Vannes-Meucon Airfield, France / July 1944 / Do-217 III./KG 100?

[Seaplanes]

I have the «Dislozierung fliegende Verbande Lfl.3» for 10.7.1944 and 25.7.1944.
On both these dates no Luftflotte 3 unit is listed with Vannes or Vannes-Meucon as its home airfield.
Stab and III/K.G. 100 was located at Toulouse-Blagnac on 25.7.44
IV./K.G. 100 was at Giebelstadt on the same date.
Try and check the RAF tecnical reports on enemy aircraft found at this airfield.

[Henofred]

Thank you for this check-up and this search path. We are talking here about a staging airfield, not a permanent airfield - I know these units were not stationed there at the time. I remember pieces of a Ju-188 wreckage in the field in the 1990s (U5+CL markings - Kampfgeschwader 2), but none Do 217s. And the Kampfgeschwader 2 was not stationed there either.

Once again, merci beaucoup.
Frederic

[Henofred]

Bonjour,

Still after the use of the Vannes-Meucon airfield in July 1944.

A friend wrote me this (Source: Ulf Balke, KG 2's book)... I./KG 2 is at Vannes by mid-May 1944. Do-217s of Kampfgeschwader 2 operating after D-Day from Laon-Couvron and landing at Vannes during night of June 7-8, 1944 - two Ju-188 from I. Gruppe and two Do-217s from III. Gruppe.

The airfield may also have been used thereafter, until the end of July, hence the strafing by the Spitfires. But "Seaplanes" reply puts me in doubt...

Frederic

[Chris Goss]

KG 2 moved to Vannes when attacking targets such as Plymouth but then returned east to their usual bases. By May 1944, two of the 3 Gruppe had converted to Ju 188

[Henofred]

Merci beaucoup Chris.

So despite what "Seaplanes" writes, Vannes was used in May and June - perhaps not as home airfield - but as an auxiliary airfield, and only occasionally. A "Crashed Enemy Aircraft - No.253 - 20.9.1944" list mentions several Ju 188s wreckages on the field, including a 5U+CL. And a handful of Ju 88s...

Best regards,
Frederic

[Chris Goss]

The German term is absprungsplatz-a forward base

[Seaplanes]

You can also check out www.ww2.dk Luftwaffe airfields in France. Very interesting info about Vannes.

My two lists of Luftflotte 3 units and locations in July 1944 can be found at the
Bundesarchiv.de RL 7-3/532

[Henofred]

Thank you both for the exact German term and the BA-MA reference to the archives. A German friend gave me this list of airfields where K.G. 2 took off between 24.04.44 and 30.05.44: Nantes, Vannes, Lorient, Villaroche, Evreux and Eindhoven - a fine harvest of information! As for the website, or "Luftwaffe airfields in France" (...and the others), hats off for all the work done. I know the latter.

Once again, merci beaucoup.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Henofred]

Bonjour,

Found this information in a DEFE 3 document. Although Vannes-Meucon is not used as a transit airfield for III./K.G. 100, the place is sometimes used as a landing field on return from missions. "XL3087 - K.G. 100 operations on 21 (July 1944): 8 Do-217s of III. Gruppe up from Blagnac 0844 to 0850 hours of which one landed 0855 hours, three landed Cognac 1325 to 1420 hours, one landed Vannes 1340 hours." I carry on my search.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Chris Goss]

From my book:

It would be different the following day when an attack planned for 21 July 1944 would be again thwarted by defending aircraft. That morning, a cruiser and at least two destroyers of the 14th Destroyer Escort Group was sighted off Brest so six aircraft each loaded with Hs 293s took off from Toulouse-Blagnac at 1045 hrs. They flew to the Bay of Biscay and then headed north following the coast flying in pairs and at 1320 hrs when south-west of Ushant, they spotted not only their targets but two Mosquitoes of 406 Sqn led by Sqn Ldr David Williams, two Mosquitoes of 235 led by Wg Cdr John Yonge and two Mosquitoes of 248 Sqns led by Flt Lt Fred Passey.