I./JG 52 at Charkow-Waitschenko

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

I./JG 52 in the spring of 1943 was based temporarily at an airfield which is called Charkow-Waitschenko in several official documents; another spelling is Woitschenko. The Gruppe moved there for instance on March 10th, 1943, even before the town of Charkow itself was re-occupied by German troops.

While trying to locate this airfield I have so far been unable to find any reliable hint as to where exactly it was; Barbas in his volume on I./JG 52 shows an a/f triangle for Woitschenko in the southeast of Charkow, where I canot find it in any of the maps available to me ( nor on Google ). Further more, this area was still in Russian hands on March 10th, 1943 - so can anybody here enlighten me ? Any hint would be appreciated.

Regards

Jochen Prien

[Matti Salonen]

I have always thought, that the present Charkow International Airport is the former Charkow-Woitschenko and Charkow-Rogan airfield is about 10 km east from it. Hopefully somebody can correct or confirm that.

Matti

[rob van den nieuwendijk]

Hello Jochen and Matti,

This might be of interest:

Charkow (UKR) (e. Kharkov) principal city in E Ukraine. Total of 11 airfield identified: Charkow I, Charkow II, Charkow III, Charkow-Alexejewka (e. Kharkov-Alekseyevka), Charkow-Besljudowka (e. Kharkov-Bezlyudovka), Charkow-Grobli I (e. Kharkov-Grobli I), Charkow-Grobli II (e. Kharkov-Grobli II), Charkow-Korotitsch (e. Kharkov-Korotich), Charkow/Nord (Kharkov/North), Charkow-Rogan (Kharkov-Rogan) and Charkow-Woitschenko (Kharkov-Voichenko). By all accounts, the Lw. used 7 airfields around Kharkov and these are listed below. In May 42 and at the end of 1942 there were only three (North, Rogan and Voichenko). This is confirmed in Luftgaukdo. Kiew document Nr.1791/42 of 6. Mai 1942 as well as other documents including a Feldluftgaukdo. XXV document dated 18 Jun 43.

Charkow/Nord (UKR) (e. Kharkov/North; a.k.a. Charkow I, Charkow-Stadt) (50 02 N – 36 16 E)
General: main airfield at Kharkov and located 7 km NNE of Kharkov city center. Lw. use from c. 1 Nov 41. Grass surface. Had 9 hangars but the Russians destroyed 7 of these when they evacuated the airfield in late Oct 41. New infrastructure built and existing infrastructure enlarged to accomodate two Gruppen. Airfield defensive perimeter with fortifications and pillboxes constructed Dec 42 – May 42.

Station Commands: Fl.H.Kdtr. E 29/IV (Nov 41 - Mar 43); Fl.H.Kdtr. E 61/XI (Jun 43); Fl.H.Kdtr. E 64/XI (Jun 43).
Station Units (on various dates): Koflug 1/IV (1942 – Feb 43); Wetterberatungszentrale A; Wetterberatungszentrale (mot) 7/XVII; 4. Flugh.Betr.Kp./KG 51; le.Werkstattzug 2/40; Flak-Abt. 297; Flak-Abt. 164; Flak-Abt. 774; Flak-Transport-Battr. 1/73; Lw.-Bau-Rgts.Stab 4/XI; II/Lw.-Schnellbaugruppe; Lw.-Bau-Btl. 9/VII; Lw.-Bau-Btl. 7/XII; Lw.-Bau-Ger.Zug 16/IV; Lw.-Bau-Ger.Zug 5/See; Nachschub-Kp. 5/XVII; Fl.Geräteausgabestelle 7/VIII; Fl.Geräteausgabestelle (mot) C; Feldmunitionslager 7/VIII; Kw.Werkstatt-Zug 58; m.Fl.Betr.St.Kol. 5/VII; m.Fl.Betr.St.Kol. 6/XIII; kl.Fl.Betr.St.Kol. 4/VII; Trsp.Kol. 45/XI; Trsp.Kol. 49/XI; Trsp.Kol. 3/XIII; Fahr-Kol.d.Lw. 2/VIII; Traktorenzug 51; Traktorenzug 52; Ldssch.Zug 147/VI; Ldssch.Zug 194/VI; Ldssch.Zug 253/VI; Ldssch.Zug 326/VI; Ldssch.Zug 3/VIII; OT-Einheit 35a, 321 and 457; Lw.-Feld-Bauamt II K; etc.
On 1 Jan 43: Lw.-Bau-Btl. 2/VIII; Lw.-Bau-Ger.Zug 12/IV; Lw.-Bau-Ger.Zug 7/VII; m.Fl.Betr.St.Kol. 5/VII; Trsp.Kol. 3/XIII; Fahr-Kol.d.Lw. 2/VIII; Ldssch.Zug 147/VI; Ldssch.Zug 194/VI; Ldssch.Zug 253/VI; Frontsammelstelle d.Lw. 2/VIII.

Source: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...?f=49&t=165638

Best regards,
Rob

[Nokose]

Osnova airfield (in 1942 Kharkov - Voychenko) is now the Kharkov International Airport (Lat. 49.9247 Long. 36.2914 according to the airport information) to the south of Kharkov

[Jochen Prien]

Dear Matti, Rob and Nokose,

many thanks for your kind assistance; I think the matter can be seen as settled as for the location of the airfield.

What still puzzles me is the fact, that I./JG 52 was moved forward to Waitschenko a/f at a time - i.e. March 10th, 1943 -, when this area according to official German records - KTB OKW 1943 II - was still in Russian hands, the main thrust into Charkow coming from the North and Northwest while in the South the fighting still raged along the Line from Charkow to Merefa, which is about 30 kms southwest of Charkow and 20 kms southwest of Waitschenko a/f.

Anyway, thanks again and

kind regards

Jochen

[Nokose]

I don't have any clear maps of that battle but it appears that it might have been within the lines of the 48. Panzer Korps at that time which was fighting in that area along side the 47. Panzer Korps. A check of that units history might provide the answer.