Kampfgeschwader 3

The Battle Squadron 3 was a federation of the Luftwaffe in World War II. Due to its coat of arms, it was also called Lightning Squadron.

List

The combat squadron was 3 on 1 May 1939 the format established in Merseburg on April 1, 1936 Battle Squadron 153 from the wing staff, the II and the III. / / KG 153 created on 1 May 1939 in Heiligenbeil the rod, the II. , and III. / KG 3 On 1 March 1940, the group I was formed from the I. / KG 153 in castle. In August 1940, the IV ( supplementary ) group was formed in Le Culot / Belgium. The squadron was initially equipped with the Dornier Do 17. As of March 16, 1941, the I and II group was preparing for the Junkers Ju 88. By December 1941, the III. / KG 3, equipped as the last group of the squadron with this aircraft type. As of March 1944, the III. / KG 3 111 received the Heinkel He was the squadron identifier 5K.

Geschwaderkommodore

History

The staff, the II and III. / Fighting Squadron 3 took as part of the Air Command East Prussia the Air Force 1 in the northern sector of the front in the attack on Poland in part.

While the western campaign, all three groups were under the command of the Second Air Corps Air Fleet 3 There it grabbed in the battles for the Meuse crossings, in support of the army, a. Another focus were air raids on Dunkerque and other cities along the Channel coast.

In the ensuing Battle of Britain but the entire squadron at II Air Corps was now under the

Command of the Air Fleet 2 from March 16, 1941, the I and II group of KG 3 were relocated to convert to the Junkers Ju 88 in the home.

The III. / KG 3 participated from April 5, 1941 at the Balkan campaign. To this end, it was the air fleet 4 assumed. Also at the subsequent Battle of Crete Airborne took the III. Group participated as part of VIII Air Corps Luftflotte 4.

In the attack on the Soviet Union, from 22 June 1941, the squadron took part in all three groups. There was subordinate to the II Air Corps of the 2nd Air Fleet in the central portion of the Eastern Front. In addition to purely tactical tasks to Army support, it has also participated in several air raids on Moscow. The squadron remained continuously employed on the Eastern Front until June 2, 1944. Then it was moved back into the home and disbanded on 18 August 1944. The III. / KG 3 was renamed I. / KG 53 and upgraded to the Heinkel He 111 order. Of these airplanes they shot V1 rockets in the direction of the United Kingdom.

Known squadron members

• Walter Lehweß - Litzmann (1907-1986), was from 1952 to 1959 head of pilot training of CIP and NVA Air Force and from 1959 to 1970 director of flight operations of the Inter flight in the GDR