Help with researching KG53

[F10_Chainsaw]

Hi guys! F.N.G here so bear with me

Im intressted in researching KG53 during invasion of france and battle of britain and its battles over russia, but I dont really know where to start, wich sources are obvius, books to get etc.
I have "Kampfgeschwader Legion condor" by Kiehl but its in german so its slow reading and seems to be aimed mostly at I gruppe and my main intresst is in II gruppe (although whole KG53 is intressting)

Ive done a quick search for KG53 here on the forums but nothing really useful shows up exept downed planes so I hope you guys can help me starting of in right direction!

Cheers Thomas

[Doug Stankey]

I am obliged to point out that there is a mini-history of this unit in our book "Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe, A Reference Source" by H.L. deZeng and D.Stankey, published by Midland Publishing (Ian Allan). This is not a full blown history, but it is an overview of formation, equipment, operations and commanders. The KG 53 history covers 15.25 pages including photos. For a detailed review see:
http://sonic.net/~bstone/archives/080330.shtml.

Apart from the Kiehl book, there are no other published histories, only incidental references to it scattered over about 4 dozen books.
It is available just about everywhere. Try the public library first.
I hope this helps.

DGS

[F10_Chainsaw]

Thank you wery much sir, just bought it from amazon.co.uk.
Noticed there was a vol2, what does that cover or is it just more units in that one?

/Thomas

[F10_Chainsaw]

On another note, is there anything to gather from any archives? like combat reports etc ?

/Thomas

[Doug Stankey]

Volume 1 has mini-histories for KGs 1 through 60. Volume 2 covers KG 66 and up plus all the other units such as the Kampfgruppen, Erganzungs units, Lehr units, KG (J) units. It also contains an extensive bibliography, the Indices for placenames and for personnel.

In regards to archival materials, the other thing that could be useful to you is the loss records. We reviewed those for clues where more general sources were too thin. Apart from that we have been through everything, as a review of the bibliography will show.

We hope that you will enjoy our book. Next year there will be a corresponding book in two volumes covering ground attack units.

LdZ
DGS

[F10_Chainsaw]

thanks for the input.

Where do you get hold of the loss records for certain periods?

next ive been thinking about is that there must be some unit war diary that was kept just like the infantry divisions did in WH. shouldnt it be located somewhere?

/Thomas

[Pawel Burchard]

Those items can be ordered in NARA and are available on microfilm... not especially cheap nowadays and you have to wait some time until the order is processed, and I doubt they're available for the period of your interest

it is also possible to find copies in some local libraries/military institutions, for example we've got some in Poland too

p.

[F10_Chainsaw]

Is this NARA? - http://www.archives.gov/

how do I find anything on there? do they send to outside US as well?

/Thomas

[Pawel Burchard]

yes this is it, I'll suggest you to start with T-971 directory, it is available as pdf, if you have trouble finding it on NARA site, give me your email address via PM

p.

[F10_Chainsaw]

Thanks, found The T-971, just googled their searchtool (I can be smart sometimes )

So lets say I find something intressting, like

1 August-30 November 1940 – 4407/50
German Air Force Operations Staff. “Aerial Warfare against England” – Combat
calendar – Directives and orders for the major offensive operations to destroy the
English Air Force.

wich seems bloody intressting, what is the next step I do and what Cash can I expect to be robbed on?

/Thomas