WEKUSTA 76

[researcher111]

Can anyone help me with with details regarding Wettererkundungsstaffel 76 der Luftwaffe airfields between Juni to September 1941 ?

Thanks in Advance

[Spanferkel]

See below

Regards
Jeremy

Wettererkundungsstaffel 76

Formed 2.41 in Wien-Aspern.

Disbanded 10.44, and was absorbed by 2.(F)/Aufkl.Gr.100.

Known bases:

Wien-Aspern, 2.41 - 5.41
Eleusis, 5.41 - 6.41
Reichshof, 6.41 - 7.41
Winniza, 8.41 - 9.41
Nikolayev*, 9.41 - 12.11.43
Odessa, 12.11.43 - 31.3.44
Mamaia, 1.4.44 - 2.5.44
Buzau, 2.5.44 - 26.8.44
Börgönd, 26.8.44 - 10.44
Grosswardein, 10.44 - 10.44

* detachment (Wekusta 76/1) at Kiev, 10.42 - 1.43 and at Proskurow, 1.43 - 1.3.43

[Andy Mitchell]

Have a look at Kington abnd Selinger's "Wekusta" published by Flight Recorder (which is now an imprint of Crecy Publishing).

See http://www.crecy.co.uk/wekusta-luftw...aissance-units

[researcher111]

Andy

Your reply is greatly appreciated ,I have now an other question.....if WEKUSTA 76 was based at Elusis Greece, that make my case even more mysterious. Specifically I am serching for a HE-111 of WEKUSTA 76 which made an emergency lading 55 km South of Melitopol Crimea on June 23,41. The acft was flown by the Uffz Gehling manned by 5 crew including Major Euler ( the famous physics Scientist prior WWII from Meraane , Saxonia).The entire crew was rescued and broght ashore by a Russian fisherman and since then they all vannished . Again 1942 the Russians claimed to have found Euler's nuclear research sketches though that's an unconfirmed story from Russia most probably the crew died somewhere in captivity.

If the Sqd was based in June 1941 in Greece it doesnt make sense and was practical for Lufwaffe to fly such a distance near Azov Sea just to to collect WX info when in fact the Lufwaffe had closer bases in Romania and the weather report was
needed for the Luftwaffe Romania than elsewhere.

Thanks again

[Brian Bines]

The Wekusta book shows that in May Wek.76 moved from the Balkans to Rzeszow in S/E Poland in preparations for action against the Soviets. Luft. QMs returns shows the loss of He111H-4 5Z+FA 3205 on 24th June. Crew shown as Ofw.Willi Butz, Ofw. Wilhelm Gehling, Fw Willi Levandenski, Gef. Ewald Schittek, Re.Rat a Kr. Hans Euler all missing. Crew positions are not shown but they would normally be Ff. B. Bf and Bm/Bs, the Wekusta book shows Willi Butz as the pilot.

Regards

Brian Bines

[researcher111]

Brain

Many thanks and very useful information . Can you confirm the exact date ? I have Russian archive reports stating June 23, 1941 55 Km of Simferopol ...are there any photos of the crew ? can you email me or post such crew photo ? You mentioned they moved from Balkans to Poland...which Balkan country other than Greece ? But one Q still remains , its totally unpracticable for a highly organized Luftwaffe to dispatch a HE-111 to Crimea from the mentioned Polish location or from Greece due the considerable distance involved ...my presumation is that the take off point was Romania from either one of the KG4,KG51, KG-27 airfields ...because then the flight time over the Black Sea to Simferopol would have been substantially shorter. One interesting thing that no history book mentioned...is that they are not missing...they were interrogated at the Simferopol airfield base of 40 BAP ( Black Sea Bomb Group), then handed over to NKVD Simferopol Branch which then dispatched them to Odessa NKVD and finally suspected ...sent to Moscow .

Thanks in Advance

[Brian Bines]

I am afraid I cannot help much more I understand WEK.76 operated over the Balkans flying from Vienna before moving to Poland. The Luft QMs returns has them under Luflotte 4 at the time of their loss, so on the the day of their loss they may well have moved to a foward base in Rumania. I have no photos of the crew. There is a photo. on the English and German wikipedia of Hans Euler. The German text states they ditched following engine trouble on the 24th which appears to be the same as that in the Luft. Qms report dated 27th June, if you PM me an E-mail address I can send a copy of this report.

[researcher111]

Thank you Brian I have all the stuff from Internet no need to email.....it was June 23,1941 and nothing but this date. anything else is wrong

[JoMe]

I have this:

24.06.1941 / Wekusta 76 / Schwarzes Meer (55km S Melitopol/SU) / He 111 H-4 / 3205 / 5Z + FA / 100% / FF/unbek. Ursache
Ofw Willi Butz vm
RegRat Hans Euler vm
Ofw Wilhelm Gehling vm
Fw Willi Lewandowski vm
Gefr Ewald Schittek vm

As late as June 23, 1941, Wekusta 76 was still at Jasionka/PL (= Reichshof) airfield.
The weather reconnaissance also served as a long-term weather forecast, not just in the local area, so I think it is quite possible that this flight also started from Jasionka.

best wishes
JoMe

[FrankieS]

thank you, JoMe