1/KG53 He111 and V1 air launched bomb

Hi – I think the intended target was Manchester for the Chrismas eve 1944 V1s, but air launching them proved highly inaccurate and several on this night were carrying leaflets including supposed POW letters which the Germans hoped would generate replies to the POWs concerned, which would then give them clues as to where they came down!!! Ingenious! I have investigated two of the impact sites and found a large section of the tail at one + a local who had one of the leaflets and a reduced size copy of “Signal” Hitler’s colour propaganda magazine – he lent me them to copy but would not part with them.

A good source on this and other air launched “raids” is: Air-Launched Doodlebugs: Hitler’s V 1 Missiles and 111/Kampfgeschwader 3 and 53 by Peter J. Smith

much apreciated info thanks !!

Hi – I think the intended target was Manchester for the Chrismas eve 1944 V1s, but air launching them proved highly inaccurate and several on this night were carrying leaflets including supposed POW letters which the Germans hoped would generate replies to the POWs concerned, which would then give them clues as to where they came down!!! Ingenious! I have investigated two of the impact sites and found a large section of the tail at one + a local who had one of the leaflets and a reduced size copy of “Signal” Hitler’s colour propaganda magazine – he lent me them to copy but would not part with them.

A good source on this and other air launched “raids” is: Air-Launched Doodlebugs: Hitler’s V 1 Missiles and 111/Kampfgeschwader 3 and 53 by Peter J. Smith

The unit code for all KG53 aircraft was A1, and the code letter for I/KG53 would have been H as far as my research shows. So the aircraft in question would have been A1+?H, the third digit being specific to the aircraft.

Could you give some details of the incident you refer to, eg. date and location? With the wealth of the knowledge on here it may be possible to pin down an individual aircraft and/or crew.

it was the christmass eve raid 1944 on north west england the aircraft i would like is the one that the v1 doodlebug hit tottington villiage

another hit from the same raid was in oldham

it caused confusion at the time because they thaught they were over fueled ones that should have hit london

it was later found out because we had captured the launch sites they had started air launching the doodlebug !!

doubtfull for a spot on individual aircraft identity but within the group would be ideal !! terrific if a single aircraft is identified though

The unit code for all KG53 aircraft was A1, and the code letter for I/KG53 would have been H as far as my research shows. So the aircraft in question would have been A1+?H, the third digit being specific to the aircraft.

Could you give some details of the incident you refer to, eg. date and location? With the wealth of the knowledge on here it may be possible to pin down an individual aircraft and/or crew.

The link below leads to a build article of a 1:48 scale He111H-22, finished in the colours of II/KG53. As far as I’m aware, the colours on this aircraft would also have been applied to a I/KG53 aircraft.

http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/axis/luft/bioll111.htm

thanks for that , they are the colours i suspected

how would the codes differ for 1/kg53 ??

The link below leads to a build article of a 1:48 scale He111H-22, finished in the colours of II/KG53. As far as I’m aware, the colours on this aircraft would also have been applied to a I/KG53 aircraft.

http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/axis/luft/bioll111.htm