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''Schnellkampfgeschwader'' 210 (SKG 210) was a
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...
fast-bomber wing during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. The unit was created in April 1941 and absorbed by the
Zerstörergeschwader 1 ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) (lit. ''destroyer wing'') was a Luftwaffe heavy/destroyer Fighter Aircraft- wing of World War II. Formation ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) was formed ...
on 4 January 1942.


Operational history

SKG 210 had its origins in '' Erprobungsgruppe'' 210 (Test Wing 210), formed at Köln-Ostheim airfield under the command of Hptm. Walter Rubensdörffer in July 1940 as the official service test unit for the then-new
Messerschmitt Me 210 The Messerschmitt Me 210 was a German heavy fighter and ground-attack aircraft of World War II. Design started before the war, as a replacement for the Bf 110. The first examples were ready in 1939, but they proved to have unacceptably poor ...
, the intended successor to the earlier
Messerschmitt Bf 110 The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engine (Des ...
. However, such were the delays in that aircraft's development that the unit was utilised to develop tactical and strategic practices required to operate the in-service Bf 110s in newer, fighter-bomber and ground-attack roles they were being adapted to. By the time the unit was re-designated I. Gruppe, Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 in April 1941 the unit was based at
Abbeville Abbeville (, vls, Abbekerke, pcd, Advile) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the chef-lieu of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of ...
, bombing Allied shipping and land-based targets. The unit then moved east to prepare for the attack on Soviet Russia as part of 2nd Air Corps and originally based at Radzyn. II/SKG 210 was formed from III./
ZG 76 ZG, Zg, or zg may refer to: Arts and entertainment: * Z-G, a collectible action figure game * ZOEgirl, a pop rock band * Zubeen Garg, Indian singer and actor, known as ZG. Places: * Aspen and Pitkin County, Colorado (former vehicle plate code ZG) ...
under command of ''Hauptmann''
Rolf Kaldrack Rolf Kaldrack (25 June 1913 – 3 February 1942) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shoot ...
. Some 50 serviceable Bf 110s took part in
Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...
from two units;
Zerstörergeschwader 26 ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 26 (ZG 26) "Horst Wessel" was a Luftwaffe heavy fighter wing of World War II. Formed on 1 May 1939, ZG 26 was initially armed with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 single-engine interceptor due to production shortfalls with t ...
and Schnellkampfgeschwader 210. The Bf 110 provided support to the German Army, carrying out strike missions in the face of heavy AA and ground defences. In the opening air strikes, on 22 June, SKG 210 claimed 344 Soviet aircraft destroyed, more than any other unit, for the loss of 7 Bf 110s destroyed and damaged. SKG 210 flew over the Central part of the front supporting the German army's encirclement and overrunning of Russian land forces in the
Białystok Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area. Białystok is located in the Białystok U ...
and
Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative stat ...
areas in the early phase of the campaign, and flew in support of the advancing
Army Group Centre Army Group Centre (german: Heeresgruppe Mitte) was the name of two distinct strategic German Army Groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army for ...
advance to Moscow in 1941. Between 22 June 1941 and 26 July 1941 the unit claimed to have destroyed 823 Soviet aircraft on the ground and 92 in the air, 2,136 vehicles and 165 tanks destroyed for 57 Bf 110s lost to enemy action.Bergström 2007, p. 50. With the coming of winter SKG 210 continued to operate in support of the army, covering their retreat.


Commanding officers

*Major
Walter Storp Walter Storp (2 February 1910 – 9 August 1981) was a German bomber pilot and commander of several bomber wings during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Storp reached the rank of Generalmaj ...
, 24 April 1941 – 30 September 1941 *Major Arved Crüger, 30 September 1941 – January 1942


References


Bibliography

* Bergström, Christer. ''Barbarossa - The Air Battle: July–December 1941'', London: Chevron/Ian Allan, 2007 . . {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017
Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 ''Schnellkampfgeschwader'' 210 (SKG 210) was a Luftwaffe fast-bomber wing during the Second World War. The unit was created in April 1941 and absorbed by the Zerstörergeschwader 1 on 4 January 1942. Operational history SKG 210 had its origi ...
Military units and formations established in 1941 Military units and formations disestablished in 1942