German Air Force

Long-range recce missions over the Mediterranean

IMC Archives

Junkers Ju 88D of the 2(F)/.123, a Staffel of Aufklärungsgruppe 123, or Aufkl.Gr.(F)123, a Luftwaffe’s long range reconnaissance unit equipped also with Dornier Do 17P and Messerschmitt Bf 110, on a Sicilian airfield, likely Catania. The aircraft has North African camouflage probably adopted when the unit was deployed in Libya on Summer 1941. The 2(F)/.123 came in Sicily on February 1941 from Norway becoming under the command of the Fliegerkorps X (Tenth German Air Corps) and deploying itself at Catania reaching the 1(F)./121 already on the site and equally equipped with Ju 88D. The ferry from Northern Europe to Mediterranean wasn’t without troubles since the Ju 88 4U+GK Wr.880356 crashed in Italy killing the entire crew (four people). On 22 March 1941 the X Fliegerkorps order of battle show the 2(F)/.123 at Catania with a strength of 14 Ju 88 D-1, seven of them completely serviceable. From Sicily the unit flew some recce missions over Malta until April 1941 when was committed in the German attack against the Greece. On 2 April 1941 a Ju 88 of the 2(F)./123 was damaged by AA fire near Suda Bay (Crete), crew unhurt. On 6 April 1941, early afternoon, the Ju 88D 4U+EK, on a sortie to Athens, was intercepted and shot down by an RAF Hurricane of 80 Squadron into the sea off Patras: Pilot, Uffz. Fritz Dreyer, killed, Fw. Heinz Windrath and Gefr Hans Hell, rescued serious wounded died in a Greek hospital on April 11, Lt Edgar Liesenborghs captured wounded and was eventually liberated. Another loss occurred the day after, 7 April 1941, when, the 4U+FK, heavy damaged over Tobruk by the fire of the Hurricane V7553, TP-E, of the RAF No 73 Squadron, pilot Sgt K. Souter, crashed in the sea, off Bardia: crew, four people, KIA. 6 May 1941: a Ju 88 attacked and damaged, off Cap Pesaro, by Fulmars from two sections of 806 Squadron, HMS Formidable; the aircraft regain Catania with two wounded on board. During the first day of May 1941 the 2(F)./123 flew some sorties over Malta and on 9 May 1941, the Ju 88 4U+LK was shot down between Lampedusa and Malta by a Beaufighter of the RAF No 252 Squadron. The day after, 10 may, another clash: West of Malta a Ju 88 damaged in combat with two Beaufighters one of them failed to return to Malta probably hit by the fire of the German aircraft which, in turn, returned with one crew member wounded. Late May 1941 the 2(F)./123 was committed in the Operation "Merkur", the German invasion of Crete. A loss during this operations occurred on 28 May when a Ju 88 was shot down over Crete by an aircraft of the RAF No 14 Squadron, two crew member KIA, the other two POW. The day after, 29 May, a Ju 88, flying at 13,000ft, was attacked by a Maryland and Hurricanes operating to protect British warships returning to Alexandria. Damaged by the Maryland, the German aircraft was finally shoot down by the Hurricane V7830, pilot Flg Off Tracy, and crashed in the sea: entire crew, 4 people, KIA. In June 1941 the 2(F)./123 moved to Libya embedded in the Fliegerführer Afrika: strength on 21 June 1941 according the X Fliegerkorps order of battles seven Ju 88D-1, two full serviceable. From the Libya the 2(F)./123 flew some missions over Alexandria and on January 1942 the unit moved definitely in the Greece on the Tatoi airfield, Athens under Luftflotte 2, X Fliegerkorps: strength on 17 January 1941 ten Ju 88D-1, full serviceable four. On April the unit leave Athens for Krete, Kastelli airfield. Strength on 10 May 1942: 13 Ju 88D-1, full serviceable 6 together few Bf 110C. In the Summer another deployment: Skaramanga airfield, near Athens, strength on 20 August 1942 19 Ju 88D-1, full serviceable 8. From the Crete and Greece’s bases the 2(F)./123 flew many long range recce sorties over the Egypt, in particular over Alexandria. On 1 November 1942, was lost the JU88D 4U+EK WrN 430270, all four crew KIA. On May 1943 the 2(F)./123 moved to Athens, Tatoi airfield, where will based until October 1944. In meantime another Staffel of Aufklärungsgruppe 123, late August 1943, 1(F)./123, equipped with Ju 88T, arrived in Italy from the France and was based at Parma, while, on 31 August 1943, the 2(F)./123 began recce sorties over Cyprus and on 23 September of same year celebrated the completion of its 4000th combat sortie. On 10 May 1944 the 1(F)./123 moved to Bergamo, Lombardy, and during the 1944 the two units of Aufkl.Gr.(F)123 based in the Mediterranean flew missions over the entire theatre included Corsica, Cyprus, Malta, Algiers. For some of the missions the 1(F)./123, from June 1944 controlled by Stab (F)./122, was sometimes deployed at Perugia. On 8 June 1944 the unit lost the Ju 88T-1 4U+GH Wr. 430913 shot down by Spitfires of 451 Squadron near Pistoia, crew KIA. The day after, 9 June, an aircraft of the 1(F)./123, took off from Perugia at 02.22 1(F)./123 flew a very long range mission to photograph Bizerta and Ferryville, landing at Istres after being aloft for eight hours. 1(F)./123 also moved a Ju 88 (4U+BH) from Perugia to Bergamo. This missions was the last flew by 1(F)./123 from the Italy. On 27 Jul 1944 the unit was transferred in Germany, at Jüterbog-Waldlager. On October 1944 also the 2(F)/.123 leave Athens-Tatoi for Jüterbog-Waldlager. Victor Sierra