Maleme, Crete, 20-05-1941, DFS 230 + JU 52

[pulliri2]

Hi chaps,
I try go through first fighting hours during 20-05-1941 at Maleme airfield.
I have two basic questions concerning DFS 230 gliders (69 pcs) and towing JU 52/3mg7/8e aircraft:
1) Which staffels/units did this towing for DFS 230 gliders, perhaps by JU 52? KGrzbV 40/105/106 or somebody else e.g. LLG 1 itself? From Tanagra not from Topolia? What were the Geshwader codes of these units, perhaps 9P/G6/4V/H4/1Z? I have read some basic bibliography as:
1] Battle Orders / German Airborne Divisions / Osprey no 4 / Bruce Querrie
2] Lufwaffe Codes, Markings & Units 1039-1945 / Schiffer / Barry C. Rosch
3] Air War for Yugoslavia Greece and Crete 1940-41 / Grub Street / Christopher Shores
2) I have not found any code letters (H4/LA/LB+1-91 etc.) of DFS 230 gliders from the couple of photos around Maleme. One reason can be that they were censored from the photos, but I do not believe in this. Perhaps there were no codes at all?
BR, Risto

[byron-]

Hi Risto,

I./L.L.G. 20.05.41 Tanagra departure of 48 gliders, Eleusis and Megara departure of 26 gliders.
From the 66 glider pilots, 24 were killed, 17 wounded or missed.
The Geschwader had not standard codes on the Ju 52 transportes, just different ones, like DA+FF, H4+GL and so on.
On the Crete gliders no code letters existed.

[pulliri2]

Thanks, is there any information, what could be these code letters of Ju 52 towing aircraft? Photos?

BR, Risto Pulliainen

[pulliri2]

Thanks a lot,

Is there any list including these towing Ju 52 codes, even miscellaneous? I have seen only two photos 1) where Ju 52 and DFS 230 are preparing for invasion on Crete and in the other one 2) photo from DFS 230 towards towing Ju 52. Here are the links. Are there any other pictures existing?

http://www.asisbiz.com/Battles/Balka...e-1941-01.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/133697...n/photostream/


BR, Risto P

[Zippy1]

II/KGr zbv I towed the 18 gliders of I Battalion Sturmregiment for the first drop at Tavronitis/Maleme.
7 and 8 Staffel delivered the DFS 230's and carried paratroopers of Walter Gericke's IV Battalion too.
The codes were the normal 1Z+?? according to Lt Lankenau who flew the mission. As previously said the gliders carried only number codes on the nose, no letters.