Luftwaffe KG-4 "General Wever" photo grouping--finally finished

[Bill T]

Hey guys, Just wanted to share the final outcome of my KG-4 General Wever photo group. I had shown about 10 of them on WAF, but I am now posting the entire grouping of all 27 photos. I was able to I.D. a few men, but ANY opinions or suggestions on other ID's would be a great help. I am still researching this grouping, and still have alot of writing on the reverse of photos to get translated. Im hoping the translations might shed some light on some new info for me. But here is a view into an Elite bomber unit of the Luftwaffe in ww2.

KG4 was involved in many of the important battles that the German forces encountered in ww2 such as: Poland, Norway, France (+lower countries), Battle of Britain, Yugoslavia, Crete, + the Eastern Front. (plus many more)

Aircraft used: Ju 88s, HE 111s and 177s, and Do17s
medium and heavy bombers

Please feel free to comment or share any info or opinons you may have

[Bill T]

I am still on the lookout for KG4 photos, but these photos were acquired seperately from the same seller...until I was able to form a neat grouping.

the man in the white tunic on the "map target" photos is figured to be Hans-Joachim Rath (RK)

the Sonderfuhrer who is in the map photos and also sitting drinking tea is KG4's weatherman/meteorologist. (learned from translation of writing)

another IDed is OberstLtnant Albert Bohm who is shooting the mauser in the last photo. (also in a couple others)

the Man sitting at table with ww1 Pilots badge is Oberst Gottlieb Wolff

[Bill T]

anybody else have any "General Wever" photos or any other "Elite" units of the luftwaffe photos to share?

[Studly]

Thanks for sharing those great Photo's Bill you have to admit those Luftwaffe Chaps do look smart in those Uniforms.


Greg

[Bill T]

Thank you Greg, glad you liked them. Yeah they sure do look sharp, thats for sure. The medals just add so much to the look of the tunics too.

[don_kihotis7]

Nice photos indeed Bill. I'm glad you shared them with us

[HPL2008]

Very nice; thanks for sharing. By the way, another point of interest are the Nautikerkorps collar patches (dark green with propellers) visible in some of the images. Images of those in wear are rather rarely seen.

[Bill T]

HPL, you are the first person who could answer that question for me. I even started a thread on it at WAF before and nobody could tell me what it was. Now, what do you think his duties were in relation to KG4?? Because I have found out that the sonderfuhrer seen in the map photos is KG4s meteorologist/weatherman. So would these two work together to make sure the weather was okay for the bombers to fly particular sorties/missions? or is the nautiker more of a navigational type position?

Thank you very much HPL, I am trying to research this gruppe as much as possible and this is very interesting to me. I found out he is of "Obernautiker" rank position.

Chris, thank you. Im glad you enjoyed them

[HPL2008]

Flieger-Obernautiker is the rank as indicated by the collar patches, right.

The Nautikerkorps was the Luftwaffe's Navigation Corps, but I am afraid I cannot provide data on the exact details of their day-to-day work. I would assume that activities like the planning of missions, the mapping of courses etc. were central to it, though, and this would have implied co-operation with the meteorologists.
Perhaps another member with a better understanding of the Luftwaffe's organization or aeronautical matters in general can be of help here.

Anyway, I hope you will find these links helpful:

Luftwaffe Navigation Corps - Gentleman's Military Interest Club
The Luftwaffe Ingenieurkorps
Dienstgrade und Abzeichen des Nautiker

[Woolgar]

Excellent photos ! Who is the Himmler look- a- likee on the steps ?

Nick