Kriegsmarine or German Navy during WWII photo gallery



BoFlGr 196 - Bord Fliegergruppe 196


KMS Deutschland-class cruiser Admiral Graf Spee

Kriegsmarine KMS Deutschland-class cruiser Admiral Graf Spee

Aircraft facilities and on-board accommodation:

Capacity: The ship can plan 1 board aircraft of type: Ar. 196 on board. Later planned for 2 aircraft on board.

Accommodation: 1 aircraft on the catapult. Centrifugal device: 1x air-powered catapult with 12 m acceleration length (amidships, rear chimney).

Takeover facility: 2 cranes (starboard and port) on the upper deck. 1x landing sail (port side) of a new type (removed on 09/05/1939), consist of: 1x rubber mat, 1x roller jib, 1x flood pier, tow line with cockpit, roller jib winch.

 

  Deployments in Spain, as far as can be proven:
Code: Aircraft type: WNr: Period: Remarks:
60D91 He 60 - 1937-1938 Spain use
60E91 He 60 - 1937-1938 Spain use

 

  Trade war in the South Atlantic from August 18, 1939 - December 17, 1939:
Code: Aircraft type: WNr: Period: Remarks:
L2X41 Ar. 196 A0 - April - May 1939 On-board aircraft on the occasion of the Atlantic trials of the Arado 196 while the fleet was traveling abroad. Board aircraft from 10th / Lehrgeschwader 2 (sea)
T3AH Ar. 196 A 1 1960014 August 00, 1939 Location: Wilhelmshaven. Transfer on board from Warnemünde. The exact time has not yet been determined.
      08/30/1939 Aircraft started for bombing exercises with active bombs and for targeting for flak.
      08/31/1939 When starting the linkage for the port landing flap, the repair time 2 days.
      09/05/1939 Landing device cut off except for pivot stump and thrown overboard.
      09/11/1939 Start to secure the intended takeover of provisions from supply ship ALTMARK. The aircraft on board sighted a fast-moving warship.
      09/13/1939 Board aircraft launched to secure the takeover of provisions and consumables from the supply ship ALTMARK.
      09/30/1939 Start to stop steamer 'CLEMENT'. When the steamer sparks, the aircraft on board opens fire with MG. Afterwards reconnaissance flown within 30 nm.
      05.10.1939 Reconnaissance flown.
      10/06/1939 Reconnaissance flown. After taking over it turns out that the engine of the aircraft is damaged.
      07.10.1939 Engine damage worse than expected. Engine crack, therefore unusable (operating hours 19). Installation of the reserve engine will take at least 2 days.
T3AH Ar. 196 A 1 1960014 10/12/1939 Aircraft clear again, badge repainted. On-board aircraft now has fantasy badges that can be mistaken for English from a distance (cockade: dirty blue-gray-blue). New identifier: T 3 - A H.
      10/16/1939 Handover of the damaged aircraft engine to supply ship ALTMARK.
      10/22/1939 Reconnaissance flight, the French steamer "TREVANION" is sighted.
      10/23/1939 Reconnaissance flight, on takeover steel vibrating line hits the propeller, which is easily damaged.
      November 9, 1939 Reconnaissance flown. After landing, a crack was found on the engine at the same point that occurred on the first engine that has since been removed. Since another engine is no longer available, the failure is permanent. The crack is bordered with a steel band and the crack is cemented with metal kit. The aircraft is expected to be clear for one flight.
      11/26/1939 The condition of the aircraft on board is only possible for the ongoing reconnaissance service if the engine is damaged.
      12/02/1939 First reconnaissance flight seen nothing. Second reconnaissance flight. Failure of the receiver of the aircraft. No radio communication with GRAF SPEE possible, therefore emergency landing at the commanded transfer point, direction finding signals sent. The hard landing damaged the port swimmer and slowly filled up. Takeover by the ship.
      December 04, 1939 After replacing the BB float and repairing the receiver on 05.12. be ready for use again.
      December 10, 1939 Reconnaissance flown.
      December 11, 1939 Reconnaissance flown. The aircraft's engine block breaks as a result of a hard landing. The damage cannot be repaired with on-board resources, so the aircraft must be regarded as having failed. It is taken apart so that a dummy chimney can later be built on the catapult.
      12/12/1939 The dismantling work on the aircraft continues. The engine, the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, the landing flaps and the connections have been removed. FT system is expanded.
      12/13/1939 During the battle in front of the Rio de Plata, the ship was hit amidships by an 8 inch English grenade. Uffz. Heinrich Bongards and Ob.Gefr. Hans-Edurad Sümmerer from the on-board flying command. The plane burned out.
      December 17,1939 Total loss of the aircraft due to the ship sinking.

 



Luftwaffe crews and technical ground staff aboard Admiral Graf Spee
Trade war in the South Atlantic from August 18, 1939 - December 17, 1939:
Position: Rank/Name: On board: From board: Remarks:
1. Air officer / observer Obltn. (M) Detlef Spiering ?? December 17, 1939 Interned, returned to Germany on June 5th, 1940.
Pilot Uffz. Heinrich Bongards ?? † December 13th, 1939 Killed in the battle off the Rio de Plata.
Ground staff: Rank/Name: On board: From board: Remarks:
1. Board attendant Uffz. Werner Grotzki ?? December 17, 1939 Interned, returned to Germany on October 25, 1940.
Wait H.Gefr. Josef Schmailzl ?? December 17, 1939 Interned, returned to Germany on October 25, 1940.
Wait H.Gefr. Heinrich Scholing ?? December 17, 1939 Interned.
mechanic Ob.Fr. Hans-Eduard Sümmerer ?? † December 13th, 1939 Killed in the battle off the Rio de Plata.
Wait Ob.Fr. Oswald Gertler ?? December 17, 1939 Interned.

Operation Donnerkeil

Admiral Graf Spee photo collection

NHHC Admiral Graf Spee photo collection

NHHC photo NH 80973 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Underway in the English Channel. The original print is dated April 1939. Note the Arado Ar 196A-1 floatplane on her catapult, amidships, and the freighter passing by in the background U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 50268 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Photographed from USS Wyoming (AG-17) at Kiel, Germany, during the U.S. Naval Academy 1937 Midshipmen's cruise. Note the canvas covered anti-aircraft gunnery rangefinder in the right foreground. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 59657 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Anchored off Montevideo, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 59658 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Anchored off Montevideo, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. Note her camouflage. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 59656 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) At anchor in Montevideo harbor, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. Note the German naval flag flying above her after rangefinder. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 104024 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Fine screen halftone reproduction of a photograph of the ship's forward 28cm/52 (eleven-inch) triple gun turret, taken circa 1939. This image was published in the contemporary booklet Deutsche Seemacht. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 104023 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Steaming in the English Channel, April 1939. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 81110 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Moored in harbor, circa 1936-1937. Note the coat of arms mounted on her bow. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 81108 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Underway in the English Channel, August 1939. Note the high-wing single engine airplane flying past in the foreground. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 81737 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Underway in the English Channel in August 1939, prior to reaching the Atlantic in preparation for prospective wartime commerce-raiding operations. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 80897 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) In European waters in mid-1939, prior to her departure for the south Atlantic. An Arado Ar 196A-1 floatplane, one of the first of its type to enter German Navy service, is visible on Admiral Graf Spee's catapult, just forward of the ship's after main battery rangefinder. Note the triple eleven-inch gun turret. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 50958 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Ship's Number Four 15cm/55 gun mount (second gun in the forward port side group), photographed on board her wreck on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, of USS Helena (CL-50). Twin gun barrels in the upper left are those of the ship's Number Two 10.5cm/65 anti-aircraft gun mount. Admiral Graf Spee had been scuttled in December 1939 in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 50959 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Ship's Number Two 10.5cm/65 twin anti-aircraft gun mount (port side, amidships), photographed on board her wreck on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, of USS Helena (CL-50). The shield of her Number Four 15cm/55 gun is partially visible in the lower right. Her port side crane is in the upper left. Admiral Graf Spee had been scuttled in December 1939 in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 80976 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) View of the after part of the ship's superstructure, port side, taken while she was in Montevideo harbor, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. Note the burned-out remains of an Arado Ar 196A-1 floatplane on the ship's catapult and the German naval ensign flying from the mast mounted atop the after rangefinder. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 80974 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Seen from astern, while underway in the English Channel. The original print is dated April 1939. Note the armored torpedo tubes on her after deck, triple 28cm gun turret and the Arado Ar 196A-1 floatplane on her catapult, amidships. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 59663 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Close-up view of the port side of the ship's forward superstructure, taken at Montevideo, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. A shell hole in the tower side plating is visible aft of the searchlight platform. Note the ship's pattern camouflage, antenna of a Seetakt radar mounted on the face of the main battery rangefinder, foremast and 15cm broadside guns. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 59661 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) View of the ship's port side, amidships, taken while she was at anchor in Montevideo harbor, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. Note the burned-out remains of an Arado Ar 196A-1 floatplane atop the ship's catapult, 15cm broadside guns, boat and aircraft crane, secondary gun battery director (at left), and damage to her side plating from shell fragments. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 59662 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) View of the ship's forward superstructure, starboard side, taken while she was off Montevideo, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. Note the shell fragment scars in her side plating, and the antenna of a Seetakt radar mounted on the face of her main battery gun director (top center). U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 51986-A Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Photograph of a shell hole in the ship's forward superstructure tower, made by an eight-inch shell fired by the British heavy cruser Exeter. The hole was described as large enough to crawl through. Taken on board the ship's wreck in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay, where she had been scuttled in December 1939. Photographed on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, for an intelligence report prepared by USS Helena (CL-50) during her shakedown cruise to South America. See Photo # NH 51986 for the entire page on which this photograph was mounted. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 51987-A Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Photograph of the interior of the ship's forward superstructure tower, showing damage caused by an eight-inch shell fired by the British heavy cruser Exeter during the Battle of the River Plate. Cut wires and the absence of a fire control tube were noted on the original report in which this image appeared. See Photo # NH 51986 for an external view of this shell hit. Taken on board the ship's wreck in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay, where she had been scuttled in December 1939. Photographed on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, for an intelligence report prepared by USS Helena (CL-50) during her shakedown cruise to South America. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 51977 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Ship's wreck in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay, where she had been scuttled in December 1939. Page from an intelligence report prepared by USS Helena (CL-50) during her shakedown cruise to South America, with a near overall view of the wreck and an annotated sketch identifying features seen. The photograph was taken on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN. See Photo # NH 51977-A for a cropped version of this image, showing only the photograph. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 51980-A Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Photograph looking toward the bow from atop the forward 28cm (11-inch) triple gun turret, showing the main deck awash. Taken on board the ship's wreck in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay, where she had been scuttled in December 1939. Note her starboard list. Photographed on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, for an intelligence report prepared by USS Helena (CL-50) during her shakedown cruise to South America. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 51977-A Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Ship's wreck in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay, where she had been scuttled in December 1939. Photographed on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, for an intelligence report prepared by USS Helena (CL-50) during her shakedown cruise to South America. See Photo # NH 51977 for the entire page on which this photograph was mounted. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 51992-A Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Photograph of the ship's starboard (Number One) 10.5cm/65 anti-aircraft gun mount, seen from the after end of the forward superstructure. Her partially collapsed smokestack is seen at right, with a siren on its upper face. A mounting for a 20mm machine gun is visible (center) on the smokestack's searchlight platform. Taken on board the ship's wreck in the River Plate, near Montevideo, Uruguay, where she had been scuttled in December 1939. Photographed on 2 February 1940 by Ensign Richard D. Sampson, USN, for an intelligence report prepared by USS Helena (CL-50) during her shakedown cruise to South America. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo 242-HB-6823 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Launching, at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, on 30 June 1934. Note flags bearing the National Socialist emblem, and stiff-arm salutes being given by most of those present. Photographed by Hoffman. Photograph from the Hoffman collection in the U.S. National Archives.

NHHC photo UA 39.01 LT J.R. Johnson Collection Admiral Graf Spee: Seven negatives of the scuttling of German battleship Admiral Graf Spee in Montevideo, December 18, 1939.

NHHC photo NH 80978 German Naval Review, August 1938: The battleship Gneisenau leads a warship column during the review. Following her are the three armored ships Admiral Graf Spee, Admiral Scheer and Deutschland (listed in order) and several smaller cruisers. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NHHC photo NH 83001 Admiral Graf Spee: (German Armored Ship, 1936) Ship's starboard bow, taken while she was at Montevideo, Uruguay in mid-December 1939, following the Battle of the River Plate. The notation The 'Moustache' refers to the false bow wave painted on Admiral Graf Spee's bows. The original photograph came from Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's World War II history project working files. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

NH 86397-KN Battle of the River Plate, 13 December 1939: Watercolor by Edward Tufnell, RN (Retired), depicting the cruisers HMS Exeter (foreground) and HMNZS Achilles (right center background) in action with the German armored ship Admiral Graf Spee (right background). Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC. Donation of Melvin Conant, 1969. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

 

 Warnemünde Germany Map

 Mosjoen harbor Norway Map

 

    Citations: +

  1. Horst H. Geerken (9 June 2017). Hitler's Asian Adventure. BoD – Books on Demand. pp. 375–376. ISBN 978-3-7386-3013-8.
  2. Sivertsen 1999: 105, 115–122
  3. Sivertsen 1999: 122
  4. Kotelnikov, V. Stalin's Captives article in Fly Past magazine, February 2017 pp102-4
  5. Frank Joseph, The Axis Air Forces: Flying in Support of the German Luftwaffe, ABC-CLIO, 2011, p. 166
  6. Smithsonian: National Air and Space Museum: Arado Ar 196
  7. HCWinters (12 June 2013). 'USA leihen Arado an das MFG aus'. Cuxhavener Nachrichten.
  8. 'Kriegsflugzeug kehrt nach Deutschland zurück'. Die Welt.
  9. Bardanis, Manolis; Lino, von Garzten. 'Die Geschichte der Arado 196 von Herakleaia' (PDF). naxosdiving.com. Naxos Diving.
  10. Sharpe, Michael. Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes Airplanes, pg.41. London, England: Fruriedman/Fairfax Books, 2000. ISBN 1-58663-300-7.

    Bibliography: +

  • Dabrowski, Hans-Peter and Koos, Volker. Arado Ar 196, Germany's Multi-Purpose Seaplane. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 1993. ISBN 0-88740-481-2.
  • Ledwoch, Janusz. Arado 196 (Militaria 53) (in Polish). Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Militaria, 1997. ISBN 83-86209-87-9.
  • Sivertsen, Svein Carl (ed.) (1999). Jageren Sleipner i Romsdalsfjord sjøforsvarsdistrikt April 1940 (in Norwegian). Hundvåg: Sjømilitære Samfund ved Norsk Tidsskrift for Sjøvesen.

    Magazine References: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

    Web References: +

  • Wikipedia.org - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_196
  • Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cruiser_Admiral_Graf_Spee
  • NHHC - https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/search.html?q=Admiral+Graf+Spee&start=0
  • Axel Kleckers and Christian Grams site - http://www.luftwaffe-zur-see.de/Seeluft/196%20Bordfliegergruppe/Bkdo_Graf%20Spee.htm

 

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This webpage was updated 11th November 2020