I./KG27 & Stalingrad Air Supply

[Richard Mills]

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng

Almost all missions by I. and II./KG 27 from 21 November to 30 December were combat missions with bombs and armed reconnaissance against targets along the Don Bend in the breakthrough area Kletskaya-Oblivskaya-Kalach, the Chir River, in the Buturlinovka-Kalach area, Povorino, Chigla and Talovaya railway stations and against armor spearheads and troop columns wherever found. That was on the infrequent days they could fly because of the foul weather, fog and low-lying clouds.

06.12.42: 5./KG 27 flew a He 111 from its base at Millerovo into Pitomnik, the crew remained overnight in a bunker, and the next morning flew out Gen.Maj. Friedrich Schulz (RK mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern).
07.12.42: II./KG 27 flew rations and ammunition into Pitomnik and returned with wounded.
24.12.42: I. and II./KG 27, operating from Urasov and Millerovo, flew a re-supply mission to German troops surrounded at Chertkovo/52 km N of Millerovo.
30.12.42: H. Reif, a member of 3./KG 27, wrote: “Up to now, we had not participated in the catastrophic situation at Stalingrad. We were alerted early in the morning of 30.12. to transfer immediately to Novocherkassk. We landed there around 9:40 and then took off around 13:00 for our first supply flight to Pitomnik, where we landed about 14:20. For the entire following month we bomber crews dropped no bombs; only supplies.” Along with I./ KG 27, II./KG 27 also transferred to Novocherkassk on 30 December and flew the same missions for the next month.

So, to answer your question, I. and II./KG 27 flew supply missions to Stalingrad from 30 December 1942 to the city fell on 2 February 1943.

[Source: Waiss, Walter – Chronik Kampfgeschwader Nr. 27 Boelcke, Band IV, Teil 3: 01.01.42 – 31.12.42. Aachen: Helios Verlags- und Buchvertriebsgesellschaft, 2005. Pages 149-175.

Larry that is excellent!

Thank you very much indeed for your help with my question, that is exactly the information that I was looking for.

Regards Richard.

[Richard Mills]

Jim

The loss listings are an excellent source of info, many thanks indeed for taking the time to put the data up for all to see.

I must admit that the losses seem light for I./KG27 compared to their fellow KG27 Gruppen, with only 2 listed for 3./KG27, the unit I am most interested in during the Stalingrad airift.

Thanks again, Richard.