Luftwaffe anti-shipping capability

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another photo.......................

Sinking of HMS Valentine (L69).

Sources:https://www.stiwotforum.nl/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=14244

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!

[tigre]

Hello to all ; and the KG 40 also........................

The sinking of the SS Duchess of York (+1943).

July 11, 1943 - Bay of Biscay. Three Fw 200s of KG 40 sighted a British troop transport convoy west of Porto. Despite strong anti-aircraft defenses, they hit the transports California (16,792 GRT) and Duchess of York (20,021 GRT), which caught fire and had to be abandoned. The third ship the Port Fairy, escorted by a British destroyer, arrives at Casablanca. The destroyers HMCS Iroquois, HMS Douglas and the frigate HMS Moyola manage to rescue the embarked soldiers.

Twenty-seven people perished on the SS Duchess of York. The ship was torpedoed and sunk by the destroyer HMS Douglas to prevent her from attracting submarines.

Sources: https://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/43-07.htm
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?15465
https://reibert.info/threads/kg40-kampf ... 40.401231/

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more.......................

Attack on ships.

A ship was the most valuable target for the dive bomber (Stuka). A bomb from one aircraft could sink a merchant ship or small warship, and a bomb from multiple aircraft could sink a larger warship. Dive gradient and bomb release point as low as possible were crucial to success. The course of the ship, its speed and the direction of the wind must always be considered together. A wrong decision could often result in a steep dive with the bombs falling into the water astern or one that was too shallow resulting in greatly reduced hit probability.

Therefore, it was appropriate not to start the dive on moving ships too steeply. Before starting the "dive to the target" there were still enough opportunities to be able to start it from the correct position.

A new opportunity.

At the height of the Battle of Britain on 13–18 August 1940, a total of 41 Stukas were shot down by Spitfires and Hurricanes, and the losses were deemed unacceptable by the Luftwaffe high command, so it was decided to preserve the force of dive bombers. Junkers Ju-87s were withdrawn from the Battle of Britain and played a minor role in it.

But they found a new niche and during the bitter campaign in Crete in April-May 1941, when British and Greek troops were forced to evacuate after failing to dislodge the Germans, the Stukas inflicted heavy losses on the ships of the Royal navy. They sank three cruisers and six destroyers, and 13 other vessels were heavily damaged.

On May 22, 1941, the l./St.G. 2 was deployed to Malois airfield in the far southeast of the Peloponnese. The airborne operation over Crete had started a couple of days before. At dawn on May 22, mountain infantry units embarked in large numbers of motorized caiques left the northern islands for Crete. A scout reported the approach of a grouping of English warships from the east. The group took off to defend it. The first attack was unsuccessful and the group landed to resupply, carrying 500kg and 50kg bombs. In the interim the transport flotilla was decimated.

On the next mission they found the cruisers HMS Gloucester and HMS Fiji detached to provide AA protection for the destroyers HMS Kandahar and HMS Kingston picking up survivors from the destroyer HMS Greyhound. Both cruisers were sunk.

Sources: Brütting G. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939-1945 (1976).
https://www.world-war.co.uk/gloucester_story.php
Signal. 2. Juli–Heft 7 1941.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more.......................

Attack on ships.

Sources: Military Review. June 1941.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more........................

The attack on the RMS Empress of Britain 1940.

On 26 October 1940, the troop transport RMS Empress of Britain was badly damaged by two 250 kg bombs dropped by a Fw 200 of 2./KG 40, commanded by Oberleutnant Bernhard Joppe; Crew: Lt. Burkard, 2nd pilot; Uffz. Dörschel flight mechanic; Uffz. Iwang, first radio operator; Ogr. Mix, 2nd Radio Operator; R.R. dr. Habich, meteorologist. The "Condor" took off to carry out armed reconnaissance and meteorological surveys of North West Ireland. On this flight a very large ship with three funnels was sighted west of Ireland. Despite the strong anti-aircraft defences, through which the attacking aircraft received sensitive hits after the first attack, 2 bomb hits were achieved in a total of 4 boldly performed low passes.

After the attack, the ship listed slightly and her entire hull was burned. Subsequently, the "Meteorological Survey" mission was completed. The attacked ship burned for more than 24 hours and was sunk as a wreck by a submarine (U 32) the next day. The passenger steamer was the tenth largest ship in the world merchant fleet and served as a troop transport."

Sources: Ein erfolgreicher Kampfflieger aus Wien. öfh Nachrichten 1/16
https://reibert.info/attachments/empress-jpg.19574639/

Cheers. Raúl M .