Kriegsweihnachten 1944 - Letzte Weihnacht während des Zweiten Weltkrieges

 

JG 54 pilots Thyben and Pahl in Courland, December 1944

By Christmas 1944, the war was going extremely badly for the Germans. Since the Allied landings in Normandy and the huge Russian offensive in the East launched in June and July 1944, both Eastern and Western Fronts had been drawing ever closer. Some two months prior to Christmas 1944, the city of Aachen had become the first major German town to be captured by the Allies. The Soviets had driven into East Prussia in October 1944. The Red Army has already liberated two concentration camps, while the SS was already clearing the Auschwitz extermination camp. SS man Karl Höcker was nonetheless photographed lighting candles by the Christmas tree in Auschwitz-Birkenau. In his Christmas speech, Goebbels referenced the on-going offensive in the Ardennes - the last major attack launched by the Germans on 16 December 1944; ‘What German heart would not beat faster with pride in Christendom when I think here of our soldiers who have now been back on the offensive in the West for over a week?' But even on Christmas Eve the Allies flew massive bombing raids, the war having long since returned to the country from which it started - the 3rd BD of the US 8th AF launched nearly 2,000 B-17s and B-24s against airfields in south-west Germany. ‘There were several heavy air raids here during the Christmas of 1944, all of which I survived in a shaky cellar,’ reported one eyewitness from Bonn. The sirens also sounded in Cologne on 24 December 1944. The official statistics record the dropping of 490 high-explosive bombs between 6.15 pm and 7.25 pm alone.....(from a Westdeutscher Rundfunk WDR2 radio recording, 'Letzte Kriegsweihnacht')

Gotha Go 242 reference photos for the new IBG Models 1:72 scale kits

Following on from their announcement last Friday (see below), IBG Models are releasing a pdf on Facebook featuring an illustrated history of the Gotha Go 242. This to coincide with the imminent release of their new 1:72nd scale kit. 

There is another option for modellers looking for Go 242 images, especially as I doubt that SAM will be publishing an 'Aircraft in Profile' feature any time soon - the ECPA-D web site has some great images of the type. 

The photos taken by PK reporter Karl Ottahal are of note - his report shows Gothas on Crete en route to North Africa to resupply the Afrika Korps. File reference is DAK 238. 

Ottahal was posted missing on 5 September 1944, flying as the gunner on board an Aufklärungsgruppe 123 Ju 88 coded '4U+KK' that failed to arrive in Crete on a flight from Athens..

 

Romanian I.A.R 80/81 IBG models 1:72 - the 10 June 1944 Ploesti raid (1)

 

IBG Models IAR 81 C 'Great Air Battles of 1944' box-art depicting  IAR- 81 C no. 320 flown by Slt. Av. Mircea Dumitrescu, commander of Escadrilla 61 downing a  15 AF P-38 on 10 June 1944.

The most 'prestigious' achievement of the Industria Aeronautica Romana works during WWII was the IAR 80 fighter of which 450 examples were constructed at a monthly rate of around 10-13 aircraft during the period 1940-43. Construction numbers would have been higher but for shortages of machine guns, gun sights etc. During testing the prototype exceeded 500 km/h at 4000 m altitude. The main armament comprised four Belgian Browning FN (7.62) machine guns. The fighter was powered by the (license-built Gnome Rhone) 1025 hp IAR 14K engine.

Design work which had started in 1937 was to a certain extent based on Polish expertise - Romanian engineers Grosu and Cosereanu conceived the IAR 80 around the modified and strengthened rear fuselage and tail section of a Polish PZL P.24E fighter while the wings were based on the Italian SM 79 reduced in size by 50%;  authors Roba and Craciunoiu in 'Romanian Aeronautics' conclude that " the IAR 80 was an outstanding achievement, perhaps the best example of how to do a job with limited resources.." The machine underwent continuous improvement, resulting in a number of different versions - the first significant variant was the IAR 80 B featuring a  lengthened fuselage starting with aircraft No. 201 (by 70 mm in front of the firewall) and extended wing span of 11 metres starting with aircraft No. 212.

The IAR 81 was an improved fighter-bomber variant, featuring the long nose and wings and bomb racks under the fuselage and wings, while the 80/81 C were heavy fighters equipped with two 20 mm MG FF or MG 151/20 cannon and Browning machine guns. With 150 airframes the IAR 81 C was the most numerous of all versions. The longer fuselage, wide-span wings and engine cowling air filter also made this variant probably the most distinctive of the IAR 80/81 series.

The box art of IBG Models kit number 72570  "IAR 81 C- Great Air Battles of 1944" features IAR- 81 C no. 320 flown by Slt. Av. Mircea Dumitrescu, commander of Escadrilla 61. Dumitrescu claimed two P-38s on the 10 June 1944 raid (see below). His machine features the unofficial Esc. 61 Disney 'Bambi' emblem on the beautiful box-top artwork. Pilot and fighter were captured on film by a PK Berichter in a photo 'reportage' that can be seen in the ECPA-D archive. (sample images below - click on the images to view full-screen)

Following the disastrous 'Tidal Wave' mission on 1 August 1943, the Allied air offensive against the Ploesti oilfields and refineries only got underway again in the spring of 1944, this time from airfields around Foggia, Italy. The raid on 10 June 1944 was notable for being flown not by heavy bombers but by more than 75 P-38s from the 1st and 82nd Fighter groups - the 82nd FG machines being fitted with 300 gallon drop tanks and a 1000 kg bomb. Intercepted at low altitude over the oilfields, Bf 109s from III./JG 77 and I./JG 53 dove on the P-38 fighter-bombers with the 39 1st FG P-38 escorts late on the scene. The usual smoke-screens had not been deployed by the defenders, so 15th AF planners achieved the element of surprise they had hoped for. And in the ensuing combats Lt. Herbert B. Hatch claimed five IAR 80s - mistaking the Romanian fighters for 'FW-190s'. But he was the only 71st FS pilot to return to Italy that day! The 82nd FG lost 8 and the 1st FG a further 14 P-38s. For the loss of four machines the IAR 81s of Grupul 6 claimed 23 P-38s. Needless to say the 15th AF did not repeat their 'Lightning' attack of 10 June..

new tool Gotha Go.244 from IBG Models - 3D renders revealed today - release in late January 2025

 

announced today by IBG Models - a new-tool Gotha Go 244. Due in 1/72nd and to be released in late January 2025, 3D-renders unveiled on the IBG FB page. This blog is a big fan of IBG Models so we hope this will do well for them - we've built their Fw 190 Dora and the PZL P.7/11 elsewhere here and are about to start their fabulous IAR 80/81 series..

 

 Access all IBG Models posts on this blog via this link 

And from the IBG Models FB page;

" Yesterday we've revealed our brand new project - Gotha Go-244 transporter. But it's not all. We've also prepared the Go-242 glider versions, both in multiple configurations! On Monday we'll also publish a pdf with a detailed description of all the production versions of these aircraft!"

Maj. Karl-Heinz Schomann, Gruppenkommandeur I./LG 1 - PK Berichter Hans Gross

 

 Seen here supervising the mechanics working on his Ju 88 A-4, Maj. Karl-Heinz Schomann was a 'veteran' of the campaign in the West (May-June 1940). As Oblt. in 9./LG 1 he was WIA in combat with Spitfires during May 1940. LG 1 carved out its reputation in the Med and North Africa. Operating out of Heraklion, Crete, in support of Rommel's DAK and flying convoy escort as well as night bombing raids, Schomann as Staka 5./LG 1 was again injured on 8 December 1942 off the coast of Libya, his Ju 88 A-4 attacked by an RAF fighter. Schomann replaced Helbig assuming the role of 'acting' Kommandeur of I./LG 1 in January 1943 before being named as Helbig's replacement and promoted to Major in March 1943. He was awarded the RK in October 1943 for his leadership having claimed 29000 GRT of shipping sunk. During July 1944 Schomann was appointed Ia with the General der Kampfflieger and concurrently Inspekteur der Erganzungsgruppen der Kampfgeschwader. In 1945 he held a staff position with the General der Kampfflieger. Schomann survived the war having flown around 265 combat sorties. He passed in August 2006.

The ECPA-D caption gives the location as Greece during April 1944. LG 1 had previously operated from Heraklion between 14 November 1942 and 2 April 1943 and Eleusis between 2 April 1943 and 11 June 1943. Schomann is clearly wearing his RK which was not awarded until late October 1943. Note the Wellenmuster finish applied to the lower surfaces of the Ju 88, presumably in an attempt to 'tone down' the clear lower surfaces for night missions..

Photos by PK Bildberichter Hans Gross, below, wearing his EK 1 awarded in mid-1942. Gross was killed in January 1945 in Belgium - 80 years ago. His images - more than 1000 of them - are thus freely available on the ECPA-D website. Unfortunately 95% of them are landscapes of Greek islands and scenes of local inhabitants in North Africa including camels, which is particularly disappointing as Gross was author of the war-time " Mein Freund Marseille". Post war his various reports were collected together in a book entitled "Als Kriegsberichter im Einsatz"..

Oblt. Kurt Ruppert, Staka 9./JG 26 - Bundesarchiv photo report #8

 

Photographed in late August 1942, this is Oblt. Kurt Ruppert's Fw 190 A-3 WNr. 551 'gelbe 1+I' of 9./JG 26.  I'm assuming that is Ruppert seated on the cockpit being saluted by his comrades. There are 17-18 victory Balken on the rudder. Ruppert had returned his 15th in July and then claimed 3 Spitfires shot down on 19 August 1942 as he led his 9.Staffel over Dieppe flying out of Moorsele, Belgium. Note the high contrast finish and the very light yellow of the aircraft Kennung -  the 'darker' camo colour is either a 'grey-green' or 'green-grey' 74, almost certainly the Graugrün variation of '74'. See the link below for more on this. Claes Sundin's 'Profile book No. 10' has more on Ruppert and artwork. Strangely the only 'Ruppert' to appear in  'Buch 1, Flugzeugführer des Jagdgeschwaders 1939-Mitte 1944' is Ofw. Hans Ruppert. (109 Feindflüge, 2 victories) who, like his namesake, died bailing out of his burning machine. Kurt Ruppert was KIA during June 1943 as Kommandeur III./JG 26 with 21 victories. (thanks to Rudi Kneipp for help with this post)

Ruppert flew with;

3./JG 26 from at least the beginning of 1940 to 11.11.1940, 

9./JG 26 from 12.11.1940 - 06.04.1943 

9./JG 26 Staffelkapitän from 02.05.1942 (http://wp1097868.server-he.de/geschwader/jg26.html) from 01.09.1942 Hauptmann and T.O. (Technischer Offizier?) 

III./JG 26 Gruppenkommandeur m.d.F.b. (mit der Führung beauftragt, ie, he was only a interim commander) from 07.04.1943 - 13.06.1943

Also on this blog;

Richard Goyat on Fw 190 colours

November 2024 visit to the ECPA-D

 

The Luftwaffe blog is just back from a week at one of the world's great photographic archives - the ECPA-D in the southern Paris suburb of Ivry- sur-Seine. The ECPA-D houses an extensive collection of German PK photo albums captured by the French towards the end of WWII. This archive was reputedly being transferred from Berlin to some remote hideaway in southern Germany when it fell into French hands.  The collection comprises over 410,000 photos, films and sound recordings taken by German wartime PK 'Bildberichter' or photo reporters. Many of these are now digitised as part of the 'Fonds Allemand' or 'German collection' at the ECPA-D. This is the second time I've been to this incredible archive and - thanks in part to Del's work on an 'inventory' - I'm starting to feel like I know my way around this super collection of mostly unseen Luftwaffe/Wehrmacht photos. In total I've spent eight working days here now and probably only got to open around 50% of the albums. You are free to consult these and make low-res copies for personal use.You need to book a 'research' slot via the ECPA-D web site and hand over your passport as you go in as this is a department of the French military housed in the old Fort d'Ivry - built between 1841-45 - and part of the southern defensive belt of the city of Paris. 

Sadly the archive closed their photo-lab earlier this year so you can no longer order hard copies at 2 euros each. Digital copies can be ordered but the prices have increased to around 8 euros per image. However you can still take home low-res copies of any images for personal use - simply 'load' them into a 'basket' and the 'documentaliste' will send them to you in a pdf file. One of mine on day 3 of my visit comprised 902 pages and was sent to me via a file-sharing site. One tip from me - some reasonable results can be obtained by taking photos of the photos! If you want new photos or inspiration, whether you're a modeller or a 'researcher', you'll get a great welcome from the very helpful staff only too ready to help you explore their amazing collection of photo albums, both the physical and digital.  Thanks to Chris, Nico, Many and Del for making our visit a memorable one..

Below; a partial view of the 'physical' photo albums that comprise the 'German collection', followed by a 'mosaic' view on the screen of each 'reportage'. Each album contains a number of these. Each individual image can be enlarged to full screen size! These photos were all taken by professional photographers. 

Curator or 'documentaliste' Nicolas Férard has written a very nice book entitled "Propaganda Kompanien" about the work of the PK 'Bildberichter' photo reporters that appeared (in English) through publisher 'Histoire & Collections'. 

Ju 52 Transporter KG zbV 1 - ebay photo find #382

Crash-landed Ju 52 of KG z.b.V 1 with the Berlin bear as Geschwaderwappen (black on a yellow background). While there seems to be an issue with the starboard motor, the tarpaulin-shrouded engine is a good indication that this machine will be soon returned to service..

" ..eine Ju 52 fliegt nicht alleine..."  Possibly here en route to North Africa via Sicily "1Z+HV" according to the seller. Looks more like Russia. In his memoir (see below) KGzbV 1 pilot Horst Dinter relates that his resupply sorties to Rommel's DAK took place via Greece and Crete..and the Ju 52 has none of the yellow 'Balkans' scheme. Also is probably coded "1Z+HU".

The best view of the cockpit MG mount that I've been able to locate. An image from Dinter's book. About 18 months ago I was asked for a view of this part by the 'researcher' from a well-known local model kit company. To the disappointment of the guys in our model club, said researcher (hi Luke!)  has subsequently left the company. His replacement has yet to put in an appearance. (not that I particularly want him to...)

St.G 2 Ju 87 im Osten, October 1941 - ebay photo find #381

 

Soldaten des Pz.Rgt.29 bei Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" mit Truppenkennzeichen der Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 im Osten, 1941. 

 This is 'T6+GT', a 9. Staffel Ju 87 R-2 of III./St.G 2 (WNr. 5780) photographed during the late summer of 1941 following a forced-landing close to the Rollbahn, which occurred on 27 August 1941. The pilot may well have been attempting an emergency landing on the road. The emblem of III Gruppe visible forward of the cockpit was adopted in late 1939. The 'GT' appears on the yellow fuselage band on the port side, the 'G' being outline only. More images of this aircraft were published in the superlative book Stukageschwader 2 'Immelmann' authored by Marc Hazard. (Lela Presse, 2018). Additional caption info via GRM.

Eugen Gremelsbacher, Bildberichter Fallschirmjäger A.O.K (formerly XI. Flieger.Korps), Heinkel 'Zwilling' and Gotha Go 242 transfer flight from France to Sicily

 

To bolster their forces preparing to defend the Allied landings in Sicily, the Germans organised an ‘air bridge’ to bring in reinforcements. On 17 July 1943, 16 Gotha Go-242 gliders from Luftlandegeschwader 2 (with the heavy equipment of the 1st parachute division: 1.Fallschirm-Jäger.Division) departed the huge airfield at Istres in southern France for Italy, landing at Torre di Faro (Sicily) between 20 and 27 July 1943 after a stop in Naples. The photo-report in ECPA-D file 11FLG F 1396/7 by PK photographer Eugen Gremelsbacher depicts a Heinkel He-111 ‘Zwilling’ tug on the transfer flight between France (Istres) and Italy (Naples-Pomigliano). Each Heinkel towed two Gotha Go-242 gliders and carried the heavy equipment (eg 2cm Flak 38) of 1. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division.

Below; He 111 Z coded 'DG+DX' taxying in after landing in Naples. Note three of the five engines already shut down.

The reporter on board the Heinkel followed the progress of the mission from the empty starboard cockpit of the Zwilling and photographed the crew: bombardier, radio-navigator, pilot and co-pilot. As the transfer mission drew to a close, the aircraft flew over Vesuvius before landing on the runway at Naples-Pomigliano airfield. The port of Naples is not far from the airfield, and the reporter took a shot of the docks, cranes and a medieval tower. In the shade of the Naples airfield buildings, paratroopers from the 1 Fallschirm-Jäger-Division were photographed recovering after the trip. The glider pilots had to destroy the Gotha Go-242s in Sicily.

 

Eugen Gremelsbacher was an Uffz. and photographic reporter for the Fallschirmjäger A.O.K (formerly XI. Flieger Korps). He was born on 13 March 1911 in Elbing (Westpreußen) and died on 08 March 1944 on the Eastern Front (see report reference FALLAOK F2024 for his grave) after being wounded the previous day. He is buried in Perwomaisk cemetery, grave N°24, row 8 (source Bundesarchiv). He filed photo reports from France (Orange, Istres) and Italy (Naples, Torre di Faro in Sicily, Livourno region in Tuscany). As Gremelsbacher died over 80 years ago, his photographs are 'out of copyright' and are in the 'public domain'. See here for more on this.

RAD 'Arbeitsmann' on airfield guard duty -Instapic #18

  

RAD 'Reichsarbeitsdienst' (labour service) personnel were often employed as airfield 'guards'. Here an 'Arbeitsmann' on airfield guard duty somewhere in the West from an ECPA-D PK photo 'reportage' on the activities of the RAD. (from the DAA files). The second image shows a close-up of the 'Dienststellenabzeichen' on the left upper arm. 

SS Fallschirmjäger Btl. 500 Drvar May 1944, "Rösselsprung" - ebay photo find #380

 

 "Rösselsprung" was a failed German airborne and ground operation aimed at capturing or killing the Yugoslav Partisan leader Marshal Josip Broz ('Tito') in the Bosnian town of Drvar. Launched on 25 May 1944, the 'airborne' part of the assault was carried out by the SS-FJ battalion 500 - some 340 paratroopers were transported on board 34 DFS 230 gliders, the remainder of the battalion jumping from TG 4 Ju 52 Transporter. Meanwhile the town of Drvar was also bombed by the Luftwaffe. The gliders were towed by Hs 126 and Ju 87 tugs. A number of these images appeared in subsequent German newpaper reports - almost certainly taken by PK Berichter. In the end the operation was a failure - the area was well-defended by strong partisan forces while German intelligence regarding Tito's exact location was faulty. 

This was the image of victory that was publicized. These F-J paras show off their trophies including the flags of the Allied Mission. The rifle of the man in the middle has a grenade launcher on its muzzle.

296 Verlag set to close

 

Some sad news. According to the email that just dropped, Dr Kurt Braatz is closing his 296 Verlag at the end of the year. 296 Verlag has produced some marvellous titles over the years and some of the best Luftwaffe memoirs and biographies bar none. I'm assuming that this news means there will be no English-language translation of Jules Meimberg's book - my 'favourite' Luftwaffe memoir - or any of the other '296' memoirs and biographies in fact - Josten, Krupinski, Cescotti etc etc. Small consolation, up to year's end (20 December) all remaining stock while available is price-dropped - just 15 euros per volume (63% off listed). Wolfrum, Zorner and Drewes are now OOP.

296 catalogue overview and orders here

 

An extract from Roderich Cescotti's "Langstreckenflug" on this blog - flying the Do 217 M-11