Part Two of Hs 123 eArticle available

[Morten Jessen]

Dear all

Following on from Part One, which was very well received, Air War Publications is very happy to announce the release of Part Two of Morten’s Henschel 123 eArticle. This part takes the story from September 1939 through to the end of the Hs 123’s wartime service, in January 1945 on the Eastern Front. It is remarkable that this little biplane was still flying operations against the might of the Soviets as late as then, but it is testimony to just how valuable it was as a ground-attack aircraft.

The focus of Part Two is the operational history of the Hs 123, and Morten’s article features numerous first-hand accounts, painstakingly gathered over the last decade in interviews and extensive correspondence with men who flew the Henschel 123. The aircraft was operated by an entire Gruppe in Poland and France, and then by a single Staffel in the Balkans and on the Eastern Front. Due to it generally being attached to the main army support formation, VIII. Fliegerkorps, the Hs 123 was active at many of the Eastern Front hot spots between 1941 and 1943, including the advance on Moscow, Stalingrad, the Crimea, and Kursk.

The eArticle also features a taste of Morten’s impressive Hs 123 photograph collection. It contains sixteen photos, three maps, seven tables, as well as two profiles in the camouflage appendix.

Part Two of the Hs 123 eArticle is available here: Henschel 123 – Part Two

We hope you will enjoy the eArticle.

Last, but not least - Happy New Year to everyone!!

All the best from Air War Publications

[Orwell1984]

I very much looking forwards to the book you’re working on. Guess this will whet my appetite for now !

[Morten Jessen]

Hej Orwell
My next focus is the book. The second part of the article was an exercise for me to figure out what I was missing, in order to describe the operations during the Second World War. While writing the article a good amount of material was found. The second purpose is indeed - to whet your appetite :0)

I hope you will enjoy the article. Personally I think it provides a good overview of the 'Small Soldier's path from 1939 to 1945, as well as correct some of the much repeated errors over the past many years.

Have a nice weekend
Morten
Air War Publications

[Maciej Góralczyk]

A nice article indeed. Hope the book will follow soon.

[knusel]

Good evening dear Mr Jessen,

congratulations to this new publication. I've purchased my pdf as soon as I learned about it. Scrolling through the pages makes me look forward to working it through word by word.

You may have heard that Georg Brütting in "Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939-1945" (1995) wrote on page 98 that Alfred Druschel scored seven kills with the Hs 123.
We know from Johannes Mathews that Druschel's seven kills were scored on 22. and 23. June 1941.
Your publication mentions Druschel in connection with the Bf109.
Can we safely exclude that Brütting is right ?

Have a happy and successful new year 2019,

Michael

[robert]

Hi,

a small remark to 1.9.39:
Uffz. Arthur Kracht did not fire his aircraft. After being disarmed by 18-year old Polish resident he was handed over to Polish soldiers of a tank company and taken to Tybla. Then he was transported to Wielun (he was almost lynched there) his wounds were dressed and he was sent to hospital in Lodz. There at least 4 photos showing his aircraft in quite good condition with German soldiers.

Regards

Robert

[Russell]

Morten,

As far as I am aware Druschel's 5 kills on 21 June 1941 were in the air and in a Bf 109 E.

Russell

Keep up the good work, and encourage Andrew to finish Courland as well.

[Andrew Arthy]

Originally Posted by Russell

Keep up the good work, and encourage Andrew to finish Courland as well.

Hi Russell,

This year should see a lot more progress than previous years!

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com/earticles

[knusel]

Originally Posted by Russell

Morten,

As far as I am aware Druschel's 5 kills on 21 June 1941 were in the air and in a Bf 109 E.

Russell

Keep up the good work, and encourage Andrew to finish Courland as well.

Good evening Russell,

do you have this info from the flight log ?

Best greetings from Brandenburg, Germany,

Michael

[knusel]

Good morning Morten,

I still hope to find evidence for Druschel having scored seven Hs 123 kills. I cross-checked your Henschel Hs 123 Part two article with Jon Guttman's Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen and the assessments of the forum members I asked. Gloomily, it rather looks as if his unit flew Bf 109's at the beginning of Barbarossa. In your article (version 1.1) Druschel is indicated as Staffelkapitän of 6./LG2 then. Is that true ? I though he led 4./LG2.

Best greetings and wishes from Switzerland, sincerely,

Michael