Unit code 9H?

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi Larry,

Thanks for this detailed information about 3./(F)33. Do you possibly have the same kind of information for 1./(F)33 as well?

I have a photo of a 1./(F)33 ME 410 that may have yellow lower engine cowlings. However, as far as I know 1./(F)33 operated only in the west and I don't know if yellow cowlings would make sense. What do you think?

Regards
Roger

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

The unit sustained 26 aircraft damaged or destroyed during 1944. I can give a list of numbers and dates if you are interested?

Regards,
Andreas B

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi Andreas,

Yes, that would be very interesting! I'll send you my e-mail address via PM.

Cheers,
Roger

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Roger Gaemperle

Hi Larry,
Thanks for this detailed information about 3./(F)33. Do you possibly have the same kind of information for 1./(F)33 as well?
I have a photo of a 1./(F)33 ME 410 that may have yellow lower engine cowlings. However, as far as I know 1./(F)33 operated only in the west and I don't know if yellow cowlings would make sense. What do you think?
Regards
Roger

Yes, I do Roger, but what time frame are you interested in?

As for the yellow cowlings, I can't really say except that it did operate on the central sector of the Eastern Front from June 1941 to February 1942. If the photo is from a later period, it may have been an aircraft seconded from another Staffel. The Luftwaffe practice of swapping aircraft from one unit to another was quite routine.

Larry

[Roger Gaemperle]

Hi Larry,

Mainly for the fall 1944 to Mai 1945 period.

The photo of the Me 410 was taken at the end of the war but I don't know for how long the Me 410 has been with 1./(F)33. Since 1./(F)33 already had Me 410s in summer 1944 when they were in France it could well be that it was on strenght of 1./(F)33 since summer 1944.

But I am not 100% sure about the yellow cowlings as it is a black and white photo. I could well be that I see something which is actually not there.

Cheers,
Roger

[Larry deZeng]

1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 33 (mid-1944 to May 1945)

3.7.44: operating from St.-Martin, Ju 88 T-l (8H+ZH) flew a high-altitude recce of Oran harbor on the Algerian coast; developed engine trouble over the target. lost altitude, and then made a forced landing after encountering two Spitfires. In addition to Ju 88 T-ls, the Staffel also had some Me 410s at this time.
11.7.44: after shadowing an east-bound Allied convoy for several days as it steamed across the western Mediterranean, the Staffel laid a path of “Lux” radio navigation buoys during the night of 11/12 July to guide a torpedo attack on the convoy by 24 x Ju 88 A-4s from I. and III./KG 77.
21.8.44: 7 days after the Allied invasion of South France, aircraft and crews ordered to transfer from St.-Martin to Bergamo-South in North Italy and the rest of the Staffel to Landsberg/Lech in South Germany.

Germany. (Sep 44 - May 45)
1.9.44: Staffel reported 4 x Ju 88 S-3, 3 x Ju 188 D-2, 3 x Ju 188 F-1 and 1 x Me 410 A-1 on strength. These were all turned in during September and the beginning of October.
10.44 – 2.45: undergoing conversion to the Arado Ar 234 jet at Berg near Magdeburg.
17.2.45: Ar 234 B-2 damaged landing at Berg during a training flight, 50%, Oblt. Hans Schmidt killed.
2.45: declared operational at the end of February and cleared for Ar 234 reconnaissance operations over the British Isles from Denmark and Stavanger-Sola in Norway.
1.3.45: transferred from Berg to Wittmundhafen/N Germany and Grove/Denmark to commence Ar 234 operations over the U.K.
5.3.45: at Wittmundhafen - assigned to Kommandierender General der deutschen Luftwaffe in Dänemark effective this date and responsible for reconnaissance of southeast England as far as London, with special emphasis on harbors and convoy arrivals and departures.
2.4.45: Wittmundhafen.
6.4.45: ordered to transfer to Kaltenkirchen/28 km N of Hamburg for assignment to FAGr. l.
9.4.45: transferred to Schleswig-Land.
10.4.45: had the honor of flying the Luftwaffe's last mission over England - a Ar 234 photo recce sortie over the Orkneys and North Scotland from Stavanger-Sola.
13.4.45: Schleswig-Land - Staffel reported that it had ceased all recce operations over the North Sea owing to the fuel situation.
17.4.45: still at Schleswig-Land.
5.5.45: transferred to Grove/Denmark.
8.5.45: German forces surrendered. Two Ar 234s belonging to 1.(F)/33 were captured at Grove this date, suggesting that this may have been all it had remaining that were serviceable.


Seems to have had just one 410 on strength.

Larry

[Dénes Bernád]

I have a question regarding Nahaufklärungsstaffel Kroatien.
Could it be that Hs 126s of this squadron were active in Eastern Serbia/Macedonia/Western Bulgaria in September/October 1944?

I am trying to identify to which unit did the Hs 126 spotted by Bulgarians on Skopie and Vrba airfields in this time period belonged to.

Are any losses of Hs 126s in the aforementioned area and timeframe known?

Thanks,