Coastal Command's Aerial Adversaries

[Dakota Roo]

So...I'm working my way through my stash by selecting out and assembling those which were used by Coastal Command during the struggle for the Atlantic during the Second World War. I'm well aware of the role which the Focke Wulf FW-200 Condor played, what with Churchill branding it the 'Scourage of the Atlantic', but I'm curious as to what other aircraft the Luftwaffe was sending up to meet the Coastal Command craft over the Bay of Biscay, the North Sea and the Baltic. I figure that the Heinkel He-115 was a sure bet, being stationed in Norway. I've run across specific references to the Luftwaffe providing air coverage with Junkers Ju-88C heavy fighters to escort submarines leaving the Biscay ports.

Can I expect that the other craft which the Luftwaffe utilized along the Atlantic seaboard were a mix of seaplanes like the Dornier Do-18 and Do-26, and other land-based, long-distance craft like the Junkers Ju-89 Seeadler, servicing the communications and replenishment of the submarine wolf packs, while shoreline attacks were left to a mix of land-based Me-109s and Fw-190s? Or, did the Germans make use of the Me-110s or other heavy fighters to provide cover against the mixed bag craft of Coastal Command and the FAA? Did the Luftwaffe utilize reconnaisance craft along the Bay/Channel front, or use fighter craft for such?

[markmarples]

i believe the Arado 196 was employed

"The plane was loved by its pilots, who found it handled well both in the air and on the water. With the loss of the German surface fleet, the A-1s were added to coastal squadrons and continued to fly reconnaissance missions and submarine hunts into late 1944. Two notable operations were the capture of HMS Seal, and the repeated interception of RAF Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley bombers. Although it was no match for a fighter, it was considerably better than its Allied counterparts, and generally considered the best of its class. Owing to its good handling on water, the Finnish Air Force utilized Ar 196s just for transporting and supplying special forces patrols behind enemy lines, landing on small lakes in remote areas. Several fully equipped soldiers were carried in the fuselage."

[Dakota Roo]

Thanks, Mark!

I had suspected something similar with the Ar-196 and had run across a reference to Ar-196 attacks on CC Whitleys, but I didn't know that they'd been restationed to coastal bases.

I just finished building out my Ar-196!

[Chris L]

Thanks, Mark!

I had suspected something similar with the Ar-196 and had run across a reference to Ar-196 attacks on CC Whitleys, but I didn't know that they'd been restationed to coastal bases.

I just finished building out my Ar-196!

Let's not forget the Blohm und Voss BV 138 's

Cheers, Christian

[agboak]

If you are looking to the Norwegian Sea and the Arctic, then the He115 and BV138. The He115 and Do18 were used over the North Sea early on, but soon withdrawn and replaced by Ju88s. Over Biscay Ju290s were sometimes seen, but mainly Ar196s close to the shore, Ju88s further out.

Specific maritime attack aircraft such as Do217s, He111, Ju88 torpedo bombers, Ju188, and He177 are perhaps a slightly different niche. The Luftwaffe also used the Breguet Bizerte in a recce role; the He59 and Do24 as ASR.

[Dakota Roo]

Okay...I can't forget the BV-138. The sabot is a strong contender for next in the rotation to hit the workbench. Right now, I'm doing a PBY Catalina in CC livery.

I've got an embarrassment of riches for British and American aircraft in the Battle of the Atlantic, but I'm coming up with not enough adversaries. The seaplanes are givens and I'm assuming that the long range aircraft were usually contending with CC aircraft. But the ones agboak refers to as 'specific maritime attack aircraft' are the ones I'm not so sure about...but if they were used in maritime attacks, then they were contending with the Coastal Command. It sounds as if beyond the specialized maritime craft, the land-based were probably a typical mix of aircraft available....fighters, cargo, light bombers. Thanks for the He-59 reference. I've already built out a Testors/Italeri Do-24 in Dutch 'orange triangle' livery....but I have another kit. And yes, I have the Mach2 Do-26 kit, but I'm afraid to open it.

Of course, the centerpiece of the adversaries should be one of the Revell U-boat kits....VII C, or IX C, are those available in 1/72.

[markmarples]

VII c http://www.hyperscale.com/2008/features/typeviicuboatmdl_1.htm

http://hsfeatures.com/features04/u552cw_1.htm

IX-c http://www.freetimehobbies.com/1-72-revell-german-u-boat-submarine-type-ixc/

[Dakota Roo]

Thanks, Mark. I like the VIIc.

[markmarples]

i plan to build one of these at some point, i tend to have a long term big build in the background while my normal builds carry on, a friend has this and its a lovely kit and needs very little doing to it

[agboak]

I'm still not sure quite what constraints you have. If you are talking specifically Atlantic, then the He115 and BV138 (and Do18, He59, Do24) don't count. (I think.) I had assumed you meant aircraft that encountered Coastal Command (or indeed the USN) in combat, as opposed to any maritime role flown by the Luftwaffe. If the latter, you can add He114s. Or the Stuka crews in the Med and elsewhere? KG51's Ju88s against Russian shipping in the Black Sea?

Another source for you might be the weather flights, mainly Ju88s and their variants. How about the mausi JU52s with the magnetic rings - not specifically Atlantic campaign but flying over water. Then the float-plane Ju52s for transport in the Aegean and elsewhere. Look for the works on KG40 and KG26.

[Dakota Roo]

I'm still not sure quite what constraints you have. If you are talking specifically Atlantic, then the He115 and BV138 (and Do18, He59, Do24) don't count. (I think.) I had assumed you meant aircraft that encountered Coastal Command (or indeed the USN) in combat, as opposed to any maritime role flown by the Luftwaffe. If the latter, you can add He114s. Or the Stuka crews in the Med and elsewhere? KG51's Ju88s against Russian shipping in the Black Sea?

Another source for you might be the weather flights, mainly Ju88s and their variants. How about the mausi JU52s with the magnetic rings - not specifically Atlantic campaign but flying over water. Then the float-plane Ju52s for transport in the Aegean and elsewhere. Look for the works on KG40 and KG26.

Thanks, ag. My apologies about my ambiguity. I started out with an intent to build the Coastal Command craft and those of their adversaries. I expanded it to include the US involvement in the efforts to secure the sealanes between North America and Britain. Sub-hunting, keeping the submarine down, was the initial interest, but that got expanded to include 'maritime patrol'. I also got pulled into FAA inclusion, because the 'pocket carrier' escorts with Swordfish and Martlets were effective submarine countermeasures. I'm also interested in the development of craft dedicated to maritime patrol and started with 'early' and 'late' CC craft...I figure the whole 'scarecrow patrol' period should allow me to build out all my trainer craft of the period and still qualify by my loose definitions. So, I'm interested mainly in what was happening in the Atlantic, from the Murmansk run to Brazil and the Plate. I think that 'Coastal Command' also included Malta in the Med, but I'm not as interested in the Med at this point, as I intend to build the craft of that front as a separate project (Italian kits, y'know). The same with Europe proper and the Eastern Front, and the Pacific. I suspect that the Luftwaffe would have expropriated all the French aircraft and redirected them to doing 'shore patrol', but, at this point, I don't think I'm up for all that red and yellow striping; that could change.

At this point, I have built a smattering of contending craft. The He-115 and Fw-200 were early builds, along with the Ju88 A-4. The Beaufighter, Halifax, Hudson and Blenheim Mk.1 are all completed at this point, too. I just completed my Martin Mariner and am working on the Catalina. Some are done, many are yet to do...I'm just trying to do justice by the Axis presence.

[agboak]

OK: in the UK we'd normally count the Murmansk run as Arctic rather than Atlantic, which does make some of the Norway operations multi-theatre. You're looking at operations from the French Atlantic coast and the anti-convoy operations from Norway. This does rule out types such as the Do217 - unless some of the E-5's with Hs293 operated over Biscay?

You don't have to worry about painting Vichy types, they did not operate alongside or directly for the Germans. They may have fought the British (and later the Americans) on their own account, but that's a different matter. The examples of the Bizerte were operated by the Luftwaffe, in Luftwaffe markings, though (presumably?) Aeronavale camouflage.

Chris Goss has a good book on the operations of KG40 over Biscay (have you considered the Ju88H?), and Norman Franks has another on the wider aspects of Biscay, but primarily from the UK side. You've certainly got plenty to choose from among the Allied mediums and heavies. Not, I think, the Stirling, and certainly not the Manchester, but otherwise just about everything.

[markmarples]

dont forget the liberator, and b17 they were both employed by costal command, ive built both in 1/48

[Dakota Roo]

dont forget the liberator, and b17 they were both employed by costal command, ive built both in 1/48

Thanks...I've already done a Liberator as a VLR craft in post-1943 Coastal Command livery. At some point, I'll do a Fortress in the same livery. (All mine are 1/72.)

And, ag...thanks for the input and, especially, the sources.

[Dakota Roo]

Ah....I finally thought to Google it right (as 'Luftwaffe in France') and got the Luftwaffe 'order of battle' for 1940, and for 1944. It lists a 'Maritime Patrol' unit which has four bases along the Atlantic/North Sea coast: Brest, Norderney, Hornum, and Stavanger. This unit used Do-18, He-115 and....Do-17. Additionally, Stavanger was evidently the center of a major Luftwaffe air group and I would bet that the compliment there had regular contact with the Coastal Command crowd. The same with Caen. They show the same set, plus He-111, Do-217, Bf-109, and Bf-110. From what I can discern, it looks as though, in 1940, at least, they were using Do-17 as 'long-range reconnaisance'. I don't see the stationing of the Fw-200 Condors...I know they were pre-war airliners, so they were around.

In searching for later order of battle, I didn't find one, but I ran across this, which I'm trying to order through my library.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Dakota Roo

[Dakota Roo]

Hmmm...It seems that Stavanger airfield was a frequent flyer on Coastal Command's targets. At least according to the 254 Squadron overview.

[markmarples]

this may help with the Condor info

http://www.uboat.net/technical/fw200.htm

[Dakota Roo]

this may help with the Condor info

http://www.uboat.net/technical/fw200.htm

HA! Thanks.

"The Fw 200s were delivered to Kampfgruppe 40, which from June 1940 operated from Bordeaux-Merignac. Systematic anti-shipping operations began in August. Flights lead over the Bay of Biscay, around Ireland, and ended in Norway. The sinking of 90,000 tons of shipping was claimed in the first two months, and 363,000 tons by February 1941. Churchill called it the 'Scourge of the Atlantic'."

And here I thought it was its role in the wolf pack prey tracking that it got that name....but, no....it was for direct attacks on surface shipping. The role changed in 1941 to u-boat support.

It was my understanding that it was its early combination of speed and range (relative to its adversaries of the time) which helped earn that reputation. My understanding is that it was the adding of the Beaufighter, and then the Mosquito, to Coastal Command rolls that ended the reign of 'the Scourage of the Atlantic'.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Dakota Roo

[agboak]

Add CAM ships (RN and merchants) with Sea Hurricanes and Fulmars to the list of effective anti-Condor activities, then the escort carriers starting with HMS Audacity. The Mosquitos were much later.

[markmarples]

swordfish

[agboak]

Apparently the Bizerte did carry Luftwaffe camouflage, and was used for rather longer than I'd thought. Some of them were even bought off the Vichy.

http://www.luftwaffe-experten.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=86&hl=

[Dakota Roo]

Add CAM ships (RN and merchants) with Sea Hurricanes and Fulmars to the list of effective anti-Condor activities, then the escort carriers starting with HMS Audacity. The Mosquitos were much later.

Oooo...excellent. I do not have a single Hurricane kit in my entire collection. Thanks for the CAM ships reference. Of course, the Fulmar was popular with the FAA. I think I have kits for most of the Fairey craft, but I have not touched the whole FAA contingent at all. I do have an Airfix Swordfish on the shelf next to my workbench.

Yes, HMS Audacity - Martlets. Mosquitoes were contemporary with the Audcity. Beaufighters were active the year before. The CAM ships preceded and were a stopgap measure.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Dakota Roo

[agboak]

HMS Audacity was sunk in December 1941. This was well before Coastal Command received their first Mosquitos - the first Mk.VI for anyone didn't fly for another six months.

[Dakota Roo]

Okay. So the ultimate demise of the Condor was an array of various responses over a significant span of time, the Mosquito being one of the later.

[Dakota Roo]

I have now added a Revell Sea Hurricane Mk.IIc to the stash. Ostensibly, as part of the Battle of the Atlantic theme.

So...This is how I break them down:

Early RAF CC:

Saro Lerwick

Saro London

I have never seen other than vacuum kits for these. I have them not.

Vickers Vilderbeest

Fairey Albacore

Fairey Battle

Supermarine Walrus

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley

DeHavilland Tiger Moth DH-82

The Vildebeest and the Albacore are available as short run kits, but they are comparatively very expensive. I don't have them.

Avro Anson

Supermarine Stranraer

Short Sunderland

Bristol Beaufort

Bristol Blenheim

Fairey Swordfish

Lockheed Hudson

This latter group fulfilled duties with CC throughout the war. Considering some were effectively obsolete at the beginning of the war, they were durable.

Later CC:

Consolidated Catalina

Gloster Gladiator

Bristol Beaufighter

Handley Page Hampden

deHavilland Mosquito

Lockheed Ventura

Vickers Wellington

Northrup Nomad

Handley Page Halifax

Grumman Avenger

Boeing Flying Fortress

Consolidated Liberator II

Hawker Typhoon

Supermarine Spitfire

Avro Lancaster

Vickers Warwick

I've not seen any Warwick kits anywhere.

The Fleet Air Arm adds these:

Blackburn Shark

Blackburn Skua

Fairey Barracuda

Fairey Seafox

Fairey Firefly

Fairey Fulmar

Fairey Swordfish

Hakwer Hurricane

Grumman Martlet

After the Americans joined the fray, they brought to the table:

PB4Y-2 Consolidated Liberator

PB4Y-1 Consolidate Privateer

PBM-5A Martin Mariner

PBJ North American MItchell

PV-2 Lockheed Harpoon

PBY Consolidated Catalina

Douglas B-18 Bolo

Curtiss O-52 Owl

Curtiss SC-1 Seahawk

Curtiss SOC-3 Seagull

Grumman J4F-2 Widgeon

North American O-47

Vought OS2U Kingfisher

These were up against the Luftwaffe along the western margin of the Third Reich...

Arado Ar-95

Arado Ar-196

Blohm & Voss BV-138

Blohm & Voss BV-222

Dornier Do-17Z

Dornier Do-18G

Dornier Do-24

Dornier Do-26

Focke Wulf FW-190

Focke Wulf FW-56 Stosser

Focke Wulf FW-200 Condor

Heinkel He-51

Heinkel He-111

Heinkel He-177

Junkers Ju-52

Junkers Ju-88 A-4

Junkers Ju-88 C-6

Junkers Ju-290 A-5

Messerschmitt Bf-109G

Messerschmitt BF-110C

I have all these, plus the Fieseler Fi-167 that I'd like to include, but it never made it to that front. Plus, I suspect that there are observation craft that might be included.

Those underlined have been assembled to completion.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Dakota Roo