Recon Fw190s at the Eastern Front?

[Schlageter]

Hello,

I have a question concerning the use of Fw190 in reconnaissance units at the Eastern Front in 1944. According to Christer Bergström's "Bagration to Berlin. The Final Air Battles in the East 1944-45" and Creek's/Forsyth's "Fw 190 Vol. 3" following units were partly equipped with fw190s:

Stab/NAGr 5 (Fw190, Fw189)
1./NAGr 5 (Fw190, Bf109)
1./NAGr 31 (Fw190, Hs126)
3./NAGr 4 (Fw190, Bf109)
7./NAGr 32 (Bf109, Fw190)

This information is contrary to the aircraft equipment of Nahaufklärungsgruppen as listed on Michael Holm's site (http://www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/aufkl/baufkl.htm)!

Maybe some members of this forum know more about this conflicting issue?

Thank you very much in advance and best regards!

Michael

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Michael,

Stab and 1./N.A.Gr. 5 were equipped with the Bf 109 and FW 189, and not the FW 190. The same error is included in an order of battle in Alfred Price's Last Year of the Luftwaffe.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Schlageter]

Hello Andrew, thank you very much for clarifying this!

So can we assume that also the 1./NAGr 31, 3./NAGr 4 and 7./NAGr 32 were not equipped with Fw190s and this order of battle is simply erroneous?

Best regards

Michael

[Andrew Arthy]

Hello Michael,

As you know, Michael Holm's site shows none of those units operating the FW 190 in 1944.

However, 1.(H)/31 did indeed operate the FW 190 on the Eastern Front, but only in the final stages of the war. See the primary source reproduced on Holm's site here: http://www.ww2.dk/articles/elfl61.html

I'm not aware of any evidence that 3./N.A.Gr. 4 or 7./N.A.Gr. 32 were operating the FW 190 in 1945, but someone else might know more.

Holm's site also has a primary source showing the Stab of N.A.Gr. 8 with both FW 190s and Bf 109s on 15 April 1945.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Schlageter]

Thank you Andrew, I really appreciate your input!

What I have on Fw190 recon at the Eastern Front is very sparse; only a single Fw190 from 3./EAG 1 being used in Silesia during February 1945.

Another question, not related to the Eastern Front, but to Fw190 recon in 1945. Having read Nick Beale's excellent article on NAGr 6 it is sure the unit used Fw190s along Me262s in March and April 1945. But why they do not show up on the order of battle? (http://www.ww2.dk/articles/elflr1.html)

Thank you all!

[Schlageter]

However, 1.(H)/31 did indeed operate the FW 190 on the Eastern Front, but only in the final stages of the war. See the primary source reproduced on Holm's site here: http://www.ww2.dk/articles/elfl61.html

I reviewed the loss lists of Luftflotte 6 and noticed that 1.(H)/31 in April 1945 apparently still had Fw189 in its inventory, which seems plausible since the staffel was employed in the the night-reconnaissance role from late 1944 onwards!
Could the listing of Fw190s with 1.(H)/31 at Holm's site/ or in the original Luftflotte 6 document be a typo?

Looking forward to hear your thoughts and opinions on this!

Best

Michael

[Larry deZeng]

1.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 31 in 1945:
1.12.44: Staffel reported 8 x Fw 189 A-2 and 1 x Fw 189 A-3 on strength. The same unconfirmed sources state that it was based at Neisse and nearby Möckendorf from December 1944 to March 1945.
2.45: under NAGr. 2.
17.2.45: Fw 189 A-2 shot down by AA-fire SE of Gross-Strehlitz, 100%, 1 WIA and 2 MIA.
17.3.45: Fw 189 A-2 crashed SE of Münsterberg, 100%, 2 killed.
26.3.45: at Glatz (Klodzko) under NAGr. 2 with Fw 189s.
29.3.45: now at Olmütz (Olomouc)-West under NAGr. 2.
3.5.45: Nahaufklärungsstaffel 1./31 (Nacht) at Zauchtel/Czech. under NAGr. 2.

L.