Bloody good read

[Swoop]

I recently got hold of a really good book.  Luftwaffe war diaries, Cajus Bekker.  ISBN 0-306-80604-5

Asside from being a really good read it also contains the Luftwaffe order of battle for the outset of various campaigns.

for example:

Luftwaffe OOB on "Aldertag", August 13, 1940.

Luftlotte 5 (Stumpff), HQ Kristiansand.

X Air corps (Geisler):
  KG 26 (HE111)
  KG 30 (JU88)
  I/ZG 76 (ME110)

Luftlotte 3 (Sperrle), HQ Paris:

VIII Air Corps (Von Richthofen):
  StG 1 (JU87)
  StG 2 (JU87)
  StG 77 (JU87)
  JG 27 (ME109)
  II/LG 2 (Converting to ME109s in Germany)

V Air Corps (Von Greim):
  KG 51 (JU88)
  KG 54 (JU88)
  KG 55 (HE111)

IV Air Corps (Pflugbeil):
  LG 1 (JU88)
  KG 27 (HE111)
  StG 3 (JU87)

Luftlotte 2 (Kesselring), HQ Brussels

I Air Corps (Grauert):
  KG 1 (HE111)
  KG 76 (DO17 & JU88)
  KG 77 (JU88 - not initially operating)

II Air Corps (Loerzer):
  KG 2 (DO17)
  KG 3 (DO17)
  KG 53 (HE111)
  II/StG 1 (JU87)
  IV (St)/LG 1 (JU87)
  Experimental Gruppe 210 (ME109 & ME110)

9 Air Division (Coeler):
  KG 4 (HE111 & JU88)
  I/KG 40 (JU88 & FW200 - being formed)
  Kampfgruppe 100 (HE111 - pathfinders)

Fighter Command (Junck)
  JG 2 (ME109)
  JG 53 (ME109)
  ZG 2 (ME110)

Fighter Command 2 (Osterkamp)
  JG 3 (ME109)
  JG 26 (ME109)
  JG 51 (ME109)
  JG 52 (ME109)
  JG 54 (ME109)
  ZG 26 (ME110)
  ZG 76 (ME110)

Night fighter division (Kammhuber)
  NJG 1 (ME110)


Appendix 6 of the book also lists the exact operational orders of I Air Corps on the first attack on London, Sept 7, 1940.

The ammount of info on German operations in this book is extreme, it's a must read.......especially for any CMs thinking of trying BoB or Russian scenarios.    

 

[ 08-14-2001: Message edited by: Swoop ]

[pdog_109]

After you read it you get the feeling that how the hell did the allies ever win.

[Lizard3]

I read it. The feeling I got was: How did Germany do as well as it did with two complete tulips in Hitler and Goering constantly thwarting, demeening and frittering away the strength of the Luftwaffe. Not to mention completely ignoring the innovations and great leaps in technology brought about by Heinkel, all the while trying to humiliate him by giving his ideas and research to other companies after forbidding him to work on those projects.
   It was also refeshing to learn more about so many other areas of the airwar either ignored or only given a cursory look by other writers.
   Anyone ever hear of 109's bombing B-17 formations with time delay fuses? I hadn't.
   Anyone ever hear about the flight of Hs 123's panicking over 40 Russian armored vehicles into running off in a swamp...WITH THERE ENGINE NOISE ALONE! They never fired a shot. Me either.
   How about the Polish campaign? I've never read anything with any detail about that phase of the war before.
   Did ya know the Germans lost a poop load of paratroopers and glider troops in the invasion of Crete? Hell, I didn't even know they had to invade crete.  
   Great book.