Gather 'round, /k/ids, it is time for an historic story thread. For the next few hours, I will tell you the story of Unternehmen Weserübung, or Operation Weser-Exercise, and maybe a few more if I have the time.
Why? Because I am predictably bored at my shift, I thought you might appreciate it, and I happen to have this book right here to post from.
Book? Yes, I am not thinking this up on the spot, I am translating from Cajus Bekker's book Angriffshöhe 4000 (Attack altitude 13k ft) which imho tells the story of the German Luftwaffe in a fairly amusing, and most importantly, fairly unbiased way.
Personal comments, explanations, etc will be in >Greentext.
So kick back and enjoy the story of the first parachutists' attack in history.
>>30122518
April 4th, 1940. Hotel Esplanade in Hamburg is mighty busy. Wehrmachts' Kübelwagen are jamming the roads. Lines of Lufftwaffe officers disappear into the Hotel between Dammtor trainstation and inner Alster. The X'th Fliegerkorps has set up its HQ here since a few weeks. This Korps commands all Luftwaffe groups for the operation "Weserübung", the invasion of Denmark and Norway by German troops, which is set to happen soon.
>>30122534
This operation originally did not fit into the German main strategy, being mainly focussed on the attack in the west, if the conflict in Poland could not be contained. On Sept 2nd, 1939, Germany hat declared the immunity of Norway, should it not be attacked or militarized by a third Power (>i.e. Britain). But already on Sept 19th, England began planning on disrupting the German ore shipments from Narvik through Norwegian territorial waters.
On Jan 6th, 1940, the allies declared to Oslo and Stockholm that they would have to proceed with no regard to their neutrality. Despite the protests from the scandinavian countries, allied high command decided on Feb 5th that they were to land four divisions in Narvik to conquer the Swedish ore pits in Gällivare.
>>30122568
Only under this threatening developpment did the German Oberkommando of the Wehrmacht constitute the "specops" staff "Weserübung", which started its work on Feb 3rd. On Mar 28th, the allies ordered the Norvegian waters to be mined on April 5th, and suqsequently to land troops in Narvik, Drontheim, Bergen and Stavanger. In fact, the German landings only preceded them by a few hours.
So on April 6th, Generalleutnant Hans Ferdinand Geisler has ordered his subcommanders to Hamburg to tell them the whole story. In the Esplanade Hotel, they recive their orders for "Wesertag" (>Weser day), every single detail being meticulously planned by Major i.G. (>MajGen) Christian.
>>30122595
At this time, many German navy transport convoys are already en route. They have multi-day march routes to their target harbours ahead of them. Also the Kriegsschiffgruppen (batte ship groups) are being loaded with naval infantry troops and are waiting for the order to leave port, so they can appear suprisingly on the Norwegian coast on April 9th, on "Weser time".
The jump over to Norway can only succeed if the Navy and Luftwaffe solve the task of transporting over the troops, if they can near instantaneously take control of teh most important harbours and airfields, so the reinforcements can roll.
At the commanders' briefing in the Esplanade, details are being worked out. Oberstleutnant (Lt. Col.) Freiherr (Count) von Gablenz, named Lufttransportchef Land (commander airlift, ground) explicitly for this mission, explains the timetable which his Transportgruppen must adhere to in order to prevent a catastrophe on the target airfields.
In total, von Gablenz commands eleven Gruppen with a total of over 500 transport aircraft, mostly equipped with the 3engined Junkers Ju52. One group flies the 4engined large capacity transports Ju90 and Fw200. This massive transport fleet is tasked to converge onto only four danish and norvegian Airfields:
-Aalborg-East and -West on North Jutland, as a refueling base for the transports and bomber/fighter groups to Norway
-Oslo-Fornebu as key airfield to capture the capital
-Stavanger-Sola on the south-western coast of Norway as an airbase to defend against british attacks from sea.
>>30122625
With the first wave of the JUs are, for the very first time in combat history, tasked to drop parachutists on those four airfields. Planned time (for example Oslo-Fornebu): "Weserzeit + 185 minutes".
>Technically the first strike of the German air dropped troops were the strikes on Eben Emael on the western front, when they invaded Belgium. But then, they used glider aircraft more or less crashing into the fort, this is obviously much less of an option for those long overwater flights to Norway.
After the jump, the Fallschirmjägers (parachutists) have exactly 20 Minutes to take and secure the airfield. Because at "Weser time + 205 minutes", the second wave of transports comes flying in, this one loaded with a normal infantry batallion. For this, the runway must be cleared. After that, traffic starts really rolling in.
With each new squadron of Ju52, new units will be coming in: an air defense staff advance team, the airfield maintenance company, another battallion, officers and staff of General von Falkenhorst, a comms platoon, pioneers, more infantry - and in between also first resupply goods, mostly avgas and fuel pumps and hoses.
do go on
>>30122668
Only two Fallschirmjäger companies, the 1. and 2./FJR I, with their batallion commander, Hauptmann Erich Walter, are slotted for the suprise attack against Fornebu. The only air cover: a swarm of four Bf110 Zerstörers (actually they sent eight) of the I. Staffel/ZG76, under Oberleutnant Hansen. By the time Hansen's Zerstörers arrive over Fornebu, their own fuel will be down to 20 Minutes, too, so they will have to land right there ASAP as well. What could possibly go wrong?
>The action starts here
In the first morning hours of April 9th, weather forecast leaves no hope for even halfway decent visibility over Oslo and Stavanger. The Skagerrak, the sea narrows over which both courses would go, is completely "thick", fog right from sea level up to and over 600m. Over that, multiple cloud layers.
So, low flying is absolutely impossible, And if the Gruppen fly in over the clouds? When to head down? What will happen if they can't see the ground in the decisive moment? Fog everywhere, in between the rock walls of the norvegian coastal mountain ranges!
>massive invasion force moves out of Willhelmshaven
>poorly defended by the KM
>RN response: Sit back and watch them take Norway without firing a shot
Britain
>>30122712
Oberstleutnant Drewes is flying the lead aircraft of his Transportgruppe, the II./KGzbV1, which in turn leads the first wave against Oslo-Fornebu.
>II. = second squadron
>KG = Kampf Geschwader, usually means "bomb wing"
>zbV = zur besonderen Verwendung = special purpose
>so, "transport wing" = "special purpose bomb wing" in German terminology
>well, they DO drop SOMEthing
In those 29 Ju52 transports, Erich Walter's Fallschirmjägers are ready to jump. But the closer Drewes gets to the Oslo Fjord, the thicker the fog gets. Sometimes, even his next wingmen seem to disappear. Visibility is barely 20 meters. (>i.e. 60ft)
Drewes clenches his teeth. He knows how important his task is for the whole operation. Suddenly, one of the rear section leaders calls in on the radio "To commander! Two aircraft are missing!"
The two Junkers disappeared without a trace in a fog bank. Thats it. Oberstleuntant Drewes can not take the responsibility of continuing. He radios to Hamburg, "I'm turning around due to bad weather, heading for Aalborg"
In the Hotel Esplanade, this report confirms the worst expectations. By now they have learned that the Norvegians will not give up without putting up a fight.
>>30122755
>map so all yall know whats going on
>>30122759
8:20am. For the last three hours, the German navy has been slugging it out with the coastal batteries of the fort Oskarskborg, governing the Dröbak-Narrows of the Oslo fjord. The flagship, the heavy cruiser "Blücher", sank at 7:23 after shell and torpedo hits. Noone can tell if and when the other cruisers can break through the narrows and land their troops in Oslo.
All the more important would thus be taking Fornebu airfield, so at least the airborne troops can land according to plan. But the Fallschirmjägers have turned back in Drewes planes. And the second wave of transports, precisely 20 minutes behind them, as ordered, is heading for Fornebu without a clue of what's happening. On board: a batallion of regular infantry, the II./IR 324.
Generalleutnant Geisler had very specific orders from Göring for this exact case: should the first wave be unable to jump (as was the case now) the second wave must be recalled as well immideatly.
Lufttransportchef Freiherr von Gablenz tries his best to convince his commanding general not to do so. "I disagree with ordering my groups back, Herr General. Landing can also be forced if the airfield has not been cleared."
Geisler retorts, "Then the Norvegians will clobber our JUs by the dozen!"
"The first few crews will fight and subdue the enemy resistance", von Gablenz argues, "at least we should leave the decision whether to land or not to the on-scene commander of whichever group arrives at Fornebu first."
He also has a more practical reason: "Aalborg is already crammed full of aircraft, redirecting the Olso groups there must cause a catastrophe."
But he does not get through. Geisler has the order radioed out to the Transportgruppen headed for Oslo, "To all: Return! signed, X.th Fliegerkorps".
>the plot thickens
>>30122818
And then, something extraordinary happened. Something that doesn't quite fit with the common prejudice of the soldier being a blind machine acting upon orders without consideration.
Commander of the Transportgruppe (KG z.b.V. 103), following the Fallschirmjägers in a distance of precisely 20 minutes, is Hauptmann Wagner. He recieves the return order from Geisler, but he does not act upon it.
The return order seems, in that moment, just before arriving over Fornebu, so completely nonsensical to Wagner, that he discards it as an enemy trick. Especially the signature of the X.th Korps seems quirky to him. His Gruppe is subordiante to the Transportchef Land, von Gablenz. Only from there, he could recieve such a drastic order.
So, Hauptmann Wagner continues on. His pilots are fully qualified for blind-out, bad weather, full IFR conditions. The thickest fog banks are before the coast, everyone knows that. Right now, shortly before Oslo, it's clearing up, visibility is improving. Why should he not land in Fornebu?
>>30122518
BASED OP POSTING CONTENT
>>30122849
Already, the Führungskette (lead section) of JUs drones over Fornebu. Wagner sets up a pattern and looks down.
The airfield is fairly small and embedded between rocks, on the one end of the twin runways is a steep cliff, on the other end a slope down to a river. Not exactly ideal, but no problem for "old aunt JU".
Down there there are also two burning aircraft wrecks. So there has been a fight going on already. And correct: over there, the Zerstörers are circling.
Relieved, Wagner signals his pilot to land. A tight turn, and the Ju comes floating in for a landing.
Suddenly, heavy machinegun fire hammers the JU. Hauptmann Wagner is one of the first casualties. Injured men moan. The pilot guns the engines and pulls up again. What now?
Nearly slack-jawed, Oberleutnant Hansen, squadron commander of the I./ZG76, watches the mysterious scene from the cockpit of his Me110.
>Bf110 vs Me110, I know the official designation is Bf, but it says Me right here in the book so I am going to stick with it.
For the last half hour, Hansen and his squadron are squabbling around with the enemy. First at 8:38, nine norvegian single seat fighters, Gloster Gladiator biplanes, attacked them from out of the sun. Despite this, at 8:45, just as ordered, Hansen is circling over Fornebu, as air cover and fire support for the Fallschirmjägers. Two of his eight Zerstörers are already missing after a short but intense dogfight.
The other six Me110 are reconnoitering the airfield, attacking Flak and MG emplacements. Two more Gladiators are destroyed on the ground as well, burning fiercely. And they wait. And wait.
But the Fallschirmjägers are not coming! Time passes. 8:50. Now 9am. Three red lamps are staring at Hansen. Any moment now the fourth will light up as well, then the tanks are dry.
op y u so based
>>30122911
They calculated to have 20 minutes of fuel over Fornebu. In those 20 minutes, the Fallschirmjägers should have taken the airfield. Those 20 minutes are over now.
Finally, 9:05, the first Kette of Ju52 flies in. Hansen breathes a sigh of relief. The Zerstörers turn onto a parallel course, to suppress the MG emplacements in the decisive moment of the jump. Waiting for the "mushrooms" of the parachutes...
Naturally, Hansen is suprised to see the first Ju turn into the landing pattern suddenly, then change its mind and get the hell out of there after taking heavy fire.
Thats enough, he decides. Three of his six Me110 are flying on one engine only, the radiators are shot up. Also they are running on fumes.
They need down, right now.
So if no one else feels it's their task to take Oslo-Fornebu, well to hell with it, they the Zerstörers of the I./ZG76, will take ownership of that darn airfield!
"Leutnant Lent", Hansen radios, "you land. The others will cover you and follow suit!"
Lent's Me110 goes around in a left hand pattern and comes in for the landing. The right wing is trailing back smoke. The motor is shot, the prop is stuck. On the short runways of Fornebu, the Zerstörers need to touch down close to the end of the runway in order to have enough space to roll out. With one engine out, this is even trickier.
Leutnant Lent extends his gear and flaps. A few minutes ago, the "Schützenkönig of the German bight"
>thats another story, if the name sounds familiar - look up Dec 18, '39
has won his fifth aerial victory against petty officer Per Schye. Now its life or death agian for Lent and his radio operator, private Kubisch.
100 Meters in front of the airfield fence, the Me suddenly drops down too much. Lent has to gun the left engine. The aircraft pulls right immideatly. He struggles keeping the aircraft on approach course.
Already Lent sees the runway below him. But now he is too fast. They touch down too far down the runway, rolling too fast...
>>30122984
Oberleutnant Hansen and the other four Zerstörer flyers keep their eyes on their Kamerad during the landing. Perpendicular to his course, they strafe the airfield, keeping down the heads of the norvegian MG gunners firing from their concrete bunkers.
Suddenly Hansen sees another plane landing, at the same time - a Ju52! As it turns out later, it's the comms-Ju of the Fallschirmjägers. It'll be very useful later.
But right now, a catastrophe is looming: the Ju is touching down on the second runway. If they crash into the Me110 at the intersection of the runways, the field is blocked for all further landings!
>>30123020
Hansen stares down angrily. The whole time they waited for the damned transports, and right now, when the Zerstörers need to land themselves, with their engines shot up and the tanks empty, they need to get in the way!
Luckily, the Me110 passes the critical point slightly before the slower Ju crosses. Danger averted.
Lent, however, can't make his plane stop. Rolling too fast. Hansen hopes he might try to start again. But at the end of the runway, it tumbles down the slope wheels over cockpit.
Hansen cant watch it further. He has to concentrate on his own landing, his right engine is shot as well, steam is boiling out of the overflow pipe. Oil temp is rising fast. If the engine hangs on for 60 more seconds, they'll make it.
Few more meters, he passes the fence. Throttles back to idle. Carefully pull the stick to the belly. And already he's down.
He passes closely to the burning fighters. Then through the killzone of the norvegian MGs. But nothing happens - the MGs remain silent.
Hansen sees another Me110, apparently landed even before him, freeing the runway. They are alive as well, he surmises, suprised.
Carefully he steps on the brakes. Ten meters before the down slope, the aircraft stops. The radioman has the hands on the rear MG. But the massive wall of fire that just a minute ago reached for them, is gone. Did the Norwegians give up?
Gonna come back and read it, but pinned. Thank you sincerely OP, love it when there's a break from the shitposting and someone contributes quality stuff
>>30122735
Think on the strategic level, it's easier and better to leave the troops going on their merry way to Norway, because once it's attacked and secured, they need to defend that. Tie up troops in Norway, means less troops in France or elsewhere later on.
OC on my /k/?
OP is not a faggot
>>30123049
In fact, Hauptmann Erling Munthe Dahl, squadron leader of the norvegian Gladiators, had been so impressed with the Zerstörers' strafing runs that he ordered all Gladiators to "land elsewhere, just not in Fornebu! The Germans are attacking the airfield!"
Two fighters had landed before that, one with engine damage, the other one, petty officer Waaler, with numerous hits from the dogfight with the Zerstörers. Both were subsequently shot afire by Hansen's starfing runs.
Hauptmann Dahl tries to spare the other Galdiators from this fate. Five of them therefore land on frozen lakes north and west of Oslo. Four of which break through the ice or have to be given up due to battle damage or lack of fuel in the next days. In total, only one Gladiator survived the dogfight with the I./ZG76.
As the first German planes land in Fornebu, Dahl and his ground personell retreat into the fort Akershus. Flak and MGs fire on two more german planes, then they fall silent too. Oslo-Fornebu is not being defended by the Norwegians anymore.
Oberleutnant Hansen jumps out of his aircraft and waves in the other landing Zerstörers, organizing them in a semicircle on the north-west end of the airfield, so their MGs cover the treeline.
Leutnant Lent also reports back on duty. His Me is 80% destroyed, down the slope, but miraculously he and his radioman are unharmed. Private Kubisch even unmounted his rear MG and now carries it over to his squadmates - to the handful of men who just took the airfield from the air.
>>30123123
9:17am. Another squadron of Ju is coming in for landing. The transport aircraft roll just up to the rocks, on which the norwegian Flak is positioned. Just about a quarter hour ago, the commander of KGzbV103, Hauptmann Wagner, was killed during his curageous approach, by these very guns.
This time around, no shots are fired. Blissfully ignorant, the infrantrymen disembark. Everything peaceful here. They light cigarettes.
Oberleutnant Hansen nearly goes into cardiac arrest. He runs over and instructs the Feldgrauen (>colloq., german infantry) where the norwegian Flak- and MG emplacements are. Now at least they take cover and send out recon troops, which soon return with prisoners. The Norwegians surrendered.
>>30123169
Meanwhile, a landing Ju52 rolls directly to the Zerstörers and is welcomed with loud cheers - its the squadron's transport aircraft. Hauptmann Flakowski, zero-visibility-conditions instructor of the I./ZG76, safely flew the aircraft through the weather front over the Skagerrak. He brought very welcome reinforcements: the six most important mechanics, and the JU's belly full of ammonition.
Over the Oslo Fjord, Flakowski met multiple squadrons of returning Ju52, signing him to turn around as well. His reaction: "Crew, ready on the pistols! There's fighting in Oslo!"
>Balls.
And now they are there. The Mechanics immideatly start taking care of the Zerstörers, or what's left of them, to make them fit again. Hauptmann Flakowski and some random soldiers of the IR324 reconnoiter the airfield. The Norwegians are ordered to remove the burnt-out Gladiators from the runways.
>a bread about the Norwegian Campaign
op is based
>>30123220
Suddenly, Hansen thinks he's dreaming. A light-blue, american-made, "street cruiser" limousine pulls up, and from it exits... a german officer in full parade uniform.
Hauptmann Spiller is the air force's attaché to the german embassy in Oslo. Hansen reports his squadron.
"Where are the Fallschirmjägers?", Spiller asks, "and the Infantry batallion?" Hansen does not know.
The attack against Oslo lives or dies with the airborne landing in Fornebu, since the battleships are their naval infantry are still stuck in the Dröbak narrows.
"You have to report home that the airfield is ours!", Spiller orders. "Otherwise we'll have to wait for the Transportgruppen until it's too late."
Hence, the comms-Ju radios out a message: "Fornebu in our hands. Signed, I./ZG76".
Aalborg recieves, and relays to Hamburg. They had already wrote off the Zerstörers. And now they are not only alive, but the message that they almost did not hope for: Fornebu can be used to fly in troops!
Meanwhile the marching order of the Transportgruppen is greatly disturbed:
5. and 6. Squadron/KGzbV1, with the Fallschirmjägers, had to turn around in the thick fog over the Oslo Fjord, however two of them who got even more lost than the others landed in Fornebu some thirty minutes late.
The KGzbV103, following the Fallschirmjägers in a distance of 20 minutes, although disregarding the return order from the X.th Korps, mostly turned around after witnessing the death of their commander, Hauptmann Wagner. Only Hauptmann Ingehofen, the deputy commander, managed to land a few Ju52 in Fornebu. Those were the ones landing nearly the same time as the Zerstörers, almost colliding.
>>30123290
Therefore, on Weser day, 9th April 1940, only a handful of German soldiers occupy Oslo-Fornebu: Heer infantry of the IR 324, Fallschirmjäger of the FJR 1, and the crews of the landed aircraft. Under the leadership of determined officers, namely Hauptmann Flakowski und Hauptmann Ingehoven, this colourful group takes out the MG emplacements and secures the airfield.
"Around three hours later", it reads in the battle report of the I./ZG76, "Ju52 groups with most of the Fallschirmjäger and airborne infantry landed."
New and new Transportgruppen are flying in. Soon the airfield is full. Some JU break up after the difficult approach and block the runway. Nevertheless, during the afternoon, the whole IR324 is flown in.
In the evening, Oslo itself is in German hands, "according to plan". The first capital city, being taken by airborne troops. Two days later, Generalleutnant Geisler, commanding general of the X.th Korps, shakes Oberleutnant Hansen's hand in Oslo. "If it were not for your squadron", he says, "then maybe, a lot of things would be very different here."
>>30123374
>The second act
At the same time as the transports bound for Oslo recieve the return order in their miserable weather, another formation of Ju52 dives into a wall of rain farther west: twelve aircraft of the 7./KG z.b.V.1.
Hauptmann Günther Capito, the squadron's captain, leads the formation towards the airfield of Stavanger-Sola. On board is the 3rd Company / Fallschirmjägerregiment 1 under Oberstleutnant Freiherr von Brandis. The Task: dropping the FJR onto Sola.
Capito's crews are trained in IFR procedures. But they have never before been flying IFR in formation. And not over water. If two aircraft collide in this dark wall of rain, there is no chance for the crews. There aren't even lifejackets on board.
"The cloud wall has devoured the squadron", Hauptmann Capito recalls, "even though we fly the tightest formation, I can just about see the next plane".
The decision about continuing or return now lies with the squadron commander. And capito orders "We will fulfil our task!".
He can only hope the weather clears up over the coast. With the current visibility, the approach between the mountains would be literal suicide. But today, Capito is lucky.
"After half an hour, it gets brighter and brighter, and suddenly, we're through. 900m below us, the sea glitters in the sun, and starboard ahead, around 100km distant, is the norvegian coast in clear view."
Capito looks back, searching for his squadron. One after the other, they punch through the black wall of clouds. It takes half an hour to rejoin the squadron, counting 11 aircraft. The twelvth is missing. Later it turns out it got lost and ended up in Denmark, at least not a complete loss like the two from the Oslo group.
Lowering to wave level, the eleven transports hunt towards the north. The weather front cost them a long time. At 9:20am they reach Stavanger. In a right turn, they cross the coast.
>>30123522
Now everything happens very fast. The moment of surprise is crucial. At 10 meters, the formation drones through a side valley. Turns hard to the north. Jumping over a mountain ridge. And already Stavanger-Sola airfield is right in front of them.
Of course the Fallschirmjägers are ready to jump. The pull lines for their parachutes are hooked into the cable. The large doors are open. The men are waiting for the horn signal for the jump.
Hauptmann Capito pulls the lead aircraft up to 120 Meters and at the same time pulls back the throttle. They have reached minimum jump altitude.
"The drop", he tells, "needs to happen during slow flight, so the platoons stay close together. And flying over an alterted enemy at only 120 Meters is not exactly a life insurance."
The horn goes - the men jump. It only takes seconds for the twelve men to leave the plane. Weapon containers are thrown after them. And then full throttle again, pressed down close to the ground, into the Flak's blind spot. The transports' task is done.
>Yes, at that time the Fallschirmjägers would jump only with sidearms - rifles and munitions would be dropped in bomb-like containers along with them.
More than a hundred parachutes are slowly sinking down to earth. Before Oberleutnant Brandis has rallied his troops, heavy MGs pound the place. Suddenly, two Zerstörers are over the place, strafing the emplacements.They are the only two Me110 of Oberleutnants Gollob's 3./ZG76, which despite the weather "asked around" for the way all the way up to Stavanger. Two more Zerstörers remain missing, the other four returned when they ran out of fuel.
Norwegian resistance mainly stems from two well dug in bunkers on the airfield's border. The Fallschirmjägers throw handgrendades into the shooting slits. After half an hour, the field is taken. Now only the wire traps across the runway needs to be removed, then Stavanger-Sola is also free to be approached by the transport squadrons with regular troops.
>>30123677
>Conclusion
The german high command had hoped that the Norwegians, just like the Danes, would not resist against German landings. The op order to the X.th Fliegerkorps read: "We fundamentally strive to give the operation the character of a peaceful occupation."
The bomber wings for operation "Weserübung" - those were not too many anyway, ten Kampfgruppen and one StuKaGruppe - were either held in readiness or used for demonstration flights.
For instance, one Gruppe of the KG4 was ordered over Kopenhagen on Weser day at 6:30 to drop propaganda leaflets.
Another group, III./KG4, had to demonstrate armed patrols over Kristiansand, Egersund, Stavanger and Bergen, while the German naval and airborne landings were in progress.
At the same time, He111 bombers of the III./KG26 flew in over the Oslo Fjord, but were intercepted by Gladiator fighters of Hauptmann Dahl. The burning warships in the fjord reinforced the impression that the Norwegians were defending themselves to the full extend.
As a response, Hauptmann Hozzel's I./StG1 (Sturzkampfgruppe, dive bombing group) with 22 Ju87 were alterted at 10:59 from Kiel-Holtenau airfield to attack the forts of Oskarsborg (near the Dröbak narrows) and Akershus (near Oslo). The bombs hit well.
Other parts of the KG4 and KG26, as well as the KG100 bombed the airfield Oslo-Kjeller, flak emplacements on the Holmenkollen as well as the coastal batteries on the islands in the Oslo Fjord. Under the impressions of these heavy bombardmends, most norvegian holdouts were taken over by german troops by the evening of April 9th.
based OP I am bookmarking this thread
pls dun let die b4 tomorrow
bed time in shitposter land
So what could of easily been a massacre turned into a uncontested landing because the Norwegians just gave up and left from an extremely strong position?
>>30123805
>>30123071
>>30122735
During the morning, another target for the Luftwaffe showed itself. At 10:30, german reconnaissance reported battleships and cruisers at sea near Bergen. Those were the british "home fleet", under the command of admiral Forbes.
X.th Fliegerkorps had waited for this opportunity and kept the Seekampfgruppen, naval bombardment groups, in reserve. Appproaching noon, 41 He111 of the "Löwengeschwader" KG26 and 47 Ju88 of the "Adlergeschwader" KG30. For more than three hours, the english ships were almost continuously bombed.
One 500kg bomb hit the battleship "Rodney", though it didn't penetrate the armor belt. The cruisers "Devonshire", "Southampton" and "Glasgow" were damaged by bomb hits, the destroyer "Gurkha" was sunk west of Stavanger.
>>30122518
>quality thread
>gets no attention
never change /k/
>>30123851
Right. That was basically it. I see yall enjoyed, and so did I.
I need to go now, real life and stuff, but I'll probably be back sometime.
>>30123890
Thanks guy.
Lurked the whole thread, great read. Very comfy.
Appreciate it.
Thank you OP, very interesting read. I have heard very little about the airborne landings in Norway.
>>30123890
Thanks OP. great stuff.
>>30122818
>8:20am. For the last three hours, the German navy has been slugging it out with the coastal batteries of the fort Oskarskborg, governing the Dröbak-Narrows of the Oslo fjord. The flagship, the heavy cruiser "Blücher", sank at 7:23 after shell and torpedo hits. Noone can tell if and when the other cruisers can break through the narrows and land their troops in Oslo.
Swim for your life, Hans. Based Oscarsborg!
Fun-fact: Blucher is still leaking fuel oil.
>>30123885
What a shame.
>>30123890
Thanks OP!
photo ops
more photo ops
missed photo op
>>30124925
Irony being that Blucher was hit by 28cm guns from Krupp
keeping this thread alive
if someone more sober than me could screencap that would be nice
