Question regarding a German airfield South Ukraine /Bessarabia

[researcher111]

While visiting the Luftwaffe Archives , I found a captured Soviet recon map
of the 17 VA , 3rd Ukrainian Front dated May 31,1944 showing an
airfield named Teplitza or Teplitz SW of Sarata,Ukraine indicating
that there was a concentration of 130 aircraft such as ME-109 and HS-126.

As of today I had no information of such airfield neither that Luftwaffe
acted from this airfield in May 1944 , strangely other Luftwaffe active airfields
nearby were left blank.

Any info would be appreciated

Alex K

[Larry deZeng]

I have no entries for a TEPLITZ or TEPLITZA, the former being one of the numerous old German colonies or settlements in Bessarabia and Transnistria. The key here is knowing if we are talking about Sarata in SW Ukraine or Sarata-Galbena in Moldova. But I do have these for the SW Ukraine Sarata:

Sarata I (RUSS/UKR) (ZNr. 10-1597) (c. 46 01 N – 29 40 E) (AFHRA)
General: field airstrip (Feldflugplatz) in the former Bessarabia (today: SW Ukraine) 90 km ENE of Bolgrad (Bolhrad). History: no record found of Luftwaffe use. Surface and Dimensions: natural surface measuring approx. 2240 x 1040 meters (2450 x 1135 yards). Infrastructure: no details found. Dispersal: no details found.
Remarks: none.
[Sources: chronologies; AFHRA, BA-MA; NARA incl. T-321 roll 239/OKL 903; PRO/NA; web site ww2.dk]

Sarata II (RUSS/UKR) (ZNr. 10-1598) (c. 46 01 N – 29 40 E) (AFHRA)
General: landing ground (Landeplatz) in the former Bessarabia (today: SW Ukraine) 90 km ENE of Bolgrad (Bolhrad). History: no record found of Luftwaffe use. Surface and Dimensions: natural surface measuring approx. 1200 x 700 meters (1310 x 765 yards). Infrastructure: no details found. Dispersal: no details found.
Remarks: none.
[Sources: chronologies; AFHRA, BA-MA; NARA incl. T-321 roll 239/OKL 903; PRO/NA; web site ww2.dk]

L.

[researcher111]

Hi Larry

I am aware that in the past you did a great job putting together a document on WWII Romanian airfields . In our case is not Sarata 1 & 2 but Telplitz or Teplitza . I am putting you a copy of a situational map put together by the 17 VA for Stavka on May 1,1944 and which available at TzaMO . Its the same map captured by the
Germans in sometime in April 1944. The 5 VA did not include on their maps Teplitza and that leads me to believe that 3rd Ukrainian Front was either misled by their
own Intelligence or was one of the usual Abwehr games put into the hands of Tolbukin's Army , possibly to shift attention away from Leipzig and Baden airfields .

The attached document showing the concentration of 230 aircraft at Teplitz which is not reallistic , further in April 44 numerous Bostons of the 3rd Ukrainian Front
were shot down trying to hit Tarutino Airfield (not Tepliza ) ending up with several crews becomming POW's . That may explain this situation .


Alex K

[Merlin]

Teplitz was formed 1817 by German imigrants, it's today called Teplytsya (see Google).

I have no indication that in spring 1944 any Luftwaffe unit was based around Teplitz.

[Larry deZeng]

Alex K -

I think your analysis is correct. The only other possibility might be a decoy or dummy airfield (Scheinflugplatz), but I have never heard of one with that many fake aircraft parked on it.

L.

[edwest2]

The shifting of boundaries after the war adds to the puzzle. Here is a map of
Teplitz Schönau dating from the 1930s.

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Alte-Wanderka...QAAOSwi8xaDu6i




Stalag IV-C was located just north of Teplice.




Usual disclaimer,
Ed

[researcher111]

Larry

Thanks very much for your feedback , I pulled out other files of mine of 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts
recon as well general reports to Stavka by Russian Intel of various GvScHAP's from 2nd Ukrainian Front
....to my great puzzle I found a map of 2nd Ukrainian Front 5 VA issued same date as this of 17 VA
showing no aircrafts at all at Tepliza , but Leipzig ,Avoklia and Bolgrad when in fact Bolgrad and Avoklia did
not station any planes on that date .

Also on that map Galati is SE of Leipzig instead SW ( aprox bearing 220 degree ) , which brings me to
conclussion that someone threw a Vodka party on the day the map was drawn .

BR
Alex K

PS : Edwest 2 , Merlin and rest who wrote me Pvt msgs ....thank you for the remarks