StG.5 1942

[Brian]

Hi guys

Firstly, does anyone know of a publication covering StG.5's operations during 1942 in Russia's Far North?

Secondly, were Ju87s operated against the Allied convoys to Murmansk in 1942? There are several eyewitness reports of Stukas being observed - and even shot down.

Cheers
Brian

[edwest2]

Hi Brian,


I can suggest this book.


https://www.amazon.com/Junkers-Stuka.../dp/184603308X




Usual disclaimer,
Ed

[PMoz99]

Hello Brian.
Chapter 2 of the book mentioned by Ed covers 1942.
A quick scan of the chapter reveals around 1.5 pages on StG5 in 1942, and it confirms attacks against the Murmansk railway, and from March 1942 against Murmansk and ships.
From general information, I./StG5 was created on 27/1/42 from IV.(St)/LG1, and was stationed at Rovaniemi until March. Given Romaniemi is over 400km from the coast in any direction, I think it is unlikely the unit participated in convoy attacks before March, but then again I'm not sure just how far they would have ranged. From March the unit was stationed at Alakurrti.
In December 1942 the unit moved to Kirkenes, much closer to the convoy routes.
Apparently in January 1943 32 of its Stukas were relocated to the Leningrad sector. The remainder continued attacks against the Murmansk railway line.
I have nothing else for StG5 until June when it was redesignated again.
Cheers
Peter

[Col Bruggy]

Hi Brian,

Might I recommend the following publication. It is much more comprehensive than the Osprey title already mentioned:

Dive-Bomber and Ground-Attack Units of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945 - A Reference Source Volume 1 - Units - Formation and Redesignation - Commanders - Key Operations - Codes - Emblems.
De Zeng,Henry L Jnr & Douglas G Stankey.
Hersham:Classic,2009.
pp.113-118

As described in the sub-title, ops (and losses) mentioned.

Hopefully, someone with a scanner can help.

Any particular date in mind?

Col.

[Brian]

Thanks guys

Ed: I have the Osprey title but as suggested it's not very useful.

Col: The De Zeng/Stankey title is new to me so will have to check it out. I will also check specific dates and come back.

Peter: Thanks for the movement details. In the absence of operational facts, I tend to think that the Ju87s were not able to reach the ships while at sea, and that eyewitnesses were mistaken.

First example:

Convoy PQ-4 the British SS Dan-Y-Bryn was allegedly attacked by Stukas (admittedly not StG.5) on 22 November 1941, according to diary of eyewitness:

(Quote) "Stukas dive-bombed the convoy. The flutes under the wings gave a banshee wail and every seventh shell was a tracer so when one of the gunners on the port wing Oerlikon was hit by a tracer shell, it cauterized the wound and he survived the rough handling when the skipper ordered “that corpse off the bridge”. I put him in the shelter of the wheelhouse, which was reinforced with concrete slabs, and took over the gun for a few exciting seconds. We were in the vicinity of Jan Mayen Island at the extremity of the Stukas' range so it was a short-lived raid. They lost two planes and the crews were dead when picked up [sic]. Temperature 40 below."

Highly unlikely! 'Stukas' may have meant dive-bombing Ju88s (apparently some merchant seamen referred to most bombers at Stukas). But the, I have no record of losses of Ju88s or any other candidates, let alone crew fatalities. Perhaps the date is wrong, though I can't find a similar action/losses.

I'll look for further examples.

Stukas were mentioned on at least three occasions in the diary of an American sailor during Convoy PQ-16 (on May 27)

And during PQ-18, the gunnery officer aboard one vessel wrote:

September 14: "A lone Stuka, breaking out from the cloud ... aims a serious of aggressive passes at HMS Avenger ... the Stuka, now well alight, begins to corkscrew out of the sky (it crashed into the sea nearby) ... there is no sign of the pilot in the blackened cockpit as the fuselage rolls over ..."


Cheers
Brian

[PMoz99]

The Stukas of StG5 are recorded as R's, which means they could carry drop tanks, giving them a range of 860km. But even so, Jan Mayen island is around 1450km+ from their base, so Ju88's sound more likely. Ju-88's often flew armed recon missions, and would be much more likely to fly solo than a Ju-87.
Cheers

[Matti Salonen]

On May 30, 1942 the 16 Ju 87 (one returned due to a defective sighting device) started from Kirkenes at 06.35 and landed 09.35. 15 SC 500 were dropped. Then again from Kirkenes 17 Ju 87 (one returned due to engine problems) started at 11.50 and landed 13.30. 16 SC 500 and 20 SC 50 were dropped. At that time the convoy was 20 km NW Kildin.

Matti

[PMoz99]

Hello Matti.
Does your information indicate, or do you think, the Ju-87s temporarily relocated to Kirkenes from Alakurtti for the purpose of attacking the convoy?
Peter

[Laurent Rizzotti]

A short comment on Seaplanes post: 30 May 1942 was the day PQ 16 arrived in Murmansk (or at least the part of the convoy that was supposed to arrive there, and not more east), so the Ju 87 raids should have been near Murmansk. I doubt Stukas will be used against a convoy at sea at extreme range.

This is from the Osprey book "Artic Bf 109 and Bf 110 Aces" by Jogn Weal, page 45:
"The following afternoon, 30 May, 19 merchantmen of convoy PQ 16 passed Kildin Island at the entrance to the Kola Inlet on the last leg of their voyage to Murmansk. It was at this point that JG 5 entered the fray by escorting Stuka strikes on the Allied ships as they made their way south along the inlet towards their final destination."

According to the book, JG 5 pilots flew at least two Stuka escort missions against Murmansk on 31 May, 1 and 2 June before a ten day pause due to bad weather.