Bombing of Seshcha airfield night of 23Jul43

[Nokose]

On the night of the 22-23Jul43 the Soviet ADD sent bombers to bomb Seshcha airfield. When the reduced force arrived (BAD weather) there was observed parked and on the taxiway approx. 20 aircraft with their lights on which went off before the bombs fell.

1. Who was stationed here at that time?
2. How many planes were destroyed and damaged?
3. Did IV/NJG5 loss any Bf 110's this night?

The weather destroyed far more Soviet aircraft this night then the German flak and fighters.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

1. No apparent losses for that location - did the Germans use another name for it?

2. None - apparently...

You have this one if the locations are the same:
http://www.aviationhistory.no/ref_db...?lossid=122135

3. No

Regards,
Andreas B

[Nokose]

Seshchinskaya (Sechtschinskaja) is a different airfield but they were bombed the same night but by the Pe-8's of the 45 AD ADD. The information is good to know. I think maybe Seshcha is possibly closer to Bryansk. I had a name conversion list at one time but it seems to be "hiding" somewhere at this time. Maybe someone else can provide the German name. Thanks again and maybe if the name shows up, I can get an answer for this question. At least I know that IV/NJG5 didn't have a loss but the victories that they were listing ran a day behind the real loss days of the ADD during this period.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

Just to be sure with regards to the dates, I checked N.J.G.5 from 22.7.1943 through 25.7.1943.

They only registered this loss during this period:

http://www.aviationhistory.no/ref_db...?lossid=124797

http://www.aviationhistory.no/ref_db...?lossid=124555

Regards,
Andreas B

[Larry deZeng]

I all has to do with confusion over names. "Seshcha" IS Seshchinskaya.

Seschtscha (RUSS) (e. Seshcha) (village coordinates 53 44 07 N – 33 20 33 E)
General: village and airfield (Fliegerhorst) in W Russia 84 km NW Bryansk and 38 km SE of Roslavl’. Luftwaffen Meldequadrat: 44343. Luftwaffen Zielnummer: 304. Seschtscha (Seshcha) was the name of Seshchinskaya airfield as it appeared in the various editions of Führungsstab Ic/Ob.d.L. Nr. 6189/43 (IV), “Übersichtsliste der Flugplätze SU”. There was no separate listing for Seschtschinskaja.

Seschtschinskaja/West (RUSS) (e. Seshchinskaya/West) (53 42 54 N – 33 20 46 E)
General: airfield in W Russia 40 km SE of Roslavl’ and situated in an open expanse 4.5 km SSE of the village of Seshchinskaya (today Seshcha) and 9 km WNW of the village of Dubrovka and adjacent to the village of Krasnopol’ye. Rated for bombers. Paved (concrete) runway. A major Lw. air base from Aug 41.

Seschtschinskaja/Ost (RUSS) (e. Seshchinskaya/East) (c. 53 45 N – 33 26 E)
General: airfield in W Russia 40 km SE of Roslavl’ and situated adjacent to Seshchinskaya (today Seshcha) with the airfield in an open expanse c. 7-8 km E of the village of Seshchinskaya and c. 6 km NW of the village of Dubrovka and c. 5 km NE of the village of Krasnopol’ye. Rated for bombers. Two paved (concrete) runways. A major Lw. air base from May 42.

Today, Seshchinskaya/West is clearly visible using Google Earth but Seshchinskaya/East appears to be gone.

L.

[Nokose]

I can only "assume" that the Pe-8's bombed the west and the B-25's and Il-4's the east. The fact that there is no known loss of a Me-110 for the IV/NJG5 on the 22July43, only leaves me to wonder if three crews mistook a crashing Il-4 for the one claimed shot down. At least one airfield had no aircraft destroyed. The Russian controller stated over "Seshcha" that their was a second airfield near the one they bombed but they assumed it was a decoy and no one bombed it.

[Nokose]

Thank you Andreas and Larry for your help. There was a report by the partisans that on the "Seshcha" airfield was destroyed ten aircraft, a fuel depot and a food warehouse.

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Nokose

Thank you Andreas and Larry for your help. There was a report by the partisans that on the "Seshcha" airfield was destroyed ten aircraft, a fuel depot and a food warehouse.

There does not appear to be any mention in the Luftwaffe Loss Reports of a large number of aircraft being bombed on the ground and destroyed/damaged 22/23 July 1943 or close to that date.