JG 54 near Leningrad in August, 1942

[Andrey Dikov]

Hello Juha,

>according to Finnish literature there were 15 Bf 109Fs of Osasto Philipp (Detachment Philipp), other name Kommando I./JG 54, operating from Petäjärvi and from Mensuvaara from July to Oct. 42. From Hannu Valtonen’s Luftwaffen pohjoinen sivusta (1997) p. 218 “According to photos the Det. was made from 1./JG 54. First Ju 52s carrying the ground echelon began to arrive on the evening of 28.6.42…” The last sorties mentioned in the book were flown on 29.10.

Yes, thank you! I know the general story.

In fact I researched the combats over Ladoga lake in August-42 according to Tony Wood's claims list. I've found several events, when 1.Staffel Messerschmitts successfully intercepted Baltic Fleet AF Pe-2 long-range recce a/c over the lake and northern shore.

Around August 15-20, the claims of 1. had finished. And I've found for sure that on August, 24 four 7.Staffel pilots took part in combat with Soviet formation over Ladoga lake together with LeLv 26 Fiats.

I'd like to know, whether 7th had replaced the 1st in Peta:jarvi (it seems so), or it acted from Krasnogwardejsk.

And there's another case, with a combat of August, 18 over Gulf of Finnland - most famous for Finns as "16 vs. 60". I suppose 4 Germans also took part in it, but on initial phase, when LeLv 24 was just on the ground. I think it could be only 7./JG 54, which, perhaps, stationed on some of foremost airfields - Kerstowo or Kotly.

>But there is also photos on planes of a Rotte from 7./JG 54 at Utti a/f on 23 June 42, one of the planes is that of 7th Staffel leader Oblt. Friedrich Rupp. I don’t know if this Rotte had anything to do with Kommando I./JG 54. Possible not. My very uninformed quess is that the Rotte was only visiting at Utti, maybe because something special at Kotka harbour.

Could it be connected with Hitler's mission?


>Other sources
Hannu Valtonen’s Luftwaffe-kuvasto. Saksan ilmavoimat Suomessa ja Pohjois-Norjassa 1941-1944 (1998)
Kalevi Keskinen’s and Kari Stenman’s Saksalaiset koneet Suomessa 1939-1945 (1998)

Yes, I've read them.

BTW I’m sorry to learn that Vlad Antipov was not mentioned in that article in AIR MAG HORS-SÉRIE No.3. You Russian researchers have much to give to us westerners, not least because Your unique archival material. Hopefully AIR MAG HORS-SÉRIEwill correct this omission.

Thank you for support!

>BTW2 I have heard rumours that the archives of a number of IAPs cannot be found nowadays because they were mislaid after the war or destroyed during the war. Do You know if there is any truth in these rumours?

Yes, partially it's true. But in most cases you can find something you need just in arhives of other units, of higher level for example (divisions, corpses, air armies etc.).