Krim Unit

[Jeffrey]

Hello,

Can someone help me, I'm trying to find info on a KustenFlieger unit Krim. My father in law was part of the unit and I am trying to find out what he would have done and been during the war. Such details as any losses or specific missions the unit flew would help me a lot.

Any help would be appreciated as I'm only new to all this.

Many thanks in advance

Jeffrey

[Del Davis]

Jeffrey,
A little clarification will help here. Was he a member of 3 staffel Fernauklaerungsgruupe 11 or an an actual member of Kustenfliegerstaffel Krim? Although both served in the Crimea on tactical reconnaisance duties they are different units and 3F/11 had a much longer history on the eastern front. The name Kustenflieger Krim has been applied to both untis in the past. There is an article in an old Jet& Prop on this subject

[Adam]

Jeff,

If you mean Kustenstaffel Krim then all I have on the topic is the Staffel Kapitan was Hauptman Hans Klimmer. The unit flew its 2,000th sortie on 11.4.44. It had a unit code (Verbandkenzeichen) of 1K and operated a mixed bag of Fw 58, Bf 110 and He 111s.

Have you seen http://www.ww2.dk/air/recon/krim.html

If you are interested I can PM you the aircraft code (Stamkennzeichen) used by 27 of the units aircraft.

I can't help you with losses or specific missions, I'm afraid.

@ Del, Is the Jet & Prop article you refer to the one on KuStaffel Krim (dated 6.95) or something else entirely?

[Del Davis]

I am at work at the moment but the timing of 1995 seems right for the article in J&P that I referred to

[Parabellum]

Hello,
Astonishingly, I've put today an inquiry on the L.E.M.B forum in view to discover the signification of "KüSt Krim" and to have knowledge of the type of mission that Luftwaffe unit flew!!!
And here are the answers!!! KüstenStaffel Krim_and_tactical reco flights.
Tks Jeffrey, Del and Adam!
Just two questions more:
_Were the flights only reco or also coastal survey?
_As to the planes, is it certain that only Fw58 Weihe, Me110 ( apparently drawn on the unit's shield) and He111 were flown by the KüSt Krim's pilots?
Cheers,
Parabellum.

[Jeffrey]

Thank you one and all for your various bits and pieces, it is most helpful.
Of course I would still love to hear any moer information that comes through from people, but thanks for everything so far.

Parabellum, What is the L.E.M.B. and where can I find it? Did you get any answers to your questions there?

Excuse my ignorance,

regards

Jeffrey

[Adam]

@ Parabellum - The unit originally was equipped with 24 Fw 58s from Kampffliegerschule 1 based in Tutow. These were used almost exclusively until around June/July 1943 when they were traded for Bf 110s of various versions. Interestingly, the strength return for the unit states no aircraft on strength at the beginning of August 43, but by the end of the month had acquired 11 Bf 110s. It wasn't until sometime in October 1943 that the unit finally got 6 He 111s. Then in May '44 the bombers were passed on to other units leaving just 9 Bf 110s.

@ Jeffrey - the LEMB is another web board, its address is: http://www.luftwaffe-experten.org/forums/

[Del Davis]

Jeffrey
I am pleased that we could help you but have you been able to determine the actual unit to which he belonged. We have only described one of two scenarios. 3F11 is a different unit that flew Me110s also over the Crimea for part of its life and it shows the Crimea as part of its unit emblem.

[Parabellum]

@ Adam
Tks for those precisions on the aircrafts and unit's strength.