Luftwaffe reconnaissance sorties in Moscow area

[Michael]

Hi,

Could anybody tell me what Luftwaffe units carried out reconnaissance sorties in Moscow area in June-July 1941? I know that 1, 2.(F)/122 and 3.(F)/33 carried out but it seems to me that Aufkl.Gr.Ob.d.L. took part too. Could anybody confirm that? If so what staffels? Any info would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance and sorry for my broken English,
Mikhail.

[Michael]

A/c of Aufkl.Ob.d.L. made first reconnaissance sortie over Moscow area on 22nd June, 1941 and took photos of city of Moscow from 10 km. Is it true? Could anybody confirm that? Any information (type of a/c, WNr. etc.) would be highly appreciated.

[Dénes Bernád]

Originally Posted by Michael

A/c of Aufkl.Ob.d.L. made first reconnaissance sortie over Moscow area on 22nd June, 1941 and took photos of city of Moscow from 100000 m. Is it true? Could anybody confirm that?

No, it not true. Unless it was a spaceship, it could not fly at 100 km altitude.
Leaving joke aside, 10 km altitude is perfectly plausible for a Ju 86P (with max. ceiling set at 12 km), for example.
This aircraft type equipped the OKL's Aufklärungsgruppe's 1, 2. and 3. Staffeln, all transferred to the Eastern front by June 22, 1941.
The 4th Staffel, known as Versuchsstelle für Höhenflüge (Test Centre for High-Altitude Flights), did perform such high-altitude recce missions over the USSR, even prior the Operation Barbarossa to begin.