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''Sturzkampfgeschwader 3'' (StG 3—Dive Bomber Wing 3) was a
Dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact through ...
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...
in the German ''
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 ...
'' during
World War II 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and operated the
Junkers Ju 87 The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from ''Sturzkampfflugzeug'', "dive bomber") was a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's ...
''Stuka''. The wing was activated on 9 July 1940 using personnel from German
medium bomber A medium bomber is a military bomber Fixed-wing aircraft, aircraft designed to operate with medium-sized Aerial bomb, bombloads over medium Range (aeronautics), range distances; the name serves to distinguish this type from larger heavy bombe ...
and other dive-bomber units. StG 3 was one of the few dive bomber units created during the war. StG 3 fought its first campaign in the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
a short time after formation. In 1941 it served in the Balkans Campaign and then some groups served on the Eastern Front, from 1943, until disbanded. The wing operated through most of the North African Campaign and some of its units fought to destruction there. StG 3 also served in the
Battle of the Mediterranean The Battle of the Mediterranean was the name given to the naval campaign fought in the Mediterranean Sea during World War II, from 10 June 1940 to 2 May 1945. For the most part, the campaign was fought between the Kingdom of Italy, Italian Re ...
and spearheaded the last German campaign-sized victory in the Dodecanese campaign in autumn 1943. The wing redesignated to
Schlachtgeschwader 3 Schlachtgeschwader 3 (SG 3) was a Luftwaffe close air support Geschwader during World War II. It was formed on 18 October 1943 in Eleusis from the Stab/ Sturzkampfgeschwader 3. A special detachment was formed 13 June 1944 to 13 August 1944 refer ...
(Battle Wing) on 18 October 1943.


Formation

The Luftwaffe possessed several dive-bomber wings equipped with the
Junkers Ju 87 The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from ''Sturzkampfflugzeug'', "dive bomber") was a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's ...
''Stuka'' in mid-1940; the Ju 87 having proved its effectiveness.
StG 1 ''Sturzkampfgeschwader'' 1 (StG 1 - Dive Bomber Wing 1) was a Luftwaffe dive bomber wing during World War II. StG 1 was formed in May 1939 and remained active until October 1943, when it was renamed and reorganised into Schlachtgeschwade ...
,
StG 2 ''Sturzkampfgeschwader'' 2 (StG 2) ''Immelmann'' was a Luftwaffe dive bomber-wing of World War II. It was named after the World War I aviator Max Immelmann. It served until its dissolution in October 1943. The wing operated the Junkers Ju 87 ...
and StG 77 were most experienced. A fourth wing, aside from smaller units such as StG 5, 76 and 151, was formed to increase dive bomber capability and organisation. A ''Stabsstaffel'' (command staffel) was formed from Stab./KG 28 (Kampfgeschwader 28 — Bomber Wing 28) at
Dinard Dinard (; br, Dinarzh, ; Gallo: ''Dinard'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department, Brittany, northwestern France. Dinard is on the Côte d'Émeraude of Brittany. Its beaches and mild climate make it a holiday destination, and this ...
, France on 9 July 1940. According to strength reports, the command staff had four
Dornier Do 17 The Dornier Do 17 is a twin-engined light bomber produced by Dornier Flugzeugwerke for the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Designed in the early 1930s as a '' Schnellbomber'' ("fast bomber") intended to be fast enough to outrun opposing a ...
Z, one Do 17M, and two
Heinkel He 111 The Heinkel He 111 is a German airliner and bomber designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter at Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1934. Through development, it was described as a " wolf in sheep's clothing". Due to restrictions placed on Germany after t ...
H aircraft all previously operated by KG 28. There is no mention of any Ju 87s with the Stab./StG 3 in 1940. By 13 August 1940 StG 3 had been subordinated to
Fliegerkorps IV IV. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization (4th Air Corps) was formed 11 October 1939 in Düsseldorf from the 4. Flieger-Division. The Corps was disbanded on 16 September 1944 and its ''Stab'' formed the ''Kommandierenden General ...
under
Luftflotte 3 ''Luftflotte'' 3For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation (Air Fleet 3) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on 1 February 1939 from ''Luftwaffengr ...
. The command unit was relocated to Brètigny, south of
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
.
Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...
Karl Angerstein __NOTOC__ Karl Angerstein (4 December 1890 – 20 September 1985) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 1st Air Corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards * German Cross in Go ...
became the wing's first commanding officer (
Geschwaderkommodore {{unreferenced, date=May 2019 ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (short also ''Kommodore'') is a ''Luftwaffe'' position or appointment (not rank), originating during World War II. A ''Geschwaderkommodore'' is usually an OF5-rank of '' Oberst'' (colonel) or ...
) but was replaced on 27 July by
Oberstleutnant () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedi ...
Hermann Edert. I./StG 3 was formed near Barly, southwest of
Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of ...
. The strength of the group is unknown, but the experienced
Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
Walter Sigel as commanding officer ( Gruppekommandeur). II./StG 3 was formed from I./StG 1 at either
El Agheila El Agheila ( ar, العقيلة, translit=al-ʿUqayla ) is a coastal city at the southern end of the Gulf of Sidra in far western Cyrenaica, Libya. In 1988 it was placed in Ajdabiya District; it was in that district until 1995. It was removed from ...
or
Agedabia Ajdabiya ( ; ar, أجدابيا, Aǧdābiyā) is a town in and capital of the Al Wahat District in northeastern Libya. It is some south of Benghazi. From 2001 to 2007 it was part of and capital of the Ajdabiya District. The town is divided into ...
on 13 January 1942.
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...
Kurt Kuhlmey Kurt Kuhlmey (19 November 1913 – 30 April 1993) was a general in the West German Air Force. During World War II, he served as ground-attack aircraft pilot in the Luftwaffe, commanding two air wings. Kuhlmey flew over 500 combat missions, and ...
commanded the group. The same day III./StG 3 was formed at San Pancrazio,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
by renaming II./StG 2. Major Walter Enneccerus became commanding officer. IV.(Erg)/StG 3 was created in August 1941 at
Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg ...
as an Ergänzungsstaffel/StG 3. The unit provided six to eight weeks of operational experience to crews fresh out of flight school. It was expanded to two ''staffeln''. The group was based in Italy,
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...
and
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
. In 1943 it was involved in
Bandenbekämpfung In German military history, ''Bandenbekämpfung'' (German; ), also Nazi security warfare (during World War II), refers to the concept and military doctrine of countering resistance or insurrection in the rear area during wartime through e ...
operations in the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
.


War Service

World War II in Europe began with the
German invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week afte ...
on 1 September 1939, in collaboration with the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
. After Polish resistance ended in October 1939 the
Phoney War The Phoney War (french: Drôle de guerre; german: Sitzkrieg) was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front, when French troops invaded Germa ...
set in a period of stalemate. On 10 May 1940 German forces (
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
) invaded
Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
. The
Battle of the Netherlands The German invasion of the Netherlands ( nl, Duitse aanval op Nederland), otherwise known as the Battle of the Netherlands ( nl, Slag om Nederland), was a military campaign part of Case Yellow (german: Fall Gelb), the Nazi German invasion of ...
,
Battle of Belgium The invasion of Belgium or Belgian campaign (10–28 May 1940), often referred to within Belgium as the 18 Days' Campaign (french: Campagne des 18 jours, nl, Achttiendaagse Veldtocht), formed part of the greater Battle of France, an offensive ...
,
Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second Wor ...
ended in a German victory which surprised the
German General Staff The German General Staff, originally the Prussian General Staff and officially the Great General Staff (german: Großer Generalstab), was a full-time body at the head of the Prussian Army and later, the German Army, responsible for the continuou ...
. In July 1940, after failing to induce the British to surrender or enter into a negotiated peace,
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and the ...
resolved to knock the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
out of the war. The German
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 ...
was ordered to cut off and destroy British sea communications in the
English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" ( Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), ( Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Ka ...
and gain
air superiority Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of com ...
, as a prelude to a threatened seaborne in invasion (
Operation Sea Lion Operation Sea Lion, also written as Operation Sealion (german: Unternehmen Seelöwe), was Nazi Germany's code name for the plan for an invasion of the United Kingdom during the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. Following the Battle o ...
).


Battle of Britain

Stab./StG 3 and the solitary group under its command were ordered to attack shipping in the Kanalkampf phase of the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
. The wing was moved to the
Cherbourg Peninsula The Cotentin Peninsula (, ; nrf, Cotentîn ), also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy that forms part of the northwest coast of France. It extends north-westward into the English Channel, towards Great Britain. To its w ...
. It used airstrips near to the port city and Théville as forward staging areas, in close proximity to British shipping in the Channel. On 29 July StG 3 recorded its first major action. A formation of Ju 87s were ordered to attack convoys passing through the Channel. It consisted of 48 Ju 87s from six ''Staffeln'' of IV.(''Stuka'')/
LG 1 ''Lehrgeschwader'' 1 (LG 1) (Training Wing 1) formerly ''Lehrgeschwader Greifswald'' was a Luftwaffe multi-purpose unit during World War II, operating fighter, bomber and dive-bomber ''Gruppen''. The unit was formed in July 1936 and operated t ...
, II./StG 1 and II./StG 3. The escort consisted of 80 Bf 109s from
JG 51 ''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51) was a German fighter wing during World War II. JG 51's pilots won more awards than any other fighter wing of the Luftwaffe, and operated in all major theatres of war. Its members included Anton Hafner, Heinz Bär ...
and III./
JG 26 ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 (JG 26) ''Schlageter'' was a German fighter-wing of World War II. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran, Freikorps member, and posthumous Nazi martyr, arrested and executed by the French for ...
, the former led by Adolf Galland on a temporary basis.
RAF Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Brita ...
sent 501 and 41 Squadron to intercept. 501 Squadron attacked the Ju 87s as they began to dive and the harbour suffered little damage. I./StG 3 reported one damaged, 501 Squadron suffering no losses. The steamer ''SS Gronland'' was sunk in the outer harbour, having already been damaged in the attacks of 25 July and 19 crew were killed and the patrol yacht ''Gulzar'' was sunk but the crew were saved; ''Sandhurst'' was destroyed. The men of ''Sandhurst'' received six mentions in dispatches and the Dover port personnel were awarded four
George Medal The George Medal (GM), instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI,''British Gallantry Medals'' (Abbott and Tamplin), p. 138 is a decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, awarded for gallantry, typically by civilians, or in cir ...
s—the last to Tug Harbour Master Captain F. J. Hopgood. Three days later StG 3 recorded their first fatalities when three men from Stab./StG 3 were killed in an accident. On 8 August StG 3 formed part of the strike force that attacked Convoy Peewit off the
Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...
. StG 3 lost three Stukas from I. ''Gruppe'' and two damaged. Oberleutnant Martin Müller was the wing's notable casualty. Four men were killed, two missing and two wounded. StG 3's assailants were
145 145 may refer to: *145 (number), a natural number *AD 145, a year in the 2nd century AD *145 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *145 (dinghy), a two-person intermediate sailing dinghy *145 (South) Brigade *145 (New Jersey bus) 145 may refer to: *14 ...
and 609 Squadron. The Ju 87s severely damaged SS ''Surte'', MV ''Scheldt'' and SS ''Omlandia'' and sank SS ''Balmaha'' soon after. SS ''Tres'' was sunk by StG 77. SS ''Empire Crusader'' in the lead, was hit by StG 2 and sank several hours later; four ships were sunk and four were damaged in the attacks. StG 3 was not listed on the
order of battle In modern use, the order of battle of an armed force participating in a military operation or campaign shows the hierarchical organization, command structure, strength, disposition of personnel, and equipment of units and formations of the arme ...
on 13 August 1940–for
Adlertag ''Adlertag'' ("Eagle Day") was the first day of ''Unternehmen Adlerangriff'' ("Operation Eagle Attack"), which was the codename of a military operation by Nazi Germany's '' Luftwaffe'' (German air force) to destroy the British Royal Air Fo ...
. It may have had the missions cancelled due to bad weather. StG 3 formed part of a major attack on The Hardest Day, on 18 August. StG 3 sent 22 Ju 87s to attack
RAF Gosport Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan borough on the south coast of Hampshire, South East England. At the 2011 Census, its population was 82,662. Gosport is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, opposite th ...
. The dive-bombers were supported by 157 Bf 109s; 70 from
JG 27 ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27) "''Afrika''" was a fighter wing of the Luftwaffe during World War II. The wing was given the name "Africa" for serving in the North African Campaign predominantly alone in the period from April 1941 to Septemb ...
; 32 from JG 53 acting as close escort; and 55 from
JG 2 Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) "Richthofen" was a German fighter wing during World War II. JG 2 operated the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 single-seat, single-engine interceptor aircraft. Named after the famed World War I flying ...
which was to sweep the
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...
area in advance of the main raid independently. Sigel's Ju 87s, with no air opposition, swooped onto their targets causing large-scale damage. At Gosport, five aircraft were destroyed and five damaged. Several buildings were wrecked and two hangars damaged. But there were no casualties. The Ju 87 attack had been accurate, and no bombs fell outside the military compounds. In the Gosport area, 10 barrage balloons were shot down and two damaged. The high losses of Ju 87 encouraged the
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe The (; abbreviated OKL) was the high command of the air force () of Nazi Germany. History The was organized in a large and diverse structure led by Reich minister and supreme commander of the Air force (german: Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaf ...
to order a cessation of cross–Channel operations. Ju 87 units carried out attacks on Channel convoys until early 1941. In December 1940 it was earmarked for Operation Felix, the aborted invasion of
Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...
through
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
. StG 3 were possibly scouting for targets on 7 October as a reconnaissance
Dornier Do 17 The Dornier Do 17 is a twin-engined light bomber produced by Dornier Flugzeugwerke for the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Designed in the early 1930s as a '' Schnellbomber'' ("fast bomber") intended to be fast enough to outrun opposing a ...
from Stab./StG 3 crash landed to unknown causes. On 7 November 1940 first group flew dive bombing operations against shipping in the
Thames Estuary The Thames Estuary is where the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea, in the south-east of Great Britain. Limits An estuary can be defined according to different criteria (e.g. tidal, geographical, navigational or in terms of salini ...
. They claimed one sunk and one damaged for one damaged Ju 87. Leutnant Eberhard Morgenroth's Ju 87 from I./StG 3 was damaged by RAF aircraft. Another attack on 8 November cost it two Ju 87s shot down.
Unteroffizier () is a junior non-commissioned officer rank used by the . It is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers in Austria and Germany. It was formerly a rank in the Imperial Russian Army. Austria , also , is the collective name to ...
Friedrich Imspring's 'S7 + ML' of 3/StG 3 failed to return, as did 'S7 + EL' of 3 Staffel piloted by
Leutnant () is the lowest Junior officer rank in the armed forces the German-speaking of Germany (Bundeswehr), Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High Ge ...
 Walter Kummer. A third Ju 87 from 1./StG 3 ran out of fuel and crash landed at Dunkirk.


Malta and Mediterranean

In December 1940 StG 3 was ordered to
Trapani Trapani ( , ; scn, Tràpani ; lat, Drepanum; grc, Δρέπανον) is a city and municipality (''comune'') on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an imp ...
in
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
. From 2–9 January 1941 it moved to airstrips on the island with only a brief pause near Stuttgart to allow for leave and rest. Stab./StG 3 was enlarged by two groups. I./StG 1 and II./StG 2 were subordinated to it. The collection of units were assigned to X Fliegerkorps. The wing's command was ordered to carry out attacks against Malta, the Mediterranean Fleet, and destroy shipping sailing between Sicily and
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
, to support their Italian ally fighting in Libya. The wing was ordered to engage and destroy the British aircraft carrier, . The carrier had played an important role in the
Battle of Taranto The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, and Italian naval forces, under Admiral Inigo Campioni. The Royal Navy launched ...
and became a priority target. On 7 February Georg Edert was replaced as
Geschwaderkommodore {{unreferenced, date=May 2019 ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (short also ''Kommodore'') is a ''Luftwaffe'' position or appointment (not rank), originating during World War II. A ''Geschwaderkommodore'' is usually an OF5-rank of '' Oberst'' (colonel) or ...
. His successor Karl Christ, StG 3, ordered an attack. The crews thought four direct hits would sink the ship and began practice operations on floating mock-ups. The vast flight deck offered a target of 6,500 square metres.
Operation Excess Operation Excess was a series of British supply convoys to Malta, Alexandria and Greece in January 1941. The operation encountered the first presence of ''Luftwaffe'' anti-shipping aircraft in the Mediterranean Sea. All the convoyed freighters rea ...
began a series of convoy operations by the British across the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
. On 10 January they were within range of the Ju 87 bases. II./StG 2 sent 43 Ju 87s with support from I./StG 1. Witnessed by Andrew Cunningham, C-in-C of the Fleet from the battleship , the Ju 87s scored six hits. One destroyed a gun, another hit near her bow, a third demolished another gun, while two hit the lift, wrecking the aircraft below deck, causing explosions of fuel and ammunition. Another went through the armoured deck and exploded deep inside the ship. Two further attacks were made without result. Badly damaged, but with her main engines still intact, she steered for . The attack lasted six minutes; killed 126 crew members and wounded 91. Further damage was inflicted upon the carrier, but the Ju 87s failed to destroy her. However, on 11 January 1941, 10 more Ju 87s from Christ's command were sent to sink ''Illustrious''. They chanced upon the light cruisers and . Hits were scored on both; ''Southampton'' was so badly damaged her navy escorts scuttled her. On 28 February 1941, Stab./StG 3 transferred to
Fliegerführer Afrika ''Fliegerführer Afrika'' was part of ''Luftflotte 2'' (Air Fleet 2), one of the primary divisions of the German ''Luftwaffe'' in the Second World War. It operated in the Mediterranean and Libya from 1941–1942. The commanders were Generalma ...
(Air Leader Africa) in response to Hitler's decision to established the
Deutsches Afrikakorps The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (, }; DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its African colonies, the ...
(German Africa Corps) on 20 January with General Erwin Rommel commanding. III./StG 3 was formed on 13 January 1942 under the command of Walter Enneccerus at San Pancrazio in Italy. On 1 March 1942 it reported 29 Ju 87D-1s, a tropicalised version. Under the command of II Fliegerkorps it flew daily air attacks against Malta from 24 March. Typically two to three missions per day of 15 to 30 aircraft in each attack. The dive bombers were ordered to bomb harbours or airfields. On 27 March at least 30 Ju88s, 25 Ju87s of III./StG 3 and 13 Bf 109s of II/JG 3 were reported over the Island. The Ju87s attacked the cargo ship ''Breconshire'' but failed to achieve a direct hit. The ship was wrecked and sunk though its cargo was salvaged. On 1 April 1942 they sank British submarines P36, and '' Pandora''. A mine sweeper was also sunk and three other ships damaged. On 9 April the destroyers ''Gallant'' and ''Lance'' were sunk. Two days later ''Kingston'' was severely damaged. The cost of these operations, to 13 May, was 17 Ju 87s, four on 10 May alone. The majority of the losses were in combat with RAF fighters. Over 21–24 May the group replaced the losses and moved to Derna, Libya. The successes against British naval units cost it half of its pre-operation strength. The group carried a last bombing raid on 13 May against
RAF Hal Far The RAF Hal Far airfield was the first permanent airfield to be built on Malta. It was opened on 1 April 1929 as HMS ''Falcon'', a Royal Navy stone frigate, and was used by Fleet Air Arm crews. It was transferred to the Maltese Government and ...
. I./StG 3 returned to Sicily for operations briefly on 12 August 1942. Based at Trapani it served Fliegerkorps II and flew bombing attacks on the Pedestal convoy. The Ju 87s scored two hits on the aircraft carrier ''Indomitable'' forcing her out of action. The Germans lost two crews to her fighters. The motor vessel ''Dorset'' was also sunk. It flew more attacks on the 13 and 14 August and lost one aircraft. The cruiser ''Kenya'' was damaged. The group returned to Egypt in late August 1942.


Yugoslavia, Greece, Crete

Stab./StG 3 with the assigned groups, moved to Libya, possibly near Bir Dufan southeast of Tripoli on 12 February. The command unit was operating in the Sirte area by late March. It was ordered to
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
at the end of that month. Wing Commander Karl Christ was given command of an ad hoc unit named "Fliegerführer Graz". Under this command, were II./
JG 54 ''Jagdgeschwader'' 54 (JG 54) was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during the Second World War. JG 54 flew most of its missions on the Eastern Front where it claimed more than 9,600 aircraft shot down. It was the second-highest scoring wing in the Luftw ...
, equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109s, II./StG 77, with Ju 87s, and I./
JG 27 ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27) "''Afrika''" was a fighter wing of the Luftwaffe during World War II. The wing was given the name "Africa" for serving in the North African Campaign predominantly alone in the period from April 1941 to Septemb ...
with more Bf 109s. Stab./StG 3 had only three aircraft, but the command, now attached to
Luftflotte 4 ''Luftflotte'' 4For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation (Air Fleet 4) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on March 18, 1939, from Luftwaffenkomm ...
, supported the
German invasion of Yugoslavia The invasion of Yugoslavia, also known as the April War or Operation 25, or ''Projekt 25'' was a German-led attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II. The order for the invasion was p ...
. After the rapid capitulation of the country, it supported the advance to
Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, via Larissa and
Corinth Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government refor ...
. By the end of the Battle of Greece, it was based at
Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece ** Ancient Argos, the ancient city * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses ...
. I./StG 3 supported the invasion from bases in Belitsa,
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...
. The group was attached to VIII Fliegerkorps under
Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen Wolfram Karl Ludwig Moritz Hermann Freiherr von Richthofen (10 October 1895 – 12 July 1945) was a German World War I flying ace who rose to the rank of '' Generalfeldmarschall'' in the Luftwaffe during World War II. Born in 1895 into a f ...
. It mustered 39 Ju 87s and supported the spearheads in northern Greece. The group bombed British forces near Servia losing two aircraft. During the Allied evacuation of Greece, Operation Demon, the Ju 87s sank scores of Allied ships. From 22 to 24 April 23 vessels were sunk by Ju 87s at
Piraeus Piraeus ( ; el, Πειραιάς ; grc, Πειραιεύς ) is a port city within the Athens urban area ("Greater Athens"), in the Attica region of Greece. It is located southwest of Athens' city centre, along the east coast of the Saron ...
naval base. A photograph from I./StG 3 reconnaissance aircraft shows the aftermath of attacks against Allied evacuation points at Megara. The photograph shows a burning 4,000-ton tanker. It has been claimed Ju 87s formed part of a strike-group against shipping which caused the
Slamat disaster The ''Slamat'' disaster is a succession of three related shipwrecks during the Battle of Greece on 27 April 1941. The Dutch troopship and the Royal Navy destroyers and sank as a result of air attacks by ''Luftwaffe'' Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers ...
. StG units purportedly sank the Dutch
troopship A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable land troops directly on shore, typicall ...
. ''Costa Rica'' (8,085 tons), ''Santa Clara'' (13,320 tons) and ''Ulster Prince'' (3,800 tons) were also sunk, with heavy loss of life. Stab./StG 3 moved to Athens–Tatoi and Molaoi in preparation for the
Battle of Crete The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island ...
. The invasion of Crete began on 20 May 1941. StG 3 lost three Ju 87s in a take off accident at Argos on 22 May. Ju 87 units inflicted substantial losses on the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
, though StG 3 managed only to severely damage and , assisted by StG 77. The damage to the latter ship may have been made by the single Ju 87 lost, which dropped a bomb into the forward gun position before it crashed. A small number of I./StG 3 units remained on Crete to attack British warships in the eastern Mediterranean without successes. They departed in mid-November 1941.


North Africa

Stab./StG 3 moved from Greece to Libya between late July and the third week of August 1941. It was based at Derna, near
Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near ...
. The command unit once again took control of two other groups from different wings, I./StG 1 and II./StG 2. The command was based at Gambut in mid-September. By December they were based
Marble Arch The Marble Arch is a 19th-century white marble-faced triumphal arch in London, England. The structure was designed by John Nash in 1827 to be the state entrance to the cour d'honneur of Buckingham Palace; it stood near the site of what is toda ...
. I./StG 3 soon arrived from
Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the S ...
just as the British began Operation Crusader. The
Desert Air Force The Desert Air Force (DAF), also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, the Western Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force (1TAF), was an Allied tactical air force created from No. 204 ...
had parity in fighters and the Ju 87s began to suffer heavy losses. It was apparent that the "writing was on the wall for the Ju 87." On 20 November 1941 six from 12 Ju 87s from I./StG 1 were lost or damaged, while 18 more—most from II./StG 2—were damaged or destroyed on the ground. Three days later Stab./StG 3 aircraft became casualties in this way. On 30 November another 15 week destroyed or damaged and on 4 December another 13 followed. Along with British
air superiority Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of com ...
, which often prevented the Ju 87s from reaching their target, the open spaces allowed British and Commonwealth forces to disperse, robbing the dive bombers of a huddled mass of targets. First group supported the DAK in the failed Siege of Tobruk. It lost one Ju 87 on 25 November. The group lost three aircraft and four men missing on 24 January 1942 near Agedabia. By 1 March the group 35 Ju 87Rs. By 20 March the entire group was based at Martuba. On 12 February 1942 StG 3 attempted an attack on shipping in Tobruk harbour supported by Ju 87s from 209° Squadriglia. The results of the raid are unknown. StG 3 lost two aircraft, both from 3 staffel, and their crews killed and missing. One Italian aircraft was damaged. The gunner of the latter unit claimed a damaged
P-40 The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and ...
. The wing was expanded by incorporating I./StG 1 and II./StG 2 becoming II. and III./StG 3 (commanded by
Kurt Kuhlmey Kurt Kuhlmey (19 November 1913 – 30 April 1993) was a general in the West German Air Force. During World War II, he served as ground-attack aircraft pilot in the Luftwaffe, commanding two air wings. Kuhlmey flew over 500 combat missions, and ...
and Walter Enneccerus). The reorganisation occurred days before Rommel began a counter offensive which drove the British back to Benghazi. StG 3 ranged ahead of the German ground forces disrupting communications and attacking troop columns. Within a short time they were back over Tobruk. Losses rose again.
Knight's Cross Knight's Cross (German language ''Ritterkreuz'') refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that often denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield. Most frequently the term Knight's Cross is used to refer to the Knight's Cr ...
holder and commander of I./StG 3 Helmut Naumann was wounded on 27 March. I./StG 3 attacked Tobruk harbour on 2 April, losing two aircraft and their crews despite a strong escort from JG 27 Bf 109s. On 11 April they committed 18 aircraft in attacks against motor transport near Sidi Mandur losing one and four damaged. StG 3 supported the DAK in the
Battle of Bir Hakeim The Battle of Bir Hakeim () took place at Bir Hakeim, an oasis in the Libyan desert south and west of Tobruk, during the Battle of Gazala (26 May – 21 June 1942). The 1st Free French Brigade under Marie-Pierre Kœnig defended the position from ...
and
Battle of Gazala The Battle of Gazala (near the village of ) was fought during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, west of the port of Tobruk in Libya, from 26 May to 21 June 1942. Axis troops of the ( Erwin Rommel) consisting of German an ...
. Sigel's airmen flew 1,400 Sorties against Bir Hakeim. I./StG 3 reported 10 or 11 Ju 87s destroyed over Gazala from 26 May to 4 June. On 3 June I./StG 3 lost five destroyed and one damaged. The following day it lost its commander Heinrich Eppen killed by
South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...
fighters. II./StG 3 lost another aircraft over Bir Hacheim fortress. StG 3 lost five destroyed or damaged on this date—two were certainly destroyed and one severely damaged. Seven men were killed, four wounded with one of the latter captured. Eppen was replaced by Hauptmann Martin Mossdorf on 5 June. StG 3 losses may have been as high as 14 Ju 87 in the first week over Bir Hacheim but the dive bombers were instrumental in the capture of the fort—in the last dive bombing raid 124 Ju 87s were sent against the Allied garrison. In the first week 100 attacks were carried out; on 9 June two waves of 100 Ju 87s dive bombed the fortress. III./StG 3 reported one or two losses attacking motor transport between Tobruk and El Adem. On 14 June it bombed a convoy without success for the cost of one Ju 87. The following morning they succeeded in disabling the cruiser ''Birmingham'' without loss. The cruiser's engine and main armament were damaged. Tobruk fell on 20 June. Rommel's advance took the DAK to the
Qattara Depression The Qattara Depression ( ar, منخفض القطارة, Munḫafaḍ al-Qaṭṭārah) is a depression in northwestern Egypt, specifically in the Matruh Governorate. The depression is part of the Western Desert of Egypt. The Qattara Depressi ...
, near El Alamein. II./StG 3 had only nine Ju 87s on 1 March. On 7 April the group moved to Bari to rest and refit with Ju 87D-1s. On 24 May 1942 it transferred to Derna. Four days later it suffered its first casualties over the front near Tobruk. ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank. In the ...
'' Drescher returned to his unit but the gunner was killed. Two more were lost against the
Free French Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...
fortress of Bir Hacheim which held out under dice bombing attacks for two weeks until 10 June. Three days they sank a Dutch merchant ship from a Malta–
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
convoy ( Operation Vigorous) but lost two aircraft. 6 staffel lost commanding officer Anton Ostler. The destroyer ''Tetcott'' claimed three of the 40 Ju 87s, but could not stop the destruction of the freighter ''Aagtekirk''. The
Flower-class corvette The Flower-class corvetteGardiner and Chesneau 1980, p. 62. (also referred to as the ''Gladiolus'' class after the lead ship) was a British class of 294 corvettes used during World War II by the Allied navies particularly as anti-submar ...
''Primula'' escorting the convoy was also damaged. The destroyer ''Nestor'' was crippled in the attacks and had to be scuttled. StG 3 lost one aircraft. A follow up attack on 15 June with 35 Ju 87s sank the destroyer ''Airedale''. Operation Harpoon, in mid-June 1942 was contested by StG 3 which sank freighters ''Burdwan'', ''Chant'', and tanker ''Tanimbar''. The convoy turned back to
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
. The attack, led by Walter Sidel, may have damaged the tanker ''Kentucky''. The group was based at
Fuka Fuka, Fūka or Fuuka may refer to: * Fūka (given name), a feminine Japanese given name * ''Fuuka'' (manga), a Japanese manga series * Fukah, a village in northern Egypt, referred to as Fuka in a World War II context **Sidi Haneish Airfield Si ...
by 1 July 1942 via El Adem. I. and II./StG 3 joined the group. The wing assisted in the
Battle of Mersa Matruh The Battle of Mersa Matruh was fought from 26 to 29 June 1942, following the defeat of the Eighth Army (General Sir Claude Auchinleck) at the Battle of Gazala and was part of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The combatant ...
in late June 1942. The battle was the last major success of the DAK against British forces in North Africa. StG 3 supported Axis forces in the month-long
First Battle of El Alamein The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War, fought in Egypt between Axis (German and Italian) forces of the Panzer Army Africa—which included the under Field Marsha ...
in July 1942. The German and Italian forces failed to breakthrough to Alexandria. A British wartime report concluded of StG 3 and the Ju 87, that mystique had evaporated;
The Ju 87 was ''nothing more than a psychological instrument of terror, capable of only local and isolated destruction, ineffective against resolute troops and highly vulnerable to our fighters.
Staffelkapitän of 5./StG 3, Oberleutnant Hans Drescher concluded, "the position of the English at El Alamien could no longer be penetrated." II./StG 3 meanwhile exhibited a lack of activity in July and August 1942 and perhaps was resting and refitting. On the third day of the battle the first group lost three to enemy aircraft following by a second group aircraft the next day. III./StG 3 had already lost six destroyed or damaged from a formation of 20 to Allied fighters on 26 June. A force of 30 Ju 87s was broken up by DAF fighters on 17 July. At least one loss was recorded in attacks on the group's airfield. The 17 July operation was intercepted by
145 145 may refer to: *145 (number), a natural number *AD 145, a year in the 2nd century AD *145 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *145 (dinghy), a two-person intermediate sailing dinghy *145 (South) Brigade *145 (New Jersey bus) 145 may refer to: *14 ...
and 73 Squadron and 7 SAAF. The operation failed to achieve anything despite protection from 14 Bf 109s from I./JG 27 and nine from II./JG 27. By early September 1942 the wing had been equipped with Ju 87Ds. The upgrades had little effect on the
Battle of Alam Halfa The Battle of Alam el Halfa took place between 30 August and 5 September 1942 south of El Alamein during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. '' Panzerarmee Afrika'' (''Generalfeldmarschall'' Erwin Rommel), attempted an envelopme ...
, which was another failed attempt to break the Allied defences at El Alamein. II./StG 3 lost three Ju 87s on 31 August and another three from a 14–aircraft formation attack positions near Alamein on 3 September. The wing maintained anti-shipping operations. On 12 September 1942 8./StG 3, of third group, and 1./
LG 1 ''Lehrgeschwader'' 1 (LG 1) (Training Wing 1) formerly ''Lehrgeschwader Greifswald'' was a Luftwaffe multi-purpose unit during World War II, operating fighter, bomber and dive-bomber ''Gruppen''. The unit was formed in July 1936 and operated t ...
damaged the cruiser ''Coventry'' which was scuttled two days later. The destroyer ''Zulu'' was sunk alongside it. One source states the destroyer was sunk by Italian aircraft. Other sources credit StG 3. The destroyer's commanding officer testified that his ship was sunk by a combination of six Ju 88 and twelve Ju 87s–III./StG 3 are known to have taken part in the attack. III./StG 3 managed to carry out an attack over the front with 25 aircraft without loss the same day. On 23 October 1942 the British went onto the offensive beginning the
Second Battle of El Alamein The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa had prevented th ...
. II./StG 3 was ordered to Trapani then Elmas in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
under the command of Fliegerkorps X, to attack shipping in the western Mediterranean on 29 October. The group did not return to Africa until 9 November. Little is recorded about I./StG 3 in October. III./StG 3 supported the DAK and Italian African Army from Alamein. On 1 October it lost two Ju 87s to enemy aircraft and three days into the British offensive lost two crews, including the commanding officer Hauptmann Kurt Walter, Knight's Cross holder, was killed after his parachute failed to deploy. Four days later, British and Commonwealth forces broke through the Axis line. On 11 November I./StG 3 lost commanding officer Martin Mossdorf, also a Knight's Cross holder, captured. A Staffelkapitän was also lost in the same action. The Stab./StG 3 was sent to refit and rest on 12 November. There is no record of it until April 1943 and its whereabouts are not known. I./StG 3 fought on but was purportedly annihilated in the retreat—on 1 January 1943 it reported no aircraft.


Defeat in Tunisia

II./StG 3 arrived at Tunis–Aouina on 9 November. It mustered 24 aircraft to oppose Operation Torch, the invasions of
Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
and
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
. On 14 November the group lost a Staffelkapitän (6 staffel) to fighters and two more Ju 87s in an attack on their airfield. On 16 November they bombed Allied Allied spearheads near Tabarka, west of
Bône Annaba ( ar, عنّابة,  "Place of the Jujubes"; ber, Aânavaen), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River ...
. On 17 November it sent 15 dive bombers to attack against shipping in Bône harbour. On 20 November it moved to Djedeida. On the 22nd it flew against the RAF airfield at Souk el Arb, with 13 Ju 87s, destroying one aircraft on the ground. Two days later 17 sorties were flown against Allied forces between
Béja Béja ( ar, باجة ') is a city in Tunisia. It is the capital of the Béja Governorate. It is located from Tunis, between the Medjerdah River and the Mediterranean, against the foothills of the Khroumire, the town of Béja is situated on the ...
and Testour. On the 25 November the
U.S. 1st Armored Division The 1st Armored Division, nicknamed "Old Ironsides," is a combined arms division of the United States Army. The division is part of III Armored Corps and operates out of Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. It was the first armored division of the ...
overran the airfield, initially destroying four aircraft. Another than 21 aircraft were crushed by tanks or put out of action. The Americans exaggerated the claim to be 30 to 36 aircraft. The group flew 48 sorties against the American forces before they reached the airfield. German losses may have been as low as 15. The Americans suffered only two fatalities. One pilot was wounded in air combat. 18 aircraft have been identified by their factory number and listed as damaged or destroyed by tanks. Another three were destroyed and six damaged to all causes. By the 29 November group had been replenished and on 2 December 1942 moved to Protville and the Bizerte a week later. It flew attacks against enemy vehicle concentrations around Tebourba losing another Staffelkapitän (6 staffel again). II./StG 3 supported the German DAK at the Battle of Tebourba, from 1–10 December. The unit flew and fought over Medjez el Bab from 10 to 12 December and Djebel el Ahmera, 22–25 December. The group was provided fighter protection on at least on occasion, from II./
JG 2 Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) "Richthofen" was a German fighter wing during World War II. JG 2 operated the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 single-seat, single-engine interceptor aircraft. Named after the famed World War I flying ...
. The Axis won the
Run for Tunis The Run for Tunis was part of the Tunisia Campaign which took place during November and December 1942 during the Second World War. Once French opposition to the Allied Operation Torch landings had ceased in mid-November, the Allies made a rapid ...
, prolonging the North African campaign into 1943, which morphed into the
Battle of Tunisia The Tunisian campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. T ...
. Throughout the Allied advance in November 1942 StG 3 abandoned inserviceable aircraft. Photographic evidence taken by British Commonwealth personnel show at least five were captured this way. III./StG 3 retreated from Gambut to Marble Arch on 12 November. On 24 November the group was at Nofilia–North on the Gulf of Sirte as Axis forces retreated to Tripoli. The group reported large losses to crashes and relentless RAF pressure. StG 3 was further weakened when I./StG 3 was transferred to the Eastern Front in early 1943 leaving the other two groups in Tunisia. The group had suffered heavy losses—on 11 November 1942 it was virtually destroyed in combat with P–40s, possibly losing 14 from a formation of 15 aircraft. Actual losses appear to have been eight, plus a reconnaissance Do 17 aircraft. II./StG 3 reported 29 Ju 87D-3/Trops on 1 January 1943. III./StG 3 reported only 12 Ju 87D-1/Trop and 9 Ju 87D-3/Trop the same day. The latter group was based at Bir Dufan under
Fliegerführer Afrika ''Fliegerführer Afrika'' was part of ''Luftflotte 2'' (Air Fleet 2), one of the primary divisions of the German ''Luftwaffe'' in the Second World War. It operated in the Mediterranean and Libya from 1941–1942. The commanders were Generalma ...
. Within ten days it had lost six of these aircraft—two to combat. II./StG 3 suffered two losses over Bône harbour on 2 January 1943. Supported by III/ SKG 10, the unit sank two freighters, damaged four more, and damaged the cruiser ''Ajax''. StG 3 suffered no losses. On 15 January 1943 Tripoli fell. Three days later, Ju 87s supported a 30-strong tank formation which seized the Pont du Fahs but was held at Bou Arada. The force turned to Djebel Mansour, but was defeated by the 1st Parachute Brigade. 14 Ju 87s of II./StG 3 were able to make a daylight attack escorted by 15 Fw 190s. On 21 January III./StG 3 lost three aircraft over Castel Benito in combat with
No. 92 Squadron RAF Number 92 Squadron, also known as No. 92 (East India) Squadron and currently as No. 92 Tactics and Training Squadron, of the Royal Air Force is a test and evaluation squadron based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. It was formed as part of the R ...
. The group moved to Gabes on 1 February and on 10 February Zaghouan under Fliegerkorps Tunis. Five days later it was attached to Fliegerführer 2 and limited to 9–12 sorties due to fuel shortages. The group flew in support of the
5th Panzer Army 5th Panzer Army (german: 5. Panzerarmee) was the name of two different German armoured formations during World War II. The first of these was formed in 1942, during the North African campaign and surrendered to the Allies at Tunis in 1943. The ...
at the
Battle of Kasserine Pass The Battle of Kasserine Pass was a series of battles of the Tunisian campaign of World War II that took place in February 1943 at Kasserine Pass, a gap in the Grand Dorsal chain of the Atlas Mountains in west central Tunisia. The Axis forces, ...
. On 14 February it flew day-long operations over Zidi Bou Zid. The following day it attacked the 1st US Armored division without success. The Ju 87s also flew air Support for
Operation Ochsenkopf (Operation Ox Head) also known as the Battle of Sidi Nsir and the Battle of Hunts Gap was an Axis offensive operation in Tunisia from 1943, during the Tunisia Campaign of the Second World War. The offensive and a subsidiary operation was intende ...
–which ended in defeat for German forces. When the British Army began the Battle of the Mareth Line in March 1943 the wing was shifted to the east. It was based at Ste-Marie du Zit until 11 April. It fought at the Battle of Wadi Akarit and lost three Ju 87s attacking artillery and armour Oued Zarga on 7 April. The group lost another three Ju 87s to the 20 April. Due to prohibitive losses it was moved to Reggie di Calabria, Italy with 14 remaining aircraft. III./StG 3 operations followed a similar pattern. From late February to March, it operated in the north, near to
Sfax Sfax (; ar, صفاقس, Ṣafāqis ) is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Berber Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate (about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a Mediterrane ...
. The group was forced to operate in formations of two to three because of Allied air superiority. On 18 April the unit abandoned Tunisia with 18 aircraft for
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
. The base came under attack and from 27 to 30 April it returned to Germany having suffered heavy losses.


Eastern Front

I./StG 3 received Ju 87D-3s in Germany and transferred to Bagerovo, under the command of Fliegerkorps VIII. It began active operations over the
Taman Peninsula The Taman Peninsula (russian: Тама́нский полуо́стров, ''Tamanskiy poluostrov'') is a peninsula in the present-day Krasnodar Krai of Russia, which borders the Sea of Azov to the North, the Strait of Kerch to the West and the ...
— known as the
Kuban bridgehead The Kuban Bridgehead (german: Kuban-Brückenkopf), also known as the "Goth's head position" (), was a German military position on the Taman Peninsula, Russia, between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Existing from January to October 1943, the ...
. The group suffered the loss of 10 aircraft with another three damaged. It departed the Soviet Union in June 1943, ending its participation on the Eastern Front. III./StG 3 arrived on the front-lines in June 1943, and remained until October. It was the longest-serving of the wing's combat units in the east. The group was based at
Konotop Konotop ( uk, Конотоп ) is a city in Sumy Oblast in northeastern Ukraine. Konotop serves as the administrative center of Konotop Raion. Konotop is located about 129 km from Sumy, the oblast administrative center. It is host to K ...
and assigned to Luftflotte 6, and allocated to the 1 Fliegerdivision. The group moved via
Bryansk Bryansk ( rus, Брянск, p=brʲansk) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Desna (river), River Desna, southwest of Moscow. Population: Geography Urban la ...
and Orel through June in preparation for Operation Zitadelle (
Battle of Kursk The Battle of Kursk was a major World War II Eastern Front engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in the southwestern USSR during late summer 1943; it ultimately became the largest tank battle in history ...
). On 5 July it possessed 36 Ju 87D-3s and three D-1s, all of them tropicalised variants. The group was assigned to support the northern pincer containing the 9th Army and
2nd Panzer Army The 2nd Panzer Army (german: 2. Panzerarmee) was a German armoured formation during World War II, formed from the 2nd Panzer Group on October 5, 1941. Organisation Panzer Group Guderian (german: Panzergruppe Guderian) was formed on 5 June 19 ...
. On the first day third group flew against artillery in the Malo–Arkhangelsk area. 4./StG 3 proved to be the most fortunate unit over the front, losing one aircraft in July. On 6 July the air division assisted in the repulse of an attack by the Soviet 19th Independent Tank Corps. Soviet after–battle analysis stated air attacks of up to 100 German aircraft. Motorised battalions were cut off from the armour spearheads. The corps was ordered onto the defensive. The 1 Fliegerdivision held the upper hand against the Soviet 16th Air Army overall on 7 July. The Soviets overpowered the German air division in the number of fighters it could send into the battle zone. Air attacks and defensive operations prevented the 9th Army achieving a major breakthrough. To the 15 July only two losses were recorded, one them being 7./StG commanding officer Hauptmann Otto Patschkowski. A major contribution was the high concentration of German fighter forces. Over six days, though exhausted, the 1 Fliegerdivision had dealt the Soviet 16th Air Army a series of heavy defeats. On 12 July the Red Army began
Operation Kutuzov Operation Kutuzov was the first of the two counteroffensives launched by the Red Army as part of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation. It commenced on 12 July 1943, in the Central Russian Upland, against Army Group Center of the German '' He ...
. Against the Bryansk Front the group was most active. One pilot flew six ground attack missions from 06:40 to 19:45. The Ju 87s were protected by Focke-Wulf Fw 190s. Through achieving local air superiority, the ground attack units of the air division claimed 35 tanks, 50 vehicles and 14 artillery pieces. Soviet ground forces managed only to breach the first defence line. In the northern sector, the Soviet Western Front and 1st Air Army was much more successful and threatened the entire left flank of the 2nd Panzer Army. The German command slowly began to recognise their attack was more than a diversion. On 14 July the
18th Panzer Division The 18th Panzer Division (german: 18. Panzer-Division) was a German World War II armoured division that fought on the Eastern Front from 1941 until its disbandment in 1943. Formation The 18th Panzer Division was formed on 26 October 1940 at ...
was defeated in a tank battle against the
11th Guards Army The 11th Guards Army () was a field army of the Red Army, the Soviet Ground Forces, and the Russian Ground Forces, active from 1943 to 1997. History World War II For its prowess in battle, the second formation of the 16th Army was redesignat ...
and the Soviet 5th Tank Corps raced to seize
Bolkhov Bolkhov (russian: Бо́лхов) is a town and the administrative center of Bolkhovsky District in Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Nugr River (Oka's tributary), from Oryol, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 12,800 (1 ...
thereby cutting off the German strong point. The German 53rd Armeekorps requested air support. During the course of the air battles III./StG 3's commanding office Gruppenkommandeur Eberhard Jacob was shot down and wounded. By 15 July the Orel bulge was in danger of collapse. The 1 Fliegerdivision, immensely successful until 12 July, now faced the more effective 1st Air Army, which broke the German division's superiority. The air division still played a vital close air support role, instrumental in preventing the enciclement of the two northern German armies. On 17 July the division flew 1,693 sorties followed by 1,100 the following day—449 were Ju 87 missions. The group participated in the division's 1,386 sorties on 22 July. In eighteen days since 5 July the group had flown 69 dive bomber operations. One pilot, Erhard Jähnert, flew in 57. He survived the war, having flown 700 missions and earning the Knight's Cross. The evacuation of Orel bulge was possible since the Luftwaffe had kept open the lines of communication which allowed for a defensive success. The German offensive however, failed. In August 1943 III./StG 3 fought near
Kharkov Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.
, Bryansk and in late September near
Gomel Gomel (russian: Гомель, ) or Homiel ( be, Гомель, ) is the administrative centre of Gomel Region and the second-largest city in Belarus with 526,872 inhabitants (2015 census). Etymology There are at least six narratives of the o ...
. It moved to Bagerovo in the
Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
on 2 October. From there it spent the final days of its existence fighting over the
Kuban bridgehead The Kuban Bridgehead (german: Kuban-Brückenkopf), also known as the "Goth's head position" (), was a German military position on the Taman Peninsula, Russia, between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Existing from January to October 1943, the ...
on the
Taman Peninsula The Taman Peninsula (russian: Тама́нский полуо́стров, ''Tamanskiy poluostrov'') is a peninsula in the present-day Krasnodar Krai of Russia, which borders the Sea of Azov to the North, the Strait of Kerch to the West and the ...
. On 6 October 1943 the group attacked elements of the Black Sea Fleet comprising the ''Leningrad'' class destroyers ''Kharkov'', ''Besposhchadny'' and ''Sposobny'' and sank them. On 18 October it was renamed III./ SG 3.


Dodecanese campaign

In the aftermath of the North African defeat I. and II./StG 3 returned to the Mediterranean Theatre. Both groups spent the remainder of their existence based in occupied Greece. Each of the units began moving into Greek bases in mid-June 1943. Only third group was absent and remained in action on the Eastern Front. I./StG 3 was engaged in operations against the Greek resistance in July 1943. The wing supported German forces in the
Battle of Kos The Battle of Kos ( el, Μάχη της Κω) was a brief battle in World War II between British/Italian and German forces for control of the Greek island of Kos, in the then Italian-held Dodecanese Islands of the Aegean Sea. The battle was pr ...
and Battle of Rhodes. I./StG 3 discovered Royal Navy forces evacuating through the Scarpanto Strait. On 7 October 18 Ju 87s dive bombed and damaged HMS ''Penelope''. The wing accounted for the destroyer ''Panther'' during the campaign; sunk by I./StG 3. It supported the suppression of the 33rd Infantry Division Acqui in the islands. I./StG 3 lost two Ju 87s of the 34 it reported on 1 July in this campaign to naval gunfire. III./StG 3 attacked ''Carlisle'' which was damaged; the group is credited with sinking ''Panther'' as well, in contrast to other sources asserting I./StG 3 sank the destroyer. The group lost 14 aircraft; two to a Greek partisan raid at Argos on 5 October.
USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
P-38 The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twi ...
s shot down a further seven on 9 October 1943 while on a long-range patrol. The wing continued to support operations into November 1943. By then, the wing had been renamed ''Schlachtgeschwader'' 3, effective from 18 October 1943. StG 3 ceased to exist.


Commanding officers

* ''Oberst''
Karl Angerstein __NOTOC__ Karl Angerstein (4 December 1890 – 20 September 1985) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 1st Air Corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards * German Cross in Go ...
, July 1940 – 18 July 1940 * ''Oberstleutnant'' Georg Edert, 27 July 1940 – 7 February 1941 * ''Oberstleutnant'' Karl Christ, 7 February 1941 – 7 March 1942 * ''Oberstleutnant'' Walter Sigel, 7 March 1942 – 1 April 1943 * ''Oberst''
Kurt Kuhlmey Kurt Kuhlmey (19 November 1913 – 30 April 1993) was a general in the West German Air Force. During World War II, he served as ground-attack aircraft pilot in the Luftwaffe, commanding two air wings. Kuhlmey flew over 500 combat missions, and ...
, 1 April 1943 – 18 October 1943


I./StG 3

* ''Major'' Walter Sigel (9 July 1940 – 1 March 1942) * ''Hauptmann'' Heinrich Eppen (1 March 1942 – 4 June 1942) KIA * ''Hauptmann'' Martin Mossdorf (5 June 1942 – 11 November 1942) POW * ''Hauptmann'' Horst Schiller (1 December 1942 – 2 June 1943) MIA * ''Hauptmann'' Helmut Naumann (19 June 1943 – 18 October 1943)


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * * * Bergström, Christer (2008). ''Bagration to Berlin - The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944 - 1945''. London: Ian Allan. . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Vego, Milan N. (2003). ''Naval Strategy and Operations in Narrow Seas''. London: Frank Cass. . * * Weal, John. ''Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of the Russian Front''. Oxford: Osprey, 2008. . {{Sturzkampf/Schlachtgeschwader of the Luftwaffe Luftwaffe Wings Military units and formations established in 1940 Military units and formations disestablished in 1943