Sonderkommando Totenkopf

[Larry deZeng]

Here ya go, Andy:

KÖHNKE, Otto. (DOB: 18.02.12 in Bremen). (R, DKG). 01.07.39 Oblt., trf from I. of K/88 Legion Condor to KG 3. 1940 Staka 2./KG 3. 15.09.41 Oblt., awarded the Ehrenpokal. 23.02.42 Oblt., awarded DKG, Staka 2./KG 3. 01.03.42 Hptm., appt Kdr. II./KG 54 (to 27.09.42 WIA – lost a leg). 01.08.42 Hptm., awarded Ritterkreuz, Kdr.II./KG 54. 01.10.42 promo to Maj. 01.04.43 in RLM (L.In.2). 18.04.43 ordered to Luftattaché Budapest for temporary duty. 28.06.43 ordered to Fluglehrerschule d.Lw. for temporary duty (to 04.07.43). 20.07.43 Maj., appt Kdr. FFS A/B 14 (to 01.12.44). 15.02.45 Maj., appt Chef Inspizient 1/1. Fliegerschuldivision. 08.03.45 Maj., appt Kdr. of Sonderkommando “Elbe”, the special kamikaze-like air-to-air ramming unit (to c.10.04.45). c.16.04.45 Maj., appt Kdr. Sonderkommando “Bienenstock” – the Fi 156/Bü 181 special sabotage unit (to 08.05.45). †13.09.98 in Nürnberg.

[Don Pearson]

Just curious, would this unit be related to the Sonderkommando Falke III that is named in Dickfeld's "Footsteps of the Hunter"? He spoke of the use of the Bu 181 with panzerfaust weapons working as night-harassment aircraft.

Don

[Andy Mitchell]

Larry,

Very grateful for the information on Köhnke. This refutes the comment in the Ultra decript summaries regarding Totenkopf/Bienenstock being under the command of a former commander of (F)./123 = another correction for my notes.

Don,

Unfortunately, I cannot comment on that and would need to leave that to one of the guys with more knowledge than I on the subject.

However, what I would say is that there were a number of Bu 181 staffeln raised during the collapse to operate in an anti-tank role using Panzerfaust 100s. e.g. Panzerjagdstaffeln 1, 2 and 3 (some physical and some paper units). I also have noted reference to other Panzerjagdstaffeln in the Air 20/40 summaries but no mention so far of Falke III (I wonder what Falke I and II were and if there was a IV etc). For a short article on the Bu 181 please follow this link.


Once again many thanks to everyone for the additional information.

[Larry deZeng]

Don P. –

The unit was designated Panzerjägerstaffeln Bü 181. It was a very complicated unit to unravel and piece together, but (immodestly) I think I have written the best account of it yet. It will be covered in one of the chapters of our (deZeng/Stankey) two-volume wook currently being published by Chevron/Ian Allan ( http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/product.php?productid=67389&cat=0&page=1 ). In the meantime, here are the main sourcing citations for the unit and the chapter:


[1]R.Chapman/K.Kössler-“The Bücker with the Panzerfaust”, in: Scale Models magazine, Mar 1982 issue, pp.142-45.
[1] Greppmeir, Werner-“Das letzte Aufgebot (Panzerjägerstaffeln Bü 181)”, in: Jet & Prop issue 6/1998, pp.20-23. (Note: the designation used by these two “Gruppen” may have been discarded shortly after they were formed in favor of Panzerjägerstaffel Bü 181).
[1] PRO London: DEFE 3 ULTRA signal KO118; U.Saft- Das Bittere Ende der Luftwaffe: “Wilde Sau” – Sturmjäger – Rammjäger – Todesflieger – “Bienenstock”:157; G.Cordts-Junge Adler:226 and 230.
[1] ULTRA signal KO83.
[1] Dierich-VdL:272; G.Cordts-op cit.
[1] ULTRA signal KO709.
[1] ULTRA KO844.
[1] KO1176.
[1] Dierich-op cit:272.
[1] KO1487.
[1] KO1476.
[1] W.Greppmeir-op cit.
[1] Chapman/Kössler-op cit.
[1] G.Cordts-op cit. (Note: Cordts states that Rick Chapman and Karl Kössler co-authored an article entitled "Die Bücker mit der Panzerfaust" that appeared on page 13 in a 1982 issue of Modell Magazin, and mainly concerned itself with the operational missions of the 3. Panzerjägerstaffel in the Kaufbeuren area.
[1] W.Greppmeir-op cit.

In all this material, there is no mention of "Falke", so we must assume that Dickfeld was talking about something else.

Oops!
Red-Faced Postscript:
It has been 6 years since I read my own material and I have just looked at it again. Indeed, Dickfeld was the instigator behind this project:

“This entire project (to form and command these Staffeln) was apparently under the command of Oberstlt. Adolf Dickfeld, who carried the official title General für Nachwuchs-Luftwaffe, which was a component branch of the Luftwaffenpersonalamt.”

Although I still did not find any reference to “Falke”, that may have been a code word used for the various numbered Staffeln. For example, 3. Tiefangriffsgruppe Bücker 181 may have been referred to by radio as “Falke III”, but that’s just a guess. Incidently, this 3rd Gruppe is the one that was employed in Bavaria against the U.S. truck columns that were using the Dillingen bridge.

[Andy Mitchell]

Larry,

One of your references states "G.Cordts-op cit. (Note: Cordts states that Rick Chapman and Karl Kössler co-authored an article entitled "Die Bücker mit der Panzerfaust" that appeared on page 13 in a 1982 issue of Modell Magazin, and mainly concerned itself with the operational missions of the 3. Panzerjägerstaffel in the Kaufbeuren area."

If you download the article that I provided the link to in an earlier post on this thread you will find that Rick Chapman also authored an article on the subject that appeared in English in Scale Models - March 1982.

Look forward to reading the new books when they finally hit the streets.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by edwest

Hello Andy,


I have stumbled across this book:

http://books.google.com/books?id=2T5YOy3iTYAC&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=werwol f+operation+%22death's+head%22&source=bl&ots=Hq-nb0_KO1&sig=KX1wtbAOuXt_mLcOTI6vGzd8M-Y&hl=en&ei=g6n8SvnjGsf8nAfQ8Oj8Bg&sa=X&oi=book_res ult&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q =werwolf%20operation%20%22death's%20head%22&f=fals e

Scroll up a page and then just keep reading. This title is on my ever expanding 'to buy' list.

Ed

I've read it and you won't find it all that helpful where the Luftwaffe is concerned. It does have a bit on Operation Carnival, the murder of the Mayor Aachen where a KG 200 B-17 dropped the assassins behind Allied lines.

[Larry deZeng]

Sorry, Andy, I don't see that link you are referring to. Either I'm not seeing it or it's not showing up on my machine.

Larry

[Don Pearson]

Thank you for your answers

Don

[Andy Mitchell]

Larry,

The link is here

or go to the Wiki Downloads page and look for the section for "The tank Busting Midgets"

[Larry deZeng]

Thanks, Andy...........that's the one.