German Air Force

Unusual presence in Sicily

Luftwaffe’s FW 44 Stieglitz, an unusual presence in Sicily, in front to a Junkers Ju 52/3m, likely at Palermo, Boccadifalco airfield, during refueling and engine maintenance operations (the Ju 52 seem without the engine cowlings). The FW 44, a trainer aircraft, perhaps employed in Sicily as liaison and courier airplane, has the code C3 and the Staffel letter H suggesting a plane of the Transport Staffel/II Fliegerkorps later, May 1943, 1./TGr 5 (May 1943). The date of the photos is likely after 15 November 1941 when the II Fliegerkorps (2nd German Air Corps) was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations. The first stationary presence of the Ju 52 in Sicily date back from Spring 1941 when the III./ZbV 1 and I./ZbV 9 was allocated to X Fliegerkorps (10th German Air Corps) with respectively, according the X.Fl.Kps, Order of Battle 22 March 1941, 48 (32 full serviceable) and 29 (28 full serviceable) aircraft. Victor Sierra