Bv 138 auf Schleuderschiff Bussard - daily Ebay photo find #192

currently on offer via mdw-auction. See link below

Seaplane tenders saw service pre-war on the transatlantic mail routes - the catapult launch of an Ha 139 is described on this blog here. During the war the Germans built additional seaplane tenders and catapult ships specifically for military use. Falke, Bussard, Richthoven and Hans Albrecht Wedel were completed 1942 - 1943. More details of these vessels on Michael Holm's site here.

Two images depicting Bv 138 seaplanes on the catapult ship Bussard probably off Tromsö, Norway. Tasked with reconnaissance, especially seeking and tracking Arctic convoys heading to and from Murmansk and Archangel. Norway was one of the most important and active areas for German seaplane deployment - around 1943, the Luftwaffe had around 5000 men at Tromsø. There were three main seaplane bases North of the Arctic circle, Sørreisa which was close to the important airfield of Bardufoss, Skattøra at Tromsø and Billefjord further North which was also close to another major airfield, Banak.

on offer here

More Luftwaffe seaplanes in Norway on this blog
http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/luftwaffe-seaplanes-in-norwegian.html

Dornier Do 26 in the Norwegian campaign
http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/nahaufklarungsgruppe-13-fw-190-ebay.html

Luftwaffe seaplanes in the Norwegian campaign, Ha 139, Do 18, Ar 196 daily ebay photo find #178

a few highlights from a selection of Luftwaffe seaplanes involved in the Norwegian campaign on offer via the ea-antik Ebay sales site including some nice images of the Ha 139 V-1 Nordmeer. This Lufthansa transatlantic catapult-launched mail plane was pressed into Luftwaffe service on the outbreak of WWII. The large underwing radiators visible in the lower two images were a modification introduced after the first 'season' of transatlantic crossings. At one point it was planned to use the type for long-range maritime reconnaissance but this never happened. The fate of this machine is unknown, possibly scrapped. The V-3 sister ship was extensively photographed in an MS or - Minensuch minesweeping configuration. Note the 'P5' code of the Kdo. d. Transportflieger Norwegen.

More on the landplane version Bv 142 on this blog here

JG 77 Emil - General Eduard Dietl Narvik - Ebay photo find Norwegian campaign album

Norwegian campaign album currently on ebay.de features this (J).TrGr 186 (JG 77)  early Emil - almost certainly 'Red 1' of the Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel (Oblt. Peter Emmerich ?) - and pictures of "our guest " Gen. Eduard Dietl commander of the 3rd Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) division and first recipient of the Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves) for successful operations around Narvik. (awarded during June 1940). Below; Dietl's Storch being refuelled..

Dietl wearing RK and Eichenlaub awarded during June 1940. Dietl was killed in the crash of his Ju 52 on 23 June 1944 as CO German forces in Norway and northern Finland

Stukas at Banak. For the invasion of Denmark and Norway, launched on 9 April 1940, five Do 26 seaplanes (V-1 to V-5) were brought together in the so-called Transozeanstaffel incorporated in 9./KGzbV 108 - see previous post on this blog here.

Dornier Do 26 Norwegian campaign; Nahaufklärungsgruppe 13 Fw 190 - Ebay Luftwaffe photo find

Below; seen during the Norwegian campaign -possibly after landing Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) for operations around Narvik- the photo below probably shows the Do 26 V-1, coded P5+AH. For the invasion of Denmark and Norway, launched on 9 April 1940,  the five Do 26 seaplanes (V-1 to V-5) were brought together in the so-called Transozeanstaffel incorporated in 9./KGzbV 108. Among the pilots flying these machines were the 'cream' of the Lufthansa fleet : Rudolf « Miesi » Mayr, the Graf Schack von Wittenau, and later night fighter ace Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow among others. The Staffel was tasked with transporting troops, munitions and mail with particular responsibility for re-supplying the Narvik area which saw hard fighting between the Allies and  General Eduard Dietl's Gebirgsjäger.  

This particular aircraft was shot up by Hurricanes of N° 46 Sq. in the Rombaksfjord on 28 May 1940, an attack in which the pilot Fw. Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow was wounded. It may well be Modrow standing on the nose of the aircraft in the photo above. Note the emblem of the Transozeanstaffel under the cockpit. After convalescence Modrow became an instructor but during April 1942 he flew the first of over one hundred sorties at the controls of a BV 222. During 1943 he was on the flight roster at the Travemünde test centre before joining the Nachtjagd. He was quickly promoted to Kapitän of 1./NJG 1 and ended the war with 34 confirmed victories.

 Wilhelm Küppers, radio operator on Do 26 V-2 P5+BH recalled ; 

" during the Norwegian campaign we flew an almost constant round of sorties bringing in anti-tank guns, munitions, mines and mountain troops for Narvik. These flights were combined with reconnaissance along the Norwegian coast. The more perilous moments of any such sortie were the landings on the narrow fjords around Narvik  and the subsequent takeoffs. We skirted along neutral Swedish airspace to avoid anti-aircraft fire before diving down almost vertically  - almost helicopter-like- for the surface of the water with our engines throttled back. The aircraft had to be rapidly unloaded, but it was amazing what could be achieved with the threat of death so close - we expected naval or artillery fire to come crashing down around us at any moment. Two tons of equipment could be off-loaded under such circumstances  - with much sweat and cursing - in under twenty minutes. Takeoffs were just as 'suicidal'  especially in the narrow Beisfjord with its high cliffs. Taxiing out into the middle of the fjord was often done under fire from British ships. Our takeoff runs had to be finely judged in order to avoid the cliffs. Engines were run up to full power and we were lucky if we managed to pass more than ten metres over the these obstacles. Each successful takeoff under such circumstances represented a considerable feat of airmanship for such a large and heavy seaplane weighing up to twenty tons ".

Extract from "Luftwaffe Seaplanes Vol II" ('Hydravions de la Luftwaffe' - Roba, Ledet, English-language section by Neil Page, published by LeLa Presse in 2010. Volume 3 in this series is published in February 2014)

ebay.de image currently on offer here

Below; pilots of Nahaufklärungsgruppe 13 probably at St. Brieuc, France celebrating a milestone 500th mission during 1943. Note the Gruppe emblem on the distinctively marked cowling of these Fw 190A-4/U4s fitted with Rb12,5/7x9 cameras

Merry Christmas to all Luftwaffe blog readers !

Photo courtesy of Marco at koelsch333 ebay.de sales and currently on offer here