Croatian Kampfgruppe

[C.Moeller]

Dear fellow researchers,

I have a few questions regarding the Croatian Kampfgruppe / Kampfgruppe Lucko / 3. Staffel Kroatische Kampfgruppe 1 / Kroatische Schlachtstaffel.

In a German book one can read that the Schlachtstaffel was set up in July 1944 with Ju 87. In September 1944 the unit saw action under 1. Fliegerdivision/Luftflotte 6 in Lubenstadt (today called Lubien Kujawski, some 80km SSO of Thorn/Torun in Poland; the town Lubien was called Liebstadt between 1939-43 and Lubenstadt between 1943-45).
In August 1944 the unit should have flown under 4. Fliegerdivision. However, this could be a misprint, maybe it was meant October? On 1 November 1944 the unit gave away their planes.
Another book says that in February 1944 Kampfgruppe Lucko changed to 3./Kampfgruppe 1. In August 1944 parts of 3. squadron took part in anti partisan operations under Luftflotte 6. The unit had some Fw 190 and some Ju 87 then and was located in Lubenstadt. In October 1944 the whole Croatian Kampfgruppe was dissolved and the planes were given back to the German Luftwaffe.

Does somebody know more about the Croatian Schlachtstaffel with Ju 87 and Fw 190?
When was it set up exactly?
How many planes (Ju 87 and Fw 190) did it have?
How many pilots did it have?
What missions did they fly and from where?
Did the unit had losses in July to October 1944?

A lot of questions, but maybe someone can help me?
Thank you very much.
Have a nice Christmas time!

Best regards,
Christian Möller
Germany

[croduh]

I am very interested in the same subject too.Hoping for some responses.

[Del Davis]

Christian
This a bit off this topic but can you comment on your publishing plans. Do you still intend to publish a book on the Nachtschlachtgruppen?

[C.Moeller]

Hello Del,

Yes, my doctoral thesis on the Nachtschlachtgruppen 1, 2 and 20 in the West from September 1944 to May 1945 will be published as a book (in German).

I will come back with more information in a separate post soon.

Does anybody has information on the Croatian Kampfgruppe / Schlachtstaffel with Fw 190 and Ju 87?

Christian

[Tomislav Haramincic]

Hello Christian,

Although I'm also very interested in this subject, I can't really help you with precise information. The only time that I've seen sombody mentioning a KGr. Kroatien is here http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...ses/losses.xml - under no.11.
The loss is from 1943, so perhaps a little bit to early?

regards,
Tomislav

[Boris Ciglic]

Hello Christian!
Nice to hear from you and your work after so long time Please do not forget the NSGr.7 in your work!

This unit never operated with Fw 190. Here are some lines from my Do 17 book which concern your question:

On 23 December, as a part of HZL reorganization Kroatien Kampfgruppe 1 was established and 15.(Kroat.)/KG 53 became 1./Kro.KGr.1, while 15.(Kroat.)/KG 3 of Oberstlt Milan Hetenyibecame 2./Kro.KGr.1. Hetenyi’s unit was formed on 15 March 1943 and after training with 10.(Erg.)/KG 1 at Schaulen and FFS B.6 at Kolberg was supposed to receive Ju 88’s and deploy them on the Eastern Front. Instead, it returned to Croatia.


On 1 April 19441./Kro.KGr.1was renamed into 1./Kampfgruppe Kroatien and by the end of the month Zemun became its main base. By that time, unit was brought into some sort of resting status as it barely conducted any combat flying. Still, on 28 May it celebrated 3.000th combat sortie at Lučko. During that month 1./KGr.Kro. received several Ju 87 Stukas of B and R subtype.


On 21 July, gen zrak Vladimir Kren officially disbanded ZMP. Airmen which opted to stay in Luftwaffe were transferred to newly-formed Hrvatska zrakoplovna skupina, from which two Staffeln, one with fighters and another with Stukas, were to be made operational. On 30 July five remaining Dorniers and four Stukas went from Lučko in direction of Königsberg (today Kaliningrad) in East Prussia. Pilot por Albin Vouk and his crewmembers vod Andrija Pavišić (RO), vod Ivan Pernar (RO), vod Antun Jozin (RO) and vod Jusuf Ustavdić (MG) had different ideas: they turned Do 17Z-5 Z8+AH W.Nr.2899 towards the Adriatic and after uneventful flight crash-landed near Cerignola in Italy.
Remaining Dorniers were exchanged for Stukas at Königsberg as legionnaires formed Kroatische Schlachtstaffel beim Stab/SG 9 (Pz.),lead by Hptm Franjo Gospodarić,at Schippenbeil. On 1 November all unit’s aircraft were deprived by the Germans, the consequence of defection of commander and another pilot from the neighboring HZL Jagdstaffel. All men were sent to infantry and subsequently deployed in trenches on the front between Frankfurt am Oder and Szczecin. After great difficulties and real ordeal, most of them managed to return to Croatia by April 1945.

[Boris Ciglic]

Ju 88 lost on 24.5.43. belonged to Kampffliegerstaffel Kroatien, which was formed approximately in March 1943. It was renamed to Einsatzkampfgruppe Ju 88/General der Fliegerausbildungs(Eins.KGr.Ju 88/Gen.d.Fl.Ausb.)by the end of May 1943.

[Tomislav Haramincic]

Hvala Boris!

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Boris Ciglic

Ju 88 lost on 24.5.43. belonged to Kampffliegerstaffel Kroatien, which was formed approximately in March 1943. It was renamed to Einsatzkampfgruppe Ju 88/General der Fliegerausbildungs(Eins.KGr.Ju 88/Gen.d.Fl.Ausb.)by the end of May 1943.

Lost from the same unit but apparently with German crews, not Croatians:

30.10.43 Ju 88 A-4, WNr. 0231, K5+AB
Lt. Glaser
Uffz. Kubeczka
Fw. Grimmeisen
Fw. Wienand

Ju 88 -4, WNr. 3932, K5+BL
Uffz. Grimmer
Uffz. Wähner
Obgfr. Heckmann
Uffz. Nusser

Fighters, west of Castelrosso

11.11.43 Ju 88 A-14, WNr. 4121
100%
Uffz. Karl Sperling F +
Gefr. Ernst Legerer B +
Fw. Helmut Müller Bf +
Uffz. Gustav Galley Bs + [corrected by hand: could be Jalley]

Absturz, Auschlagbrand, Fl.Pl. Eleusis

[C.Moeller]

Hello,

first I want to say thank you to Tomislav, Boris and Nick for all the interesting information.

The "Einsatzkampfgruppe or Kampfgruppe Ju 88/Gen.d.Fl.Ausb. (Chef AW)" under Luftwaffenkommando Südost was indeed put up by General der Fliegerausbildung (Chef Ausbildungswesen - Chef AW) with German personnel only. They mainly used Ju 88 and some Do 17, VKZ was K5+. The lossed Nick mentioned have been from this unit.
The earliest loss I have is the following: 9 June 1943, Do 17, Werknummer 2173, no combat, probably engine failure, crash 100% near Bradina, pilot Fw. Fritz Barthel and mechanic Uffz. Heinz Rennecke dead.

On 20 March 1943 the Einsatzbereitschaftsmeldungen (EBM; BA-MA RL 2 III-72x) note under "Chef AW": Einsatzstaffel Fliegerführer Kroatien with 12/8 Ju 88 and 9/8 He 46.
On 10 June 1943, "Chef AW": Einsatzstaffel Fliegerführer Luftwaffenstab Kroatien: 37/27 Ju 88 and 11/10 He 46, Stab with four Ju W.34 and one He 111.
Unfortunately, there is no information on the units of "Chef AW" in BA-MA RL 2 III-725, between 20.06. and 10.08.1943.


Boris, I have tried to reach you by e-mail, but the address I have is not valid anymore. It´s been a too long time since we had contact, nice to hear from you again, :-)!
Also to Nick: Meanwhile, you should have received a "snail-post" from me.


May main interest is the Croatian Schlachtstaffel.
Is it possible that some kind of Einsatzstaffel with Ju 87 and Fw 190 were sent to Lubien/Poland in July and August/September 1944? If not, the information in the German books must be totally wrong. Or the authors have mixed something.

Best wishes and merry Xmas,

Christian