| Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 | |
|---|---|
 A wrecked StG 3 Ju 87 examined byAustralian soldiers, 1942/3 | |
| Active | 9 July 1940 – 18 October 1943 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Luftwaffe |
| Type | Dive bomber |
| Role | Close air support Offensive counter air Anti-tank warfare Air interdiction Maritime interdiction |
| Size | Air Force Wing |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Karl Angerstein Kurt Kuhlmey |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol | S7 |
Sturzkampfgeschwader 3 (StG 3—Dive Bomber Wing 3) was aDive bomberwing in the GermanLuftwaffe duringWorld War II and operated theJunkers Ju 87Stuka.
The wing was activated on 9 July 1940 using personnel from Germanmedium bomber 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 theBattle of Britain a short time after formation. In 1941 it served in theBalkans Campaign and then some groups served on theEastern Front, from 1943, until being disbanded.
The wing operated through most of theNorth African Campaign and some of its units fought to destruction there. StG 3 also served in theBattle of the Mediterranean and spearheaded the last German campaign-sized victory in theDodecanese campaign in autumn 1943.
The wing redesignated toSchlachtgeschwader 3 (Battle Wing) on 18 October 1943.
The Luftwaffe possessed several dive-bomber wings equipped with theJunkers Ju 87Stuka in mid-1940; the Ju 87 having proved its effectiveness.StG 1,StG 2 andStG 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.
AStabsstaffel (command staffel) was formed from Stab./KG 28 (Kampfgeschwader 28 — Bomber Wing 28) atDinard, France on 9 July 1940. According to strength reports, the command staff had fourDornier Do 17Z, one Do 17M, and twoHeinkel He 111H 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 toFliegerkorps IV underLuftflotte 3. The command unit was relocated to Brètigny, south ofParis.OberstKarl Angerstein became the wing's first commanding officer (Geschwaderkommodore) but was replaced on 27 July byOberstleutnant Hermann Edert.[1]
I./StG 3 was formed near Barly, southwest ofArras. The strength of the group is unknown, but the experiencedMajorWalter Sigel as commanding officer (Gruppekommandeur). II./StG 3 was formed from I./StG 1 at eitherEl Agheila orAgedabia on 13 January 1942.HauptmannKurt Kuhlmey commanded the group. The same day III./StG 3 was formed at San Pancrazio,Italy by renaming II./StG 2. MajorWalter Enneccerus became commanding officer.[2]
IV.(Erg)/StG 3 was created in August 1941 atWürzburg 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 twostaffeln. The group was based in Italy,Greece andYugoslavia. In 1943 it was involved inBandenbekämpfung operations in theBalkans.[3]
World War II in Europe began with theGerman invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, in collaboration with theSoviet Union. After Polish resistance ended in October 1939 thePhoney War set in a period of stalemate. On 10 May 1940 German forces (Wehrmacht) invadedWestern Europe. TheBattle of the Netherlands,Battle of Belgium,Battle of France ended in a German victory which surprised theGerman General Staff.
In July 1940, after failing to induce the British to surrender or enter into a negotiated peace,Adolf Hitler resolved to knock theBritish Empire out of the war. The GermanLuftwaffe was ordered to cut off and destroy British sea communications in theEnglish Channel and gainair superiority, as a prelude to a threatened seaborne in invasion (Operation Sea Lion).
Stab./StG 3 and the solitary group under its command were ordered to attack shipping in theKanalkampf phase of theBattle of Britain. The wing was moved to theCherbourg Peninsula. It used airstrips near to the port city andThéville as forward staging areas, in close proximity to British shipping in the Channel.[4]
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 sixStaffeln of IV.(Stuka)/LG 1, II./StG 1 and II./StG 3. The escort consisted of 80 Bf 109s fromJG 51 and III./JG 26, the former led byAdolf Galland on a temporary basis.[5]RAF Fighter Command sent501 and41 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 steamerSS 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 yachtGulzar was sunk but the crew were saved;Sandhurst was destroyed.[5][6] The men ofSandhurst received sixmentions in dispatches and the Dover port personnel were awarded fourGeorge Medals—the last to Tug Harbour Master Captain F. J. Hopgood.[5][6]
Three days later StG 3 recorded their first fatalities when three men from Stab./StG 3 were killed in an accident.[7] On 8 August StG 3 formed part of the strike force that attacked Convoy Peewit off theIsle of Wight. StG 3 lost three Stukas from I.Gruppe and two damaged.[8][9][4]Oberleutnant Martin Müller was the wing's notable casualty.[10] Four men were killed, two missing and two wounded.[11] StG 3's assailants were145 and609 Squadron.[11] The Ju 87s severely damaged SSSurte, MVScheldt and SSOmlandia and sank SSBalmaha soon after. SSTres was sunk by StG 77. SSEmpire 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.[8][9]
StG 3 was not listed on theorder of battle on 13 August 1940–forAdlertag.[4] It may have had the missions cancelled due to bad weather. StG 3 formed part of a major attack onThe Hardest Day, on 18 August. StG 3 sent 22 Ju 87s to attackRAF Gosport. The dive-bombers were supported by 157 Bf 109s; 70 fromJG 27; 32 fromJG 53 acting as close escort; and 55 fromJG 2 which was to sweep thePortsmouth area in advance of the main raid independently.[12]
Sigel's Ju 87s, with no air opposition, swooped onto their targets causing large-scale damage.[13] 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, 10barrage balloons were shot down and two damaged.[14]
The high losses of Ju 87 encouraged theOberkommando der Luftwaffe 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 forOperation Felix, the aborted invasion ofGibraltar throughSpain.[4]
StG 3 were possibly scouting for targets on 7 October as a reconnaissanceDornier Do 17 from Stab./StG 3 crash landed to unknown causes.[15] On 7 November 1940 first group flew dive bombing operations against shipping in theThames Estuary. They claimed one sunk and one damaged for one damaged Ju 87.[4] Leutnant Eberhard Morgenroth's Ju 87 from I./StG 3 was damaged by RAF aircraft.[16] Another attack on 8 November cost it two Ju 87s shot down.[4]Unteroffizier Friedrich Imspring's 'S7 + ML' of 3/StG 3 failed to return, as did 'S7 + EL' of 3 Staffel piloted byLeutnant Walter Kummer. A third Ju 87 from 1./StG 3 ran out of fuel and crash landed atDunkirk.[17]
In December 1940 StG 3 was ordered toTrapani inSicily. From 2–9 January 1941 it moved to airstrips on the island with only a brief pause nearStuttgart 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 toX Fliegerkorps. The wing's command was ordered to carry out attacksagainst Malta, theMediterranean Fleet, anddestroy shipping sailing between Sicily andNorth Africa, to support their Italian allyfighting in Libya. The wing was ordered to engage and destroy the British aircraft carrier,HMS Illustrious.[1] The carrier had played an important role in theBattle of Taranto and became a priority target.[18] On 7 February Georg Edert was replaced asGeschwaderkommodore. His successorKarl Christ, StG 3, ordered an attack.[18]
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 began a series of convoy operations by the British across theMediterranean Sea. 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 byAndrew Cunningham, C-in-C of the Fleet from the battleshipHMS Warspite, 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 .[19][20][21] The attack lasted six minutes;[22] killed 126 crew members and wounded 91.[23] Further damage was inflicted upon the carrier, but the Ju 87s failed to destroy her.[24] However, on 11 January 1941, 10 more Ju 87s from Christ's command were sent to sinkIllustrious. They chanced upon the light cruisersHMS Southampton andGloucester. Hits were scored on both;Southampton was so badly damaged her navy escorts scuttled her.[24]
On 28 February 1941, Stab./StG 3 transferred toFliegerführer Afrika (Air Leader Africa) in response to Hitler's decision to established theDeutsches Afrikakorps (German Africa Corps) on 20 January with GeneralErwin Rommel commanding.[25]
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.[26] 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 shipBreconshire but failed to achieve a direct hit. The ship was wrecked and sunk though its cargo was salvaged.[27]
On 1 April 1942 they sank British submarinesP36, and Pandora. A mine sweeper was also sunk and three other ships damaged. On 9 April the destroyersGallant andLance were sunk. Two days laterKingston 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 toDerna, Libya.[26] The successes against British naval units cost it half of its pre-operation strength.[28] The group carried a last bombing raid on 13 May againstRAF Hal Far.[29]
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 thePedestal convoy. The Ju 87s scored two hits on the aircraft carrierIndomitable forcing her out of action. The Germans lost two crews to her fighters. The motor vesselDorset was also sunk. It flew more attacks on the 13 and 14 August and lost one aircraft.[30] The cruiserKenya was damaged.[31] The group returned to Egypt in late August 1942.[30]
Stab./StG 3 with the assigned groups, moved to Libya, possibly near Bir Dufan southeast ofTripoli on 12 February. The command unit was operating in theSirte area by late March. It was ordered toAustria at the end of that month.[1] Wing Commander Karl Christ was given command of an ad hoc unit named "FliegerführerGraz". Under this command, were II./JG 54, equipped withMesserschmitt Bf 109s, II./StG 77, with Ju 87s, and I./JG 27 with more Bf 109s.[32] Stab./StG 3 had only three aircraft, but the command, now attached toLuftflotte 4, supported theGerman invasion of Yugoslavia. After the rapid capitulation of the country, it supported the advance toAthens, viaLarissa andCorinth. By the end of theBattle of Greece, it was based atArgos.[33]
I./StG 3 supported the invasion from bases in Belitsa,Bulgaria. The group was attached to VIII Fliegerkorps underWolfram Freiherr von Richthofen. It mustered 39 Ju 87s and supported the spearheads in northern Greece. The group bombed British forces near Servia losing two aircraft.[34]
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 atPiraeus naval base.[35] A photograph from I./StG 3 reconnaissance aircraft shows the aftermath of attacks against Allied evacuation points atMegara. The photograph shows a burning 4,000-ton tanker.[35]It has been claimed Ju 87s formed part of a strike-group against shipping which caused theSlamat disaster. StG units purportedly sank the DutchtroopshipSlamat.Costa Rica (8,085 tons),Santa Clara (13,320 tons) andUlster Prince (3,800 tons) were also sunk, with heavy loss of life.[36] Stab./StG 3 moved to Athens–Tatoi and Molaoi in preparation for theBattle of Crete.[1]
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.[37] Ju 87 units inflicted substantial losses on theRoyal Navy, though StG 3 managed only to severely damageHMS Dido andOrion, assisted by StG 77.[38] 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.[39]
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.[39]
Stab./StG 3 moved from Greece to Libya between late July and the third week of August 1941. It was based at Derna, nearTobruk. 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 atGambut in mid-September. By December they were basedMarble Arch.[40]
I./StG 3 soon arrived fromRhodes just as the British beganOperation Crusader. TheDesert Air Force 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."[41] 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.[42] Along with Britishair superiority, 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.[42]
First group supported the DAK in the failedSiege 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 atMartuba.
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 damagedP-40.[43]
The wing was expanded by incorporating I./StG 1 and II./StG 2 becoming II. and III./StG 3 (commanded byKurt Kuhlmey andWalter Enneccerus). The reorganisation occurred days before Rommel began a counter offensive which drove the British back toBenghazi. 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 holder and commander of I./StG 3 Helmut Naumann was wounded on 27 March.[44] I./StG 3 attacked Tobruk harbour on 2 April, losing two aircraft and their crews despite a strong escort from JG 27 Bf 109s.[45] On 11 April they committed 18 aircraft in attacks against motor transport near Sidi Mandur losing one and four damaged.[46]
StG 3 supported the DAK in theBattle of Bir Hakeim andBattle of Gazala. Sigel's airmen flew 1,400Sorties against Bir Hakeim.[47] I./StG 3 reported 10 or 11 Ju 87s destroyed over Gazala from 26 May to 4 June.[30] On 3 June I./StG 3 lost five destroyed and one damaged.[48] The following day it lost its commander Heinrich Eppen killed bySouth African Air Force 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.[49][50] Eppen was replaced by Hauptmann Martin Mossdorf on 5 June.[51] 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.[52]
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 cruiserBirmingham without loss.[26][53][54] The cruiser's engine and main armament were damaged.[55]
Tobruk fell on 20 June. Rommel's advance took the DAK to theQattara Depression, nearEl Alamein.[26]
II./StG 3 had only nine Ju 87s on 1 March. On 7 April the group moved toBari 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 Drescher returned to his unit but the gunner was killed. Two more were lost against theFree French fortress of Bir Hacheim which held out under dice bombing attacks for two weeks until 10 June.[51] Three days they sank a Dutch merchant ship from a Malta–Alexandria convoy (Operation Vigorous) but lost two aircraft. 6 staffel lost commanding officer Anton Ostler.[51][56] The destroyerTetcott claimed three of the 40 Ju 87s, but could not stop the destruction of the freighterAagtekirk. TheFlower-class corvettePrimula escorting the convoy was also damaged. The destroyerNestor was crippled in the attacks and had to be scuttled. StG 3 lost one aircraft.[55]
A follow-up attack on 15 June with 35 Ju 87s sank the destroyerAiredale.[57][58]Operation Harpoon, in mid-June 1942 was contested by StG 3 which sank freightersBurdwan, Chant, and tanker Tanimbar. The convoy turned back toEgypt.[54] The attack, led by Walter Sidel, may have damaged the tankerKentucky.[55] The group was based atFuka by 1 July 1942 via El Adem. I. and II./StG 3 joined the group.[59] The wing assisted in theBattle of Mersa Matruh 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-longFirst Battle of El Alamein 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 wasnothing more than a psychological instrument of terror, capable of only local and isolated destruction, ineffective against resolute troops and highly vulnerable to our fighters.[31]
Staffelkapitän of 5./StG 3, Oberleutnant Hans Drescher concluded, "the position of the English at El Alamien could no longer be penetrated."[31] II./StG 3 meanwhile exhibited a lack of activity in July and August 1942 and perhaps was resting and refitting.[57]
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.[26] The 17 July operation was intercepted by145 and73 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.[60]
By early September 1942 the wing had been equipped with Ju 87Ds. The upgrades had little effect on theBattle of Alam Halfa, which was another failed attempt to break the Allied defences at El Alamein.[61] 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.[57]
The wing maintained anti-shipping operations. On 12 September 1942 8./StG 3, of third group, and 1./LG 1 damaged the cruiserCoventry which was scuttled two days later. ThedestroyerZulu was sunk alongside it. One source states the destroyer was sunk by Italian aircraft.[62] Other sources credit StG 3.[26][63] 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.[64] III./StG 3 managed to carry out an attack over the front with 25 aircraft without loss the same day.[26]
On 23 October 1942 the British went onto the offensive beginning theSecond Battle of El Alamein. II./StG 3 was ordered to Trapani thenElmas inSardinia 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.[26][65]
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.[66] 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.[33] I./StG 3 fought on but was purportedly annihilated in the retreat—on 1 January 1943 it reported no aircraft.[30]
II./StG 3 arrived atTunis–Aouina on 9 November. It mustered 24 aircraft to opposeOperation Torch, the invasions ofMorocco andAlgeria. 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 spearheads near Tabarka, west ofBône. On 17 November it sent 15 dive bombers to attack against shipping in Bône harbour. On 20 November it moved toDjedeida. 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 betweenBéja andTestour.[57]
On the 25 November theU.S. 1st Armored Division 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.[57] German losses may have been as low as 15. The Americans suffered only two fatalities.[67] One pilot was wounded in air combat.[68] 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.[69]
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 theBattle 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.[57]
The Axis won theRun for Tunis, prolonging the North African campaign into 1943, which morphed into theBattle of Tunisia. 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.[57] 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 toTripoli. The group reported large losses to crashes and relentless RAF pressure.[26] 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.[30] Actual losses appear to have been eight, plus a reconnaissance Do 17 aircraft.[66] 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.[70]
The latter group was based at Bir Dufan underFliegerführer Afrika. 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 cruiserAjax.[57] StG 3 suffered no losses.[71] On 15 January 1943 Tripoli fell. Three days later, Ju 87s supported a 30-strong tank formation which seized thePont du Fahs but was held atBou Arada. The force turned to Djebel Mansour, but was defeated by the1st Parachute Brigade. 14 Ju 87s of II./StG 3 were able to make a daylight attack escorted by 15 Fw 190s.[72] On 21 January III./StG 3 lost three aircraft over Castel Benito in combat withNo. 92 Squadron RAF.[73]
The group moved toGabes on 1 February and on 10 February Zaghouan under Fliegerkorps Tunis. Five days later it was attached toFliegerführer 2 and limited to 9–12 sorties due to fuel shortages. The group flew in support of the5th Panzer Army at theBattle of Kasserine Pass. 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 forOperation Ochsenkopf–which ended in defeat for German forces.[74]
When the British Army began theBattle 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 theBattle 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 toSfax. 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 forSardinia. The base came under attack and from 27 to 30 April it returned to Germany having suffered heavy losses.[75]
I./StG 3 received Ju 87D-3s in Germany and transferred toBagerovo, under the command of Fliegerkorps VIII. It began active operations over theTaman Peninsula— known as theKuban bridgehead. The group suffered the loss of 10 aircraft with another three damaged. It departed the Soviet Union in June 1943, ending its participation on theEastern 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 atKonotop and assigned toLuftflotte 6, and allocated to the 1 Fliegerdivision. The group moved viaBryansk andOrel through June in preparation for Operation Zitadelle (Battle of Kursk). On 5 July it possessed 36 Ju 87D-3s and three D-1s, all of them tropicalised variants.[76] The group was assigned to support the northern pincer containing the9th Army and2nd Panzer Army.[77]
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.[78] 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.[79] 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.[80] To the 15 July only two losses were recorded, one them being 7./StG commanding officer Hauptmann Otto Patschkowski.[76] 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.[81]
On 12 July the Red Army beganOperation Kutuzov. 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 byFocke-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.[82]
On 14 July the18th Panzer Division was defeated in a tank battle against the11th Guards Army and the Soviet 5th Tank Corps raced to seizeBolkhov 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.[83] 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.[84] The air division still played a vital close air support role, instrumental in preventing the enciclement of the two northern German armies.[85] On 17 July the division flew 1,693 sorties followed by 1,100 the following day—449 were Ju 87 missions.[86] 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.[87] 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.[88]
In August 1943 III./StG 3 fought nearKharkov, Bryansk and in late September nearGomel. It moved toBagerovo in theCrimea on 2 October. From there it spent the final days of its existence fighting over theKuban bridgehead on theTaman Peninsula. On 6 October 1943 the group attacked elements of theBlack Sea Fleet comprising theLeningrad class destroyersKharkov,Besposhchadny andSposobny and sank them. On 18 October it was renamed III./SG 3.[89]
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 inoccupied Greece. Each of the units began moving into Greek bases in mid-June 1943. I./StG 3 in MEGARA A/F II./StG 3 to Argos A/F. Only third group was absent and remained in action on the Eastern Front. I./StG 3 was engaged in operations against theGreek resistance in July 1943.[51]
I. and II. Gruppe supported German forces in theBattle of Kos andBattle of Leros. I./StG 3 discovered Royal Navy forces evacuating through the Scarpanto Strait. On 7 October 18 Ju 87s dive bombed and damagedHMSPenelope.[90][51] On 9 October 18 Ju 87s of I./StG 3 dive bombed and damaged HMS CARLISLE at 12.05 hrs C_time. I. Gruppe also accounted for the destroyerPanther during the campaign; sunk by I./StG 3.[90] It supported the suppression of the33rd Infantry Division Acqui in the islands of Kefalonia and Samos in September 1943. I./StG 3 lost two Ju 87s of the 34 it reported on 1 July in this campaign to naval gunfire.[51] I./StG 3 attackedCarlisle which was damaged; the group is credited with sinkingPanther as well. The II. Gruppe StG 3 group lost 14 aircraft; two to a Greek partisan raid at Argos on 5 October.USAAFP-38s shot down a further seven on 9 October 1943 while on a long-range patrol.[91]
I. and II. Gruppe continued to support operations into November 1943 for the battle of Leros. October 18 the wing had been renamedSchlachtgeschwader 3.
