Bordfliegerstaffel 1./106

[James Farrimond]

Good afternoon gentleman

Anyone have any sources for an operational history for Bordfliegerstaffel 1 (M)/Ku.Fl.Gr. 106. under Walter Storp during the Spanish Civil War?

Anyone know whether they supported any operations by the Condor Legion?

Regards

James

[Chris Goss]

I always thought that any Legion Condor unit was suffixed with 88 so this unit would not have operated overtly as you suggest

[Orwell1984]

Chris is correct and the unit that handled the majority of seaplane service was AS./88. The book posted above would be the best reference in English on the unit:
https://www.amazon.ca/Planes-Legion-.../dp/0764333410

The book does contain a list of all German personnel who served in the unit but unfortunately it doesn't list which Luftwaffe unit they originated from.

[James Farrimond]

Is it possible Walter Storp served with AS 88 or at least supported them with recon missions with 1/106?

[Orwell1984]

Originally Posted by James Farrimond

Is it possible Walter Storp served with AS 88 or at least supported them with recon missions with 1/106?

A Siegmund Storp served with AS./88 but no record of anyone else with that surname. He is not listed in the Ries/Ring book either. Only Siegmund Storp is and no mention of 1/106 What leads you to believe this unit or person served in Spain as I can find no record of it.

Perhaps someone else can find more info but my sources draw a blank.

[Chris Goss]

I presume the question is being asked as this Storp was shot down with KG 30?

[James Farrimond]

Hi Chris

That's my usual line of enquiry but I'm more interested in a link between Martin Harlinghausen and Walter Storp if any. I know they both served together in the Spanish Civil War but would they have served on the same unit or on the same operation?

James

[Orwell1984]

Done some further digging and here is the info I found.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Storp:

From May to September he was a pilot aboard the heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer, participating in the ship's first cruise of the Spanish Civil War in August 1936.[

Admiral Scheer was part of the Non-Intervention patrol during the Spanish Civil War. Its role was ostensibly to prevent foreign intervention in the Spanish Conflict, though Scheer did keep tabs on and give information to Franco's forces on Soviet ships in its later patrols. As such it was not part of the Condor Legion. In fact the Condor Legion itself was in its infancy in August 1936. The seaplane squadron AS./88 did not get up and running until October 1936 when Storp was no longer in the area. So there is no record of or real opportunity for the two forces to cross paths.
As to Harlinghausen, he arrived in Spain to take over command of AS./88 the end of 1937 when Storp was long gone so there is no overlap between him and Storp.
They did not serve in the same unit (Kriegsmarine/Anti-Intervention - Storp; Legion Condor-Harlinghausen) or at the same time ( August 1936-Storp, Jan. 1938-Dec. 1938 Co. AS./88 - Harlinghausen)

[James Farrimond]

Thanks for clearing that up Orwell. Back to the drawing board