Detachment Kuhlmey ...

[Mark Allen M]

"Detachment Kuhlmey (German: Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey) was a temporary unit of the German Luftwaffe during World War II. The unit was commanded by Oberstleutnant Kurt Kuhlmey and the detachment was built around the unit Schlachtgeschwader 3, which also was commanded by Kuhlmey. The unit participated in large battles of summer 1944, during the Finnish-Soviet Continuation War. When the Soviet Red Army launched its fourth strategic offensive on 9 June 1944 C. G. E. Mannerheim asked Germany for help.

Among the help that arrived was a Luftwaffe unit that arrived to Finland on 12 June. The aircraft landed at the Immola Airfield on 17 June. The unit used the whole airfield from there on. The unit flew 2,724 missions against the enemy and dropped 774 tonnes of bombs on the enemy. It destroyed over 150 (126 drop) Soviet aircraft, about 200 tanks, dozens of bridges and transport vessels. 23 of the pilots died and 24 were wounded in battle. The unit lost 41 of its aircraft.

The detachment consisted of some 70 airworthy aircraft to support the 200 strong Finnish force, but its operational strength varied due to losses, additions and troop movements. The unclear structure is partly explained by the Luftwaffe replacement programs, where obsolete Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive bombers were replaced by Focke-Wulf Fw 190 jabo's (fighter-bombers).

The following units and aircraft in Finland belonged to Detachment Kuhlmey:

I./SG 3: 33 Junkers Ju 87 D-5 Stuka dive bombers
II./JG 54: 29–62 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 fighters
I./SG 5: 16 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 F-3 and F-8 jabos at Alakurtti.
I./NaGr 5: 1–8 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-8 reconnaissance aircraft

The transport squadron TGr.10 also belonged to the unit, and it consisted of 35 Savoia Marchetti SM.81/AR transport aircraft and a number of transport, liaison and reconnaissance aircraft."
Text source: http://maximietteita.blogspot.com/2017/ ... hlmey.html

More source info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Kuhlmey
Photo source: Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive http://sa-kuva.fi/neo?tem=webneoeng


Part 1

[Mark Allen M]

Part 2

[Mark Allen M]

Part 3

[avenger2504]

Thanks for sharing those. Quite the mean looking aeroplane the Stuka. Love the shot of the ground crew manhandling the prop onto (I presume) the 190. No creature comforts like cranes at the Front!

[Lon Moer]

How's your fire situation, Mark?

[mastaphixa]

Wow Mark, these are amazing. In the first image are the tubular pieces mounted on some of the bomb fins a "screamer tube" that produced the classic Hollywood whistle when the bomb was dropped? The detail in these is really interesting. Looking at things like the boots/shoes the ground crew was wearing. All seemed to be pretty well supplied. A man's shoes tells a story.

[Michel Lemieux]

As always Mark....outstanding material!!!!!

Same question as mastaphixa. Are those for sound purposes? Like the dive siren of the Ju87? If so I find it bizzare they are only on some of the fins? Would not then alter the flow and create imprecision on the aim and drop?

[Firebird]

Reading this thread while glancing up at the wall looking at a Robert Taylor painting print of the Stuka, signed by several Stuka pilots including Kurt Kuhlmey....


In this photo it looks like the rear crew member is assisting the ground crew on inertia starter duties...??