Air Traffic Control Trainees Practice on Model Aircraft

U.S. Air traffic control trainees practice on model aircraft before working with the real thing. Despite prior close air support experiences beginning in World War I, the United States had no forward air control capability when World War II began. Although forward air control techniques were perfected by such US units as the 1st Air Commando Group in the China Burma India Theater, they would be ignored in the war's aftermath. When the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) was founded on 20 June 1941, it included provisions for Air Ground Control Parties to serve with the United States Army at the division, corps, and Army headquarters. The Air Ground Control Parties functions were to regulate bombing and artillery in close conjunction with the ground troops, as well as assess bomb damage. They were thus the first of similar units to try to fulfill the functions of the forward air controller (FAC) without being airborne. However, these units were often plagued by interservice rivalry and cumbersome communications between the respective armies and air forces involved. As a result, it could take hours for an air strike requested by ground troops to actually show up. However, the advent of World War II did not lead to a functional US air control system; the 1942 edition of the American Field Manual 31-35 did not even mention a forward air controller. Forward air control during World War II came into existence as a result of exigency, and was used in several theaters of World War II. Its reincarnation in action was a result of field expedience rather than planned operations.

Source :
National Archives and Records Administration, 342-C-K-1721
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_air_control_operations_during_World_War_II
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936

Bio of U-Boat Ace Joachim Schepke

Joachim Schepke (8 March 1912 – 17 March 1941) was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He was the seventh recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Schepke is credited with having sunk 36 Allied ships. During his career, he gained notoriety among fellow U-boat commanders for exaggerating the tonnage of ships sunk.

Schepke joined the Reichsmarine in 1930. In 1934, he was assigned to the newly created U-boat arm, and in 1938 he commanded U-3. After a short stint commanding U-19 and serving in a staff position, Schepke received the command of U-100, a Type VIIB boat. After 5 patrols in U-100 she was heavily damaged on 17 March 1941 by depth charges from HMS Walker and Vanoc while attacking Convoy HX-112. U-100 was forced to surface and was detected on radar and rammed by Vanoc. Schepke and most of the crew died.

Schepke claimed to have sunk 37 ships, for a total of 213,310 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged 4 more. If true, this would have made him the third skipper to have sunk over 200,000 tons. While he definitely sank 36 ships, he was known throughout the fleet to exaggerate his tonnage claims; other U-boat men came to use the expression "Schepke tonnage" in reference to this. Nonetheless, at one point Schepke ranked first in number of ships sunk, and was recommended by Admiral Dönitz for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Schepke

U-boat Ace Joachim Schepke with U-Boat Miniature

 

U-boat ace Joachim Schepke (Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-100) shows a German submarine toy to his son, 1941. U-29 was a celebrated vessel, responsible for sinking the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous on 17 September 1939. This little boy smiles pensively - his father, a German officer, has just given him this miniature submarine. It is true that the Nazi regime did not attach great importance to toys, which the German youth only "softened over". Nevertheless, the propaganda potential of war toys was recognised: "Playing with soldiers and military equipment awakens enthusiasm for military achievements and plants the germ of military detention in the hearts of young people at an early stage," wrote art teacher Lorenz Postner in 1939. Source: Signal magazine cover.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=660998631835631&set=gm.1942078655977548

Hitler Examines Model of Heavy Fortifications and Bunkers

Hitler examines model of heavy fortifications and bunkers, September-October 1942. From left to right: Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef des Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), Adolf Hitler (Führer und oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), Oberstleutnant Fritz Claus (Leiter referats IV in der Inspektion 5, Festungswesen, im Oberkommando des Heeres), and General der Pioniere Alfred Jacob (General der Pioniere und Festungen im Oberkommando des Heeres). Claus is taking down Hitler's comments. He received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 17 November 1941 as Oberstleutnant and Stab Pionier-Bataillon 43.

Source :
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/444308319458249407/

Miniature Castle as Hitler's Birthday Gift

Hand-worked castle inlaid with precious stones given to Hitler as an extravagant gifts for his 50th birthday, 20 April 1939. The picture was taken by German photographer Hugo Jaeger. In the late 1930s, very few photographers were using color film. Jaeger was an early adopter, and when Adolf Hitler was introduced to Jaeger’s work, he liked what he saw. “The future,” Hitler reportedly told Jaeger, “belongs to color photography.” Between 1936 and 1945, Jaeger was granted unprecedented access to Hitler, traveling and chronicling, in color, the Führer and his confidants at small gatherings, public events and, quite often, in private moments.

Source :
http://amazingdata.com/hitler-color-photographs-from-life-com/
http://www.gettyimages.com/galleries/photographers/hugo_jaeger
http://www.i-am-bored.com/2015/02/hitlers-50th-birthday-in-color-april-1939-pix.html
http://time.com/3881059/adolf-hitler-color-photos-his-inner-circle-and-hangers-on/

Focke-Wulf Fw 189 "Uhu"

The Focke-Wulf brand Fw 189 Uhu (translated to "Owl") was of the most peculiar aircraft design for the German Luftwaffe in the Second World War, but by no means made less lethal by its appearance. The system accounted for a successful operational run across the Eastern Front against the Russians, where it was used in a short-range tactical reconnaissance role with limited usage in a nightfighting capacity. In all, the 848 examples would produce several variants, each with specialized changes and modifications to suit required roles. The Fw 189 was of a twin-engine design, made up of a long-spanning wing element and twin booms. The Fw 189 system was crewed by three personnel (consisting of the pilot and two gunners) positioned in a cockpit sitting high above and between the engine booms featuring a nearly all-glazed greenhouse-type design. The three crew consisted of the pilot and two gunners - one gunner manning a twin barrel dorsal machine gun mounting and the other a twin-barrel machine gun mounting in a tail cone turret assembly. An additional 441lbs of external stores were afforded the system. The real dedicated role of the Fw 189 was as a reconnaissance aircraft and the systems were fielded en masse against the Soviets. Though range limited the system to just 416 miles, no fewer than 30 Fw 189's were converted to the nightfighter role to combat light Soviet fighter incursions occurring on a regular basis along the front. In all, the Fw 189 system maintained a successful service record and played an important - albeit limited role - in the Eastern Front offensives.

Sources :
http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=472
http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12771&page=2

Birthday Celebration of Fritz Witt

SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Fritz Witt (27 May 1908 – 14 June 1944), commander of 12. SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend", receives a model of an 8-wheel armoured scout car Sd.Kfz.232. The model was a birthday present by the division’s reconnaissance battalion (led by SS-Sturmbannführer Gerhard Bremer) to their divisional commander’s 36th birthday on May 27, 1944. To the left of Witt, his adjutant SS-Sturmbannführer Heinrich "Hein" Springer (3 November 1914 - 27 October 2007), followed by - possibly - SS-Obersturmführer Heinz Ritzert (Chef 15.Kompanie / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25 / 12.SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend"). The birthday celebration itself was held in Tillierès-sur-Avre, France. Over the next week, Witt’s division managed to hold the line above Caen despite incessant determined attacks and constant air, artillery and naval bombardments. On 14 June 1944, a British naval barrage hit the divisional command post in Venoix. Witt was hit in the face by shrapnel and killed instantly. The 12th SS-Hitlerjugend and his former 1st SS-Leibstandarte comrades mourned his loss. Kurt Meyer, as the next highest ranking officer, was promoted to divisional commander; at 33 years of age. Fritz Witt, recipient of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub (Knight’s Cross with oakleaves), was buried with full military honours at Champigny—Saint-André-de-l’Eure in France. Photo by Propaganda-Kompanie photographer (SS-PK) Wilfried Woscidlo

Source :
https://knightsandsteel.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/ss-brigadefuhrer-und-generalmajor-fritz-witt/