NARA T-311 microfilms - Luftflotte 1 maps

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Kari Lumppio
Ju88P big gun -possible KG1 and Luftflotte 1 connection?
Mon Oct 18, 2024 00:37
62.248.168.221

Hello!

The photos with Ju 88 and big caliber guns on E-Bay auctions were very interesting in itself. First time that I saw at least partial unit code (+GH) for a Ju 88P (are they P or just modified A/C?).

Very interesting was also one of the replies which mentioned Luftarchive.de -site which shows some photos more (see: http://www.luftarchiv.de then "Bordausrüstung" then "Bordwaffen II"). There is a photo captioned "Ju 88 P-4 des 7./KG 1". Also some more Ju88P photos.

Does anyone know which period did KG1 use the big gun Ju88? It seems the first P-models were tested in around early 1943?

Now I take a little detour. A year or so ago I discussed with an Estonian who had served in a Flak unit at Tallin Lasnamagi (Reval-Laksberg for Germans). He had seen a photo of Ju 88 nightfighter from 4./NJG100. The unit flew from Lasnamagi. This man said to me that the photo was captioned wrong: that the Ju 88s were not C, but P-models! I was very sceptic, but he continued that the planes had had one or two big guns under belly. Add to this the fact that the man is not an aeroplane enthusiast nor he had (then) any reference material for Ju 88. I think there is no smoke without a fire here.

The nightfighter unit 4./NJG100 flew with Ju88C at Tallinn (first half of 1944). That is a fact. But earlier there had been a big German depot at the Tallinn-Lasnamagi - "Espenlaub GL - Frontreparaturbetrieb Reval Laksberg" (reportedly filal of Espenlaub Wuppertal). As I understand this was a civil organization. The Espenlaub Reval employed several hundred Estonians and used former Estonian AF Depot facilities (and some of the ex-personnell too). It seems also that the firm made (major?) overhauls for Ju 88s. It was disestablished late 1943 (October?) and moved to Riga, Latvia. This is important also because of the fact that Finns were then (for the first time) able to obtain the technical drawings (said to amount 250 000 individual drawings!!) for Ju 88 as these were freed from the Tallinn Espenlaub unit.

What has this all to do with KG1 and Luftflotte 1? Early 1943 parts of KG 1 were based at the Lfl 1 area:

January 26th, 1943:
"III./1" and "14./1 Eisb." at Dno plus some "Sondergruppe" (Kampf-) at Pskov (Pleskau).

February 26th, 1943:
No sign of KG1 at Lfl 1 Front area.

March and April (both at 26th) 1943:
"III./1" and "9./1 Eisb." at Dno.

In May 26th, 1943 no sign of KG 1, but II/KG 101 has appeared at Pskov - is there a connection?

(Source Luftflotte 1 maps in NARA microfilm T-311/roll 136)

Now we do have KG1 Ju88s in Luftflotte 1 area where they just might have been overhauled at Tallinn. Could this be the reason for the Estonian veteran remembers the big gun Ju 88s at Tallinn? Can anyone confirm or deny that III./KG1 used the Ju 88P or any other big anti-tank gun equipped Ju 88 model?

Could the photos of Ju 88P with the "Sword through turtle"-emblem show KG1 planes? Which is the unit? Still the III/KG1 doesn't fit with the Ju 88P photo showing code ??+GH. Any guess for that?


Thanking in advance,
Kari Lumppio