{"id":234,"date":"2012-04-08T20:01:57","date_gmt":"2012-04-08T19:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chronicles-of-the-luftwaffe.de\/?page_id=234"},"modified":"2018-03-29T15:08:20","modified_gmt":"2018-03-29T14:08:20","slug":"kampfgeschwader-100-wiking-eastern-front-1941","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.chronicles-of-the-luftwaffe.de\/?page_id=234","title":{"rendered":"Kampfgeschwader 100 “Wiking” – Eastern Front (1941)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mid July 1941, the K. Gr. 100<\/em> was removed from the western front and moved across the continent to Terespol<\/a>, just west of Brest-Litovsk. At that point, it was an assumption that the assignment would only last very briefly and as such, the group was moved without any ground personnel (except for the on-board transport of the planes’ chief mechanics – transported in direct violation of orders)[1. Balke, Ulf (1981): p. 83].<\/p>\n

The reason for the group being moved east under these conditions: pathfinders were needed to support air strikes on Moscow<\/em> itself. From Terespol<\/em>, the direct distance is just over 1000 Km or roughly 625 NMs – and the flights could not go the direct way due to heavy anti-aircraft artillery along the way. Kampfgruppe 100<\/em> was part of this exercise – guiding flights of KG 3, KG4, KG 53, KG 54, and KG 55 to the targets.<\/p>\n

By the beginning of August 1941, it has become clear that the war against the Soviet Union was anything but over in a few weeks time – and K. Gr. 100<\/em> was permanently assigned to the Eastern Front, now flying direct ground support operations on the Red Army. \"\"<\/a>In early August 1941, the group moved eastwards to the airfield of Bobruisk<\/em>. From there, the whole of August and September was dedicated to flying ground support missions and armed reconaissance in an area roughly defined as a triangle spanning between Welikije Luki<\/em> in the north, Orel<\/em> in the east, and Kiev<\/em> in the south[2. Balke, Ulf (1981): p. 85ff.]. \"\"<\/a>On October 8, 1941 the group is moved up behind the advancing front line – relocated to the airfield of Seschtschinskaja<\/em>[3. Balke, Ulf (1981): p. 92]. The rest of October and November 1941 was filled with frequent air raids on Moscow<\/em> and Gorkij<\/em> and many different targets of opportunity, mainly railway yards, troop concentrations and storage camps east of Brjansk<\/em>[4. Balke, Ulf (1981): p. 97ff.]. Mid November, Kampfgruppe 100<\/em> was withdrawn to Hannover<\/em> in Germany for reinforcements[5. Balke, Ulf (1981): p. 98].<\/p>\n

On December 15th, 1941, the Kampfgruppe 100<\/em> became I. Gruppe\/Kampfgeschwader 100<\/em> and the III. Gruppe\/Kampfgeschwader 26<\/em> became II. Gruppe\/Kampfgeschwader 100<\/em>[6. Balke, Ulf (1981): p. 99].<\/p>\n

Bibliography<\/h2>\n