Anyone who knows me or has seen parts of my collection in the thread on this forum "Luftwaffe from Ireland" will know that my collecting interest is in Luftwaffe flight uniforms and equipment etc. But within that area I also collected anything relating to the bomber wing Kampfgeschwader 55 or KG55 for short. But in the last two years or so, I've narrowed down my collecting to only items from KG55 and have traded and sold some parts of my collectoin to this end, as a result my collection has got little smaller, but I've picked up some very rare and desireable items relating to KG55.
KG55 were one of the most famous bomber units of the Luftwaffe and served in Poland, France, the Low Countries, the Battle of Britain, the Blitz and the Russian campagne. 42 of its members received the Knightscross, 4 the Oakleaves, and 11 former members received the Knightscross, 357 of its members were holders of the German cross in Gold and 950 the Honuor Goblet.
I've decided to post photos of my KG55 collection here and would like anyone else who has items from KG55 if they wish to post them here also.
Also any item from I & II groups KG254 and KG155 would also be welcome as they were both former designations of KG55.
I'll start this off with the first KG55 group I picked up.
It's the Tunic, Award documents, Flugbuch and Shooting lanyard to Obfw Wilhelm Borges of 5th Staffel KG55. He was awarded the EKII in 23/7/1942 and the EKI in 9/8/1942 and later after transfering to 9th Staffel (Eis) KG3 he was awarded the DKiG in 17/5/1943. Obfw. Borges served with KG55 during the resupply and evacuation of Stalingrad in 42/43
KG55 lead the Stalingrad airlift under the overall command of Oberst Ernst Kuhl they lost 59 aircraft, but evacuated 9,161 troops. Wilhelm borges was one of those pilots.
KG55 were one of the most famous bomber units of the Luftwaffe and served in Poland, France, the Low Countries, the Battle of Britain, the Blitz and the Russian campagne. 42 of its members received the Knightscross, 4 the Oakleaves, and 11 former members received the Knightscross, 357 of its members were holders of the German cross in Gold and 950 the Honuor Goblet.
I've decided to post photos of my KG55 collection here and would like anyone else who has items from KG55 if they wish to post them here also.
Also any item from I & II groups KG254 and KG155 would also be welcome as they were both former designations of KG55.
I'll start this off with the first KG55 group I picked up.
It's the Tunic, Award documents, Flugbuch and Shooting lanyard to Obfw Wilhelm Borges of 5th Staffel KG55. He was awarded the EKII in 23/7/1942 and the EKI in 9/8/1942 and later after transfering to 9th Staffel (Eis) KG3 he was awarded the DKiG in 17/5/1943. Obfw. Borges served with KG55 during the resupply and evacuation of Stalingrad in 42/43
KG55 lead the Stalingrad airlift under the overall command of Oberst Ernst Kuhl they lost 59 aircraft, but evacuated 9,161 troops. Wilhelm borges was one of those pilots.
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