HS 126 in France 1944

[James A Pratt III]

Were there any HS 126s still flying in France in 1944? I believe LLG 1 was still using some at this time.

[Nick Beale]

A bit of browsing or downloading on the Bundesarchiv site should give you some indication of what LLG 1 had on strength. You don't say if you had a particular month in mind but you could try Rl 2-III/729a, /729b, /730 and 731a which between them cover strength and serviceability from 20 February to 30 June. Also RL 2-III/880 and /881 cover aircraft added and lost by units from January to August 1944, broken down by types and often by sub-types.

[James A Pratt III]

I should have been a little clearer. Were any used in the anti-partisan operations like at Mont Mochet or Vercors in the May-August 1944 period. The Germans did launch a glider operation against Vercors.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by James A Pratt III

I should have been a little clearer. Were any used in the anti-partisan operations like at Mont Mochet or Vercors in the May-August 1944 period. The Germans did launch a glider operation against Vercors.

That's much easier to answer.

Strength of Geschwader Bongart on 30 June 1944 was:
3 (1) He 111
1 (0) Do 217
4 (2) He 46
4 (0) Bf 110
35 (22) RE.2002
7 (3) W 34
2 (2) Fi 156

Geschwader Bongart had none of the type on strength and the Vercors glider operations were carried out by Do 17 tugs and (according to French sources) 43 DFS 230s. From the same sources, a total of three Go 24s brought in heavy equipment after the initial assault.

According to Bundesarchiv RL 2-III/731b, on 20 July 1944 the Hs 126 was only being used by III./LLG 1 in the Balkans. In the West I./LLG 1's tugs were Do 17s (towing DFS 230s) and I./LLG 2's were He 111s (towing Go 242s)