Image size: 1600 x 1090 pixel. 505 KB
Date: January 1943
Place: Alakurtti, Kandalakshsky District, Murmansk Oblast, Soviet Union
Photographer: Unknown
One of the specialists of 6.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) at the Eismeer Front during the winter of 1942/1943 was, beside the more well known Oberleutnant Horst Carganico, Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Müller and Leutnant Heinrich Ehrler: Feldwebel Hans Döbrich. This picture shows his brand-new in winter camouflage Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 “gelb 10” with 2cm gondola mounted cannon (Rüstsatz R6 = Gondel MG 151/20) in the spring of 1943. Because the “Eismeerjäger” encountered mostly slower Russian Hurricanes, the reduction of top speed caused by the gondola mounted cannon was of no negative influence. The aircraft has the four leaf clover as emblem for II.Gruppe / JG 5 as well as a personal emblem of Feldwebel Döbrich. Notice also the oil leakage of the oil cooler and that the markings of Stammkennzeichen under the wing are not painted over. Picture was probably taken at Alakurtti.
Source:
Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002
Yes
ReplyDeleteRead the II / JG 54
Kurt Kuhlmey and / the legend Larry Thorne (Green Barret movies)
As part of I./StG 2 Kuhlmey participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. He served in North Africa, becoming Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II./StG 3 in April 1942. In 18 October 1943 he was promoted to Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander, Schlachtgeschwader 3 (SG 3).
On 9 June 1944 the Soviet Union launched a major offensive on the Karelian Isthmus. The Soviet Army forced the Finns to abandon their defensive lines and on 20 June took Viipuri, the second largest city of Finland. As a reinforcement SG 3 was posted to Finland in June 1944, forming Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Detachment Kuhlmey) with Oberst Kuhlmey commanding a composite unit comprising elements of I./SG 3, I./SG 5, II./JG 54 and NAGr.1.
Detachment Kuhlmey's actions in Finland during 16 June and 21 July 1944 was hugely influential in the final outcome of the offensive and of the Continuation War. Together Finnish Air Force units and Detachment Kuhlmey made 1,020 bombing sorties against the Soviet troops and armour. The Soviets lost some 300 tanks, 120-280 aircraft and over 20,000 troops. As a result the Soviet advance stalled, and ensuing peace talks led to a cease-fire between the Soviet Union and Finland on 4 September.
Leaving SG 3 in December 1944, by March 1945 Oberst Kuhlmey was Geschwaderkommodore of SG 2 “Immelmann”, and in the last weeks of the war was on the staff of the General der Schalchtflieger.