Fliegerhorst Grove.

 
         

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  Part 16.  V-1 at Grove?  
             
 

It has now been proven, that Flg.Hrst Grove, at the end of the war, had the infrastructure required to support flight operations with V-1.  The final proof was a drawing of a Richthaus made in 1950 by the authorities responsible for the dismantling of structures not required by the RDAF.  The drawing was discovered by Mr. Jørn Junker in May 2010 in an archive, which had received little attention by other researchers.

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  A purely speculative diorama of a He 111H with a V-1 in a Splitterbox of the type found at Grove.  
 

 

 
  The building below has some resemblance with a V-1 Richthaus.  So when we came across it, it was natural to speculate in airborne V-1 operations from Grove.  Below are some facts related to the issue.  
         
  24 August 1944 a resistance group reports:  
  "V-1 launch ramps are being built at a rapid pace at Krarup (sic).  A large storage area has been established".  
     
  10 December 1944 another group reports:  
   "It is correct that a fenced, heavily guarded area, has been established in the north eastern part of Karup airfield.  The purpose has not been established, but it is considered unlikely, that it is a launch area for V-1 and V-2 for the following reasons:  
  1.  The area is too small.  
  2.  It would be impossible undetected to transport in the building material required.  
  3.  The airfield has not been provided with the technical support equipment or liquid oxygen required for the launch of V-1 and V-2"  
     
     
         
 

Please note the three suspension point just in front of the wing-mount.

 

Drawing from "Air-launched Doodlebugs", by Peter J. C. Smith.

 
     
  The RAF Disarmament Wing responsible for Denmark reported in late 1945, that no V-1s had been found in Denmark.  
     
     
 

 

 
         
 

Immediate post war map drawn by personnel from the Danish Ministry of the Interior as part of a report describing the airfield.  There was indeed an area surrounded by barbed wire and obstacles in the NE part of the airfield.  This area was possibly a Stützpunkt, since there are several fortifications in the area.  Please see map below and note 3 buildings evenly spaced along the Rollbahn.

 

An enlargement of the map opposite, depicting three Splitterboxen and one of the buildings (731 b) mentioned in the report.

 
         
 

 
         
  Map depicting the location of the three Richthaüser.  
         
 

   
         
 

Photo of the area above right in APR 1945.  At least five dark camouflaged aircraft can be seen in the Splitterboxen.  Please note building 731 b and the concrete access road.  The building has not been camouflaged yet and the road has not been toned down in contrast to the Rollbahn, which dates back to the spring of 1944.

 

The same area in 1949, the building has been demolished, but the foundation and access road remains.

 
     
 

 
         
 

Drawing by Danish authorities responsible for demolishing the building.  This clearly depicts a Richthaus, notice the diameter of the groove in the floor of 8,5 m.

 
         
 

 

 
         
 

The excavation site.  The Sockel was exactly 12 x 12 m, the size specified for the Einstellzelt in "Bautechnische Richtlinien für Startplätze FGZ 76"

 
         
  At the German airfields in The Netherlands (Venlo, Gilze-Rijen and Eindhoven), which were used for V-1 operations by KG 53, three Richthaus buildings were built as standard.  These had a dimension of 12 x 12 .  Modified He-111H were used as launch aircraft. Apart from launch control the lower right of the fuselage and the underside of the tailplane and elevator was applied with corrugated steel armour.  
     
  On 9 NOV 1944 the Chef des Luftwaffenbauwesenes issued "Bautechnische Richtlinien für Startplätze FGZ 76" (BAMA RH 19/102) it is noteworthy that this document was sent for Action to OT-Einsatz Dänemark.  I am deeply indebted to Herr. Detlev Paul for having shared his research and this document.  
         
     
         
 

Another area surrounded by barbed wire and obstacles in the NW part of the airfield.  This area was not a Stützpunkt, and there is a Splitterbox in the center.  This box is an addition to the 16 clusters of three found on the airfield and one must assume it was built for a unknown special purpose.

 

Photo of the area opposite APR 1945.  There are three small objects, possibly dark camouflaged, small aircraft in the Box.  Known aircraft types at Grove at this time was Fw 190G, Ju 88A-4, Ju 88G-6, He 219 and Ar 234.

 
         
 

Document describing some aspects of KG 53/V-1 operations from Eggebek.

 
         
 

 
         
  Three identical buildings at FlH Leck in the summer of 1945 located close to the Rollbahn in the northern dispersal area.  Leck was for a period used as an operating base for KG 53.  An ammunition depot (please see: Geschichte der Luftmunitionsanstalt Boostedt ) with V-1 was located in the vicinity no doubt serving all V-1 bases in the area.  
         
  According to "Air-launched Doodlebugs", by Peter J. C. Smith the Zyklop system was deployed along the Dutch coast as navigational aid for V-1 launching He 111 units.  A Zyklop was deployed to Denmark (the Thisted area) in the spring of 1945, and at the time of the liberation it was located in GOLDREGEN 15 km NE of Grove along with a Freya LZ with IFF.  The Zyklop was manned by personnel from 10./Flugs.Rgt. West, which was now subordinated to K.G.d.Dt.Lw.i.Dänemark.  
         
  Another Kp. from the same Rgt. (2./Flugs.Rgt. West) was also deployed to the Thisted area in Klitmøller.  This Kp. manned the Flugsicherungszentrale KREUTZOTTER.  The foundation (Radiopejlestation Tørvekær) for a 6 mast Adcock (Fu Peil 70) has been found a few km east of the site.  This type of Adcock was used to track the FuG 23 transmitter employed in a small percentage of all V-1 launched in order to get an indication of the accuracy of the missile.  According to a communication diagram contained in "V-1 - Eifelschreck" by W. Gückelhorn & D. Paul there was a direct, dedicated telephone line from KREUTZOTTER to the Gef.Std. of Flak-Rgt. 155, the formation responsible for V-1 operations.  
         
 

 
         
 

A Fu Peil 70.

 
         
  Infrastructure related to V-1 at Grove.