2L

[Andy Mitchell]

Hello

I have recently seen a copy of a page from a Flugbuch containing an entry for an Me 110 with a Verbandkennzeichen of 2L+ER being flown from Sarabus to Bagerowo on a transfer flight on 23 Sep 1943.

Interestingly the crew concerned had been operating recce flights from Sarabus as part of 4(F)./122 prior to the transfer (hence my interest). Subsequently they flew recce sorties over the Black Sea as part of Küstenstaffel Krim from Bagerowo.

There has been some suggestion that 2L belonged to Lehrgeschwader Greifswald - however, the only examples seen are those with pre WWII codes. (If I recall correctly there are a couple of posts here on Twelve O'Clock High relating to an He 111B with old "format" 2L codes).

Assuming that the entry is correct I cannot in all honesty suggest that a Bf 110 of Lehrgeschwadrer Griefswald (effectively disbanded in late 1938) would have survived to 1943 and also never been recoded.

So possibilities

1. Entry is transposition of L2
2. Aircraft was from Lehrgeschwader Griefswald (see above)
3. Aircraft originated from unknown (to me) unit.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Many thanks

[Mikael Olrog]

Likely it is option 1... Rosch has a Bf 110 C-4 noted in his book with the code L2+ER...


There's also Do 17 and Ju 86 known with pre-war 2L+ codes.

[Andy Mitchell]

Michael,

Thanks for your feedback.

Should have had a look through Rosch myself prior to starting to ask questions about this....

[Dan History]

Originally Posted by Andy Mitchell

1. Entry is transposition of L2
2. Aircraft was from Lehrgeschwader Griefswald (see above)
3. Aircraft originated from unknown (to me) unit.

Thank you for an interesting post, Andy. I agree with Mikael that proposition 1 is the more likely of the three.

Originally Posted by Mikael Olrog

Rosch has a Bf 110 C-4 noted in his book with the code L2+ER...

Mikael, this additional information prompted me to perform an Internet search. I found two losses of Bf 110s coded L2+ER and LN+ER, respectively. Both were flown by pilots named Weyergang, perhaps these were brothers? I don't have the book by Rosch, but perhaps his note refers to the aircraft lost over Britain in 1940? The one that Andy saw mentioned should be one of the aircraft's successors in 7.(F)/L.G. 2.

Neil Page:
"On 25 September 1940 Bf 110 C-5 " L2+ER" flown by Oblt Weyergang was dispatched to photograph targets in London but ran into a 229 Sqn Hurricane and in the ensuing pursuit took a number of hits before crashing north of Hastings where the two crew were buried."
http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2013/1...f-7f-lg-2.html

Steve Sheridan:
"Me 110C W.Nr 2185 was coded L2+ER and served with 7(F) LG2!!
Oblt E Weyergang killed, his Bordfunker Fw G Nelson captured, but died later the same day from his injuries."
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=11680

egorr:
"Leutnant Dietrich Weyergang was born on 16.07.1918 in Aschersleben and wass killed in action on 05.07.1941 at Titowka Lizabuch 7km west Nordwestspitz.

He was shot down by AA-fire (air defense of Vayengi) together with Uffz. Kurt Tigges flying a Bf 110 C-4."

Brian Cull:
"The rampant Hptm Gerhard Schaschke (Stab/ZG76) claimed an I-16 near Litsa Bay on 5 July, accompanied by more from Z-Staffel. The Bf110s had taken off at 15:00 on a mission to Polyarnoe and claimed success over various surface vessels and also set fire to surrounding warehouses and sheds. During this mission LN+ER flown by Ltn Dietrich Weyergang/Uffz Kurt Tigges was shot down by AA fire in the Titovka area and crash-landed at the northen tip of Litsa Bay; both crewmen were killed and their bodies were recovered by a Finnish ski patrol nine days later"
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=52181

Kind regards,

Dan

[Andy Mitchell]

Dan,

Thanks for the additional information.

With regard to Rosch this is just a list of example codes against the individual unit codes. Each code has the aircrafdt type but no further information.

So L2+ER is a Bf 110C-4. Which in all fairness could be from anywhere.

[Andy Mitchell]

Dan,

On refering to the entry on Holm he indicates that 7(F).LG 2 disbanded in Jan 1943 although he then shows this unit being at Mariupol until June 1943. Rosch agrees with the disbandment date.

Unfortunately, I don't know what Barry Rosch used to build his list of codes - entries in the loss tables, Flugbuchs etc so cannot be sure of the source for his entry.

[Andy Mitchell]

Dan/Norbert,

Regarding Weyergang - here are the entries from the brilliant DeZeng and Stankey Career Summaries

WEYERGANG, Dietrich. (DOB: 10.07.18 in Ascherleben). 01.09.39 RDA as Lt. 08.02.41 Lt., 1.(Z)/JG 77.
05.07.41 Lt., 1.(Z)/JG 77 KIA - Bf 110 C-4 (LN+ER) emergency landing 7 km NW Liza Bucht after AA hit
near Murmansk. Credited with one victory.
WEYERGANG, Eberhard. 01.08.39 Oblt., in III.(Aufkl.)/LG 2. 25.09.40 Oblt. in 7.(F)/LG 2, KIA – in Bf
110 C-5 (L2+ER) shot down by RAF fighters of 229 Sqdn. near Beeneys Lane, Baldslaw, north of
Hastings. Buried at Hastings/Sussex.

If I recall correctly LN+ was a prefix used by 1(Z)./JG 77 on their Bf 110s - see pages 132 and 133 of Luftwaffe Colours - Luftwaffe Fighter-Bombers and Destroyers 1941-45 by John Vasco.

[BrianC]

Hi guys

There was a recent Forum post regarding Dietrich Weyergang, who was killed flying LN+ER. The remains of his aircraft has recently been discovered and shows 11 kill markings.

Robert says that he claimed at least 5 during the Battle of Britain (possibly 10); we also know of one whilst flying from Norway.

Cheers
Brian

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Two different Weyergang:

Obltn. Weyergang Dierich geb. 10.07.18 died 05.07.41 [LN+ER] 1.(Z)/JG 77, Bf 110 C-4 WNr. 3235 VB+TN

Oblltn. Weyergang Eberhard geb. 01.08.39 died 25.09.40 [L2+ER] 7.(F)/LG 2, Bf 110 C-5 WNr. 2185 TG+FK

[Tom Willis]

Hi Norbert - Post 7
Only a small point but might be relevant - The Bf110C-4 - W/Nr.3235 could not have had the Stkz VB+TN as this was a Fw58 - W/Nr.3326 with Focke-Wulf from 1941 to 08.43.
The W/Nr block Bf110C-2 VB+TT to VB+TX - 3241 to 3245 only