Banak bombed 30 June 1942

[Brian]

Hi guys

Banak in Northern Norway was bombed on 30 June 1942, as was Petsamo.

Which air force carried out these attacks?

Any leads would help, please.

Cheers
Brian

[andrus]

German view from Lfl. 5 (I did find nothing about Banak bombed):

I. Feindtätigkeit:
[...]
Zwischen 05,47-06,39 Uhr Angriff durch insges. 15 PE-2 in 5 Wellen in 4000 m. auf Flugplatz Petsamo. 40 Bomben (davon 6 Blindgänger), von Phosphorplättchen und Flugblättern.
Verluste:
1 Schwerverletzter (Flak)
Schäden:
1 BF 109 und 1 Munitionsbunker zerstört, geringe Gebäudeschaden. Flakabwehr ohne erkannte Wirkung. Durch Jagdabwehr 3 PE-2 abgeschossen (S. II, in Ziffer 1).
II. Eigene Einsätze:
a) Nordabschnitt:
1.) II JG 5 mit 4 BF 109 von 05,12-06,13 Uhr von Petsamo. Alarmstart.
Ergebnis:
05,50-05,59 Uhr Luftkampf mit 3 P-2 im Raum Motowskij in 3500 m, alle 3 Flugzeuge abgeschossen.


I. Feindtätigkeit:
21,39-22,31 Uhr 3 Anflüge einzelner Flugzeuge auf Flugplatz Petsamo. Kein BAW.
Gestartete Jäger schossen 1 PE-2 ab. (II Ziff. 1). Keine Flakabwehr, da ausser Wirkungsbereich.
II. Eigene Einsätze:
Nordabschnitt:
1.) II J.G. 5 mit 3 BF 109 von 21,39-22,15 Uhr von Petsamo. Alarmstart auf Flukomeldung.
21,45-47 Uhr Luftkampf mit 3 PE-2 und 4 Mig in 37 Ost 1062. 1 PE-2 abgeschossen.
2.) II J.G. 5 von 21,55-22,37, 22,00-22,37, 22,19-22,36 Uhr von Petsamo je 3 BF 109 Alarmstart auf Flukomeldung ohne Feindberührung.


by the way, there seems to be KTB Lfl 5 in BA/MA:
RL 7/494-501: Kriegstagebuch Luftflotte 5 Norwegen (KTB Lfl. 5), Mai 1942-0ktober 1943
Can anybody compare reports above with it?

[Brian]

Hi Andrus

Great information, many thanks.

According to the loss lists, I and II/KG30 had 4 Ju88s destroyed, one seriously damaged (70%) and one 30% damaged, on the ground, during a bombing raid on Banak on 30 June 1942.

Might this have been RAF Bomber Command?

Cheers
Brian

[Delmenhorst]

Dear Brian

Look at Andrus answer and PE-2. Look at the distance from GB and Banak and look at the range of british bombers at that time of the war ...

[Brian]

Thanks Delmonhorst

Yes, I agree, but it was also a long way for Pe-2s to fly from Vaenga to Banak.

So , who carried out the raid? I MAY HAVE FOUND THE ANSWER - POSSIBLY DB-3Fs!

Cheers
Brian

[Soren Flensted]

Hi Brian
Banak was attacked on 30/6-42. According EdNorth by the russians. He identified some pictures for me from the attack.

[andrus]

from "Chronicles of Great Patriotic War on the Northern marine theatre", reprint of vol. 2 I have following:

5 DB-3F attacked airfield Banak. Dropped 30 FAB-100, whole area was covered with bombs, two hits to aircraft were photographed, altogether four aircraft of type Me 109 were claimed as destroyed, fires were observed.

With Luostari there is some mess in the book. There are two paragraphs of text with little differences - 13 Pe-2 and 2 Pe-3 (or 15 Pe-2 under cover of 12 Tomahawk) attacking Luostari airfield at the same time, but probably they are same aircraft.
From attacking planes two were destroyed after forced landing, third one damaged after forced landing at the airfield. Unit was probably special naval air group (особая морская авиационная группа) - ad hoc unit containing of 28. and 29. dive bombing navy regiments and 35. long range torpedo bomber regiment (or parts of these unit).