Aufklärungsgupe 2 (H) 14 ?

[byron-]

Hi,

please take a look an the following picture. It shows a He 126 at the airfield of Kalamaki (Hassani). As far as i know, this unit has never served in Greecce. Am i missing any thing?

merry Christmas

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Byron,

2.(H)/Aufkl.Gr. 14 was in North Africa from March 1941 to April 1942, but its aircraft and personnel transited through Greece on the way to and from North Africa.

L.

[byron-]

Hi Larry,

thanks, i think this is the right explanation

Byron

[sidney]

The Balkanfedzug commenced only on 6 April 1941. Thus, if the Staffel arrived in North Africa in March 1941, it must have taken different transit route, likely via Italy.

The question I would ask is whether the photo above was really taken in Kalamaki (Hassani)?

Regards,
Sinisa

[byron-]

Hi Sinisa,

you can see here an other pic of Kalamaki`s hangars

[sidney]

Hi Byron,

Athens-Kalamaki (GR) (a.k.a. Kalamáki, Kalamákion, Kalamata, Hassani, Hasani) (37 53 45 N – 23 44 00 E). Source Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45; Greece, Crete and the
Dodecanese by Henry L. deZeng IV.

The photo you attached seemingly shows III./JG 52 (7./JG 52) aircraft. The Gruppe was hurriedly sent to Greece on 25 May 1941 to support JG 77 during the Operation Mercury (Invasion of Crete), and it stayed in Greece until 12 June 1941.

According to JFV 5, the Gruppe arrived in Greece via Tatoi and was based on Molaoi during the aforementioned battle, as this route is the most direct towards the island of Crete. It left Greece the same way. Your photo above would suggest that they used Athens-Kalamaki on either leg of their transfer.
-----------------------
The Staffel, 2(H)/14, was initially using Hs 126 in North Africa, perhaps they were re-equipped in Greece with the Bf 110/Bf 109 aircraft, sometime later in 1941?

Regards,
Sinisa

[byron-]

Hi Sinisa,

The Hangars of Kalamaki and Eleusis were very similar, only the widows were diferent. By looking better on them i am changing my mind and say, the picture with the He 126 was taken at the airport of Eleusis. Attached 2 pics showing the hangars of Kalamaki and Eleusis.

[sidney]

Hi Byron,

Thank you for all these great photos.

The hangars at the two airports must (might?) have been made to the same standard, which would make sense. As for the windows - they might or might not have been the same initially - there is some 60 - 70? year gap between the two photos.

Still, to me, the presence of the Hs 126 apparently camouflaged for the North African theatre, would suggest the re-equipment. However, if there is any more plausible suggestion...

Regards,
Sinisa

[Rasmussen]

Hmmm ... regarding the flight log of Walter Stolz from 2.(H)/14 they used in June 1941 Bf 110. The aircrafts were transfered via Rom, Neapel and Catania from Germany to Martuba (there was on 23 June 1941 an 5F+FK too...).

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

Part One of our eArticle presents the story of 2.(H)/14 in 1941: http://airwarpublications.com/produc...ield-part-one/.

The Staffel never served in Greece, and it transferred to North Africa in February and March 1941 via Italy, with the aircraft packed in crates rather than flying. Subsequent aircraft transfers to the theatre also went via Italy. However, occasional flights were made across the Mediterranean from North Africa to Greece in Hs 126s in 1941. For example, '5F + AK' was left at Athens-Phaleron for three weeks in July-August 1941, presumably for repairs. Re-equipment with the Bf 110 occurred in Germany, not in Greece, and the Bf 110s came to North Africa via Italy. However, it was only a partial re-equipment, because 2.(H)/14 kept some of its Hs 126s until it left the Mediterranean theatre in March and April 1942.

Hs 126 '5F + FK' was with the Staffel from March 1941 to December 1941, when it was destroyed by German troops at a forward airfield during their retreat as a result of the British CRUSADER offensive.

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