A unique insight into the U-boat war in World War II, focusing on FAGr 5, the Luftwaffe's only long-range maritime reconnaissance and U-boat cooperation unit. German U-boats were the scourge of Allied merchant and military shipping in the Atlantic during World War II, threatening to isolate and then starve the UK out of the War. As Germany's war against the Allied convoys intensified in late 1943, German Admiral Karl Dönitz called upon the Luftwaffe to provide a long-range spotting and shadowing unit to act as 'eyes' for his U-boats. Equipped with big, four-engined Junkers Ju 290s fitted out with advanced search radar and other maritime 'ELINT' (electronic intelligence) devices, Fernaufklärungsgruppe (FAGr) 5 'Atlantik' undertook a distant, isolated campaign far out into the Atlantic and thousands of miles away from its home base in western France. The information generated and reported back to Dönitz's headquarters was vital to the efforts of the U-boats, and FAGr 5's 'shadowing' missions were assigned priority in terms of skilled crews, supplies and equipment. Shadow over the Atlantic book tells for the first time the fascinating story of the formation and operations of FAGr 5 'Atlantik', drawing on never-before-published historical records of the unit that accounted for the reporting and destruction of thousands of tons of Allied shipping.
Autorentext
Robert Forsyth is an author, editor and publisher, specializing in military aviation and military history. He is the author of over 30 titles for Osprey Publishing on the aircraft, units and operations of the Luftwaffe, an interest he has held since boyhood. He has written articles for The Aviation Historian, Aerojournal, Aeroplane Monthly, Aviation News, Combat Aircraft, and FlyPast and he is a member of the Editorial Board of The Aviation Historian.
Zusammenfassung
German U-boats were the scourge of Allied merchant and military shipping in the Atlantic during World War II, threatening to isolate and then starve the UK out of the War. As Germany's war against the Allied convoys intensified in late 1943, German Admiral Karl D nitz called upon the Luftwaffe to provide a long-range spotting and shadowing unit to act as 'eyes' for his U-boats. Equipped with big, four-engined Junkers Ju 290s fitted out with advanced search radar and other maritime 'ELINT' (electronic intelligence) devices, Fernaufkl rungsgruppe (FAGr) 5 'Atlantik' undertook a distant, isolated campaign far out into the Atlantic and thousands of miles away from its home base in western France. The information generated and reported back to D nitz's headquarters was vital to the efforts of the U-boats, and FAGr 5's 'shadowing' missions were assigned priority in terms of skilled crews, supplies and equipment.This book tells for the first time the fascinating story of the formation and operations of FAGr 5 'Atlantik', drawing on never-before-published historical records of the unit that accounted for the reporting and destruction of thousands of tons of Allied shipping.
Inhalt
Introduction and Acknowledgements
Author's Note
Glossary
Map
1. Dark Waters
2. Junkers' Colossus: the Ju 290
3. Eyes over the Eastern Front
4. Formation
5. 'Now it's serious'
6. The Kommandeur's Report
7. A Burning Question
8. To see, or not to see
9. Black February
10. Fading Shadows
11. Fight and Flight
12. 4./FAGr 5, by Nick Beale
13. Return to the Reich
14. 'Special Tasks'
15. 'Divide and Fall'
16. 'Genieße den Krieg, der Friede wird furchtbar!'
Appendices
Endnotes
Bibliography and Sources
Index