Ghostbombers updates

[leonventer]

Nick,

Congrats! Ten years is forever in this age...

Excellent, original research and a great site -- thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Leon Venter

[S Sheflin]

Hello Nick,

I have some small idea of the difficulty of what you have done for 10+ years. I am also appreciative of the quality of your website and the data presented therein.

I guess this my long-winded way of saying, “Thank you sir. You are appreciated.”

Steve Sheflin

[BABIN]

Thank you very much, Nick, for your so fantastic work during these 10 years.

Pierre

[Larry deZeng]

Nick,

Selfless toil and contribution has its own intrinsic reward, but the occasional pat on the back is nice, too.

L.

[Martin388]

Thank you Nick,

for your enduring publication endeavour, shareing your always reliable and well referened research results with us in a so well structured focused way.

I hope that your motivation, engagement, health and what ever is needed in addition, will let you enjoyed it and carry on for a long time.

So, best wishes for 2015!

Martin

[Nick Beale]

I've just posted the first updates of the New Year:

• 10./ZG 1: several additions about operations in January and February 1944, including escorts for returning U-boats.
• Geschwader Bongart: additions about the bombing of Guéret and the abduction of two U-boat officers.
• Kommando Olga: map of operations over Holland and Belgium on 23 January 1945 and a page about Fhj.-Fw. Heinz Hauck's time with 6.(F)/123.
• Operation Dragoon: information from the US Navy and a German radar station about anti-shipping raids on 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 August 1944; more about USN claims of three Ju 52s on 21 August (thanks to Ronnie Olsthoorn and Georg Schlaug).
• Markings and camouflage: an August 1944 message about the imminent delivery of Fw 190 and Bf 109 aircraft with unpainted lower surfaces.
• Jagdgeschwader recognition bands: expanded text of a signal about the "transfer of further fighter forces … into the Reich … to cause [the enemy] such heavy losses that he is forced to give up the systematic destruction of the armaments industry."
• KG 51 fighter operations: corrections regarding the fates of Oblt. Heinz Lehmann and Uffz. Horst Sanio (information courtesy of Jaap Woortmann).
• The Arado 234 in Norway and Denmark: added plan of Stavanger-Sola aerodrome.

[ad astra]

Hi Nick,

Thanks very much for your continuous efforts and generous sharing for a decade, this website of yours is great.

Regarding your Nachtjagdstaffel Norwegen article, below photograph has recently been auctioned on ebay, http://www.ebay.com/itm/281582548112. This Ju88G-6 was apparently captured at Flensburg and displays a black starboard underwing as well as the white spinner spiral, similar to other aircraft of that unit. The fuselage is camouflaged with heavy Wellenmuster, again, a feature apparent for example at Bf110G-4 B4+KA or Ju88G-6 B4+SA.

Close examination does unfortunately not provide clarity, but the aircraft might carry B4+AA marking. The IWM has a photograph where the tail of our subject is visible behind a Ju88A and it supports at least the +AA interpretation.

Kind regards
Mathias

[SES]

Hi Mathias,
Vey nice shot thanks for sharing. AA does not sound like a very likely code since this would be the Geschw.Kodore. aircraft and this was just a Staffel.
bregds
SES

[Nick Beale]

Thanks for your interest and for your comments on the site. NJ Staffel Norwegen did have an AA but it was their one He 219. I think I can see a small "9" to the left of this Ju 88's Balkenkreuz.

It can't be G9 because NJG 1 had no Ju 88s (I think!). So NJG 5 (C9), NJG 9 (D9) or NJG 101 (9W) maybe?

[ad astra]

Thanks, SES, Nick.

@SES, as far as I understand, all NJ Staffel Norwegen aircraft carried B4+xA codes, despite being a Staffel.

@Nick, C9+AA actually is documented as the mount of Major Schoenert, Ju88G-6 WNr. 620788 with up and down facing antennas mounted on the rear fuselage. It was captured at Eggebeck airfield.

Kind regards
Mathias