Beauvais-Tille Airfield

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Gary Koch
Beauvais-Tille Airfield, Aug 44
Mon Sep 13, 2024 01:38
172.196.9.107

Can anyone tell me what Luftwaffe unit was stationed at Beauvais-Tille a/f in late Aug 44? I've searched a lot of Luftwaffe internet sources and can't seem to find the unit. Local French citizens thought it was from there that Bf109s attacked the 474th FG in the same area on 25 Aug 44. I know this was not so as the Bf109s that were involved in that fight were all from III./JG76 and took off out of Athis. Thanks in advance.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Nick Beale
Beauvais-Tille
Mon Sep 13, 2024 13:55
212.104.129.146

Stab and I./JG 26 arrived there on 18 August 1944 (source: Ultra XL7100)

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Gary Koch
Stab and I./JG26 Incorrect
Tue Sep 14, 2024 01:45
172.193.249.215

My sources (including info from Don Caldwell)indicate that Stab and I./JG26 were not at Beauvais-Tille in late Aug 44.
They show Stab JG26 at Chaumont-en-Vexin from 16-22 Aug 44 and then Valenciennes from 22-29 Aug 44. I./JG26 was at Vitry-en-Artois from 21-29 Aug 44. I do appreciate you researching this for me though. I have not heard of Ultra XL7100. Thank you again for checking, Nick!

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Nick Beale
Beauvais-Tille
Tue Sep 14, 2024 13:12
212.104.129.149

XL 7100 is a decrypted German signal.

Don used Ultra information in writing "JG 26 War Diary Vol. 2" so it'd be interesting to know what led him to decide that the people who decoded this particular signal were wrong (as they sometimes - but not all that often - were).

One possibility was that Stab and I./JG 26 were ordered to go there but didn't make it for some reason. Your information doesn't seem to preclude I. Gruppe being at Beauvais from 18-21 August however.

If you read French, you might also want to check out "La Luftwaffe face au Débarquement Alliée" by Jean-Bernard Frappé (published by Éditions Heimdal)

"Researching" this was no problem. It was something I contributed to another thread way back (about a combat involving Polish Mustangs on 18 August 1944)

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Gary Koch
Beavais-Tille Info (Thanks, Nick!)
Wed Sep 15, 2024 01:49
172.197.219.23

Again, many thanks, Nick! This is very interesting information indeed. I will definitely have to check this out further! Regards, Gary

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Don Caldwell
JG 26 bases
Wed Sep 15, 2024 04:07
216.176.25.245

My principal sources for JG 26 bases are the maps in Priller's Geschichte eines Jagdgeschwaders. These were drawn by Alfred Iwanek, who had the same job on the JG 26 Geschwaderstab. The map data are checked against logbooks, where available. ULTRA is a third-level source. Its place names are not infallible because these were coded before going into the Enigma machine, and the codebreakers sometimes had to guess. Also, the situation on the Invasionsfront was so chaotic that a Gruppe could be "based" at three places at once, the clerks, ground crews, and planes/pilots being split. For the time in question, I used Iwanek's data. Details:

Decrypt XL-7100 says that on 18 August, the Stab and I/JG 26 were at Beauvais-Tille, while II/JG 26 was at Beauvais-Ninvillers. Decrypt XL-7286 says that on 18 August, the Stab and I/JG 26 were at Beauvais-Tille, while II/JG 26 was at Mons-en-Chausee. Is either one right, wnen both disagree with Iwanek?

I have three I/JG 26 Flugbuecher covering this period. Dozens of flights were made from Boissy-le-Bois; one was made from Beauvais, with no indication how the pilot got there.

I have no logbooks from Stab/JG 26, but it was based with I/JG 26 throughout this period of the war. Chaumont was "just up the road" from Boissy-le-Bois, and offered better housing.

The originator of this thread was looking for Bf 109 units based on Beauvais-Tille. The Stab, I/JG 26, and II/JG 26 were all Fw 190 units. A quick look at the endpaper map in Frappe's book shows no units were based on Beauvais-Tille during the invasion period. Not to say no-one based there for brief periods, but I'd guess that Tille was so well-known to the Allies that they kept it smashed up too badly to use.

HTH and Horrido!

Don

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Gary Koch
Thanks, Don! Horrido! (nm)
Thu Sep 16, 2024 02:15
172.142.139.72

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Gary Koch
Thanks, Don! Horrido! (nm)
Thu Sep 16, 2024 02:15
172.142.139.72