Kampfgeschwader 2
Encyclopedia
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 bomber
s.
During the course of the Second World War KG 2 lost 767 aircraft destroyed and 158 damaged. It suffered 1,908 personnel killed in action
or missing in action
and 214 as prisoners of war.
. II./KG 2 was formed at Liegnitz, Silesia
. The unit spent most of the summer training and recruiting personnel from the flight schools.
carrying out reconnaissance missions over France
.
I.KG 2 attacked airfields at Wilna and Lida
and 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 Polish surrender.
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.
. It supported Heinz Guderian
’s Panzerkorps in the vicinity of Sedan
during the battle of the 12–14 May
. It fielded 36 Dornier Do 17s, with 22 aircraft serviceable. It also hit French Air Force
airfields in Amiens
, Reims
, Champagne
and Arras
. Between 21–31 May 1940, I. Gruppe supported ground forces during the Battle of Dunkirk
.
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.
III./KG 2 supported the other two Gruppen with 36 Do 17s, with 30 serviceable. The worst day of the western campaign for KG 2 was the 27 May, when Major Werner Kreipe
's III. Gruppe lost 11 out of 27 Do 17s to RAF fighters over Dunkirk.
. By 7 September it had fallen to 19 and 12 machines respectively. It continued to strike at targets during the Blitz
, and then redeployed to Austria
on 28 March 1941 in preparation for the German invasion of Yugoslavia.
II./KG 2 supported I./KG 2, beginning operations over Britain with 35 Do 17s, 31 operational. By 7 September this had fallen to 30 and 20 respectively. 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.
KG 2 took part in the first large dogfight over the English Channel
on 10 July 1940, which is considered to be the opening of the Battle of Britain. Attacking the convoy "Bread", KG 2 sank two ships and one 700-ton sloop and four RAF fighters were damaged. In return three Do 17s were lost and three damaged, along with three Messerschmitt Bf 110
s destroyed and a single Messerschmitt Bf 109
, with two damaged.
A month later, on 10 August, KG 2 attacked the convoy "Booty", losing three Dorniers and six damaged. On 13 August 1940, known as "Eagle day", KG 2 took off at 4:50 am led by Geschwaderkommodore Johannes Fink to attack targets in southern Britain. They were to be escorted by Bf 110s from ZG 26 led by Oberstleutnant
Joachim Huth. The weather was poor and German ground controllers ordered the fighters back to base. The message did not get through to II. and III./KG 2. Huth tried to signal them by flying in front of them and performing aerobatics. Fink ignored him and flew on. He flew around the coast to his target: Eastchurch
airfield on the Isle of Sheppey
. Albert Kesselring
had issued orders for bombers to abandon missions if their escorts did not show up. But some Bf 109s from Erprobungsgruppe had not received the order either and Fink failed to turn back as he was not disobeying the directive. The return would take KG 2 across No. 11 Group's territory, which would have been disastrous. Owing to the radar plotters missing the raiders, and the 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. KG 2 claimed destroyed ten Supermarine Spitfire
s on the ground and wrecked the airfield. In fact it would seem none were lost.
The Geschwader also took part in heavy fighting on 18 August and 15 September 1940, two days known as The Hardest Day
and the Battle of Britain Day
.
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.
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. During June 1941 I./KG 2 was partially converted to the Do 217.
and Army Group Centre
in several major engagements. KG 2 supported German forces during the Battle of Białystok–Minsk, Battle of Smolensk
, Siege of Leningrad
and Battle of Moscow
. III./KG 2 returned to Germany on 26 September to convert onto the Do 217. I./KG 2 departed for Germany on 31 October 1941. Total losses for Kampfgeschwader 2 on the Eastern Front in 1941 indicate three Do 17s lost in June, a further nine lost in July, nine in August, a single Dornier destroyed on the ground in September, three Do 17s in October, for a total of 24 lost in aerial combat and one on the ground. I./KG 2 lost 13 Do 17s destroyed and 12 damaged in 22 June - 31 October 1941.
The Dornier's most notable action on the Eastern front occurred on 23–24 June at Grodno. The commander of the Soviet Western Front, General Armii Dmitriy Pavlov attempted a counterattack against Hermann Hoth
's Panzergruppe 3. With air superiority and no air opposition, Dornier Do 17s of III./KG 2 destroyed columns of Soviet infantry. With help from other units, the Luftwaffe destroyed 105 Soviet tanks. The Soviet 6th and 11th Mechanised Corps and 6th Cavalry Corps were routed. For his unit's particular effectiveness, Hauptmann
Walter Bradel
, received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
, II./KG 2 operated from various bases in the Netherlands
and France
in Maritime Interdiction Operations
and strategic bombing
attacks on the United Kingdom
. Its first notable action was its participation in Operation Donnerkeil
, the Luftwaffe's air superiority plan in support of the Kriegsmarine
operation Operation Cerberus
(also known as the Channel Dash).
In July 1941 II. Gruppe were attached to stab./KG 30 under the command of Luftflotte 3
. On 2 July 1942 it could muster 37 Do 217s and 2 Do 17s. On the night of the 4/5 July 1942 it flew its first mission over the United Kingdom with Do 217s. Over the period 4 July - 31 December 1941 the unit lost 18 Do 217s. In August 1942 the unit lost 7 Do 217s during the Dieppe raid
. In November 1942 it helped German forces occupy Vichy France
during Case Anton
.
I./KG 2 returned to western Europe in May 1942. It engaged in night attacks over Britain and dropping naval mines in the English Channel
and along the British east coast. This action continued until May 1944. By that time the Gruppe had struck at ports along the southern British coast which contained the Allied invasion fleets that were to launch the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944. II./KG 2 had supported I./KG 2 from December 1942 - September 1943. It was withdrawn to Germany owing to "very heavy losses". During that time, the Geschwaderkommodore 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. II./KG 2 continued strategic and anti-shipping strikes until, owing to lack of resources, was dissolved at Reppen
on 3 October 1944. 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.
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. I./KG 2 was disbanded officially on 3 October 1944 after combat operations over France.
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
light bomber
Light bomber
A light bomber is a relatively small and fast class of military bomber aircraft which were primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance....
, Dornier Do 217
Dornier Do 217
The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by German Luftwaffe during World War II as a more powerful version of the Dornier Do 17, known as the Fliegender Bleistift . Designed in 1937 and 1938 as a heavy bomber, its design was refined during 1939 and production began in late 1940...
and Junkers Ju 188
Junkers Ju 188
The Junkers Ju 188 was a German Luftwaffe high-performance medium bomber built during World War II, the planned follow-on to the famed Ju 88 with better performance and payload...
heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
s.
During the course of the Second World War KG 2 lost 767 aircraft destroyed and 158 damaged. It suffered 1,908 personnel killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
or missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
and 214 as prisoners of war.
History
Stab/KG 2 and I./KG 2 were formed on 1 May 1939 at CottbusCottbus
Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of , its population was .- History :...
. II./KG 2 was formed at Liegnitz, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
. The unit spent most of the summer training and recruiting personnel from the flight schools.
Poland
On 25 August the unit was transferred to Jesau. It began the Polish Campaign attacking airfields and railway yards. Stab/KG 2 was withdrawn on 20 September and placed under the Command of Luftflotte 3Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on September 26, 1944...
carrying out reconnaissance missions over France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
I.KG 2 attacked airfields at Wilna and Lida
Lida
Lida is a city in western Belarus in Hrodna Voblast, situated 160 km west of Minsk. It is the fourteenth largest city in Belarus.- Etymology :...
and Plock
Plock
Płock is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river. According to the data provided by GUS on 30 June 2009 there were 126,675 inhabitants. It is located in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of the Płock Voivodeship . It now is a capital of a Powiat at the extreme...
on 1 September and again on 2 September. From 2–3 September it supported the German Third Army
German Third Army
The 3rd Army was a German field army that fought during :World War I and :World War II.-World War I:Upon the mobilization Max von Hausen was given command of the 3rd Army which mainly consisted of Saxons. The army participated in the battle of the Frontiers, mainly in the battles of Dinant and...
and German Fourth Army
German Fourth Army
The 4th Army was a field army of Imperial Germany during World War I and of the Wehrmacht during World War II-World War I:At the outset of war, the Fourth Army, with the Fifth Army, formed the center of the German armies on the Western Front, moving through Luxembourg and Belgium in support of the...
north of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. From 4–11 September rail targets were again bombed. Troop concentrations became the main targets after this until the Polish surrender.
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.
Battle of France and the Low Countries
I./KG 2 supported German Army Group A’s crossing of the MeuseMeuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
. It supported Heinz Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
’s Panzerkorps in the vicinity of Sedan
Sedan, France
Sedan is a commune in France, a sub-prefecture of the Ardennes department in northern France.-Geography:The historic centre is built on a peninsula formed by an arc of the Meuse River. It is around from the Belgian border.-History:...
during the battle of the 12–14 May
Battle of Sedan (1940)
The Battle of Sedan or Second Battle of Sedan was a Second World War battle fought during the French Campaign. The battle was part of the German Wehrmacht's operational plan codenamed Fall Gelb , to encircle the Allied armies in Belgium and north-eastern France...
. It fielded 36 Dornier Do 17s, with 22 aircraft serviceable. It also hit French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
airfields in Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
, Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, Champagne
Champagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
and Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
. Between 21–31 May 1940, I. Gruppe supported ground forces during the Battle of Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
.
On 3 June 1940 it participated in the huge aerial offensive against French air power in Operation Paula
Operation Paula
Unternehmen Paula is the German codename given for the Second World War Luftwaffe offensive operation to destroy the remaining units of the Armée de l'Air , or French Air Force during the Battle of France in 1940. On 10 May the German armed forces began its invasion of Western Europe...
.
II./KG 2 committed 36 Do 17s (28 operational) to the western campaign in Fliegerkorps II
2nd Air Corps (Germany)
II. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Frankfurt am Main from the 2. Flieger-Division. The Corps was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations on 15 November 1941...
. It assisted in all the major operations of the French Campaign.
III./KG 2 supported the other two Gruppen with 36 Do 17s, with 30 serviceable. The worst day of the western campaign for KG 2 was the 27 May, when Major Werner Kreipe
Werner Kreipe
Werner Kreipe was a German World War II Luftwaffe General der Flieger.-Luftwaffe career:Kreipe joined the Luftwaffe in 1934. Kreipe held various staff positions until the winter 1939/40, when he was selected or applied for a field role. He joined Kampfgeschwader 2 and commanded its III...
's III. Gruppe lost 11 out of 27 Do 17s to RAF fighters over Dunkirk.
Battle of Britain
I./KG 2 deployed 43 Do 17s (27 operational) against Britain while based at EpinoyÉpinoy
Épinoy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated southeast of Arras at the junction of the N43 and D21 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:* Traces of an old castle....
. By 7 September it had fallen to 19 and 12 machines respectively. It continued to strike at targets during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
, and then redeployed to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
on 28 March 1941 in preparation for the German invasion of Yugoslavia.
II./KG 2 supported I./KG 2, beginning operations over Britain with 35 Do 17s, 31 operational. By 7 September this had fallen to 30 and 20 respectively. 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.
KG 2 took part in the first large dogfight over the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
on 10 July 1940, which is considered to be the opening of the Battle of Britain. Attacking the convoy "Bread", KG 2 sank two ships and one 700-ton sloop and four RAF fighters were damaged. In return three Do 17s were lost and three damaged, along with three Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
s destroyed and a single Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
, with two damaged.
A month later, on 10 August, KG 2 attacked the convoy "Booty", losing three Dorniers and six damaged. On 13 August 1940, known as "Eagle day", KG 2 took off at 4:50 am led by Geschwaderkommodore Johannes Fink to attack targets in southern Britain. They were to be escorted by Bf 110s from ZG 26 led by Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
Joachim Huth. The weather was poor and German ground controllers ordered the fighters back to base. The message did not get through to II. and III./KG 2. Huth tried to signal them by flying in front of them and performing aerobatics. Fink ignored him and flew on. He flew around the coast to his target: Eastchurch
Eastchurch
Eastchurch is a village on the Isle of Sheppey, in the English county of Kent, two miles east of Minster.The village website claims "... it has a history steeped in stories of piracy and smugglers".- Aviation history :...
airfield on the Isle of Sheppey
Isle of Sheppey
The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some to the east of London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the local government district of Swale...
. Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring was a German Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. In a military career that spanned both World Wars, Kesselring became one of Nazi Germany's most skilful commanders, being one of 27 soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords...
had issued orders for bombers to abandon missions if their escorts did not show up. But some Bf 109s from Erprobungsgruppe had not received the order either and Fink failed to turn back as he was not disobeying the directive. The return would take KG 2 across No. 11 Group's territory, which would have been disastrous. Owing to the radar plotters missing the raiders, and the 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. 74 Squadron RAF
No. 74 Squadron RAF, also known as a "Tiger Squadron" from its tiger head motif, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated fighter aircraft from 1917 to the 1990s.-First World War:...
, No. 111 Squadron RAF
No. 111 Squadron RAF
No. 111 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland until March 2011, when the squadron was disbanded, ending the Tornado F3's RAF service.-In World War I:...
and No. 151 Squadron RAF
No. 151 Squadron RAF
-World War I:No. 151 squadron was founded at Hainault Farm in Essex on 12 June 1918, and was equipped with Sopwith Camel aircraft.During the five months in which 151 Squadron had taken part in hostilities overseas, the total number of hours flown by night was 1443 hrs 26 mins.Sixteen enemy aircraft...
managed to intercept, shooting down five Do 17s. KG 2 claimed destroyed ten Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s on the ground and wrecked the airfield. In fact it would seem none were lost.
The Geschwader also took part in heavy fighting on 18 August and 15 September 1940, two days known as The Hardest Day
The Hardest Day
The Hardest Day was the name of a Second World War air battle fought during the Battle of Britain on 18 August 1940, by the Luftwaffe and British Royal Air Force . By June 1940 the Allies had been defeated in Western Europe and Scandinavia...
and the Battle of Britain Day
Battle of Britain Day
The Battle of Britain Day is the name given to the large-scale aerial battle that took place on 15 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain ....
.
Balkans Campaign
I. Gruppe committed 29 Do 17s with 28 operational. It participated in the bombing of Belgrade, the Battle of GreeceBattle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
and Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
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.
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. During June 1941 I./KG 2 was partially converted to the Do 217.
Eastern Front
I. and III./KG 2 supported both Army Group NorthArmy Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
and Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union...
in several major engagements. KG 2 supported German forces during the Battle of Białystok–Minsk, Battle of Smolensk
Battle of Smolensk (1941)
The Battle of Smolensk was a largely successful encirclement operation by the German Army Group Centre's 2nd Panzer Group led by Heinz Guderian and the 3rd Panzer Group led by Hermann Hoth against parts of four Soviet Fronts during World War II...
, Siege of Leningrad
Siege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
and Battle of Moscow
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
. III./KG 2 returned to Germany on 26 September to convert onto the Do 217. I./KG 2 departed for Germany on 31 October 1941. Total losses for Kampfgeschwader 2 on the Eastern Front in 1941 indicate three Do 17s lost in June, a further nine lost in July, nine in August, a single Dornier destroyed on the ground in September, three Do 17s in October, for a total of 24 lost in aerial combat and one on the ground. I./KG 2 lost 13 Do 17s destroyed and 12 damaged in 22 June - 31 October 1941.
The Dornier's most notable action on the Eastern front occurred on 23–24 June at Grodno. The commander of the Soviet Western Front, General Armii Dmitriy Pavlov attempted a counterattack against Hermann Hoth
Hermann Hoth
Hermann "Papa" Hoth was an officer in the German military from 1903 to 1945. He attained the rank of Generaloberst during World War II. He fought in France, but is most noted for his later exploits as a panzer commander on the Eastern Front...
's Panzergruppe 3. With air superiority and no air opposition, Dornier Do 17s of III./KG 2 destroyed columns of Soviet infantry. With help from other units, the Luftwaffe destroyed 105 Soviet tanks. The Soviet 6th and 11th Mechanised Corps and 6th Cavalry Corps were routed. For his unit's particular effectiveness, Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Walter Bradel
Walter Bradel
Walter Bradel was a Luftwaffe Bomber pilot and Geschwaderkommodore of KG 2 during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
Western Europe
While I. and III./KG 2 were engaged on the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, II./KG 2 operated from various bases in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in Maritime Interdiction Operations
Maritime Interdiction Operations
Maritime Interdiction Operations are naval conducted operations, that aim to delay, disrupt, or destroy enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area before they do any harm against friendly forces, similar to Air Interdiction Operations....
and strategic bombing
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
attacks on the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Its first notable action was its participation in Operation Donnerkeil
Operation Donnerkeil
Unternehmen Donnerkeil was the codename for a German military operation of the Second World War. Donnerkeil was designed as an air superiority operation to support the Kriegsmarine Operation Cerberus, also known as the "Channel Dash".In 1941 Kriegsmarine surface vessels had carried out commerce...
, the Luftwaffe's air superiority plan in support of the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
operation Operation Cerberus
Operation Cerberus
The Channel Dash, , was a major naval engagement during World War II in which a German Kriegsmarine squadron consisting of both Scharnhorst class battleships, and heavy cruiser along with escorts, ran a British blockade and successfully sailed from Brest in Brittany to their home bases in Germany...
(also known as the Channel Dash).
In July 1941 II. Gruppe were attached to stab./KG 30 under the command of Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on September 26, 1944...
. On 2 July 1942 it could muster 37 Do 217s and 2 Do 17s. On the night of the 4/5 July 1942 it flew its first mission over the United Kingdom with Do 217s. Over the period 4 July - 31 December 1941 the unit lost 18 Do 217s. In August 1942 the unit lost 7 Do 217s during the Dieppe raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
. In November 1942 it helped German forces occupy Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
during Case Anton
Case Anton
Operation Anton was the codename for the military occupation of Vichy France carried out by Germany and Italy in November 1942.- Background :...
.
I./KG 2 returned to western Europe in May 1942. It engaged in night attacks over Britain and dropping naval mines in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
and along the British east coast. This action continued until May 1944. By that time the Gruppe had struck at ports along the southern British coast which contained the Allied invasion fleets that were to launch the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944. II./KG 2 had supported I./KG 2 from December 1942 - September 1943. It was withdrawn to Germany owing to "very heavy losses". During that time, the Geschwaderkommodore Walter Bradel
Walter Bradel
Walter Bradel was a Luftwaffe Bomber pilot and Geschwaderkommodore of KG 2 during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
was killed returning from a raid on Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
on 5 May 1943.
V./KG 2 was formed in mid 1943 and was the first to operate the Messerschmitt Me 410
Messerschmitt Me 410
The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse was a German heavy fighter and Schnellbomber used by Luftwaffe during World War II. Though essentially a straightforward modification of the Me 210, it was designated the Me 410 to avoid association with its notoriously flawed predecessor.-Design and...
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
Junkers Ju 188
The Junkers Ju 188 was a German Luftwaffe high-performance medium bomber built during World War II, the planned follow-on to the famed Ju 88 with better performance and payload...
in October - December 1943. It used its new aircraft to bomb British cities and ports containing the Allied invasion fleets. II./KG 2 continued strategic and anti-shipping strikes until, owing to lack of resources, was dissolved at Reppen
Reppen
Reppen may refer to:*Else Reppen , Norwegian philanthropist*Rzepin, Poland...
on 3 October 1944. 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.
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
Dornier Do 335
The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The two-seater trainer version was also called Ameisenbär . The Pfeils performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique "push-pull" layout and the much lower drag of the in-line...
. The unit was renamed V./NJG 2 on 1 December 1944. Such training was abandoned in March 1945. I./KG 2 was disbanded officially on 3 October 1944 after combat operations over France.
Geschwaderkommodore
- Generalmajor Johannes FinkJohannes FinkDipl.-Ing. Johannes FinkIn German an engineer's degree is called Diplom-Ingenieur was a highly decorated General der Flieger in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
1 May 1939 – 20 October 1940 - Oberst Herbert RieckhoffHerbert RieckhoffHerbert Rieckhoff was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
21 October 1940 – 12 October 1941 - Oberst Karl Mehnert 13 October 1941 – 31 December 1941
- Oberstleutnant Paul Weitkus December 1941 (acting)
- Oberst Dr. George Pasewaldt 31 December 1941 – 30 April 1942
- Oberstleutnant Hans von Koppelow 20 May 1942 – January 1943
- Major Walter BradelWalter BradelWalter Bradel was a Luftwaffe Bomber pilot and Geschwaderkommodore of KG 2 during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
23 January 1943 – 5 May 1943 (KIA) - Oberstleutnant Karl KesselKarl KesselKarl Kessel was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant im Generalstab in the Luftwaffe during World War II and a Generalmajor in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...
18 May 1943 – February 1944 - Major Hanns Heise 25 February 1944 – April 1944
- Major Wilhelm Rath 12 April 1944 – 23 May 1944
- Major Franz Schönberger 23 May 1944 – June 1944
- Oberstleutnant Rudolf Hallensleben 17 June 1944 – 19 September 1944
I. Gruppe/KG 2
- Maj Werner Krahl, 1 May 1939 - 25 Nov 1939
- Maj Martin Gutzmann, 26 Nov 1939 - 26 Aug 1940
- Maj Waldemar Lerche, 27 Aug 1940 - 25 Aug 1941
- Maj Robert-Heinrich von Groddeck, 26 Aug 1941 - Mar 1942
- Hptm Ketterer, Mar 1942 - 15 Jun 1942
- Maj Karl Kessel, 16 Jun 1942 - 5 May 1943
- Maj Franz Schönberger, 6 May 1943 - 6 Aug 1944
- Hptm Philipp von Alemann, 6 Aug 1944 - 3 Oct 1944
II. Gruppe/KG 2
- Obstlt Paul Weitkus, 1 May 1939 - 15 Dec 1940
- Maj Kurt Rohde, 16 Dec 1940 - Jun 1941
- Maj Johannes Hübner, Jun 1941 - 30 Nov 1941
- Maj Walter Bradel, 1 Dec 1941 - 22 Jan 1943
- Maj Heinz Engel, 1 Feb 1943 - 25 Jun 1944
- Hptm Hermann Schröter, 26 Jun 1944 - 3 Oct 1944
III. Gruppe/KG 2
- Major Werner Kreibe, 1 March 1940 – 24 June 1940
- Major Adolf Fuchs, 25 June 1940 – 31 August 1940
- Major Klaus UebeKlaus UebeKlaus Uebe was a German Luftwaffe Generalmajor and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II...
, 1 September 1940 – 20 March 1941 - Major Friedrich Dreyer, 21 March 1941 – 7 April 1941
- Major Heinrich Eichhorn, 12 April 1941 – 21 May 1941
- Oberst Heinrich Conrady, 9 June 1941 – 20 September 1941
- Major Gerhard Klostermann, 21 September 1941 – 15 February 1942
- Oberleutnant Hans von Koppelow, 16 February 1942 – 30 April 1942
- Major Kurt Leythaeuser, 1 May 1942 – 13 August 1943
- Major Albert Schreiweis, 14 August 1943 – 1 December 1944
IV. Gruppe/KG 2
- Lt Otto-Wolfgang Bechtle, 17 Aug 1940 - 18 Sep 1940
- Olt Karl Kessel, 19 Sep 1940 - 21 Mar 1941
- Maj Johannes Hübner, 22 Mar 1941 - 10 Jun 1941
- Hptm Martin Kästner, 11 Jun 1941 - 27 Jun 1942
- Hptm Helmut Powolny, 27 Jun 1942 - 31 Jan 1943
- Maj Gottfried Buchholz, 1 Feb 1943 - 3 Oct 1944
V. Gruppe/KG 2
- Maj Martin Kästner, Jun 1943 - 19 Jun 1943
- Hptm Freidrich-Wilhelm Methner, 20 Jun 1943 - 16 Jul 1943
- Maj Wolf-Dietrich Meister, 17 Jul 1943 - 10 Oct 1943
- Hptm Kurt Heintz, 11 Oct 1943 - 21 Jan 1944
- Hptm Karl-Egon von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels, 22 Jan 1944 - 6 Feb 1944