Need ID of Stab I./ZG76 pilots/gunners in 1939-40

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

For the EoE project, I'm attempting to fill out the Stab pilot/gunner crews for I./ZG76.

1) The Gr Kdr's names and dates of service are documented.

2) The Gr Adjs are known as Riegel, Jäger and Loobes. Their gunners are also known. Loobes was KIA 15.8.40. Was there someone assigned to this position after Loobes, even on a temporary basis?

3) The Gr 1a (Ops Officers) are unknown. Any help here would be particularly appreciated.

4) The only known TO officer is Rademacher, who was in the position a/o 1.9.39, but how long he served in that position is unknown, and who might have succeed him is also unknown. We know the name of his gunner.

5) The Communications Officer (NO) is known to have been Lt Karl-Heiz Holborn, who isn't listed in the Luft Off Career Summ DB. Dates of service, and others in this position are unknown, as is the name of his assigned gunner.

6) Maj. Beim Stab reported to have been a Hptm FNU Huchel, but I have no other info on him and he's not listed in the Luft Off Career Summ DB. Was he a flying officer?

We have photo documentation on Stab I./ZG76 aircraft during this period: M8+AB, M8+BB, M8+CB and M8+DD. Is anyone aware of more than four a/c assigned to the Gruppenstab during the 39-40 period?

As always, your help and comments are appreciated.

[Chris Goss]

Uffz Reinhard Uberschär flew with Rademacher who I believe was TO until disbandment in Aug 40. He also flew with Lt Karl-Heinz Holborn. Maj August Huchel was the Beim Stab. I have no photos of Huchel and any Stab I photos show Gr Kdr, Adj, Rademacher and Holborn but never anyone else

[Larry Hickey]

Chris,

I'm leaning to the idea that there were only five officers with the Stab of I./ZG76 at any one time during 1939-40: Gr Kdr (changed), Adj (changed), Rademacher (TO throughout), Holborn (NO throughout ?) and August Huchel (as Maj beim Stab--thanx for his first name, which I didn't have; no info on service period). There may have been no officially assigned 1a, as these five officers covered the staffing of the unit adequately. I think that these five officers probably shared four Stab a/c: AB, BB, CB and DB. Does this correspond with your thinking on this subject?

I did have Uffz Uberschär's name as BF with Rademacher, thanx to the listing you've previously sent. Since he also flew with Holborn, this reinforces the idea that they only needed four a/c and gunners to support the flying activities for five staff officers.

Regards,

[Chris Goss]

Huchel was non-flying which would support a Stabschwarm. He was a retired WW1 officer by all accounts hence no service details. As to who flew what, I can only be certain with Jäger from his Flugbuch. I did also find the note that Jäger gave me about the loss of Reinecke-definitely came down in the sea