''Schnellkampfgeschwader'' 210 (SKG 210) was a

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

fast-bomber wing during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The unit was created in April 1941 and absorbed by the Zerstörergeschwader 1 on 4 January 1942.

Operational history

SKG 210 had its origins in '' Erprobungsgruppe'' 210 (Test Wing 210), formed at Köln-Ostheim airfield under the command of Hptm. Walter Rubensdörffer in July 1940 as the official service test unit for the new Messerschmitt Me 210, the intended successor to the earlier Messerschmitt Bf 110. Such were the delays in that aircraft's development that the unit was used to develop tactical and strategic practices required to operate the Bf 110s in newer, fighter-bomber and ground-attack roles they were being adapted to. By the time the unit was re-named I. Gruppe, Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 in April 1941 the unit was based at

Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...

, bombing Allied shipping and land-based targets. The unit then moved east to prepare for the attack on Soviet Russia as part of 2nd Air Corps and originally based at Radzyn. II/SKG 210 was formed from III./ ZG 76 under command of ''Hauptmann'' Rolf Kaldrack. Some 50 serviceable Bf 110s took part in

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...

from two units; Zerstörergeschwader 26 and Schnellkampfgeschwader 210. The Bf 110 provided support to the German Army, carrying out strike missions in the face of heavy AA and ground defences. In the opening air strikes, on 22 June, SKG 210 claimed 344 Soviet aircraft destroyed, more than any other unit, for the loss of 7 Bf 110s destroyed or damaged. SKG 210 flew over the Central part of the front supporting the German army's encirclement and overrunning of Russian land forces in the

Białystok Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the List of cities and towns in Poland, tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area. Biał ...

and

Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...

areas in the early phase of the campaign, and flew in support of the advancing Army Group Centre to Moscow in 1941. Between 22 June 1941 and 26 July 1941 the unit claimed to have destroyed 823 Soviet aircraft on the ground and 92 in the air, 2,136 vehicles and 165 tanks destroyed for 57 Bf 110s lost to enemy action. With the coming of winter SKG 210 continued to operate in support of the army, covering their retreat.

Commanding officers

*Major Walter Storp, 24 April 1941 – 30 September 1941 *Major Arved Crüger, 30 September 1941 – January 1942

References

Bibliography

* {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 Military units and formations established in 1941 Military units and formations disestablished in 1942