There was a typo in my manuscript here: "Unternehmen Ziesig" should read Zeisig. There is more about this operation here. Ultra BT 908 II./KG 40 reporting no Ar 234s on 31st [December 1944]: 32 crews (nil ready), three off strength to LG 1, one to III./KG 40; nine to strength from KG 100.
Deciphered German reports giving the Werk Nummern and tactical markings of all 25 Me 262s on strength with I./KG 51 on 6 January 1945. Also the Werk Nummern of eight aircraft transferred to the Gruppe on 3 January from II./KG 51. These data are supplemented with information from subsequent strength returns that month. Deciphered reports giving the codes of all I./KG 51's serviceable and unserviceable Me 262s on 4 February 1945.
Ultra HP 8280 On 29th [November 1944] Kaltenkirchen (comment: dispersal of 16 aircraft of I./KG 26 here authorised on 17th, HP 6998) reported its maximum capacity was 20 aircraft as dispersal tracks only in part available. Ultra BT 798 Indents for III./KG 26 on 30th [December 1944] (a) by GAF Station Leck for equipment for aircraft armament; (b) by (fair indications Leck) to KG 26 Trondheim for preparation of 40 maps of Norway area.
Carsten Petersen says that this aircraft was photographed on 19 May 1945.
Carsten Petersen says that this aircraft belonged to 14/KG 200 and was photographed on 19 May 1945. This photograph and caption were supplied by the publisher, so I can't offer an opinion either way. Jörn Junker gives the location as Tirstrup. 14./KG 200 was established at Dedelstorf on 6 November 1944 from the former 2. and 4. Staffeln of II./KG 200. It was to be a training Staffel for all aircraft types.
Bottom photograph: interesting to note that the aircraft in the foreground still has its rear cockpit machine gun although the weapon has been removed from the upper turret.
Information compiled from deciphered German signals with the Werk Nummern and/or tactical codes of 97 Me 262s — almost all belonging to KG 51 — between late February and late March 1945.
A detailed aircraft strength return filed by IV./EKG 1 on 4 April 1945.
The caption of the profile does not refer to the aircraft depicted. The correct details are given in the photo captions on the same page.
There is an error in the table (thanks to a typo in my manuscript): IV./KG 200 was in fact at Tirstrup on 6 May 1945. According to documents of the RAF Air Historical Branch in the Imperial War Museum, just after Germany's surrender, Stab IV./KG 200, the 13., 15. and 16. Staffeln and 4./Fliegerhorst Betriebs Kompanie KG 200 were all at Vejle, Denmark; 14./KG 200 was at Tirstrup. On 13 May 1945, 13./KG 200 was at Flensburg and 14./KG 200 had left Denmark "for the south" as had the IV. Gruppe. On 18 May, 15./KG 200 was in Stavanger, Norway. Carsten Petersen says that the photograph was probably taken at Grove, Denmark.
Captions to photograph and profile (supplied by the publisher): Marcel van Heijkop advises that another source for this picture places it in Holland in September 1944. |
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