Kampfgeschwader 2

Kampfgeschwader 2 " Holzhammer " (KG 2) (Battle Wing 2) was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during the Second World War. The unit was formed in May 1939. The unit operated the Dornier Do 17 light bomber, Dornier Do 217 and Junkers Ju 188 heavy bombers. During the course of the Second World War KG 2 lost 767 aircraft destroyed and 158 damaged. According to H.L. de Zeng at al, it suffered 1,908 personnel killed in action or missing in action and 214 as prisoners of war. Broken down further, for the duration of the war KG 2 lost 1,228 killed, 688 missing, 656 wounded and with 214 captured, for a total of 2,786 in both combat and non-combat operations. Stab/.KG 2 and I./KG 2 were formed on 1 May 1939 at Cottbus. II./KG 2 was formed at Liegnitz, Silesia. The crews converted onto Junkers Ju 86. The unit spent most of the summer training and recruiting personnel from the flight schools in night flying. On 25 August the unit was transferred to Jesau and participated in the Invasion of Poland. Stab/KG 2 was withdrawn on 20 September and placed under the Command of Luftflotte 3 carrying out reconnaissance missions over France. I. 2 attacked airfields at Wilna and Lida and Plock on 1 September and again on 2 September. From 2–3 September it supported the German Third Army and German Fourth Army north of Warsaw. From 4–11 September rail targets were again bombed. Troop concentrations became the main targets after this until the end of the fighting in Poland. Stab./ KG 2 and II. 2 also operated in support of I. Gruppe. Altogether, the three Grupen had contributed 84 Dornier Do 17Z aircraft to the campaign. Battle of the NetherlandsBattle of Belgium and Battle of France I./KG 2 supported German Army Group A's crossing of the Meuse. It supported Heinz Guderian's Panzerkorps in the vicinity of Sedan during the battle of 12–14 May. It fielded 36 Dornier Do 17s, with 22 aircraft serviceable. It also hit French Air Force airfields in Amiens, Reims, Champagne and Arras. Between 21 and 31 May 1940, I. Gruppe supported ground forces during the Battle of Dunkirk.

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Kampfgeschwader 2

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