Werner Altrogge

[Larry deZeng]

Altrogge says that unit became 3(F)/ObdL

I don't think so. 3.(F)/Ob.d.L. left Paris o/a 7 Feb 42 for Russia and never returned to France. It did pick up 2 x Ju 86 R-1s sometime in August 1942 but it handed these over to another unit by the end of the same month. But 4 x Ju 86s appear on the inventory of 14./KG 6 during the Aug - Nov 1942 period. I've read a number of accounts of these Ju 86R flights over the U.K. between August and October 1942 and they all say the unit was 14./KG 6.

3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. Ob.d.L.
(Unit Code T5 + )
[extracts 29 Feb 14]

Formation. (1939)
Formed 10 October 1939, probably at Werder/Havel southwest of Berlin or at Jüterbog-Damm/Brandenburg (ex-8.(F)/Lehrgeschwader 2), and initially equipped with Dornier Do 17Ps.
- - - - - - - - Blah, Blah, Blah - - - - - - -
France and North Russia
Transferred to Paris-Orly around mid-November 1941 to rest, refit and complete conversion to the Junkers Ju 88 D, then departed for assignment to Luftflotte 1 at Gostkino/135 km SSW of Leningrad, arriving o/a 7 February 1942. On 1 March the Staffel reported 11 x Ju 88 D-1s and 1 x Do 215 B-4 on strength. Gostkino was bombed by Russian planes on 19 April, badly damaging two of the Ju 88 D-1s. On .25 April, Ju 88 D-1 (T5+HL) failed to return from a recce flight over the Vologda area, and Ju 88 D-1 (T5+DL) was reported lost over the Rybinsk area on 31 May.

Central and South Russia
Ordered from Gostkino to Kharkov on or about 10 August 1942 for assignment to the newly created Luftwaffenkdo. Don for strategic reconnaissance coverage east of the Don River to the Volga. The first loss reported was Ju 88 D-1 “Trop” (T5+OL), which failed to return on 12 September. On 4 October, Ju 88 D-1 (T5+EL) was listed as missing. On 1 December the Staffel reported 8 x Ju 88 D-1s, 1 x Ju 88 D-5, 2 x Ar 240 A-0s and 1 x Bf 109 F-4 on strength.

Renamed Aufklärungsstaffel 3.(F)/100 on 27 January 1943 at Kharkov.

L.