LW-Gruppe Schädlingsbekämpfung (Pest Control Group)

[Leendert]

The LW had a Gruppe Schädlingsbekämpfung which answered to the Luftkommando Berlin-Tempelhof. Equipped with over 60 Do-23, Fw-58, Fi-156 and Hs-126 a/c the unit was tasked with forest protection, agricultural pest control and anti-insect spraying. It was formed pre-war.

It may be that the unit was (also) known as Streustaffel (spraying/dusting staffel).
I wonder if this Gruppe has operated in occupied territories during the war years as well?

Thanks for any info.

Regards,
Leendert

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Leendert,

Have you found any pilot or aircrew member related to this particular unit?

Was it a pre-war Gruppe or did it maintain its functions during the war? And...60 machines is quite a number of equipment fo forest protection...Am not doubting the number itself, no way would I doubt such information, but why this huge number I mean?

I guess you found something we had never heard about....and surely it is a fantastic topic to further investigation...to discover the kind of missions they usually flew...how they were scheduled and planned...what kind of insect spraying was done and where... the results of those, etc...

A mervellous topic and keep us informed...I do bid that many of us had never heard anything about it...

A.

[ghostwriter]

hello leendert, adriano and all,

the keyword for a further research is: "Flieger-Forstschutzstaffel" or only "Forstschutzstaffel" ...

so you can find some more informations and pictures on this interesting topic!?

in this link for example, the fifth picture from above:
Do 23 G, D-APYN, of a forestry protection squadron
http://www.luftarchiv.de/index.htm?/...rnier/do23.htm


best regards
marc

[ghostwriter]

an addition ... found and translated:

Test Command 40:

The Air Force Forestry Protection Association was formed on March 5, 1940 as an independent association from the "Pest Control Group" of the Berlin Air Command, which had existed since 1936. It was mainly used for forest pest control and from October 1941 also took over the fight against malaria in the occupied territories. Numerous spraying and pollination flights were carried out for this purpose. Another focus of his activities was the sowing of agricultural and forestry seeds and the spreading of artificial fertiliser. After it was placed under the command of the E-Stellen on 1 January 1944, the Air Force Forestry Protection Association was renamed E-Kommando 40. By order of September 3, 1944, the command stationed in Göttingen was dissolved and the remaining command was transferred to Coburg in November 1944, where it was used to set up E-Kommando 41.

source: https://www.archivesportaleurope.net...e-a39beea3b0e4 (german)

[Leendert]

Marc,
Thanks for this additional info and pointing me to what German words to use for further searches on the net.


Grüss,
Leendert

[Leendert]

For those interested: more about this unit in the online book (in German) "Biologische Waffen: nicht in Hitlers Arsenalen" by Erhard Geissler (Münster, 1998).


The name of Oberst von Borstell is mentioned as CO.



Regards,
Leendert

[Edward L. Hsiao]

This is all new to me! A Luftwaffe pest control group or forestry protection group? Well the German pilots who flew these aerial chemical spray planes must have been pretty serious in fighting forest pests during WWII!

Edward L. Hsiao

[Leendert]

Not so unusual. Allied air forces such as USAAF and RAF also had spraying a/c to combat (e.g.) malaria and other diseases in the Pacific, CBI, Europe (Naples, Sardinia...) and Africa (locusts in East Africa, malaria in Ghana...). The RAF also did locust control in Iran in 1943.



With every landing on the Pacific islands the USMC sent malaria control units within hours to ensure the health of its soldiers.



Regards,
Leendert

[Adriano Baumgartner]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sterbebild-...97.m4902.l9144

A.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

An amazing topic indeed...hope that an Article or booklet will arise from it.

Congratulations Leendert and good "hunt" for you.

A.