FW 200 in Lapland war

[Chris Goss]

Kari
Most interesting. Just would like something from the German side as why two aircraft with one missile each when they could carry two each if they were indeed Condors. I wonder if they were aircraft from Karlshagen where there would have probably been stocks of Hs 293s?

[Brian Bines]

Is KG 200 either with Condors or Ju 290s a possibility for these attacks ?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

Kari
Most interesting. Just would like something from the German side as why two aircraft with one missile each when they could carry two each if they were indeed Condors. I wonder if they were aircraft from Karlshagen where there would have probably been stocks of Hs 293s?

There are no Fw 200's mentioned in the Air Operations Watch reports for 30 September and 1 October 1944 (indicating that nothing showed up in ULTRA or Y-service intercepts).

I've seen ULTRAs mentioning stocks of Hs 293 at various places during 1944, especially as things fell apart in France, but I didn't keep notes of these and can't remember now if Norway was included.

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

My understanding is that there was 4 Hs 239s launched from 2 Fw 200s.

According this article in Finnish (which incorrectly claims Finnish AAA unit diaries do not mention the launching) one of the missiles exploded on land and one missile was found and destroyed in 1990's:

Ilmatorjunta -magazine (Anti Aircraft) 2/2016, page 28/64:
Precision bombs in Tornio 1944 by Ahti Lappi
https://asiakas.kotisivukone.com/fil...det/it0216.pdf

One can copy and paste the text on translator.


Cheers,
Kari

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello again!

Of the Fw 200 in North

According Hannu Valtonen's 1996 book Pohjoinen ilmasota ISBN 951-95688-4-0

III/KG 40 had 2 Fw 200 C-6 and 13 Fw 200 C-8 (and 20 Fw 200 other models) in 30.9.1944
So availability of Fw 200 missile carriers was not an issue.

According the book 8./KG 40 was turned to 4./TGr 20 only at the end of October 1944.

The book has photo of Fw 200 C-8 F8+HT at Kemi (Finland) and side profile of the same with date Kemi 7.9.1944.


For 6.10.1944 Valtonen quotes situation report (not digitized AFAIK) of Air Surveillance troops:

"... Klo 16.10-16.25 kaksi FW 200 -konetta laski kumpikin Torniossa ohjattavan pommin, joka sivuilta muistutti V-1:tä. Ilmatorjuntakonekivääri ja etäisyysmittari tuhoutuivat."

two FW 200 planes launched each steerable bomb which reminded V-1 from side. AA machine gun and range finder were destroyed.

Thus the number of Hs 239 is not clearly stated in the documents I have referred this far. May be two, may be four. The implication is more on the two in my opinion. Why only one per aircraft, I do not know. Perhaps there was no more and the planes came with the missiles from far away before the attack?

The type of the aircraft is not unclear. Fw 200s were in the area and two independent AAA unit diaries identify them. Lacking the German documents these are the best documentary evidence. Tornio is right on the Swedish border, so something could be found in the Riksarkivet?


Cheers,
Kari

[Fanair]

Thank you Kari I think you are right

Happy new year

Alain

[Chris Goss]

There is a bit of confusion still. 8./KG 40 would not have 35 aircraft on its establishment but III./KG 40 would have:

http://www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/kampf/biiikg40.html

Capable of operations is another matter!. Some records state that 8./KG 40 became Transportfliegerstaffel Condor in November 1944 but as early as 11 Oct 44 were losses being recorded as this unit. It operated aircraft formerly from 7 & 8 Staffel. It did not become 4./TGr 20. Sonderkdo Condor was formed within 14./TG 4 in Jan 45 but operated in the Med. It appears that 7./KG 40 became non-operational in July/August 1944. Fascinating nonetheless