Luftwaffe Air Dropped Mines 20-23 Nov 39

[Chris Goss]

According to German records the first LMAs were dropped in the Thames and off Downs and Harwich on the night of 20 Nov 39 (10 mines total) by He 59s. The only unit I can positively link is Hptm Gerd Stein's 3./906-can anyone add any more units?

[robert]

21.11.39
In the late evening the first German mines were placed within the English coastal waters. During the forenoon following units were transferred to take part in this operation:
1./106 with 9 He 115`s from Norderney to List/Sylt
3./106 with 8 He 59`s from Großenbrode to Borkum
1./506 with 7 He 115`s from Norderney to List/Sylt
146 LMA (520 kg total weight) and LMB (949 kg total weight) mines were available. The mines should be dropped in glide with throttled back engines to make no much noise. The mines were fitted with special fuses that were named as M-1. The mines were fitted with chute (falling speed approx. 20 m/sec) and dropped from altitudes of at least 150 m.
In the early evening 9 He 59`s of 3./906 had taken off from Norderney, each seaplane was armed with two LMA mines. Shipping lanes off Harwich, King`s Channel (Thames) and Black Deep (Thames Estuary) were the first target areas. Unfortunately the first mission showed lack of experience of the observers, which resulted in navigational errors and problems. The major light beacon of Thames Estuary (North Hinder lightship) changed its signal for this night and this change had been noticed only by squadron commander, Hptm. Stein. Also the radio navigation equipment of He 59 (Peil G I) turned out to be inaccurate. In this way 5 crews had had to abort the mission due to navigational problems and the remaining crews reported following results:
Off Harwich – 1 LMA, the second mine could be not released (hung-up mine)
Kings Channel – 4 LMA
Black Deep – 2 LMA
All nine seaplanes returned safely to base.

War diary indicates only 8 aircraft:

No.1 aircraft V: Stein, Horten, Fehr, Idstein
No.2 aircraft N: Lorenz, zum Brock, Hermsen, Gollmer
No.3 aircraft T: Toball, Coenen, Mommertz, Bihlmaier
No.4 aircraft U: Schulz, Mammen, Haupt, Sobotta
No.5 aircraft Z: Frasedorff, Simon, Linge, Strutz
No.6 aircraft X: Schröder, Stoodt, Raffler, Siersch
No.7 aircraft R: Müller Fritz, Exner, Schmidt, Müller W
No.8 aircraft O: Speidel, Friedler, Butzke, Burzlaff

Takeoffs: 16.32-17.05 hrs
Landings: 21.00-00.18 hrs

BR

Robert

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Robert had a feeling you might have this. So was it 20 November (according to Kriegsmarine) or 21 November? Also were the other units involved in the attack on 22-23 November?

[igorrB]

At 18.11.39 ten He.59 from 3./906 were transferred from List to Norderney for mining operations. Already at same day one Kette started with mines but returned via bad weather. Next day again bad weather, so first real operation was made 20.11.39, from 16.35-17.00 to 23.00-00.36(21). 9 He.59 participated, all returned.
Next day there was two staffeln - 3./906 and 3./106, 8 He.59 each. Times was 16.25-51 to 22.32-23.40 for 3./106, 16.35-54 to 23.07-00.18(22) for 3./906. Plane Z from 3./906 aborted and returned 21.15 via fuel loss.
He.115 (from 3./506) made its first mining flight only at 6.12.39 from Norderney.
Source is KTB KuFlGr 106 which commanded all staffeln, and 3./906's KTB.

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Igor. Never seen a He 59 with a mine let alone 2!

[robert]

Sorry I mixed up both days.

[Bombphoon]

Some great photos here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjuQT3Fq4lw

[igorrB]

Interesting video but statements that some He.59 lay mines during Battle of Britain (if i understand it correct) is wrong.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Gentlemen

There are too many "next days" and "mixed up days" here

Can we have instead correct date statements please?

Cheers
Stig

[Chris Goss]

Igor is right. the He 59 as a combat aircraft was obsolete by the start of 1940, its demise not helped by this:

In December 1939, the Luftwaffe proposed 7./KG 26 (He 111), a staffel from I./KG 30 (Ju 88) and even 1./KG 40 (Fw 200) be used experimentally for mine dropping. However, on 1 February 1940 9 Flieger Division (9.Flg.Div) was formed at Jever in northern Germany and placed under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (OBdL). The first commander of 9.Flg.Div was Generalleutnant Joachim Coeler . Units assigned to Coeler's Division were KGr 126 flying from Marx and commanded by Hptm Gerd Stein and two He 115 units based on the coast at Norderney-3./506 commanded by Hptm Ernst-Wilhelm Bergemann and 3./906 commanded by Hptm Werner Klümper. KGr 126 would carry out bombing and mining of maritime targets while the He 115s carried out armed reconnaissance and some torpedo missions.


Still did not see any photos of the He 59 with LMA or LMB in the You Tube piece