Luftwaffe raids on South Coast March - May 1944

[Nick Beale]

These Fw 190s and the Me 410s of II./KG 51 (ex V./KG 2) were being used as part of the Steinbock night offensive. Typically they would be sent on diversionary or harassment attacks on coastal targets while the larger bombers headed elsewhere.

To quote from my Kampfflieger Vol. 4 (Classic Colours series):

"On the night of 14/15 May 1944, Luftflotte 3 put up 91 aircraft to raid Bristol … the force’s strength was reduced by 15 early on, when RAF intruders attacked the bases of KG 2, KG 54 and KG 51. The resulting delay prompted Luftflotte 3 to order a 15-strong harassing operation against coastal towns between Portland and Bournemouth.

The first wave—eight Fw 190s of I./SKG 210, each with a 500 kg bomb—took off at 20.30. Shortly after 21.00, three aircraft hit Bournemouth, one Weymouth, one Poole, another an airfield between Portland and Poole and one broke off. Three Fw 190s of the second wave struck Bournemouth at 22.00 …"