15 May 40 Kaminski victory

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Steph

The previous web page although still carrying the same address goes to something TOTALLY different, enough to get you a divorce if your wife looks over your shoulder...

I have the lists all downloaded, but figured it would be a good idea to take another look, and I guess surprise is just the middlename of what I got!!!

Cheers
Stig

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi All, I'm back...

Looking at Tony Wood's pages I am quite surprised that there seems to be no victory claims by any ZG during 1941 on the eastern front. Since there must have been, how come Tony and obviosuly no one else has managed to locate any? Are they especially difficult to find or has every researcher found them "uninteresting"??

Why I ask because I was interested in the topic arising regarding Kaminski. He was, if I have understood it right, one of those colorful characters inside the Luftwaffe and also survived the war. He also must have been one of the "lowest" scoring RK winners in fighter circles of the Luftwaffe.

Jeremy
Do you have some idea regarding his 5th victory and where it took place?
Seems like after the Battle of Crete, I./ZG 26 was moved to the Eastern Front. I cannot locate the place Lunna you list. Any chance of advising a bigger place I can look for? The Martin bomber referred to is probably a Tupolev SB bomber, right?

Anyone who can give me more details about his dates (how long was he Kommandeur of I./ZG 26 for example?) than this page? http://luftwaffe.cz/kaminski.html
The victory dates there differ from your list, Jeremy, and I wonder from where the claim of a B-17 with ZG 76 in 1943/4 originate?

Cheers
STig

[Spanferkel]

Hi Stig,

I believe if you search the Grodno region of Poland/Russia you will find Lunna. Since this victory was a fairly early combat relative to the start of the Russian campaign some of the fighting was over Polish airspace or at least areas contested by both the Russians and Poles.

And you are probably correct about it being a Tupolev SB bomber.

Kaminski started his tenure heading I./ ZG 26 on 25.5.41, this according to his Wehrpas. As for the victory dates these again are taken from Kaminski's actual documents so I would tend to believe that they are more accurate than the attached link. Not sure where the B-17 victory came from.

In terms of his Knights Cross, his reccomendation for the award (Vorschlagliste) clearly states that his aerial victories coupled with his success against land targets (artillery, armour, etc.) were the reasons behind his award.

By most accounts Kaminski was considered a fairly mediocre pilot but was apparently a decent leader and as noted was quite a character within the Luftwaffe. He did survive the war, took part in the post war Bundeswehr and was killed in an auto accident in the 1970's

Cheers

Jeremy

[Spanferkel]

For anyone who is interested here is the link directly to my website for Kaminski. Please note that this is a work in progress and as I get more time I will add additional images, information and in some cases better visuals.

http://aufhimmelzuhause.com/id44.htm

Comments/ criticism all welcome.

Jeremy

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Jeremy

Appreciated!

Jeremy, you have probably unintentionally left a blank on the date 25.5.1941, the day Kaminski took over I./ZG 26. Is it correct that Kaminski then served until 26.6.1941 in this capacity?
Anyone who knows who took over?

Also did he serve with ZG 76 until 9.8.1944? I must confess the documents are not all that easy to read...

Quite interesting how sloppily they (he?) wrote A/B 41 in his Wehrpass, A4i at one place....

Cheers
Stig

[Spanferkel]

Stig

Thanks for catching the missing entry as you can see I need to update that page considerably. The writing is quite erratic from clerk to clerk some having better handwriting to be sure.

Yes he did serve with ZG 76, as Gruppenkommodore until the date noted he was wounded on or around that time which is what finally sent him to command the training unit.

Hptm Wilhelm Spies took over command of I./ZG26 from Kaminski

[Pawel Burchard]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Quite interesting how sloppily they (he?) wrote A/B 41 in his Wehrpass, A4i at one place....

Stig, it quite common in handwritten German of the period. Small 1 wit dot above. Common in logbooks for example.

regards,
Pawel

[Jim P.]

To change the subject somewhat - does anyone here have contact with Mr. Butler? I tried some time ago to contact him about an updated claims list, but never eceived any reply.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Guys

Cheers
Stig