Hs 129 in Normandy

[varjag]

Hi all thanks for your input so far.

I have found the reference to the use of Hs 129 s in Normandy.

In Smith and Kay German Aircraft of the Second World War p337

noting the moves of german units to the west a reference is made to "erganzungsgruppen" being made operational including a "Hs 129 unit, probably a staffel of III. / SG 151"

this formation was based at Caen -Carpiquet and appeared over the allied beaches during the D Day landings. One aircraft was captured in July 1944, but its subsequent fate is not recorded

Wasn't the ONLY Luftwaffe appearence over the beaches on D-Day by 'Pips' Priller and his wingman in a couple of FW 190's from JG 26?

[David C. Clarke]

Well Guys, I can't find anything in the text (I'm still looking) about HS-129s operational during the Normandy landings, but in Pegg's "HS-129", page 175, there is a picture of an HS-129 captioned,

"This aircraft, W. NR. 140492 was found on Caen-Carpiquet Airfield in France in July 1944. It had been damaged by bomb splinters, wrecked by a demolition charge and looted by both sides."

Heh Heh! This is quite a mystery!

Best Regards, David

[Erich]

A possible look through Michael Holms site might be a good idea. Search for equipment entries if he has them. also anything on SG 151 test unit in the RL listings at Freiburg BA/MA archiv's.

if there is hardly a mention of this unit and machines that it can be ascertained the unit provided no ground attack capabilities at the Normandie battles except to retreat or shattered on it's A/F's by Allied jabo's... !

dein freund

~E

[David C. Clarke]

Erich My Friend!! Good to hear from you! Stay out of the books and come out to play sometimes, will ya?

Very Best Regards, David

[PanzerKing]

Hi Panzerking, again, I can't give you any information about the use of the HS-129 in the Normandy campaign--I still doubt they were used there. But on the Ostfront, the HS-129 performed essentially the same role as the Stuka, as close air support for infantry and panzer units. They played a large role in German anti-tank air support and, as far as I know, were strictly day bombers.
The HS-129s role is best exemplified by the habit of some aircrew of painting the Germany "Infantry Assault Badge" on the nose of their airplanes. HS-129s came in low and fast and used bombs and cannon to disrupt Soviet Assaults or help German assaults. Typically, their method of evading enemy fighters was to keep the airplane as close to treetop level as possible while flying and manuveuring as fast as possible.

Best Regards, David

Damn I feel stupid! I thought you guys were talking about the Hs-123 bi-plane! LOL!

[Edward L. Hsiao]

I wonder how well the Hs-129s performed over the allied beaches during the D-Day landings? They probably won't last long against fast fighter planes of the Western Allies including the USA.

Edward L. Hsiao

[Richard Anderson]

I wonder how well the Hs-129s performed over the allied beaches during the D-Day landings? They probably won't last long against fast fighter planes of the Western Allies including the USA.

It is unlikely they were ever used, since there was no unit operational with them then in France. I suspect the sole known aircraft found on the ground was a hanger queen, probably formerly used by SG 101, which in turn inherited them from Schlachtfliegerschule 1. SG 101 moved to Wischau in Moravia and Brünn in the Palatinate on 5 April 1944 and played zero role in the Normandy campaign. The unit that the aircraft was tentatively attributed to, a Staffel of III./SG 151 was at Pancevo in Serbia and Pardubitz in Czechoslovakia during the Normandy campaign and also played no part in it.