German Flak Organization

[HenFre]

JG26_EZ Nice find Farber. The only things that I disagree with is that the commandpost II is in the middle of the firing position and not commmandpost I. Commandpost I is located a few hundred meters outside the firing position. Below is a goggle translation of the most important information from the following link:

http://www.relikte.com/brm_flak/index.htm

"The schematic structure of a heavy anti-aircraft battery 8.8 cm in the early days of the war:

Command Post I: It is located a few hundred meters offset from the firing position and includes the predictor (KdoGer 36) with the Meßtrupp I, the battery commander and the Meßoffizier.
Command Post II: It is the Meßtrupp II and commanded auxiliary device (KdoHilfsGer 35) in the middle of the firing position and takes on the fire line if Command Post I fails.
Firing position: It forms the basic shape of a square. The average distance of the Command Post II to the individual guns is 70 to 80 m.
Radio station: The 100-W radio station is laterally offset from the firing position. It turned to flight reporting frequency and listen to the air situation reports to provide a warning when enemy planes approached."

Also note the distance between the guns and Command Post II is 70 to 80 meters and the 2 cm flak is placed between the firing position and the Command Post I.

[csThor]

Don't take that too literally as it is based upon the static batteries of the Reich Defense. Closer to the front, especially in fluid situations which are so dominant in a war of movement, the battery would be set up with just the basics. That means the four guns, the generator and the Kommandogerät.

[HenFre]

csThor: Did not know that Thor, thanks. But dont you think that the frontline in BOB is somewhat fixed and therefore the before mentioned lineup apply?

[JG26_EZ]

lol great!

I spend an hour or two in the FMB building a command station for my 3 groups of 6 AA guns, and come back to find that my measurements are all incorrect? hehe AAhhh the joys of building missions on the fly.

Thanks for the info gentlemen.

[csThor]

I was talking in the general sense since the next installment will feature a non-static frontline setting.

EDIT: It is very likely that the 20mm guns were removed from batteries stationed in Germany. I have not yet managed to find a comprehensive overview over the Luftwaffe Flak Regiments (those that exclusively operated the 88m guns until 1942) since their composition was never the same across the whole board.

[schilla22]

HenFre, those are diagrams are based on units for 1943 correct?

I found some documents tonight for Motorized Flak Battalions via May 1940. Only gives figures for Light AA Companies tho. Will post the information when i get a chance.

[HenFre]

@schilla22: The 8,8 cm Flakbatterie is from 1943 and based on the way the army has organised the unit. Here is a link:

http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/kstn17111nov43.htm

There should not be a significant difference between the units of 1943 and 1940 from what I have been able to find on the internet.

The 2 cm Flakbatterie is based on the Luftwaffes own organisation and this is how it looked in august 1940. Here is another link:

http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/kstn2201lw1aug40.html

Looking forward to seeing the info you have

[schilla22]

I found a web site tons of TO&Es. However its like finding a needle in a hay stack (over 8 hours and only up to about 1942). Still haven't located much information on Flak Regiments, or Heavy Flak Battalions etc. So cannot give any information on 8,8 cm Flak units.

Your info is spot on via that site for Gliederung according to a recently found Equipment list for that specific unit. Also found a later war list for 1944.

I found a PDF "Organization of the Motorized Flak Battalions
10 May 1940" (google search that and you should find it, if not can prob email or PM it)

There are 2 different types of Battalions listed. The first is almost the same as Gliederung. Except that a few misc vehicles are missing or added. But there are 3 Platoons of 4 guns, instead of 4 with 3 guns.

This is for the following Flak Battalions: 31st /46th /47/48/52/55/59/66

The 2nd Example is roughly 3 times larger. In this Battalion there are 3-4 Companies of 3 Platoons, each with 4 guns.

This template applies to 601st through 606th Flak Battalions.

You have me extremely interested in this subject matter. And thinking about doing a few diagrams myself similar to yours for the FMB community if you don't mind. Currently looking into motorized and armor divisions.

[HenFre]

@schilla22: The Flak unit described in the PDF has the Flak on Halftracks like this:

http://albumwar2.com/images/stories/...fz.%2010.4.jpg

So it is a motorised unit, which I suppose are used to support the panzerbattalions.

The unit that I have in my post is a towed Flak like this:

http://ww2db.com/images/weapon_flak38_16.jpg

But maybe the organisation of the 2 cm Flak batterie was changed in august of 1940, hence the new KSTN?? Could be that the change was in the number of platoons and the number of guns in each platoon.

Where have you found tons of KSTN? Same site as I am referring to?

Looking forward to seeing your diagrams and what you dig up

[5./JG27.Farber]

Originally Posted by HenFre

JG26_EZ Nice find Farber. The only things that I disagree with is that the commandpost II is in the middle of the firing position and not commmandpost I.

Merely a case or terminology from 2 different Sources...


As for the distances I am only quoting Dr Alfred Price's book - 1939-1945 Luftwaffe Handbook. I converted them from yards. I am just repeating what they said.

I think another thing to remember is that FLAK Batterien as with all things both British and German are not forced to be at full complement/strength... The British had left a large propotion of the weapons in Dunkirk and the Germans were still racing to expand across the board.