Kampfgeschwader 6
Encyclopedia
Kampfgeschwader 6 (Battle Wing 6) was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during the Second World War. The unit was formed between April and September 1942 and was equipped with Dornier Do 217
, Junkers Ju 188
and Junkers Ju 88
bombers.
The Geschwader took part in operations over Britain, the Eastern Front
, North Africa, Italy and Normandy.
/Brittany
in northern France, the history of the Geschwader dates back to 11 October 1941. On that date, the Luftwaffenführungssab in Berlin ordered Luftflotte 3
in Paris to form a Stab unit for a new Kampfgeschwader
which was to carry the number 6. The new bomber formation was to comprise Küstenfliegergruppe 106, Kampfgruppe
606 and stab./Küstenfliegergruppe 406, with its subordinated staffel
n.
The first date that KG 6 was mentioned was 30 April 1942, when Luftflotte 3 documents recorded its formation at Dinard under Fliegerführer Atlantik
, but with no aircraft or aircrews. On 3 June 1942, the new unit's Geschwaderkommodore Oberstleutnant
Joachim Hahn, former Kommandeur of Kampfgruppe 606, while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 108
near Dieppe
, was shot down and killed by Royal Canadian Air Force
fighter pilots of No. 401 Squadron. In August 1942, Berlin ordered a full Geschwader to be formed, stating that the unit was to be a special bomber force to operate against key British industrial targets, as well as command and communication centres. To this end, it was to have its own pathfinder capability.
night fighter
s. The German raids were usually carried out with only a few aircraft. On one rare occasion, the unit took part in a raid of 57 aircraft on Canterbury
on 31 October 1942. II./KG 6 had only formed on 1 August, so operations over Britain were few. III./KG 6 targeted Hull
and factories in Exeter
in January, losing two Ju 88A-4s on 11 January 1943. Raids on the northeast targeted Newcastle
, Sunderland
and Edinburgh
. Raids against London
, Norwich
and Birmingham
also took place. In the summer of 1943, I. and III. Gruppen attacked targets in Norwich on 4 and 5 May, with 36 aircraft. An attack on ball bearing plants in Chelmsford
took place on 13 and 14 May, I. Gruppe took part with other Geschwadern in sending 76 bombers against Sunderland's docks. On 17 and 18 May, 74 bombers hit Cardiff
. In June 1943, the Gruppen moved to Sardinia
.
to support Army Group North
, where it spent the period of September to December 1942 bombing targets in the northern Soviet Union. Under Luftflotte 1
, it bombed the railway station at Volkhov
on 15 September and supported ground operations around Lake Ladoga
a day later. It attacked Red Army
positions at Gaytolovo and Markovo during the 20–23 September battles. On 25 September, it struck rail targets at Chum, losing one aircraft; and on the 28th targets in and around Leningrad
were hit. On 30 September, another Ju 88A-4 was lost in the Kerstov area.
The unit was redeployed to Stalingrad on 4 October as a planned assault by Erich von Manstein
's Eleventh Army was postponed. Rail targets in Stalingrad were bombed. Soviet artillery in the North Caucasus
, and Astrakhan
were bombed from 9 to 18 October.
n coast. Allocated to 2nd Flieger Division based at Creil in southern France, it targeted Allied shipping in Algerian
waters. It ended these operations in March 1943, moving to France to undertake raids over Britain. II. Gruppe succeeded in supporting German forces in the Dodecanese Campaign
, operating from bases at Larissa
, in Greece
. It withdrew to Le Culot, Belgium in December 1943. III. Gruppe also took part in the Dodecanese action.
in Italy
. The Gruppe suffered steady losses during night and daylight missions. The air defences were particularly threatening. On 7 August the Gruppe carried out a raid on Bizerte harbour, Tunisia
, claiming a direct hit on a 5,000-ton cargo ship. Air reconnaissance later seemed to have confirmed the claim. Various raids were carried out against Allied airfields in Sicily. However, heavy attacks on bases caused numerous losses to the group.
Between July and 1 August 1942, III. Gruppe was created. It was a 'fire brigade' unit, constantly switching from front to front from August to October 1942. The gruppe was then moved to Sicily to support the Afrika Korps
. Anti-shipping attacks against the North African coast were made without significant success and the odd loss. In December 1943 the gruppe was moved back to France to carry out raids against British targets.
in retaliation for the RAF
's bombing of German cities, which at that time was dubbed the Battle of Berlin
.
I.KG 6 began offensive operations with 41 Ju 88s based at Chievres, Belgium
under IX. Fliegerkorps
. It carried out raids against London on 20 January 1944, but suffered heavy losses. Crews were often sent on missions they were not fit for until they were shot down or crashed. By 20 March, just 13 Ju 188s remained, only 10 of them operational. On the night/morning of 21/22 March, the unit raided London again. For the next six weeks, the unit was withdrawn for rest and refitting. It resumed attacks in May, losing an aircraft on 14/15 May and attacked Allied shipping in the Bristol
channel. On 22 and 23 May, it contributed to a fleet of 104 aircraft that attacked Portsmouth
. On 27 and 28 May, it attacked Weymouth Bay
and on 30 and 31 May, dropped mines off Falmouth
. It also bombed the docks as part of a 51-aircraft force.
II./KG 6, with 39 Ju 88As, assaulted Le Culot, Belgium. It participated in seven major raids on London in February 1944, and bombed London from 13 to 15 March. On 24 and 25 March 1944, it attacked Whitehall
and Westminster
, in London. The unit returned to attack London again on 18 and 19 April. On 14 and 15 May, it attacked Allied invasion shipping in Bristol Harbour with a fleet of 91 aircraft (with other Geschwader), without suffering any losses. Along with the other Gruppen, it took part in the Portsmouth and Falmouth raids on 22/23, 29/30 and 30/31 May. By the end of Operation Steinbock, the Gruppe had been decimated.
III./KG 6 had 41 Ju 88 A and S variants (of which a total of 37 were operational), from Brussels
, Belgium. This unit flew missions in support of Steinbock as well, and recorded high losses. It took part in the first raid of the year against London on 21/22 January 1944 and more raids on 29/30 January; 3/4, 20/21, 24/25 February; and 14/15, 21/22 March. The unit left Belgium for Hungary
to participate in Operation Margarethe
, the Nazi occupation of that country. It returned to Belgium on 21 March, and resumed attacks on London on 24 and 25 March, and on Bristol on 27 and 28 March. It took part in a major assault on London on 18 and 19 April 1944, during which the Gruppe flew its 10,000th operational sortie. On 25/26 April 1944, it participated in a 137-aircraft attack on Portsmouth Harbour, and on the following night, bombed Bristol. In mid-May, it was withdrawn from Steinbock operations, having lost two-thirds of its aircraft.
The Geschwader lost a total of 70 aircraft out of 110 during the operation.
unit I. KG 6 (J) (Jager or Fighter).
II. Gruppe flew missions throughout June, July and August 1944. It gradually withdrew into the Netherlands
in late August and Germany in September.
III. Gruppe flew missions in support of Heer and Waffen SS units in France. It flew sorties in the Orne
estuary on the night of 6/7 June and 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20 June 1944. The Gruppe moved to Villaroche and Ahlhorn on 2 July. Fuel shortages forced the group to abandon operations. It was ordered to retrain as a fighter aircraft unit on 23 November and was renamed III./KG 6 (J).
Dornier Do 217
The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by German Luftwaffe during World War II as a more powerful version of the Dornier Do 17, known as the Fliegender Bleistift . Designed in 1937 and 1938 as a heavy bomber, its design was refined during 1939 and production began in late 1940...
, Junkers Ju 188
Junkers Ju 188
The Junkers Ju 188 was a German Luftwaffe high-performance medium bomber built during World War II, the planned follow-on to the famed Ju 88 with better performance and payload...
and Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
bombers.
The Geschwader took part in operations over Britain, the Eastern Front
Eastern Front
Eastern Front may refer to one of the following:* Eastern Front * Eastern Front * Eastern Front * Eastern Front * Eastern Front * 1635: The Eastern Front...
, North Africa, Italy and Normandy.
Formation
While officially formed on or about the 1 September 1942 at DinardDinard
Dinard is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.Dinard is on the Côte d'Émeraude of Brittany. Its beaches and mild climate make it a popular holiday destination, and this has resulted in the town having a variety of famous visitors and residents...
/Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
in northern France, the history of the Geschwader dates back to 11 October 1941. On that date, the Luftwaffenführungssab in Berlin ordered Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on September 26, 1944...
in Paris to form a Stab unit for a new Kampfgeschwader
Kampfgeschwader
Kampfgeschwader were specialized bomber units in the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I and the Luftwaffe during World War II.- In World War I :...
which was to carry the number 6. The new bomber formation was to comprise Küstenfliegergruppe 106, Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
606 and stab./Küstenfliegergruppe 406, with its subordinated staffel
Staffel
Staffel may refer to:* Staffel** Staffelkapitän, a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe** Schutz Staffel** DDR-Liga Staffel A** 5th Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 200, an unit** Propaganda-Staffel- Family name :...
n.
The first date that KG 6 was mentioned was 30 April 1942, when Luftflotte 3 documents recorded its formation at Dinard under Fliegerführer Atlantik
Fliegerführer Atlantik
Fliegerführer Atlantik , was a Second World War Luftwaffe naval command Luftflotte . In February 1941, the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe was ordered by Adolf Hitler to form a naval air command to support to support the German Kriegsmarine’s U-Boat operations in the Battle of the Atlantic...
, but with no aircraft or aircrews. On 3 June 1942, the new unit's Geschwaderkommodore Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
Joachim Hahn, former Kommandeur of Kampfgruppe 606, while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 108
Messerschmitt Bf 108
-Popular culture:Bf 108s and postwar Nord 1000s, played the role of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters in war movies, including The Longest Day, 633 Squadron, Von Ryan's Express and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-See also:-References:Notes...
near Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
, was shot down and killed by Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
fighter pilots of No. 401 Squadron. In August 1942, Berlin ordered a full Geschwader to be formed, stating that the unit was to be a special bomber force to operate against key British industrial targets, as well as command and communication centres. To this end, it was to have its own pathfinder capability.
Early raids, 1942 - 1943
I./KG 6 took part in reprisal raids against British targets throughout the year, and suffered only one recorded loss against RAF MosquitoMosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
s. The German raids were usually carried out with only a few aircraft. On one rare occasion, the unit took part in a raid of 57 aircraft on Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
on 31 October 1942. II./KG 6 had only formed on 1 August, so operations over Britain were few. III./KG 6 targeted Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
and factories in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
in January, losing two Ju 88A-4s on 11 January 1943. Raids on the northeast targeted Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. Raids against London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
also took place. In the summer of 1943, I. and III. Gruppen attacked targets in Norwich on 4 and 5 May, with 36 aircraft. An attack on ball bearing plants in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
took place on 13 and 14 May, I. Gruppe took part with other Geschwadern in sending 76 bombers against Sunderland's docks. On 17 and 18 May, 74 bombers hit Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In June 1943, the Gruppen moved to Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
.
Eastern Front
III./KG 6 had not participated in any sorties over Britain and was sent to the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
to support Army Group North
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
, where it spent the period of September to December 1942 bombing targets in the northern Soviet Union. Under Luftflotte 1
Luftflotte 1
Luftflotte 1 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 1 in Berlin...
, it bombed the railway station at Volkhov
Volkhov
Volkhov is an industrial town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated east of St. Petersburg, on the Volkhov River. Population: -History:...
on 15 September and supported ground operations around Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
a day later. It attacked Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
positions at Gaytolovo and Markovo during the 20–23 September battles. On 25 September, it struck rail targets at Chum, losing one aircraft; and on the 28th targets in and around Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
were hit. On 30 September, another Ju 88A-4 was lost in the Kerstov area.
The unit was redeployed to Stalingrad on 4 October as a planned assault by Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
's Eleventh Army was postponed. Rail targets in Stalingrad were bombed. Soviet artillery in the North Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, and Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
were bombed from 9 to 18 October.
North Africa and the Mediterranean
I. Gruppe was engaged in anti-shipping strike missions off the North AfricaNorth Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
n coast. Allocated to 2nd Flieger Division based at Creil in southern France, it targeted Allied shipping in Algerian
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
waters. It ended these operations in March 1943, moving to France to undertake raids over Britain. II. Gruppe succeeded in supporting German forces in the Dodecanese Campaign
Dodecanese Campaign
The Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
, operating from bases at Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It withdrew to Le Culot, Belgium in December 1943. III. Gruppe also took part in the Dodecanese action.
Italian Campaign
I Gruppe continued to support the HeerHeer
Heer is German for "army". Generally, its use as "army" is not restricted to any particular country, so "das britische Heer" would mean "the British army".However, more specifically it can refer to:*An army of Germany:...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The Gruppe suffered steady losses during night and daylight missions. The air defences were particularly threatening. On 7 August the Gruppe carried out a raid on Bizerte harbour, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, claiming a direct hit on a 5,000-ton cargo ship. Air reconnaissance later seemed to have confirmed the claim. Various raids were carried out against Allied airfields in Sicily. However, heavy attacks on bases caused numerous losses to the group.
Between July and 1 August 1942, III. Gruppe was created. It was a 'fire brigade' unit, constantly switching from front to front from August to October 1942. The gruppe was then moved to Sicily to support the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. Anti-shipping attacks against the North African coast were made without significant success and the odd loss. In December 1943 the gruppe was moved back to France to carry out raids against British targets.
Operation Steinbock
The Steinbock operation was launched against the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in retaliation for the RAF
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
's bombing of German cities, which at that time was dubbed the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin (air)
The Battle of Berlin was a British bombing campaign on Berlin from November 1943 – March 1944. The campaign was not limited solely to Berlin. Other German cities were attacked to prevent concentration of defences in Berlin, and Bomber Command had other responsibilities and operations to conduct...
.
I.KG 6 began offensive operations with 41 Ju 88s based at Chievres, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
under IX. Fliegerkorps
9th Air Corps (Germany)
IX. Fliegerkorps was formed in November 1940 in Jever from the 9. Flieger-Division and was redesignated as IX. Fliegerkorps on 13 November 1944. The Corps at the time was leading numerous Kampfgeschwader which were converting to fighter aircraft. The Corps was renamed again on 26 January 1945,...
. It carried out raids against London on 20 January 1944, but suffered heavy losses. Crews were often sent on missions they were not fit for until they were shot down or crashed. By 20 March, just 13 Ju 188s remained, only 10 of them operational. On the night/morning of 21/22 March, the unit raided London again. For the next six weeks, the unit was withdrawn for rest and refitting. It resumed attacks in May, losing an aircraft on 14/15 May and attacked Allied shipping in the Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
channel. On 22 and 23 May, it contributed to a fleet of 104 aircraft that attacked Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. On 27 and 28 May, it attacked Weymouth Bay
Weymouth Bay
Weymouth Bay is a sheltered bay on the south coast of England, in Dorset. It is protected from erosion by Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland, and includes several beaches, notably Weymouth Beach, a gently curving arc of golden sand which stretches from the resort of Weymouth, along to the...
and on 30 and 31 May, dropped mines off Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
. It also bombed the docks as part of a 51-aircraft force.
II./KG 6, with 39 Ju 88As, assaulted Le Culot, Belgium. It participated in seven major raids on London in February 1944, and bombed London from 13 to 15 March. On 24 and 25 March 1944, it attacked Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
and Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, in London. The unit returned to attack London again on 18 and 19 April. On 14 and 15 May, it attacked Allied invasion shipping in Bristol Harbour with a fleet of 91 aircraft (with other Geschwader), without suffering any losses. Along with the other Gruppen, it took part in the Portsmouth and Falmouth raids on 22/23, 29/30 and 30/31 May. By the end of Operation Steinbock, the Gruppe had been decimated.
III./KG 6 had 41 Ju 88 A and S variants (of which a total of 37 were operational), from Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium. This unit flew missions in support of Steinbock as well, and recorded high losses. It took part in the first raid of the year against London on 21/22 January 1944 and more raids on 29/30 January; 3/4, 20/21, 24/25 February; and 14/15, 21/22 March. The unit left Belgium for Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to participate in Operation Margarethe
Operation Margarethe
During World War II, the Germans planned two discrete operations using the codename Margarethe.Operation Margarethe I was the occupation of Hungary by German forces on 19 March 1944. The Hungarian government was an ally of Nazi Germany, but had been discussing an armistice with the Allies...
, the Nazi occupation of that country. It returned to Belgium on 21 March, and resumed attacks on London on 24 and 25 March, and on Bristol on 27 and 28 March. It took part in a major assault on London on 18 and 19 April 1944, during which the Gruppe flew its 10,000th operational sortie. On 25/26 April 1944, it participated in a 137-aircraft attack on Portsmouth Harbour, and on the following night, bombed Bristol. In mid-May, it was withdrawn from Steinbock operations, having lost two-thirds of its aircraft.
The Geschwader lost a total of 70 aircraft out of 110 during the operation.
Normandy
I. Gruppe flew missions over the Allied beachheads and French estuarys on the 7, 10, 11, 13, 15, 20, 21, 24 and 29 June. Losses were heavy. At dawn on 7 July 1944, a force of 91 bombers sent out by IX. Fliegerkorps bombed ships off the beaches. Five ships were reportedly hit by III. Gruppe. This was repeated on 9 July. Mine-laying and ground attack missions were also flown. By September, fuel shortages meant that the group was no longer operational. On 23 November 1944, after withdrawing into Germany, it was redesignated as fighterFighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
unit I. KG 6 (J) (Jager or Fighter).
II. Gruppe flew missions throughout June, July and August 1944. It gradually withdrew into the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in late August and Germany in September.
III. Gruppe flew missions in support of Heer and Waffen SS units in France. It flew sorties in the Orne
Orne
Orne is a department in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne.- History :Orne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Normandy and Perche.- Geography :Orne is in the region of...
estuary on the night of 6/7 June and 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20 June 1944. The Gruppe moved to Villaroche and Ahlhorn on 2 July. Fuel shortages forced the group to abandon operations. It was ordered to retrain as a fighter aircraft unit on 23 November and was renamed III./KG 6 (J).
Geschwaderkommodore
- Oberstleutnant Joachim Hahn, May 1942 – 4 June 1942
- Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Bühring, 4 June 1942 – 1 September 1942
- Oberstleutnant Walter StorpWalter StorpWalter Storp was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and commander of various bomber wings. Walter Storp was the twenty-second recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves on 14 July 1941...
, 1 September 1942 – 11 September 1943 - Oberstleutnant Hermann HogebackHermann HogebackOberstleutnant Hermann Hogeback was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and flew more than 500 operational sorties. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, 11 September 1943 – 8 May 1945