in March from other Transportstaffeln.
I. II. and III. Gruppen had established unit emblems, but I haven't seen consistent use of a IV. Gruppe emblem during this campaign. The one from Ketley and Rolfe (the devil riding a bomb) was clearly not used by most aircraft of IV.
15./KGzbV.1 (Staffel letter Z) was another exception, since all aircraft I know of used the "Alte Hasen" emblem you mentioned: a jumping hare (probably red) on a white rectangular shield. There are several pictures of crash landed Ju52's on Ypenburg airfield and the beach at Wassenaar showing this emblem.
The name of this Staffel suggests it was a unit existing already much longer, or at east a crew flying together already for a much longer time. But so far I have not been able to link them to any other older unit.
Suggestions welcome.

Pieter

[Nick Beale]

From memory, the 4-Staffel Gruppe in transport units was to include enough Ju 52s to carry a complete paratroop formation, rather than split it up.