Tatsinskaya Airfield
Encyclopedia
The Tatsinskaya Airfield was the main airfield used by the German
Wehrmacht
during the Battle of Stalingrad
to supply the encircled 6th Army from outside.
The Tatsinskaya Airfield, 260 km away from Stalingrad, became the most important airfield for the supply of the trapped 6th Army in Stalingrad after all land connections were severed after 24 November 1942, when the airlift began.
From Tatsinskaya, a Ju 52 plane would take approx. 1¼ hour to reach Stalingrad, from where it would return after a 3½ hour turnaround, theoretically making it possible to complete a mission in six hours. Tatsinskaya served as the main base for the Ju 52 transport planes, while Morozovskaya was mainly used by the He 111 bombers, which were converted to transport planes.
The airfield was under threat of being taken by the Soviet Red Army but Hermann Göring
forbade its evacuation, despite request from Major General Fiebig
, who was in charge of the air supply for Stalingrad. On 23 December Göring give permission to evacuate, but it was too late; Tatsinskaya was overrun a day later
, with the German Luftwaffe
losing almost 70 of the 180 Ju 52s stationed there and all ground equipment. The fall of the airfield, along with the one at Morozovskaya being threatened, brought supplies to the 6th Army to a halt until the 26th. Also briefly retaken by the Germans on the 28th, Tatsinskaya fell back into Soviet hands by 31 December.
After the fall of Tatsinskaya, the Ju 52 from there were relocated to Salsk
, while the He 111 went to Novocherkassk
, increasing the distance to travel considerably.
, near the village of Tatsinskiy.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
during the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
to supply the encircled 6th Army from outside.
Overview
From Tatsinskaya, a Ju 52 plane would take approx. 1¼ hour to reach Stalingrad, from where it would return after a 3½ hour turnaround, theoretically making it possible to complete a mission in six hours. Tatsinskaya served as the main base for the Ju 52 transport planes, while Morozovskaya was mainly used by the He 111 bombers, which were converted to transport planes.
The airfield was under threat of being taken by the Soviet Red Army but Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
forbade its evacuation, despite request from Major General Fiebig
Martin Fiebig
Martin Fiebig was a German general of Luftwaffe, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, who was in charge of the air supply for Stalingrad. On 23 December Göring give permission to evacuate, but it was too late; Tatsinskaya was overrun a day later
Tatsinskaya Raid
The Tatsinskaya Raid was a Soviet armoured raid deep into the German rear conducted by 24th Tank Corps under the command of Major General Vasily Mikhaylovich Badanov in late December 1942, during the last phases of the Battle of Stalingrad . It was designed to force the Germans to divert forces...
, with the German Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
losing almost 70 of the 180 Ju 52s stationed there and all ground equipment. The fall of the airfield, along with the one at Morozovskaya being threatened, brought supplies to the 6th Army to a halt until the 26th. Also briefly retaken by the Germans on the 28th, Tatsinskaya fell back into Soviet hands by 31 December.
After the fall of Tatsinskaya, the Ju 52 from there were relocated to Salsk
Salsk
Salsk is a town and the administrative center of Salsky District of Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the Sredny Yegorlyk River , southeast of Rostov-on-Don. Population:...
, while the He 111 went to Novocherkassk
Novocherkassk
Novocherkassk is a city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Tuzlov River and on the Aksay River. Population: 169,039 ; 170,822 ; 178,000 ; 123,000 ; 81,000 ; 52,000 ....
, increasing the distance to travel considerably.
Location
The still existing airfield is located approximately 35 km east of the town of Belaya KalitvaBelaya Kalitva
Belaya Kalitva is a town and the administrative center of Belokalitvinsky District of Rostov Oblast, Russia. Population: -External links:*...
, near the village of Tatsinskiy.
Pocket airfields
Seven airfields were used inside the pocket to supply the 6th Army:- PitomnikPitomnik AirfieldThe Pitomnik airfield was an airfield in Russia, the primary of the seven airfields used by the German Wehrmacht during the Battle of Stalingrad within the city....
- Bolshaia Rossoshka
- Stalingradski
- Gumrak, now Volgograd International Airport
- Basargino
- Voroponovo
- Karpovka
External airfields
Eleven airfields were used to supply the 6th Army from outside of the pocket:- Tatsinskaya
- Morozovskaya
- Sverovo
- SalskSalskSalsk is a town and the administrative center of Salsky District of Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the Sredny Yegorlyk River , southeast of Rostov-on-Don. Population:...
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- Novotsherkassk
- Lugunsk
- Gorlokova
- Makejevka
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