The Kampfgeschwader 6
The Kampfgeschwader 6

The Kampfgeschwader 6

L20210125
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€45.50
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The 6th Bomber Wing of the Luftwaffe remains a unit still relatively little known, owing to its comparatively brief existence. It was indeed formed with great difficulty following an order of October 1941, having been conceived to support KG 2 in its sporadic harassment operations against Great Britain. Its build-up was slow and laborious due to a lack of personnel. The poverty of means within the Luftwaffe (clearly apparent already at that time) explains why III./LG 1 had to be recalled in its entirety from the Eastern Front to be incorporated into the new Geschwader.

It was thus not until August 1942 that the first Ju 88s of KG 6 operated across the Channel, the Geschwader being immediately committed to the fighting at Dieppe during the bloody Canadian raid. In November, the unit — split between France and the Netherlands — served as a reinforcement in the occupation of the French Free Zone. Simultaneously, its best crews were called upon for an 'Einsatzgruppe' despatched in emergency to the Mediterranean in support of the Afrika Korps.

 

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In early 1943, KG 6 found itself stretched between Italy, Denmark and France, from where several raids against Great Britain continued to be launched. In June, however, in the midst of conversion to the Ju 188, two Gruppe were withdrawn from France to resume combat operations in Italy. At the end of 1943, II./KG 6 was likewise sent to fight in the Aegean. It was not until early 1944 that the Geschwader was finally committed at full strength to what had been its intended purpose: attacks on England. KG 6 took part in Operation 'Steinbock', in which its losses were severe — this shortly before 'Overlord', the Normandy landings, which would also inflict heavy casualties on its strength.

Falling back 'step by step', KG 6 withdrew towards the Reich before being dissolved in September 1944 due to its heavy losses. The Geschwader would nonetheless rise from the ashes as KG (J)/6, a fighter unit equipped, among other types, with the jet-powered Me 262. In the months that followed, KG (J)/6 would endure the final convulsions of the Luftwaffe until the surrender of the Third Reich, its strength dwindling progressively. Its pilots nonetheless fought on until early May 1945.

A work of over 380 pages, complemented by 660 photographs and 20 colour profiles produced by Vincent Dhorne.

Author 1
Publication date
Pages
Illustrations
Cover
Paperback
Language
French
Publisher
Lela Presse
EAN

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