I./KG 51 1944

[Chris Goss]

I./KG 51 began converting to the Me 410 in July 1943 for defence of the Reich operations but in November 1943 began retraining for night bombing missions against UK. By 6 Dec 43, most of 1 Staffel was at St Andre, 2 Staffel at Dreux and Stab I and 3 Staffel at Evreux. However, they were still not combat ready by the end of December 1943 so when did they go operational over England? I have them taking part on the attack on London 23 Feb 44 while their first combat loss was not until 21 March 1944. They then returned to Germany at the end of May/start of June to convert to the Me 262 having lost five Me 410A-1s up to 19 April 1944

[Karoband]

Hi Chris,

Jan Horn, in Das Flurschaden-Geschwader, (2010), pp. 10-11, has for the night of February 20/21, 1944, a raid of 200 bombers planned to take-off at "20:00 Uhr". He lists the crews of II./KG 51 that took part and adds this on p. 11:

"Auch Oblt. Werner Pape, Kapitän der 1./KG 51, fliegt diesen Einsatz mit. Diese Besatzung startet um 20:45 Uhr in der 9K+FH von Saint-Andre-de-l'Eure aus ... Während Pape um 23:00 Uhr in Soesterberg landet ...". I presume Horn got the date and times from the flugbuch of either Pape or his bordfunker.

best regards,

Jim

[Nick Beale]

The British Air Operational Watch reports don't seem to mention KG 51 at all on any of the January or February Steinbock raids, meaning the Y-Service picked up nothing to identify them. Not until on 21/22 February was there traffic from an "unidentified unit", including aircraft "G", DQ+XV and DQ+XW, the latter two:

"identified as Me 410's, operated with Orly. Previous history shows these a/c to be connected with Orly and not with V./KG 2. It is suggested that the unit is equipped with Me 410's and located at Orly."

[Chris Goss]

Interesting. Oblt Eberhard Winkel/Fw Adolf Schwachenwald of 1./KG 51 were reported as flying a mission to London. If Pape was 1 St Kap (who had until recently been Unrau), who were 2 (Müller?) & 3 (Gutzmer?) St Kap as I do not have Jan's book

[Karoband]

I think you have caught one of Jan Horn's errors. In his index Stellenbesetzung im KG 51, pp. 348 - 349, Pape is the Adjutant of Stab I./KG 51 until 14.03.1944 and Unrau Staffelkapitän of 1. Staffel 28.08.1943 - 24.02.1944. Indeed, Müller was Staffelkapitän of 2. Staffel 01.09.1943 - 08.10.1944. Gutzmer was Staffelkapitän of 3. Staffel ? - 04.09.1944.

[Chris Goss]

Just going through NVMs and Pape is not recorded as St Kap but Oblt Richard Pahl, killed 19 Apr 44 is recorded as being St Kap. Unrau signs off NVMs as Stellv Gr Kdr from mid-March 44

[Adriano Baumgartner]

KAROBAND,
Would it be possible to inform me the list of 3./Kg 51's Staffelkapitäns per Jan Horn's book?
This is what I do have from De Zeng's Files, but there are huge gaps on this list:

Major Otto Neuenfelde – killed 7 November 1939 over France or Ingolstadt.
Hauptmann Gerhard Plischke – killed 17.11.39 Hptm., Staka 3./KG 51 KIA - died due to oxygen starvation, He 111 H crashed due to disorientation in bad weather, crew bailed out - 5 km S of Untertilliach, 20 km SSW of Lienz, Eastern Tirol - during a leaflet raid to Bordeaux and Marseille. Buried at Schweidnitz (Neumühlwerk-Friedhof).
Oberleutnant Heinz Unrau - 1940 ?? (at least 300 sorties)
Hauptmann Josef Schölss ??.06.42 – 13.12.1942 (295 sorties)
Hauptmann Georg Holle – early 1943. MIA 24 February 1943. Credited with 331 sorties.
Oberleutnant Günther Loeffelbein appointed on 15th February 1943 Staka. Credited 272 sorties.
Hauptmann Hans Gutzmer ? 1943 – 29.02.1944
Hauptmann Wolfgang Baetz - ?
Hauptmann Eberhard Winkel ??.10.44- 02.11.1944
Hauptmann Rudolf Rösch 03.11.44 (?) – 28.11.1944
Oberleutnant Wolfgang Baetz ? – Feb 1945?
Oberleutnant Gustav Stephan 21.03.45 – 30.04.45

Adriano

[Karoband]

Hi Adriano,

This is from p.349 of Horn's book:

3.Staffel
Staffelkapitän/Staffelführer
Hptm. Josef Schölß ? 25.05.1943
Oblt. Günther Löffelbein ? 19.09.1943
Hptm. Hans Gutzmer ? 04.09.1944
Hptm. Eberhard Winkel 05.09.1944 21.03.1945 +
Oblt. Gustav Stephan 22.03.1945 28.04.1945

Jim

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Jim,

My deepest gratitude for your kind help. Much appreciated.

Semper Fi

Adriano

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Seems to be a great "blank" between 1940-1941 period.