Kampfgeschwader 2

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the Egyptian film, see Thieves in KG2.

Kampfgeschwader 2
Battle of Normandy
Operation Steinbock
Insignia
Identification
symbol		Geschwaderkennung of
U5

Kampfgeschwader 2 Holzhammer (KG 2/Battle Wing 2) was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during the

Second World War. The unit was formed in May 1939. The unit operated the Dornier Do 17 light bomber, Dornier Do 217 and Junkers Ju 188 heavy bombers
. During the course of the Second World War KG 2 lost 767 aircraft destroyed and 158 damaged.
prisoners of war.[1] Broken down further, for the duration of the war KG 2 lost 1,228 killed, 688 missing, 656 wounded and with 214 captured, for a total of 2,786 in both combat and non-combat operations.[2]

Formation

Stab/.KG 2 and I./KG 2 were formed on 1 May 1939 at

Liegnitz, Silesia. The crews converted onto Junkers Ju 86.[4] The unit spent most of the summer training and recruiting personnel from the flight schools in night flying.[4]

World War II

Invasion of Poland

On 25 August the unit was transferred to Jesau and participated in the Invasion of Poland. Stab/KG 2 was withdrawn on 20 September and placed under the Command of Luftflotte 3 carrying out reconnaissance missions over France. I. KG 2 attacked airfields at

Plock on 1 September and again on 2 September. From 2–3 September it supported the German Third Army and German Fourth Army north of Warsaw. From 4–11 September rail targets were again bombed. Troop concentrations became the main targets after this until the end of the fighting in Poland. Stab./ KG 2 and II. KG 2 also operated in support of I. Gruppe. Altogether, the three Grupen had contributed 84 Dornier Do 17Z aircraft to the campaign.[5]

Battle of France and the Low Countries

Main articles:
Battle of Belgium, and Battle of France

I./KG 2 supported

Champagne and Arras. Between 21 and 31 May 1940, I. Gruppe supported ground forces during the Battle of Dunkirk.[1]
On 3 June 1940 it participated in the huge aerial offensive against French air power in Operation Paula.

II./KG 2 committed 36 Do 17s (28 operational) to the western campaign in Fliegerkorps II. It assisted in all the major operations of the French Campaign.[4] III./KG 2 supported the other two Gruppen with 36 Do 17s, with 30 serviceable.[6] The worst day of the western campaign for KG 2 was 27 May, when Major Werner Kreipe's III. Gruppe lost 11 out of 27 Do 17s to RAF fighters over Dunkirk.[7]

Battle of Britain

Main article: Battle of Britain

In mid-1940, I./KG 2 deployed up to 43 Do 17s (27 operational) against Britain while based at

Epinoy.[citation needed] The Geschwader took part in the first large dogfight over the English Channel, on 10 July 1940 – the day usually considered to be the beginning of the Battle of Britain. In an attack on Convoy "Bread", KG 2 sank two ships and one 700-ton sloop and damaged four RAF fighters. In return three Do 17s were lost and three damaged, along with three Messerschmitt Bf 110s destroyed and a single Messerschmitt Bf 109, with two damaged.[8]

On 10 August, KG 2 attacked Convoy "Booty", losing three Dorniers and six damaged.

Observer Corps misjudging the bearing or route of the raid, the RAF failed to prevent the target being attacked. On the return journey No. 74 Squadron RAF, No. 111 Squadron RAF and No. 151 Squadron RAF managed to intercept, shooting down five Do 17s.[10] KG 2 claimed destroyed ten Supermarine Spitfires on the ground and wrecked the airfield.[11] In fact it would seem none were lost.[12] The Geschwader also took part in heavy fighting on 18 August, known later as "The Hardest Day
".

By 7 September, the strength of I./KG 2 had fallen to 19 machines, with only 12 operational.[1] II./KG 2 began operations over Britain with 35 Do 17s, 31 operational. By 7 September this had fallen to 30 and 20 respectively.[6] III./KG 2 succeeded in replacing most of its losses; the number employed on 13 August was 34 Do 17s and 32 operational. The figures were the same on 7 September.[13]

The Geschwader was also in action on 15 September 1940, known later as "

German invasion of Yugoslavia.[1]

Balkans Campaign

Main articles:
Battle of Greece, and Battle of Crete

I. Gruppe committed 29 Do 17s with 28 operational. It participated in the bombing of Belgrade, the

Battle of Greece and Battle of Crete attacking ground and naval targets. On 20 May 1941 the unit claimed many Allied ships sunk north of Crete. It reported the loss of 6 Do 17s and 7 damaged.[14] II. Gruppe did not take part. III. Gruppe participated with 30 Do 17s, 29 operational. It reported losses of 6 aircraft shot down and 5 damaged during the campaign.[13] During June 1941 I./KG 2 was partially converted to the Do 217.[14]

Eastern Front

Main article: Operation Barbarossa

I. and III./KG 2 supported both

Walter Bradel, received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.[17]

Western Europe

While I. and III./KG 2 were engaged on the

Operation Cerberus
(also known as the Channel Dash).

In July 1941 II. Gruppe were attached to Stab/KG 30 under the command of

Walter Bradel was killed returning from a raid on Norwich
on 5 May 1943.

V./KG 2 was formed in mid 1943 and was the first to operate the

Messerschmitt Me 410
in a night bomber and occasional night intruder role over the UK. The gruppe lost its first Me 410 on the night of 13–14 July 1943 when Fw Zwissler and his Bordfunker were killed after being shot down by future 'ace' F/L N Bunting in a Mosquito night fighter of No. 85 Squadron.

II./KG 2 converted to the Junkers Ju 188 in October – December 1943. It used its new aircraft to bomb British cities and ports containing the Allied invasion fleets.[6] II./KG 2 continued strategic and anti-shipping strikes until, owing to lack of resources, was dissolved at Reppen on 3 October 1944.[6] During its air raids over Britain, KG 2 lost 65 of 88 crews in April – September 1942. On four raids (27–31 July) it lost 27 aircraft.[1]

III./KG 2 was withdrawn to Germany in July 1944 after combat operations over the Normandy beachheads. It was ordered dissolved on 16 September 1944, but it was not carried out. In October the Gruppe retrained as a night fighter unit flying the Dornier Do 335. The unit was renamed V./NJG 2 on 1 December 1944. Such training was abandoned in March 1945.[19] I./KG 2 was disbanded officially on 3 October 1944 after combat operations over France.[14]

Commanding officers

Known as Kampfgeschwader 153 until 31 October 1938 and Kampfgeschwader 252 until 30 April 1939

 • Oberst Walter Sommé 1 April 1936 – 31 October 1938[20]
 • Oberst Johannes Fink 1 November 1938 – 30 April 1939[20]
 • Generalmajor Johannes Fink 1 May 1939 – 20 October 1940[20]
 • Oberst Oberst Herbert Rieckhoff 21 October 1940 – 12 October 1941
 • Major
Walter Bradel
 23 January 1943 – 5 May 1943 †
 • Oberstleutnant Karl Kessel 18 May 1943 – February 1944
 • Major Hanns Heise 25 February 1944 – April 1944
 • Oberstleutnant
Rudolf Hallensleben
 17 June 1944 – 19 September 1944[Note 1]

Notes

  1. ^ The above list has major contradictions with Ulf Balke's history of KG 2

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 24.
  2. ^ Balke 1990, pp. 524–525.
  3. ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 23–24.
  4. ^ a b c de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 29.
  5. ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 23, 24, 29, 31.
  6. ^ a b c d e f de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 31.
  7. ^ Hough & Richards 2007, p. 93.
  8. ^ Bungay 2000, p. 150.
  9. ^ Bungay 2000, p. 183.
  10. ^ Bungay 2000, p. 207.
  11. ^ Bungay 2000, p. 208.
  12. ^ Hough & Richards 2007, p. 157.
  13. ^ a b de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 33.
  14. ^ a b c d e de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 28.
  15. ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 28, 33.
  16. ^ Bergström 2007, p. 119.
  17. ^ Bergström 2007, p. 23.
  18. ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, pp. 28–29.
  19. ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2007, p. 34.
  20. ^ a b c Balke 1990, p. 407.

Bibliography

  • Balke, Ulf (1990). Der Luftkrieg in Europa: Die operativen Einsätze des Kampfgeschwaders 2 im Zweiten Weltkrieg [The Air War in Europe: The Operational Mission of Bomber Wing 2 during the Second World War] (in German). Vol. Two. Koblenz, Germany: Bernard & Graefe.
    ISBN 978-3-7637-5884-5
    .
  • ISBN 978-1-85780-270-2
    .
  • ISBN 978-1-85410-721-3
    .
  • de Zeng, H.L.; Stankey, D.G.; Creek, E.J. (2007). Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933–1945; A Reference Source, Volume 1.
    ISBN 978-1-85780-279-5
    .
  • Hough, Richard; Richards, Denis (2007). Battle of Britain.
    ISBN 978-1-84415-657-3
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kampfgeschwader_2&oldid=1211888552"