Kampfgeschwader 3 'Blitz'

Geschwaderkommodoren:

• Oberst Wolfgang von Chamier-Glisczinski, 1 May 1939 - Sep 1941
• Oberst Heinrich Conrady, Sep 1941 - Nov 1942
• Oberst Erich Rathmann (acting), 1942
• Maj Jobst-Hinrich von Heydebreck, Nov 1942 - 3 Jan 1943
• Obstlt Walter Lehwess-Litzmann, Jan 1943 - 7 Sep 1943
• Maj Fritz Auffhammer, 23 Sep 1943 - Jul 1944

Stab:

Formed 1 May 1939 in Heiligenbeil from Stab/KG153. A Stabs-Staffel existed Apr 1940 - Aug 1944.

Disbanded Jul 1944.

Airfields and Air Base Locations

Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
May 1939 - Oct 1939	Elbing		Do 17Z
Oct 1939 - Jun 1940	Würzburg		Do 17Z
Jun 1940 - Mar 1941	Le Culot		Do 17Z
Mar 1941 - May 1941	Wunstorf		Do 17Z, Ju 88A
May 1941 - Jun 1941	Le Culot		Ju 88A
Jun 1941 - Jul 1941	Deblin-Irena		Ju 88A
Jul 1941 - Aug 1941	Orscha		Ju 88A
Sep 1941 - Feb 1942	Schatalowka		Ju 88A
Feb 1942 - Jun 1942	Dno		Ju 88A
Jun 1942 - Jul 1942	Orscha		Ju 88A
Jul 1942 - Dec 1942	Schatalowka		Ju 88A
Dec 1942 - Mar 1943	Saporoshje		Ju 88A
Mar 1943 - Jul 1943	Munstter-Handorf(?)		Ju 88A
Jul 1943 - Aug 1943	Poltawa		Ju 88A
Aug 1943 - Oct 1943	Kirowograd		Ju 88A
Oct 1943 - Dec 1943	Kalinowka		Ju 88A
Dec 1943 - 15 May 1944	Terespol		Ju 88A
15 May 1944 - 2 Jun 1944	Baranowitschi		Ju 88A
2 Jun 1944 - 9 Jul 1944	Burg		Ju 88A
9 Jul 1944 - 20 Jul 1944	Altenburg		Ju 88A

I. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Obstlt Rudolf Gabelmann, 1 Mar 1940 - 23 Jul 1940
• Maj Wilhelm-Georg von Kunowski, 23 Jul 1940 - 5 Aug 1940
• Obstlt Carl Freiherr von Wechmar, 5 Aug 1940 - 1941
• Maj Heinze, 1941 - 12 Jul 1941
• Hptm Hans Bader, 12 Jul 1941 - Oct 1941
• Hptm Ernst Nitsche (acting), Oct 1941
• Obstlt Fridtjof Pasquay, Oct 1941 - 25 Nov 1941
• Hptm Heinz Laube, Dec 1941 - Nov 1942
• Maj Joachim Jödicke, 14 Nov 1942 - 15 Apr 1944
• Obstlt Bernhard von Dobschütz, 15 Apr 1944 - Jul 1944

Formed 1 Mar 1940 in Burg-Magdeburg with:

Stab I./KG3 new
1./KG3 new



2./KG3 new

3./KG3 new

Disbanded Jul 1944.

Airfields and Air Base Locations

Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
Mar 1940 - Apr 1940	Burg		Do 17Z
Apr 1940 - Jun 1940	Aschaffenburg		Do 17Z
Jun 1940 - Mar 1941	Le Culot		Do 17Z
Mar 1941 - May 1941	Wunstorf		Do 17Z, Ju 88A
May 1941 - Jun 1941	Le Culot		Ju 88A
Jun 1941 - Jul 1941	Deblin-Irena		Ju 88A
Jul 1941 - Aug 1941	Orscha		Ju 88A
Aug 1941 - Dec 1941	Schatalowka		Ju 88A
Dec 1941 - Feb 1942	Munstter-Handorf		Ju 88A
Feb 1942 - Jun 1942	Dno		Ju 88A
Jun 1942 - Dec 1942	Schatalowka		Ju 88A
Dec 1942 - Mar 1943	Saporoshje		Ju 88A
Mar 1943 - Jul 1943	Munstter-Handorf		Ju 88A
Jul 1943 - Aug 1943	Poltawa		Ju 88A
Aug 1943 - Oct 1943	Kirowograd		Ju 88A
Oct 1943 - Dec 1943	Kalinowka		Ju 88A
Dec 1943 - 1 Apr 1944	Terespol		Ju 88A
1 Apr 1944 - 15 May 1944	Biala-Podlaska		Ju 88A
15 May 1944 - 2 Jun 1944	Baranowitschi		Ju 88A
2 Jun 1944 - Jun 1944	Altenburg		Ju 88A

II. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Oberst Viktor Seebauer, 1 May 1939 - 1 Jul 1939
• Obstlt Erich Munske, 1 Jul 1939 - 1 Apr 1940 
• Obstlt Albrecht Jahn, 1 Apr 1940 - 16 May 1940
• Hptm Otto Pilger, 16 May 1940 - 7 Jan 1941
• Hptm Johannes Hübner, 7 Jan 1941 - 1941
• Hptm Kurt Peters, 1941 - 21 Dec 1941
• Maj Waldemar Krüger, Dec 1941 - 22 May 1942
• Maj Günther Dörffel, May 1942 - 29 Oct 1942
• Maj Jurgen de Lalande, 29 Oct 1943 - 20 Oct 1943
• Hptm Willi Muller, 20 Oct 1943 - Jul 1944

Formed 1 May 1939 in Heiligenbeil from II./KG153 with:

Stab II./KG3 from Stab II./KG153
4./KG3 from 4./KG153



5./KG3 from 5./KG153
6./KG3 from 6./KG153

Disbanded Jul 1944.

Airfields and Air Base Locations

Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
May 1939 - Oct 1939	Heiligenbeil		Do 17Z
Oct 1939 - Jun 1940	Schweinfurt		Do 17Z
Jun 1940 - Mar 1941	Antwerpen-Deurne		Do 17Z
Mar 1941 - May 1941	Oldenburg		Do 17Z, Ju 88A
May 1941 - Jun 1941	Le Culot		Ju 88A
Jun 1941 - Aug 1941	Deblin-Irena		Ju 88A
Jul 1941 - Aug 1941	Bojary(?)		Ju 88A
Aug 1941 - Aug 1941	Orscha		Ju 88A
Aug 1941 - Feb 1942	Schatalowka		Ju 88A
Feb 1942 - Jun 1942	Orscha-Süd		Ju 88A
Jun 1942 - Dec 1942	Schatalowka		Ju 88A
Dec 1942 - Apr 1943	Posen(?)		Ju 88A
Apr 1943 - Jul 1943	Poltawa		Ju 88A
Aug 1943 - Sep 1943	Kirowograd		Ju 88A
Sep 1943 - Dec 1943	Orscha-Süd		Ju 88A
Dec 1943 - 17 May 1944	Terespol		Ju 88A
17 May 1944 - 4 Jun 1944	Baranowitschi		Ju 88A
4 Jun 1944 - 9 Jul 1944	Burg		Ju 88A
9 Jul 1944 - 20 Jul 1944	Lübeck-Blankensee		Ju 88A

III. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Obstlt Hans Grund, 1 May 1939 - 1 Jul 1939
• Obstlt Karl Neuhüttler, 1 Jul 1939 - 2 Mar 1940
• Oberst Albrecht Jahn, 2 Mar 1940 - 1 Apr 1940
• Maj Wilhelm-Georg von Kunowski, 1 Apr 1940 - 21 May 1940
• Hptm Erich Rathmann, 21 May 1940 - Sep 1941
• Maj Wladimir Graowaes, Sep 1941 - 7 Dec 1941
• Hptm Ernst-Wilhelm Ihrig, 7 Dec 1941 - 30 Nov 1942
• Hptm Siegfried Jungklaus, Dec 1942 - 22 Apr 1943
• Maj Horst Bengsch, 18 May 1943 - Feb 1944
• Hptm Martin Vetter, Feb 1944 - Sep 1944

Formed 1 May 1939 in Heiligenbeil from III./KG153 with:

Stab III./KG3 from Stab III./KG153
7./KG3 from 7./KG153
8./KG3 from 8./KG153
9./KG3 from 9./KG153

In Feb 1944 redesignated I./NJG7 with :

Stab III./KG3 became Stab I./NJG7
7./KG3 became 1./NJG7
8./KG3 became 2./NJG7
9./KG3 became 3./NJG7

Reformed Feb 1944 in Germany from II./KG51 with:

Stab III./KG3 from Stab II./KG51
7./KG3 from 4./KG51
8./KG3 from 5./KG51
9./KG3 from 6./KG51

Used for for airborne V1 launchings. On 9 Sep 1944 redesignated I./KG53 with :

Stab III./KG3 became Stab I./KG53



7./KG3 became 1./KG53



8./KG3 became 2./KG53



9./KG3 became 3./KG53

Airfields and Air Base Locations

Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
May 1939 - Oct 1939	Heiligenbeil		Do 17Z
Oct 1939 - Jun 1940	Würzburg		Do 17Z
Jun 1940 - 28 Mar 1941	St. Trond		Do 17Z
28 Mar 1941 - 13 Apr 1941	Münchendorf		Do 17Z
13 Apr 1941 - 14 Apr 1941	Skoplje		Do 17Z
14 Apr 1941 - 23 Apr 1941	Krumovo		Do 17Z
23 Apr 1941 - 29 Apr 1941	Saloniki		Do 17Z
29 Apr 1941 - Jun 1941	Athens-Tatoi		Do 17Z
Jun 1941 - 26 Jun 1941	Suwalki		Do 17Z
26 Jun 1941 - 9 Jul 1941	Dubowo		Do 17Z
9 Jul 1941 - 1 Aug 1941	Parafjanowo		Do 17Z
1 Aug 1941 - 30 Aug 1941	Wereteni		Do 17Z
30 Aug 1941 - 1 Oct 1941	Rjelbitzy		Do 17Z
1 Oct 1941 - Nov 1941	Witebsk		Do 17Z
Nov 1941 - Dec 1941	Wjasma		Do 17Z
Nov 1941 - May 1942	Gütersloh		Do 17Z, Ju 88A
May 1942 - Jun 1942	Orscha		Ju 88A
Jul 1942 - Dec 1942	Schatalowka-Ost		Ju 88A
Dec 1942 - Jan 1943	Starobelsk		Ju 88A
Jan 1943 - Mar 1943	Tschugujew(?)		Ju 88A
Mar 1943 - May 1943	Saporoshje-Ost		Ju 88A
May 1943 - Jun 1943	Poltawa		Ju 88A
Jun 1943 - Aug 1943	Konotop		Ju 88A
Aug 1943 - Jan 1944	Munstter-Handorf		Ju 88A
Jan 1944 - 26 Mar 1944	Lublin		Ju 88A
26 Mar 1944 - 21 Jun 1944	Grieslienen		Ju 88A, He 111H
21 Jun 1944 - 25 Jun 1944	Rheine		He 111H
25 Jun 1944 - 28 Jun 1944	Hesepe		He 111H
28 Jun 1944 - 9 Sep 1944	Venlo*		He 111H

* 9./KG3 at Eindhoven (28 Jun 1944 - 30 Jun 1944) and at Gilze Rijen (30 Jun 1944 - 3 Sep 1944)

IV. Gruppe:

IV.(Erg.)/KG3

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Maj Wilhelm von Kunowski, Aug 1940 - Sep 1940
• Olt Hans Claussen, Sep 1940 - Apr 1941
• Hptm Waldemar Krüger, Apr 1941 - 30 Sep 1941
• Maj Erich Rathmann, 1 Oct 1941 - 14 Sep 1942
• Maj Jurgen de Lalande, 15 Sep 1942 - 24 Oct 1942
• Maj Paul Breu, 25 Oct 1942 - 31 May 1944
• Maj Joachim Jödicke, 1 Jun 1944 - 18 Aug 1944

Formed Aug 1940 in Le Culot (Erg.Staffel/KG3). In Apr 1941 expanded to IV.(Erg.)/KG3:

Stab IV./KG3 new
10./KG3 from Erg.Sta./KG3
11./KG3 new
12./KG3 new

13./KG3 was probably formed Sep 1943 in Heiligenbeil, but was disbanded in the same year.

IV./KG3 was disbanded 18 Aug 1944.

Airfields and Air Base Locations

Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
Aug 1940 - Mar 1941	Le Culot		Do 17, Ju 88A
Mar 1941 - Jan 1943	Chievres*		Do 17, Ju 88A
Jan 1943 - Jul 1943	Istres		Ju 88A
Jul 1943 - Aug 1944	Heiligenbeil		Ju 88A

* 12./KG3 at Eindhoven, May 1941 - Mar 1942

10. (kroat.)/KG3:

Formed Aug 1941 in Greifswald.

In Jul 1942 redesignated 15. (kroat.)/KG53.

Airfields and Air Base Locations

Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
Aug 1941 - Oct 1941	Greifswald		Do 17Z
Oct 1941 - Mar 1942	Vitebsk		Do 17Z
Mar 1942 - Jul 1942	Agram		Do 17Z

Bomber operations over the Eastern Front 1941-42

Officially designated '15.(Kroatische)/KG 53'., the bomber squadron was equipped with Dornier Do 17Z aircraft. It arrived on the Eastern Front on 25 October 1941, after training at the Grosse Kampfflieger Schule 3, in Greifswald, Germany. Their first area of operations was near Vitebsk. The rest of the Bomber Squadron's assignments were in the Northern Sector of the Eastern Front, including the bombing of Leningrad and Moscow. On 9 November 1941, the Squadron was congratulated by Fieldmarshall Kesselring for its actions thus far. After flying some 1,500 sorties on the Eastern Front, the Squadron and its aircraft were re-deployed to Croatia in December 1942, to help combat the growing Yugoslav Partisan threat to the Axis foces on the Yugoslav Front.

Bomber operations over Croatia 1943-45

Upon its return the Legion's bomber squadron was redesignated 1./(Kroat.)KG after having flown its nine Dornier Do 17Z bombers from Russia back to Croatia. The Dorniers proved a welcome addition to the strike power of the Axis forces fighting the Yugoslav Partisans on the Yugoslav Front right up to the end of July 1944, when it was incorporated into the ZNDH. In late 1943, a second squadron, 2./(Kroat.)KG was formed to provide operational training. It was equipped with Italian designed and built CANT Z.1007 and Fiat BR.20 bombers.

14.(Eis)/KG3:

Formed 1 Feb 1944 in Orscha from 9./KG1 and parts of 6./KG3.

Disbanded Oct 1944.

Airfields and Air Base Locations

Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
Feb 1944 - 9 Mar 1944	Orscha		Ju 88A/C
9 Mar 1944 - 10 Jun 1944	Bobruisk		Ju 88A/P
10 Jun 1944 - 27 Jun 1944	Puchowitschi		Ju 88A/P
27 Jun 1944 - 1 Jul 1944	Pinsk		Ju 88A
1 Jul 1944 - 15 Jul 1941	Terespol		Ju 88A
15 Jul 1941 - 28 Jul 1944	Padlowka		Ju 88A
28 Jul 1944 - 8 Sep 1944	Kroszewo		Ju 88A
8 Sep 1944 - Oct 1944	Graudenz		Ju 88A

Flughafenbetriebskompanien der KG3

• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, Stab/KG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, I./KG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, II./KG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, III./KG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, IV./KG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, 9./KG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, 14./KG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, 15./KG3