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Hi,

Here are a few Luftflotte 4 ground-attack unit claims and operations on the southern sector of the Eastern Front, 1944. See http://www.yogysoft.de/Bessarabia_5-1.htm for Jörg's excellent map of the relevant area. III./S.G. 2 was equipped with the Ju 87, and I./S.G. 10 flew the FW 190, while II./J.G. 52 was a Bf 109 unit.

14 May 1944
I. Fliegerkorps
Ground-attack aircraft and anti-tank units supported the defensive fighting west of Butor and south of Dubossary, destroying seven tanks, 22 vehicles, and several artillery and anti-tank gun positions. Six tanks were damaged. Rumanian fighter-bombers attacked a bridge in Pl.Qu. 6855.

05:35-06:35: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi to Grigoriopol
06:20-07:20: I./S.G. 10 mission from Bacau, landing at Leipzig, bombs on target
07:40-08:40: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, batteries
11:10-12:15: I./S.G. 10 mission from Leipzig, landing at Bacau, escorted Stukas and bombed vehicles
11:05-12:05: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, fighters and flak
13:35-14:35: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, fighters and flak
13:55-15:05: I./S.G. 10 mission from Bacau, attacked vehicles, bombs on target
16:50-17:50: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, attacked vehicles

VIII. Fliegerkorps
Hindered by bad weather, operated with slight forces against enemy movements in Tarnopol area. Anti-tank ground-attack aircraft knocked out one tank and effectively shot up three more in front of XI. Armeekorps.

18 May 1944
I. Fliegerkorps

14:15-15:10: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, artillery positions south of Dorozkoje
15:45-16:35: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi
17:15-18:25: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, infantry positions in Goschnitza area

19 May 1944
I. Fliegerkorps
Attacked tanks and artillery positions in encirclement area west of Grigoripol. Six tanks and nine guns destroyed, one tank damaged. Another ground-attack operation in area Pl.Qu. 9879.

VIII. Fliegerkorps
No operations due to bad weather

22 May 1944
I. Fliegerkorps
Ground-attack aircraft carried out an attack on a bridge north-west of Parkamy, Pl.Qu. 9724, scoring well-placed hits. Other ground-attack aircraft were to have attacked tanks north of Targul Frumos, but attacked vehicle concentrations in that area because no tanks were seen.

I. Fliegerkorps
Bad weather prevented ground-attack operations.

25 May 1944
I. Fliegerkorps
07:30-08:20: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, west of Butor, flak and ground fire
10:00-11:00: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, west of Butor, flak and ground fire
15:00-15:50: III./S.G. 2 mission from Husi, west of Butor, flak and ground fire

27 May 1944
I. Fliegerkorps
Helmut Lipfert of 6./J.G. 52 wrote: "The two Staffeln of our Gruppe transferred to Husi on the Prut River on May 27. From there we resumed combat flying. Also based at Husi was Major Rudel and his Stukas. We fighter pilots were given the job of providing escort for hte bombers when they flew up to Jassy."

29 May 1944
I. Fliegerkorps
19:05-20:10: II./J.G. 52 mission from Husi, escorting Ju 87s, no enemy contact

Sources
NA HW 5
Logbooks
Girbig & Lipfert, War Diary

Cheers,
Andrew A.

Andy,

As usual a very interesting post.

many thanks