Kampfgeschwader 54
Encyclopedia
Kampfgeschwader 54 "Totenkopf" (KG 54) was a Luftwaffe
bomber wing during World War II
.
Its units participated on all of the fronts
in the European Theatre until it was disbanded in May 1945. It operated two of the major German bomber types; the Heinkel He 111
and the Junkers Ju 88
. Its unit insignia, sometimes displayed on a shield-like device, but more often depicted over a normal camouflage pattern, bore a strikingly close graphic resemblance to that of the 3rd SS Panzer Division
, known by the same name.
.
. The Gruppe targeted rail links at Dombås-Åndalsnes-Vaalebru, Norway, on 23 April. The Gruppe also attacked Dombås railway station on 26 May, and retreating British forces at Namos.
The unit lost 265 killed, 121 missing, 63 as POWs and 65 wounded as well as 62 aircraft during the operation. I./KG 54 flew 1,189 missions, and lost 27 aircraft and another 27 damaged in July 1940 – May 1941. III./KG 54 lost 9 aircraft, 12 personnel killed, and one wounded (POW figures unknown). It took part in the climax of the air campaign on 15 September 1940, which has become known as the Battle of Britain Day
. The day witnessed a series of running, but intense, air battles over London.
KG 54 flew thousands of sorties during The Blitz
, hitting targets all over the United Kingdom, including targets as far away as Glasgow
, Scotland
and Belfast
, Northern Ireland
in April and May 1941, near the Blitz's conclusion.
during her Atlantic operation
during 26–28 May 1941. However, the unit was unable to intervene before she sank.
On 22 June it attacked airfields at Ovruch and Korosten, in support of Army Group South
. The unit also struck Soviet tank concentrations at Lubysza and Rawa Ruzka on 23 June, and Tarnopol on 30 June. Throughout July KG 54 supported the advance toward Kiev
. Rail tragets at Zhitomir-Kiev, Kazatin-Fastov, Fastov-Kiev, Korosten-Novograd and Korsun between 8 and 13 July. II./KG 54 lost 12 aircraft during July, during the same period I./KG 54 lost 19.
II./KG 54 lost 24 bombers and 20 damaged. It lost 39 crew members killed, 37 missing, 2 as POWs and 28 wounded.
(the unit had participated in two of the three battles for the city during the war, in 1941 and 1942) and the Battle of Stalingrad
. It reported 32 aircraft losses and 20 damaged, suffered 31 killed, 57 missing and 29 wounded. No personnel were recorded as captured.
The Geschwader was withdrawn from Russia on 8 October 1942.
, Birmingham
, Norwich
, Southend, Hastings
and Luton
.
It returned to the Eastern Front on 17 August 1942.
from December 1941 - February 1943. The unit flew missions in North Africa and from bases in Sicily
against Malta
, and later Allied supply convoys. In December 1942 the Gruppe was down to just 50 percent of its authorised strength. After refitting in Germany, the Gruppe returned to Italy
. I./KG 54 then attacked ports along the Allied held coast of North Africa until December.
II./KG also operated in North Africa from October 1942 - May 1943. The Gruppe lost 30 machines before its withdrawal.
II./KG 54 then continued operating throughout the Italian Campaign, making all out efforts against Allied shipping, with LT 350 torpedoes in the Gulf of Naples
. The Gruppe lost 18 Ju 88s during these operations.
, as KG(J) 54, during this period.
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
bomber wing during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Its units participated on all of the fronts
Front (military)
A military front or battlefront is a contested armed frontier between opposing forces. This can be a local or tactical front, or it can range to a theater...
in the European Theatre until it was disbanded in May 1945. It operated two of the major German bomber types; the Heinkel He 111
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
and the Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
. Its unit insignia, sometimes displayed on a shield-like device, but more often depicted over a normal camouflage pattern, bore a strikingly close graphic resemblance to that of the 3rd SS Panzer Division
3rd SS Division Totenkopf
The SS Division Totenkopf , also known as 3. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Totenkopf and 3. SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf, was one of the 38 divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during World War II. Prior to achieving division status, the formation was known as Kampfgruppe Eicke...
, known by the same name.
History
Kampfgeschwader 54 was formed on 1 May 1939 at Fritzlar, Germany with Stab./KG 54, II Gruppe and III Gruppe. I Gruppe were not formed until December 1939 near HoyaHoya
Hoya is a genus of 200-300 species of tropical plants in the family Apocynaceae , fomerly considered to be in the Asclepiadaceae...
.
Poland
Only 2 Staffel of I Gruppe participated in the invasion. The rest of the unit did not participate during the campaign. Instead it was put on standby in western Germany, in case of Allied attack. Among the targets were troop concentrations against Praha on 10 September, and Brest-Litovsk on 15 September. The Staffel was withdrawn on 20 September.Denmark and Norway
Only II./KG 54 participated, and was put under the command of X. Fliegerkorps10th Air Corps (Germany)
X. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was a formation of the German Luftwaffe in World War II, which specialised in coastal operations. It was formed 2 October 1939, in Hamburg from the 10...
. The Gruppe targeted rail links at Dombås-Åndalsnes-Vaalebru, Norway, on 23 April. The Gruppe also attacked Dombås railway station on 26 May, and retreating British forces at Namos.
France and the Low Countries
KG 54 began the campaign in the west with a strength of 106 He 111s and Ju 88s, with 80 serviceable. KG 54 lost 46 bombers, 130 personnel killed, 10 missing, 60 wounded and 188 as POW (some were later released). KG 54 dropped 409 tons of bombs in 1,200 sorties. It was responsible for the raid on the city of Rotterdam on May 14, 1940.Battle of Britain
On 11 July IV.(Erg)/KG 54 was created at Lechfeld using some personnel from III./KG 54. Equipped with Ju 88As and He 111Ps the Staffel was renamed 10.(Erg)/54.The unit lost 265 killed, 121 missing, 63 as POWs and 65 wounded as well as 62 aircraft during the operation. I./KG 54 flew 1,189 missions, and lost 27 aircraft and another 27 damaged in July 1940 – May 1941. III./KG 54 lost 9 aircraft, 12 personnel killed, and one wounded (POW figures unknown). It took part in the climax of the air campaign on 15 September 1940, which has become known as 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 ....
. The day witnessed a series of running, but intense, air battles over London.
KG 54 flew thousands of sorties 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...
, hitting targets all over the United Kingdom, including targets as far away as Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in April and May 1941, near the Blitz's conclusion.
Western Front, Channel Front and Atlantic Duties, 1941
During its time in France, II./KG 54 also attempted to support the German battleship BismarckGerman battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
during her Atlantic operation
Operation Rheinübung
Operation Rheinübung was the sortie into the Atlantic by the new German battleship Bismarck and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen on 18–27 May 1941, during World War II...
during 26–28 May 1941. However, the unit was unable to intervene before she sank.
Operation Barbarossa
The KG 54 committed 70 aircraft to the initial attack, with 64 serviceable.On 22 June it attacked airfields at Ovruch and Korosten, in support of Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
. The unit also struck Soviet tank concentrations at Lubysza and Rawa Ruzka on 23 June, and Tarnopol on 30 June. Throughout July KG 54 supported the advance toward Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. Rail tragets at Zhitomir-Kiev, Kazatin-Fastov, Fastov-Kiev, Korosten-Novograd and Korsun between 8 and 13 July. II./KG 54 lost 12 aircraft during July, during the same period I./KG 54 lost 19.
II./KG 54 lost 24 bombers and 20 damaged. It lost 39 crew members killed, 37 missing, 2 as POWs and 28 wounded.
1942
II./KG 54, the only unit of the Geschwader to operate on the front after Barbarossa, participated in the Battle of KharkovBattle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov may refer to:* First Battle of Kharkov, a 1941 battle in which German troops captured the city* Second Battle of Kharkov, a 1942 battle in which Soviet forces attempted to retake the city...
(the unit had participated in two of the three battles for the city during the war, in 1941 and 1942) and the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
. It reported 32 aircraft losses and 20 damaged, suffered 31 killed, 57 missing and 29 wounded. No personnel were recorded as captured.
The Geschwader was withdrawn from Russia on 8 October 1942.
Western Front, Channel Front: 1942
II./KG 54 briefly returned to British skies in 1942. Between 29 July and 14 August 1942 it lost 6 bombers on missions against BedfordBedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, 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...
, Southend, Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
and Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
.
It returned to the Eastern Front on 17 August 1942.
Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres
I./KG 54 supported the Afrika KorpsAfrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
from December 1941 - February 1943. The unit flew missions in North Africa and from bases in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
against Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, and later Allied supply convoys. In December 1942 the Gruppe was down to just 50 percent of its authorised strength. After refitting in Germany, the Gruppe returned to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. I./KG 54 then attacked ports along the Allied held coast of North Africa until December.
II./KG also operated in North Africa from October 1942 - May 1943. The Gruppe lost 30 machines before its withdrawal.
II./KG 54 then continued operating throughout the Italian Campaign, making all out efforts against Allied shipping, with LT 350 torpedoes in the Gulf of Naples
Gulf of Naples
The Gulf of Naples is a c. 15 km wide gulf located in the south western coast of Italy, . It opens to the west into the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered on the north by the cities of Naples and Pozzuoli, on the east by Mount Vesuvius, and on the south by the Sorrentine Peninsula and the main...
. The Gruppe lost 18 Ju 88s during these operations.
The Western front, Normandy Campaign and Operation Steinbock
I./KG 54 lost 15 aircraft in February-March alone during Steinbock. Operating from bases in northern Germany (Wittmund, Jever, Marx), the Gruppe was rushed to Juvincourt on 6 June 1944, due to the Normandy landings. I./KG 54 operated against the British beachheads, but suffered heavy losses. After just five days, I./KG 54 had lost 13 machines, and II./KG 54 lost a further 10. All Gruppen were withdrawn from the Western Front in September 1944. The Geschwader began to convert to the Messerschmitt Me 262Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
, as KG(J) 54, during this period.
Geschwaderkommodore
- Oberst Walter Lackner, 1 May 1939 – 22 June 1940
- Oberstleutnant Otto Höhne, 22 June 1940 – 23 November 1941
- Oberstleutnant Walter Marienfeld, 23 November 1941 – 1 April 1943
- Oberstleutnant Volprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu EisenbachVolprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu EisenbachVolprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach was a German Luftwaffe bomber pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...
, 1 April 1943 – 27 February 1945 - Major Hansgeorg BätcherHansgeorg BätcherHansgeorg Bätcher was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield...
, 27 Februar 1945 – 8 May 1945