Meanwhile, on 5 December 1944, Sonderkommando Nebel at Offingen was tasked by Generalmajor Ulrich Diesing, the Chef der Technischen Luftrüstung (Chef TLR – Head of Air Technical Equipment), with urgently taking charge of development policy with regard to all long-range reconnaissance, long-range Zerstörer and long-range fighter types, particularly to assist the new U-boat campaign for 1945. The Kommando was to cease any special priority it gave to the Me 264.32 This was reinforced on 16 January 1945, when the General der Auflkärungsflieger demarcated the objectives of Sonderkommando Nebel as the development and operational trials of aircraft for special long-range missions for the Seekriegsleitung and the Luftwaffenführungsstab as distinct from FAGr 5, which was to work on reconnaissance for U-boats and over ‘north-east England’, as well as conducting operational trials with the Ar 234 jet reconnaissance aircraft (see Chapter Fifteen) and the anticipated Do 335Z.33
On the 12th, during a discussion between officials of the RLM, officers of the OKL and Reichsmarschall Göring, it was stated that four Ju 635s were on order and that the General der Aufklärer had requested the construction of 20 0-series pre-production aircraft. It was felt that this could be achieved if a number of Do 335 fuselages were put aside in May 1945.
That day, Major Fischer ordered the rest of FAGr 5 at Neubiberg and Hofolding to relocate to Offingen, but the reason for this was, and remains, a mystery, though it is believed it was to assign the unit’s effectively redundant personnel to work on the assembly lines there. Whether this was on his own initiative, or whether he was acting on orders from a higher command, also remains unknown. Certainly, it seems logical to have wanted to give ‘idle hands work’ and possibly save them from being assigned as ground troops in the East. Whatever the case, a lack of accommodation at Offingen prevented such a move, as did a lack of fuel.34
Development of the Ju 635 continued, but considerable delays were experienced. Wind-tunnel testing carried out with scale models of the aircraft fitted with freely rotating propellers revealed wing-tip airflow separation but oddly, only on one side. Test pilots flying the Do 335 at Rechlin also reported complaints with the cowl-flaps and persistent problems with the undercarriage and fuselage joints. In the middle of January, the Chef TLR reported that the order for additional machines over the four already sanctioned by the Reichsmarschall had been delayed by labour problems at Junkers.35 The first aircraft (component testing), which had been intended to be flight-tested in March and the second aircraft (radio equipment trials) probably in June, were not envisaged until July/August. The reasons for the delay were difficulties in the delivery of fuselages and problems with the wing design. On 24 January, Göring again pressed for the production of ten Do 335s with two 300-l or two 900-l long-range tanks and 20 Ju 635s.36
Following an order from Hauptdienstleiter Diplom-Ingenieur Karl-Otto Saur of the Rüstungsstab issued on 15 March and in agreement with Junkers, it was decided to continue with the Ju 635, but use the simplest solution for its production.37 However, no aircraft was completed before the end of the war.
By mid-February 1945, with the worsening war situation, work on the Me 264 was dead, and there were proposals to disband Sonderkommando Nebel – which was known to have a strength of 388 personnel, including nine officers, presumably most of them from FAGr 5 under Hauptmann Eckl, and 44 civilian ‘helpers’ or auxiliaries – and assign its members to front-line service. On 12 February, at a meeting of the heads of the various operational arms of the Luftwaffe, it was decided to retain the Kommando as a small military unit intended to fulfil tasks for industry using civilian personnel. Its fate at the end of the war is not known.38
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From January 1945, Hauptmann Emil Sachtleben and Oberleutnant Adalbert von Pechmann of 1./FAGr 5, together with their crew and aircraft Ju 290A-7 Wk-Nr 0186 A3+OB (9V+FH while with FAGr 5), were based at Stolp-Reitz, 100 km west of Danzig in Pomerania. From this small airfield, the Luftwaffe flew occasional supply flights to the so-called ‘Fortress cities’, ones that had been surrounded by the Red Army, but which Hitler insisted were to be defended to the last man. However, the Ju 290, when fully loaded, required a runway of 2.5 km in length, so it was therefore not possible to fly such missions from the 1,465-m runway at Stolp-Reitz.
Thus it was, that on 3 February 1945, Sachtleben and von Pechmann took off from Stolp-Reitz for Gotenhafen-Hexengrund, the Torpedowaffenplatz der Luftwaffe, farther east along the Baltic coast. From here the plan was to fly to Lake Peipus (the Peipussee), the fifth largest lake in Europe, on the border between Estonia and the Soviet Union, close to which a group of Finnish officers would be parachuted. A first attempt to fly the mission, under the codename Operation Narwa, was thwarted by fog, but the following day, the Junkers took off at 2207 hrs. Reaching the lake, the aircraft came under fire from light Flak and over the target zone dense fog prevailed, which made it impossible to locate the exact drop point. After flying around for some time, the mission was eventually aborted and the aircraft returned safely to Gotenhafen-Hexengrund after an eight-hour flight.39
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From mid-December 1944, along with snow showers, the sight of Allied bomber formations heading north into the Reich from Italy became a regular feature in the skies over the now-named Ausweichsquartier Hofolding (Dispersal Base Hofolding). During this period, Major Fischer was in Neubiberg quite frequently since there was now a strong likelihood that FAGr 5 would be transferred to Scandinavia, either to Stavanger or Aalborg, from where, apparently, new reconnaissance operations would commence. Although such news was greeted with some degree of scepticism at first, this quickly changed when preliminary orders came through to prepare to transfer north in January. Preparations began immediately, but they proved challenging because Sonderkommando Nebel was reluctant to release those officers of FAGr 5 at Offingen. ‘There was quite a tug-of-war,’ remembers Oskar Schmidt.40
The last Christmas of the war was celebrated by the Ausweichsquartier Hofolding in a restaurant at Hofolding. The Stabskompanie of FAGr 5, together with some Hiwis and soldiers – 55 men in all, as well as a small group of musicians – squeezed into a small dining room to enjoy some festive music and the carefully stored fare brought back from France, including bottles of decent Cognac, together with beer and Glühwein. ‘It was a peaceful Christmas Eve,’ Schmidt noted, ‘Unlike that experienced by German troops in the Ardennes!’41
But the rest did not last long, and, just a day later, activity centred on overhauling vehicles and equipment in readiness for the move. The problem was that the period of inactivity, during which the unit’s vehicles had been left out in rain and deep snow, had taken its toll on engines and driving systems. In addition, the regional Luftgau had commandeered several of the cars and lorries of the Gruppe. Heavy snow hindered movement, but above it all was the excited, slightly apprehensive chatter and rumour over a return to operations within a new theatre and with an impressive new aircraft in what would be the seventh year of war. There was still hope of a victory, even if the offensive in the Ardennes was faltering and Budapest was threatened by the Soviets. The promised new jet aircraft and U-boats would be sure to change things.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DIVIDE AND FALL
The Final Months, January–May 1945
It boggled my mind to think that here was a group of our leaders talking about aircraft production for the next few years while we were diving into an air raid shelter every ten minutes.
Hellmut Hetz, 1./FAGr 5
The Arado Ar 234 – the world’s first pure jet reconnaissance-bomber – had joined the Luftwaffe inventory in the summer of 1944. Not particularly inspirational in appearance, yet neat and compact, this single-seat, twin-engined, high-wing aircraft nevertheless demonstrated unprecedented performance and was able to achieve breathtaking performance for the time. The Ar 234 had a maximum speed of 735 km/h, a cruising range at altitude of 1600 km, and a service ceiling of 10,000 m, making it extremely difficult to target, let alone shoo
t down.
One of the first pilots to fly the machine was Horst Götz of 1./Versuchsverband OKL on 1 June 1944. He remembered: ‘It was a completely new flying experience. Only a slight whistling noise in the cockpit could be heard. It was really wonderful! The aircraft promised a legendary performance … [When landing] it felt just like a glider.’1
Originating from an Arado ‘in-house’ project of 1940 for a long-range reconnaissance aircraft and designed by the company’s Technische Abteilung, the Ar 234 was powered by two Junkers 004 turbojets, developing 900 kp of static thrust. It eventually appeared in operational units in two basic variants: the early ‘A’ series (actually prototypes fitted with a jettisonable take-off dolly and a retractable landing skid) and the later, mass-produced ‘B’ variant which had a fully functioning retractable undercarriage, which equipped both reconnaissance and bomber units. In the former role, operations commenced initially with Kommando Götz in France, later known as Kommando Sperling. The Ar 234 bomber, the world’s first dedicated jet bomber, was deployed from December 1944 by the Einsatzstaffel of III./KG 76. In 1945, KG 76 would operate greater numbers of the aircraft against Allied airfields, vehicle columns, strongpoints and bridges on the Western Front.
On 16 January 1945, a conference was held at the RLM in Berlin, chaired by Oberstleutnant Siegfried Knemeyer, the Chef TLR/E in the Abteilung Entwicklung (Development Department) at the RLM, which was intended, once again, to review potential, long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, including a turboprop-powered version of the Me 264, the Hütter 211, which had been developed from the Heinkel He 219, a modified Do 335 featuring an enlarged wing, and the Ju 635 project. Not surprisingly, Major Hermann Fischer from FAGr 5 was asked to attend.2
For his part, with deep snow and temperatures in southern Germany dropping to well below zero, on 4 January 1945, Hermann Fischer had escaped to a Luftwaffe rest home in the Austrian Alps, together with a few other officers, for four days of skiing. On his return to Neubiberg on the 8th and suitably refreshed, he relayed orders he had received to prepare a Vorkommando (advance detachment) of 30 men led by Major Augustin, which would be destined for Norway, from where it was envisaged elements of the Gruppe would operate the new Ar 234. The crew of Hauptmann Miersch of 2.Staffel was also put on standby to fly one of the Ju 290s to transport the detachment.3
Accompanying Fischer to Berlin for the meeting on the 16th was Leutnant Hellmut Hetz, a former pilot of 1./FAGr 5, who had flown a Ju 290 out of Mont de Marsan to Mühldorf in August 1944 (see Chapter Thirteen). After leaving France, Hetz had been assigned to the Ago factory at Oschersleben where he was engaged as a production test pilot on the Fw 190. Then, in November he was transferred to Neuburg an der Donau as a test pilot for the Me 262. In January 1945, he received a telephone call, as he recalls:
I had a telephone call from Major Fischer asking me if I wanted to go back into action. He told me that Admiral Karl Dönitz was considering reforming FAGr 5 for reconnaissance duties with the Ar 234. These were to support the new Type XXI U-boats which were due to make their operational debut imminently.
Shortly afterwards, I met Major Fischer in Berlin where I was to carry his briefcase at an important meeting at the RLM. I considered the meeting completely pie-in-the-sky, and it boggled my mind to think that here was a group of our leaders talking about aircraft production for the next few years while we were diving into an air raid shelter every ten minutes. One General, I remember, was very anxious to promote a particular Junkers type, but I could not understand why he found it so impressive. When the conference finished I asked Major Fischer about it. He pulled me to a window and pointed to a beautiful new Horch sports car parked outside. ‘The General was given that by the Junkers Company,’ he said. I was so disgusted by this that I got blind drunk that night and had to spend the next day cleaning up the mess I had made!4
The outcome of this conference was the proposal that Sonderkommando Nebel be disbanded, with Hauptmann Eckl and the other officers of FAGr 5 returned to the Gruppe, which was to be ‘re-formed’ for new maritime reconnaissance operations. Pending arrival of whatever new dedicated aircraft types were approved for such operations, FAGr 5 was to be given a small number of Ar 234s sufficient to equip both Augustin’s and Eckl’s respective Staffeln. In addition to providing support for the new U-boat offensive, missions would also be flown to reconnoitre Scapa Flow, ahead of a proposed air attack on the Royal Navy’s anchorage there, planned for later in January.
Meanwhile, at some point in January 1945, a special Einsatzkommando (Operational Detachment) was formed from 1./FAGr 5 with the intention of taking on a small number of Ar 234 jets and flying them operationally, though precisely where, at that time, the acceptance process was to take place is not clear; some sources state Quakenbrück in northern Germany, others Brandenburg.5 By the second half of the month, weather conditions to the south at Neubiberg were harsh, with snowdrifts and temperatures falling to -25°C at night. The vehicles of the Gruppe, which had been given up to other units during the autumn, had been returned but were in a poor condition after continuous use. With rumours of a move to northern Germany at some point, they had to be dug out of the deep snow and overhauled in the freezing conditions. On the 29th, Major Fischer was briefly in Neubiberg and gave final orders to prepare the Norwegian Vorkommando, comprising a photo-section, ground-based radio-operators and signals personnel, and a vehicle team, for transfer, although its departure would be delayed by 24 hours because of a lack of railway freight wagons. Beyond that, Fischer was able to tell his Stab little of the immediate intentions of the OKL for the rest of the Gruppe. The only certainty was that the unit could expect to have to give up more men for ground-fighting duties.6
Quickly following this was the appointment, in early February, of Major Fischer as commander of the Stab FAGr 1. On 30 January, the General der Aufklärungsflieger had ordered that Fischer should transfer to take over control of all reconnaissance units in Denmark, specifying an initial move in connection with this, to Quakenbrück on 4 February. To this end another Vorkommando from FAGr 5 at Neubiberg was prepared with orders to proceed to Grove airfield in Denmark, where it was to join Major Fischer.7
Fernaufklärungsgruppe 1 had been formed in May 1942 and had functioned as a tactical command staff for long-range reconnaissance units on the northern sector of the Eastern Front. Its various assigned Staffeln, which included, at different times, 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr.Nacht, 3.(F) and 5.(F)/Aufkl. Gr.122, 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr.22, and 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr.33, had operated mainly Ju 188s and Me 410s. After German forces had steadily withdrawn from the East in 1944, the Stab FAGr 1 finally settled at Quakenbrück in early February 1945.8
Josef Augustin recalled of this time:
On 30 January 1945, the ‘Kommando Norwegen’ departed Neubiberg for Stavanger-Sola, under the command of Hauptmann Augustin, previously Staffelkapitän of 1./FAGr 5, who had now been further ordered to take over a Staffel of the new FAGr 1 at Grove. Actually, Hauptmann Eckl was to have led this Kommando, but at the time he was unable to get away from the Messerschmitt works at Augsburg [sic], so Augustin jumped in for him. It was not planned for Hauptmann Eckl to be in the new FAGr 1. Stavanger-Sola was seen as the base for operations with the Ar 234 over England.
The departure from Neubiberg was in two freight wagons. Strength 30–40 officers, NCOs and men. Besides Hauptmann Augustin there were the following officers: Hauptmann Helmut Miersch, Oberleutnant Hans Ascheid, Oberleutnant Siegfried Frank (Signals Officer), Leutnant Hellmut Hetz (Technical Officer), Leutnant Eduard Schmitt (Offz.z.b.V.) and as senior NCO, Hauptfeldwebel Meyer. On the way, while in the Hannover area, the wagons were coupled to an empty train intended for carrying V2 rockets and were attacked by enemy fighters. No losses. At Arhus in Denmark, the wagons were unloaded onto a ship for Oslo. There we were again loaded onto a train and travelled on to Stavanger-Sola. Once we had arrived, I reported to the local Fliegerführer. Our task was to fly reconnaissance over the east coast of England, to determine
air and ship activity from an altitude of 10,000 m. For enemy aircraft, the Ar 234 was untouchable in terms of height and performance. We were placed under the command of the Fliegerführer Norwegen.9
On 11 February, Major Fischer arrived unexpectedly at Neubiberg, having travelled there yet again from Berlin; this time he brought clear new orders with him. Hauptmann Eckl also arrived from his duties with Sonderkommando Nebel at Offingen to take part in the briefing.
Fischer confirmed the following salient points:
•Fernaufklärungsgruppe 5 ‘Atlantik’, which, in effect, had been in the process of disbandment for some time, was to be disbanded offically.
•Only 1.Staffel, under Hauptmann Augustin, was to remain active and would be strengthened from various other units.
•Upon disbandment, the Stabskompanie of FAGr 5 would give to 1./FAGr 5 any personnel it required, with the remainder being transferred for duties as Fallschirmjäger or as infantry. Hauptmann Oskar Schmidt, Chef of the Stabskompanie would transfer as Offz.z.b.V. to Augustin’s new Staffel.
•Major Fischer was to assume command of FAGr 1, which was to be reformed at Grove. In doing so, he would assume control of the Gruppenstab of FAGr 1 and arrange to dissolve the Stab of FAGr 5, although he would be able to retain key personnel from it in his new appointment. One loss from the Stab would be Oberleutnant Ludwig Herlein, previously of 3.(F)/Aufkl.Gr.22, who was promoted to Hauptmann and awarded the Ritterkreuz. He would then be assigned to Italy as Staffelkapitän with a Fernaufklärungsgruppe based there.
•The existing Staffeln of FAGr 1 would be consolidated into one new, enlarged Staffel under the command of Hauptmann Augustin, as 1./FAGr 1.
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