KG 26 Flying units were expected to arrive in Kaufbeuren on the morning of the 24th and after it had pulled out to Southern Germany, KG 26 was restored to operational condition although conversion to the Ju 188 never progressed beyond the III. Gruppe (their Ju 88s passing to II./KG 26). The I. and II./KG 26 were posted to Norway in the Autumn to harass the Arctic convoy routes and were joined by the III. in November. It seems that the Beleuchter unit (ex 6./KG 77) became the new Stabssstaffel at around this time. As the year turned, the I. Gruppe was disbanded but work subsequently began in Denmark on converting it to Fw 190s with the Bombentorpedo but this project was called off in late April 1945. The remainder of the Geschwader operated sporadically until the very end of the war, its last missions assist ingin the evacuation of the Kurland pocket. III./KG 100 After III./KG 100 was withdrawn from France, some preparations were made for a move to Villafranca di Verona (a Do 217 of "EKG 100" was there from 29 August until 11 September) but by 5 September the Gruppe was in Giebelstadt and disbanded shortly afterward. There were no more Luftwaffe guided weapon attacks on ships although in 1945 the Hs 293 was used against bridges on the Eastern Front with little apparent success. JGr. 200 See separate article. Some of the Gruppe's pilots were incorporated into Sonderstaffel Kaatsch, an ad hoc reconnaissance outfit under control of Stab FAG 123 and covering the German retreat to the Reich borders. 2./NAG 13 Although intially assigned to Luftflotte 2 in Italy, the Staffel returned to Landsberg/Lech in Bavaria to rest and refit and resumed operations with Bf 109s from Freiburg-im-Breisgau on, as far as can be ascertained 5 October 1944. Seenotkommando Berre On 23 August the organisation was ordered to move to the Jonage reservoir near Lyon, perhaps because this body of water offered the possibility of an intermediate landing by flying boats or seaplanes withdrawing from Atlantic or Mediterranean bases to Friedrichshafen. continued on next page … |
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