Airfields in Lithuania

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

Dallin Cyert
Aleksotas airfield question
Mon Oct 27 10:58:43 2003
195.188.50.200

Does anyone know which Luftwaffe units were based at Aleksotas airfield near Kovno (Kaunas) in Lithuania in the winter 1942/43??

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Steve W.
Airfield
Mon Oct 27 12:28:31 2003
205.188.208.166

Do you mean Alytus (Olita)/55 km south of Kaunas? There is no listing for a "Aleksotas" in the German documentation. If it is Alytus (Olita) that you are asking about, it was rarely used by the Luftwaffe during 1942-43. The Luftwaffe did not really begin to use it until January 1944 and then only occasionally. Alytus was mainly used by the VVS prior to 22-23 June 1941 and then again from July 1944.

Steve W.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

DCyert
clarification
Mon Oct 27 14:13:38 2003
195.188.50.200

Thanks for the information. The airfield I am interested in is the one just outside Kovno/Kaunas, I suppose it could have been listed as Kaunas airfield, does that help?

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Steve W.
Kowno (Kaunas)
Mon Oct 27 20:32:30 2003
205.188.208.167

Luftwaffe directories list 8 airfields at Kaunas:

Kaunas I
Kaunas II
Kaunas-Freda
Kaunas-Muraschki
Kaunas-Noreikischi
Kaunas-Olschany
Kaunas-Sergiany
Kaunas-Solomianka

During 1942-43 it was a major rear area overhaul and maintenance center for Luftwaffe aircraft, conversion and training was carried out there, and it was also an intermediate refueling stop for east-bound and west-bound aircraft. There is no way that I know of that you could identify the 100+ Luftwaffe units that were either based there or stopped through for a few days during the winter of 1942-43. You would need the Kladden (aircraft arrival and departure logs) maintained by the Flugleitung (air traffic control) for each of the 8 airfields and these did not survive the war.

Steve W.

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

dcyert
Thank you Steve (NT) (nm)
Tue Oct 28 17:25:58 2003
195.188.141.133