Customer intelligence Fw-189 in the Luftwaffe

First experience with aircraft Fw-189 A as a scout gave positive results. The autumn of 1940 a training unit in September. (H) / LG-2 (LG-Lehrgeschwader) in the first Luftwaffe aircraft received the first installment of Fw-189A-0, Fw-189B training pilots used this part of the spring of last year. At the same time at the start of the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the standard tactical reconnaissance aircraft front-line units Aufklarungsstaffeln (H) (H Heeresgruppen) remained Henschel Hs-126. By the end of 1941, most Aufklarungsstaffeln reorganized into groups of near-intelligence Nahauflk-larungsgruppen (NAG), who transferred to the direct operational control of ground troops.

Winter offensive has led to heavy losses in personnel, the Luftwaffe began to feel the shortage of trained crews and aircraft, for this reason a number of intelligence units had to be disbanded. The newly created Nahauflklarungs-gruppen consisted of three squadrons (in practice, very few groups actually had in its composition three Staffel). By the spring of 1942 on weapons intelligence units began arriving aircraft Fw-189A-0 and FW-189A-1.

The following table provides information about the intelligence units operating on the Soviet-front:

The central section of the front

With Squadron

NAG-2 March. (H) 21 (Hs-126); l. (H) 41 (Hs-126), 2. (H) 23 (Hs-126)

NAG-5 l. (H); 11 2. (H) 12 (Hs-126)

NAG-August 4. (H) 23 (Hs-126)

NAG-10 5. (H) 32 (Hs-126)

NAG-11 l. (H); 31 2. (H) 31; l. (H) 13 (Hs-126)

NAG-15 l. (H) 12 (Hs-126), 6. (H) 32 (Hs-126), 2. (H) 13

Northern section of the front

NAG-February 13. (H) 21 (Hs-126) 3. (H) 41 (Hs-126)

Arctic 1. (H) 32

In December 1941 the 9 th German army under the blows of compounds of General Konev’s Kalinin left. In the harsh winter training aircraft to fly caused a lot of difficulties. In the intelligence units of the Luftwaffe was a shortage of spare parts, fuel, people. These problems resulted in the reorganization, in which again reduced the number of individual squadrons, now in combat units dominated by aircraft Fw-189A-l (later-Fw-189A-2). The first new technique have long-range reconnaissance unit 2. (F) / 11 and Aufklarungsgruppe Gr.10 Tannenberg.

The table shows the “results” of the reorganization.

With Squadron

NAG-1 5. (H) 11 southern section of the front

NAG-2 1. (H) 41 2. (H) 13, 3. (H) 21 central sector

NAG-4 2. (H) 41, 6. (H) 1 3 Southern area

NAG-6 7. (H) 1 3 Southern area

NAG-7 1. (H) 10, 4. (H) 10 Southern area

NAG-8 3. (H) 13, 4. (H) 23, 4. (FT) 1931 northern sector

NAG-9 1. (H) 21, 7. (H) 32 Southern area

NAG-10 2. (H) 10 2. (H) 31, 5. (H) 32 central sector

NAG-11 1. (H) 13, 1. (H) 31 northern sector

NAG-12 6. (H) 41 Southern area

NAG-13 2. (H) 21, 3. (H) 41 Southern area

NAG-15 1. (H) 12, 6. (H) 32 Southern area

NAG-16 3. (H) 12, 5. (H) 12 Southern area

Flying near-exploration on the Eastern Front became more dangerous and more dangerous. In some units the crews of scouts cut to one man, many observers had to be sent on short-term pilot training. Flying training of observers yesterday was clearly not enough – the losses kept growing. Sometimes the newcomers time to perform only one or two sorties, before they knocked.

Undertaken in May 1942 the 17 th Combined Arms and 1 Panzer Wehrmacht in the Kharkov offensive to temporarily stop the onslaught of the Red Army in the southern sector of the Eastern Front. The Germans have a respite, during which managed to make up losses in men and materiel. Scouts Fw-189 demonstrated in some cases incredible combat survivability. May 19, 1942, two MiG-3 attacked a German spy on the Taman Peninsula. Soviet fighters damaged the left engine “frame”, put out of action all defensive weapons, however the scout was able to land on the forward airfields. During the landing broke down the left main landing gear was crushed left-wing plane, but the plane in a short time repaired by replacing the engine, landing gear and the plane of the wing.

In September 1942, on the Eastern Front had 174 scouts Fw-189. Planes of this type were also in North Africa – before being sent to the Mediterranean to the inlet carburetors mounted filters particulate matter. In North Africa, Fw-189А-1 flew a single Staffel 4. (H) 12, aircraft were camouflaged desert. In Western Europe, “frames” used by the Germans as a cohesive and light transport aircraft for VIP transport. For example, Fw-189A-1/U3 W.Nr. 0178 served as a personal airplane Yeshonneka general, and Fw-189A-l/U2 W.Nr. 0159 «H1 + IN» flown in 1943, Field Marshal Kesselring. Interestingly, neither Yeshonnek or Kesselring were not professional pilots, but both necessary to manage the Fw-189, however, sometimes the generals were sitting in the pilot’s seat and without.

Unlike the generals Luftwaffe chief technology officer and chief designer of the company Focke-Wulf Kurt Tank was also a great pilot, in his official flights he enjoyed the Fw-189A-1 W.Nr. 0029 «BQ + AY». In 1944, the Tank banned because of the high probability of contact with Allied fighter planes to fly reconnaissance day, ordering the use of “well-armed high-speed aircraft. Technical Director, however, continued to fly on “frame”, but only in the dark.

Fierce battles for Stalingrad in late summer 1942 have once again put on the agenda the question of the extremely high losses in the armed forces of Germany. Very badly damaged Luftwaffe reconnaissance units. September 18, 1942 “frame” of 6. (H) 41, under the guise of four fighters engaged Bf.109 adjusted artillery fire, when a group of German planes attacked the Soviet fighters. The first damaged the frame Ivan Baluk, finished it off with the scout group commander of Soviet fighters Mikhailik. Fw-189 fell on the left wing and crossed into a disorderly fall, and then collided with the earth. The crew of the aircraft, the senior sergeant Manfred Kyuhle and shtabsfeldfebel Lesska Frederick, died. Another twin-boom scout Soviet pilots shot down the next day, September 19. In the battle for Stalingrad loss Luftwaffe reconnaissance units in men and material averaged 25%. The Command of the Luftwaffe, once again had to reorganize. From dalnerazvedyvatelnyh in blizhnerazvedyvatelnye were transformed following groups:

3. (F) 31 3. (H) 31NAG-1

3. (F) 11 3. (H) 11NAG-3

2. (F) 33 2. (H) 33 NAG-6

4. (F) 33 4. (H) 33 NAG-1916

During the counteroffensive of the Red Army at forward airfields had to throw some unfit aircraft Fw-189, but the surviving aircraft continued to work for the troops surrounded the 6 th Army, General Paulus. 17 December, once again distinguished fighter pilot Mikhailik in heavy combat, shot down “frame» («P2 + BV»). On the same day in the area Davydivka adjusted artillery fire scout Fw-189 «5H + KK» of NAG-16. Scout fighters escorted Bf. 109. The German planes attacked the Soviet pair: commander Ivan Maksimenko, driven – Chumbarev. Chumbarev wasted expended all his ammunition, then rammed the frame, cutting off its propeller fighter one tail boom Fw-189. The crew of a scout – the senior sergeant Mayer, Sergeant Schmidt and Corporal Owl – unable to leave casually tossed the plane. It is not always combat missions ended with the crew scouts so tragically. Many of the pilots carried out on Fw-189 by several hundred jobs. One crew even crossed the line in 1500 sorties!

By early February 1943 the Luftwaffe lost on the eastern front of nearly five hundred aircraft, and nearly a thousand men crews. Blizhnerazvedyvatelnye unit lost about 150 aircraft, mostly – Fw-189. By 31 December 1942, the newly formed Staffel 3. (N) 11 out of NAG-3 lost six cars: W.Nr. 0206, 0147, 0240, 2307, 4212 and 2206.

The failure at Stalingrad marked the beginning of the Wehrmacht retreat throughout the Soviet-. The retreat is led by the restructuring of short-range reconnaissance aircraft that took to arming aircraft Fw-189. Some Staffel have other numbers: 1.10 (ex-1. (H) 10-1 of the NAG-12), 2.10 (formerly NAG-9), 4.10 (former 1.NAG-2, rearmed by Bf. 109), 1.11 (formerly N AG-5) and 5.11 (formerly NAG-1). Adopted a number of units in addition Fw-189 received other types of aircraft, mainly reconnaissance versions engined fighter Bf.HO. In the Caucasus, continued to operate equipped with “frames” Staffel 1.21, in the central sector of the Eastern Front – 11.12 (ex-1. (H) 12). Group NAG-2, 3, 5, 8 and 10 were in the rear for rest and retraining at the fighters Bf.109 or FW-190A-3/A-4.

Activity units near the Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft were in decline, while the activity of Soviet fighters grew, and the accuracy and density of antiaircraft fire increased. Increasingly, the crew of the German scouts had to engage in air battles, in 1943, an average of 90 sorties Fw-189 accounted for one brought down by fire from the ground “frame”. Since May 1943 Fw-189 aircraft were brought together to fight the guerrillas, in such operations can be very useful had low speed Double-girder scouts. Despite the clever disguise, the crews Fw-189 were able to uncover and destroy a large number of partisan stands. In early July, the German forces began the war last strategic offensive on the Eastern Front – Operation Citadel. The scouts tried to track the movements of Soviet troops. In the battles over the Kursk arc distinguished pilots armed fighters Yak-1 squadron “Normandie” armed forces of Free France. Pilots Lefevre and La Puap attacked and shot down a Fw-189, a second reconnaissance squadron at the expense recorded Litolf and Castel, third – Marcel Albert and Albert Pretsiosi.

July 12, the counter-offensive from the Kursk area troops of the Red Army. Scouts Fw-189 revealed a dislocation of the Soviet connections, but the Germans did not have the reserves to plug all the holes in their defense. Two days after the beginning of the counteroffensive of the Red Army liberated the Nazi invaders of the city of Orel and Belgorod, in honor of this event in Moscow, the first salute boomed. The big problem for the crews of scouts have the latest Soviet La-5 fighters in silhouette is very similar to the Fw-190. Now, “Frame” tried to cross the front lines at extremely low altitude, but still a huge numerical superiority of Soviet fighters, along with increased air defense of ground forces put an end to the success of the scouts. Especially tight German fighters, accompanied Fw-189 had to be at the front after the Yak-3, at low altitudes had absolute superiority over any fighter of the Luftwaffe. Soviet pilots belonged to the Fw-189 with respect. Fighter pilot Semenov in his memoirs he wrote:

- “Rama”, adjusting artillery fire, greatly annoyed by our ground troops. The aircraft of this type are difficult targets for fighter pilots. Shoot down “frame” – not an easy task even more difficult than to shoot down the fighter Bf.109 or bomber Ju-88.

It looks spoke of the German Fw-189 famous Al Alexander Pokryshkin, considered to be captured “frame” the most objective measure of skill as a fighter pilot.

Toward the end of the war planes Fw-189 were required to perform night reconnaissance flights, which on some machines installed special equipment. Most often, the frames were a visual reconnaissance, light bombs for aerial photography at night were applied very often, because when the plane dropped bombs betrayed themselves, and then found himself under fire from anti-aircraft guns.

As of April 6, 1944 in the 6 th Air Force Luftwaffe had the following units are equipped with intelligence Fw-189:

NAGr.4 – 8 bodied aircraft

NAGr.10 – 12 combat-capable aircraft

NAGr.15 – 15 combat-capable aircraft

Two aircraft Fw-189 had a I./NJG-100

Since the summer of 1944 Fw-189 aircraft used for solving tactical air support is no longer possible, as “frames” became a top priority goal for the Red Army Air Force fighter. In some cases, Fw-189 were involved in psychological warfare, dropping leaflets. There is a legend that supposedly during one of these missions, the crew of “frame” shot down a Soviet fighter … leaflets. “Rama” emptied paper goods under the nose of a Soviet aircraft, the pilot lost spatial orientation and lost control of the fighter aircraft crashed. Night combat sorties were carried out on the Fw-189 during the entire summer of 1944 By this time armed with many units had a mixed fleet of aircraft: Fw-189, Bf.l09G, Fw-190A-2, Bf.110C.

Among the 200 aircraft operating in Finland grouping Fliegerfuhrer Nord (Ost) 5 th Air Force had seven Luftwaffe Fw-189. The aircraft were armed with 1. (H) 32, Staffel based at airfields Kemijärvi, Alakurti and Petsamo. “Frames” scouted over the Kirov railroad, struck bomboshturmovye strikes and dropped leaflets. In the first week of May 1943, an aircraft of 1. (H) 32 crashed on takeoff.

In January 1944, at the airfield Idritsa among other units 1 st Air Fleet based Stab/NAGr.5 and l/NAGr.5, while 2/NAGr.5 short time was stationed at the airbase Pitseri. 1. (H) 32, which operated from the airfield Petsamo lost one aircraft in the air battle, which took place April 15, 1944 in the area Alakurti. By April 26, 1944 Pilots 1. (H) 32 flew about 1000 sorties. May 12, Soviet fighters shot down another Fw-189 from the Staffel.

Winter 1944-45 GG Fw-189 aircraft operated mainly over Poland and the “Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Part of the damaged scout Germans threw in Polish and Czech airfields during the retreat.

Fw-189 aircraft took part in the sorties, almost to the last day of the war in Europe, although in very limited quantities. So on the night of April 17, 1945 in a raid on the position of Soviet troops took 21 aircraft from the NAGr. 2 and NAGr. 15, 16 of them were Fw-189. In the raid on April 19 was attended by two Fw-189, along with several Bf. 109 and Bf.110 of NAGr. 15. In the last days of the war “frame” of 1. (R) 41 operating in the southern sector of the Eastern Front in late April this Staffel transformed. in NAGr. 2.

Several planes Fw-189 crew managed to surpass in neutral Sweden. The first twin-boom “refugee» (Fw-189 W.Nr. 0271 “CE + PE”) from Germany landed at April 8, 1945 at the airfield Alveshtadt. Two more “frames» (W.Nr. 2326 manufactured by Aero «U2 + ZD» and W.Nr. 0215 «U2 + BD») landed in Bulltofte May 8, 1945 Aircraft, probably belonged Nahaufklarungsgruppe 5. The German crew to explain the fact landing at a Swedish airport navigational error. Several Fw-189 (known on the eight aircraft, two of them – a Czech-made), Germany’s army was thrown at Norwegian airports. Most of the aircraft was dismantled by the British in the autumn 1945, in an informal manner one Fw-189 Norway, the BBC, this car was removed from service in May 1946, one survivor was the only Fw-189 W.Nr. 0173, which for some time flying in the UK.