II/SG 2 on 12 Feb 1944

[Nokose]

While going over the book by Hermann Buchner there is a story about the airfield being strafed while they were preparing to take off. He mentions the Fw 190s across from him at the runway being hit. Where was this airfield and is there any Fw 190 listed damaged in such an attack? The story that he wrote about is interesting but it seems that maybe it was a "little" embellished. The location that he made the actual claim is to the northeast of Kerch.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The only two losses on the ground to enemy aircraft reported for II./SG 2 in the database of Luftwaffe summary losses are not on this date:
14/04/1944: 1 Destroyed on the ground by enemy bombs (reported on 23/05/1944)
22/07/1944: 1 Destroyed on the ground by gunfire from enemy aircraft (reported on 30/07/1944)

On 12 February 1944, II./SG 2 has one loss according to this base:
1 destroyed without enemy action on operational flight (reported on 22/02/1944)

[Nokose]

Thank you Laurent. Were they based anywhere close to Kerch on the 12 Feb 1944 that they might have been attacked on the ground?

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Michael,

As far as I can tell, the mission Buchner claimed his victory on was a joint operation, with III./S.G. 3 flying from Karankut to Bagerowo, where it met II./S.G. 2 and the escort of II./J.G. 52. The target for the Stukas was Kolonka, and 17. Armee noted it was a particularly effective attack. I can't find any mention of a Soviet strafing attack on Bagerowo on this morning, but perhaps someone else has some details.

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

[Nokose]

Thank you, Andrew. It appears that Buchner's description of his victory in his book was as a Russian contact put it "his imagination". He provided the Soviet losses during that time which can't match all the claims during that time period.