What does OBS mean?

[cbe2009]

Hello,
On January 5.th, 1943 an He 111 H-11 was lost in the Med.
It was coded VG + IJ and had Wnr. 8130.
It belonged to KGr. zbV. OBS.

Does anyone know what OBS mean?

Thank you in advance,

Christian

[Chris Goss]

Oberbefehlshaber Süd?

[cbe2009]

Thank you Chris, that makes sense.

Kind regards,

Christian

[Larry deZeng]

OBS:

Oberbefehlshaber Sued (the "Sued" is spelled "Sud" with an Umlaut over the "u"). For reasons unknown, I can no longer make the Umlauts on this website anymore, probably due to this horrible Libre Office 5.4 software I have.

Anyway, Gen.Feldmarschall Kesselring was OBS on the date you indicated. Furthermore, the unit stated was not a KGr. z.b.V. but rather a Flugbereitschaft, and was also known as Flugbereitschaft Luftflotte 2, which Kesselring also commanded at that time. It had all sorts of different a/c, especially Ju 52s and Do 217s. Here are some other sample losses for that time frame:

15 Nov 42: Ju 52 crashed at Rome-Ciampino due to engine failure, 90%.
20 Jan 43: Ju 52 (7V+CL) ran out of fuel N of the Tiber Estuary and force landed in the water, 100%, 13 aircrew + 2 passengers killed.
11 Feb 43: Do 217 crash landed at Trapani/Sicily, 50%.
22 Feb 43: Do 217 (F5+LH) FTR on flight from Rome-Ciampino to Gabes in Tunisia, 100%, 13 aircrew + 3 high-ranking officers MIA.

L.

[Merlin]

The KGrzbV OBS was set up at at Erding on 29.11.42 with 18 He 111P and H from the Erg.Gruppen of KG 2, 27, 40, 76, 77 and seven others from other units. From 30.12.42 until 15.01.43 the group flew transport missions from Lecce in Italy to Tunesia.

Then they were ordered to the East for the Stalingrad airlift and became finally absorbed by KGrzbV 5 on 25.01.43.

[Rasmussen]

Another question regarding OBS: Was there a "Überführungsstelle OBS"? When was it - if any - converted into which squadron/ group of the FlüG 1?

Many thanks in advance
Rasmussen

[cbe2009]

Thank you very much!! I just learned again, just like I do everytime, I ask a question in here!
Much appreciated.

Christian

[edwest2]

Der Fliegerhorst wurde 1935 von der Luftwaffe der damaligen Wehrmacht errichtet. In der weiteren Folge lagen hier ab 1941 verschiedene fliegende Überführungseinheiten, wie die Überführungsstelle Erding, das Überführungskommando Luftzeuggruppe 3, die Gruppe Süd/Flugzeugüberführungsgeschwader 1 und die Flugzeugschleuse Luftflottenkommando 2. Von April bis Dezember 1944 war die 10. (Ergänzungs-) Staffel des Kampfgeschwaders 51 hier stationiert. Erst im April 1945 kam mit der III./KG(J) 54 eine aktive fliegende Einheit auf den Platz, die von hier aus mit ihren Messerschmitt Me 262 startete.[2]

[Larry deZeng]

From my notes:

KGr. z.b.V. O.B.S.
Kampfgruppe z.b.V. Oberbefehlshaber Süd
(Unit Code: used factory codes)

Formation. (Jan 43)
Formed on or about 1 January 1943 in Italy (probably Fp. Comiso/SE Sicily) and equipped with He 111s. Nothing has been found on this provisional transport unit other than the 5 loss entries noted below. Its origin and composition remain a mystery. Presumably it was hastily assembled under the authority of Oberbefehlshaber Süd (a.k.a. Luftflottenkdo. 2) using a number of He 111 replacement aircraft parked at a depot in Foggia or Bari. In any event, it does not seem to have existed for more than two weeks.

Italy and North Africa. (Jan 43)
2 Jan 43: He 111 damaged taxiing at Fp. Comiso/Sicily, 20%.1
4 Jan 43: He 111 crash landed at Fp. Lecce/S Italy, 15%.
5 Jan 43: He 111 (VG+IJ) destroyed in a mid-air collision west of Linosa Is. halfway between Sicily and Tunisia, 100%, 4 MIA.
6 Jan 43: He 111 hit by a truck at Fp. Comiso, 20%.
12 Jan 43: He 111 (SM+KO) crashed into the sea between Comiso and Tripoli, 100%, Oblt. Rudi Resch plus 3 others MIA.

FpN: (none)


As you can now see, I had no clue as to its origins, but Merlin has now cleared this up, and nicely so. A tip of the hat to G.S.

L.

[Zippy1]

Originally Posted by Merlin

The KGrzbV OBS was set up at at Erding on 29.11.42 with 18 He 111P and H from the Erg.Gruppen of KG 2, 27, 40, 76, 77 and seven others from other units. From 30.12.42 until 15.01.43 the group flew transport missions from Lecce in Italy to Tunesia.

Then they were ordered to the East for the Stalingrad airlift and became finally absorbed by KGrzbV 5 on 25.01.43.

Erding is the site of the current Munich airport.