Special one for Dirk : Flight log madness

[Stijn David]

Hello Dirk,


I promised to show you the only known and recently discovered entry from the German glider landings in Sicily, well my friend here it is ............... enjoy


Cordial greetings,

ps: want to see more from this fabulous grouping? => simply click on this link:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...043#post287043

[Dirk]

Wow

Stijn- Sorry for the delay but I've been out of town. Of course the first thing I did after seeing the family was race for the web site to see if there was anything new and to my suprise.....That is really cool!!!!! As you know from my HE-111 guy they flew into Naples only 10 minutes a part on the 11th of Jul 43. My guy flew out of Orange on the 11th not Istres. More later and again thank you so much. Dirk

[Stijn David]

Sicily campaign

Hi Dirk,

I knew that you would like the scan, it makes me always wonder why there are much more reactions on glider threads (most probably the subject is not enough known and therefore does not attract attention).

this particular entry should be valued very highly as on this given day (11.07.1943) there only landed a few (8 in total) Go 242's in Catania and they attracted well aimed fire wich caused on its way again serious losses under the German LW crews. The other glider landings during the Sicily campaign where more massive but where on the place called "Torre di Farro" near the Sea.

Interesting note for our Glider lovers is that there didn't follow any award ( no iron crosses etc .. ) for this airborne action for the Glider pilots

Cordial greetings,

[Dirk]

The Book

Stijn- I guess flugbuchs are not that popular with most but with these two books we can put together a bit of the story of the defense of the Island. I guess both Gliders and FJ left from the same location at Naples (co-based). I think my guy dropped his FJ one/two days later around Catania and continued to do so over the next few day's. I would love for someone more familiar with the campaign to come in and note in detail how these airborne forces deployed. Looks like the glider guys went first then the FJ out of HE-111s. Since my entry shows a drop over Catania I'll assume your glider guys brought in heavier equipment and my guys were renforcements. Hope we get more views on this battle. Dirk

[Dirk]

A slight Correction

Stijn- I stand slightly corrected. The HE-111 guy did a FJ flight on 12 Jul at 1603-2030 and again on the 14th at 1900-2305. On the 13th several flights between Rome-Naples and Salon. I guess the FJ dropped first then the gliders. Do you know what the gliders carried beside men? Dirk

[Stijn David]

Sicily Flight log's and glider landings

Hi Dirk,


Very interesting, I also believe that there where most probably first FJ landings (but also lets not forget the German occupation troops) and these where followed shortly afterwards by Glider landings (in several waves and on several days !! )

On this particular day the glider grouping existed out of 3 so called Kette's with in total 8 Go 242 Glider planes.

1 e Kette : 3 Go's
2 e Kette : 3 Go's
3 e kette : 2 Go's (the flight log belongs to one of these 2 )

The grouping started on 06.30 Hours, there was fighter protection promised but that never came !!!!!!!!!, at about 09.30 hour the street of Messina was reached . At the time the Glider planes reached Catania there was already fights over there or signs of previous bombardings (smoke etc ... )

The 1 e Kette landed as forseen, then the 2 nd. kette tryed to land and from tehse 3 Go's came off of the airfield and did damage the planes . At almost the same time there was a bombarding raid and the already landed Glider planes where severly hit with shell fragments etc ...

The 3 e Kette was to land between the bombardment and they did so, there is nothing much known of the cargo they where transporting but it can be assumed that it was ammunition as well as heavy equipment. The Glider pilots could leave very quickly from the isle as they where seen as special personell and could be used elswhere.

I do not have any casualty lists for this paricluar day on the Glider side but it is fairly safe to assume that some where certainly wounded.

There where otehr Glider landings also after this initial one and here is a paper document that shows how improtant trained glider pilots where looked at !!!!!!!!!!!!! ( never shown before and as some of you guys like this I show it especially for you guys )

Cordial greetings,

[Stijn David]

Nice picture

Hello,


Here is a picture out of the very same grouping as the "Bescheinigung" posted above => it shows us a Go 242 transporting glider who landed on a beach in Sicily during mid 1943.


Cordial greetings,

[Dirk]

Cool Picture

Stijn- Another cool picture. Does the photo say were ther beach is...I'll assume the east coast of the Island. Dirk

[Stijn David]

Sicily : Glider landings

Hello dirk,


The picture is not written on of any kind but there where only 2 parts of Sicily where the Go's landed :

* the airport of Sicily
* The so called " Cap de Torre di Farro "

This last place is indeed the Noth-East coast of sicily


Cordial greetings,