Tutow Factory Airfield - 445BG

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Tutow Factory Airfield

Mission Summaries > May 1944 > Aitfields in May 44
 
Tutow (GER)
 
(53 55 25 N – 13 13 10 E)
 

General: Fliegerhorst 40 km N of Neubrandenburg in Mecklenburg. Luftwaffe Fliegerhorstkommandantur by fall 1935. Consisted of two separate airfields, Tutow/Nord and Tutow/Süd, separated by a large, wooded area that provided concealment for admin buildings and barracks.
 

 
History: development began in 1932 to create a prototype airfield devoted to flight training that later airfields could be modeled after. It was one of the largest air bases built by the Luftwaffe with, for example, 24 large stone barracks, a large housing estate for civilian employees, its own agricultural farm with livestock, clubs, swimming pools, tennis courts, guest housing for visitors, auditorium hall, etc. The first Luftwaffe unit took up occupancy on 1 July 1934. Besides bomber training, a number of operational units were formed at Tutow during the pre-war years. During the latter war years, the Arado factory in Warnemünde set up a final assembly line for Fw 190 fighters at Tutow. Tutow became a hub for transport aircraft in 1945.
 

 
Dimensions: unknown.
 

 
Surface and Runways: both airfields had grass surfaces with paved hangar aprons and taxiways. Equipped with boundary and obstruction lighting, a beam approach system and a visual Lorenz system.
 

 
Fuel and Ammunition: both available.
 

 
Infrastructure: there were a total of 12 hangars – (a) 1 very large repair hangar, 3 large flight hangars and 1 medium flight hangar on the N and NE boundaries that served the North landing area; (b) 2 very large repair hangars and 2 large flight hangars on the NE boundary serving the South landing area; (c) 1 very large repair hangar and 2 large flight hangars between the two landing areas. A motor pool and garage were located in the area between the two landing grounds. See above under History for accommodations and other infrastructure. A special branch rail line from Demmin with sidings and loading sheds served the airfield.
 

 
Dispersal: unknown.

 
Defenses: unknown.
 

 
Remarks:
 
  • 20 Feb 44: airfield bombed ineffectively by a large force of B-17 Fortresses.
  • 09 Apr 44: airfield and Fw 190 assembly area bombed by 106 B-24 Liberators.
  • 13 May 44: airfield and Fw 190 assembly area bombed by 228 B-24 Liberators.
  • 29 May 44: airfield bombed by 167 B-24 Liberators.
       

 
Operational Units: I./KG 152 (Apr 34 – Dec 35); KG 252 (Jul 34 - ); II.(s.Jagd)/Lehrgeschwader Greifswald (Sep 37 – Oct 38); Schlachtfliegergruppe 10 (Aug-Sep 38); Schlachtfliegergruppe 20 (Aug-Sep 38); KGr.z.b.V. 4 (Aug-Oct 38); II.(Schl.)/LG 2 (Nov 38 – Aug 39); KGr. z.b.V. 9 (Aug 39); II./JG 1 (Nov-Dec 44); I./TG 1 (Feb-Apr 45); 5.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 122 (Mar 45); 4.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 14 (Mar-Apr 45); 2./TG 3 (Mar-Apr 45); Grossraum-Transportgruppe (Mar-Apr 45); I./KG 66 (Mar-Apr 45); II./KG 200 (Apr 45).
 

 
School Units: Bombenschule Tutow (Jan – Apr 35); Kampffliegerschule Tutow (May 35 – Jan 40); Grosse Kampffliegerschule 1 (Jan 40 – Oct 42); Kampfbeobachtervorschule 1 (Oct 42 – Mar 43); Kampfbeobachterschule 3 (Sep 42 – Aug 44); Stab, I. and II./SG 104 (Aug 44 – Feb 45).
 

 
Station Commands: as Fl.H.Kdtr. Tutow (to 1943); Fl.Pl.Kdo. A 25/III (1943-44); Fl.H.Kdtr. A(o) 7/III (1944-45).
 

 
Kommandant (mainly prior to the establishment of numbered station commands – not complete): Oberst Nikolaus Maier (Nov 39 - ? ).
 

 
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): Stab/XIV. Fliegerkorps (May 43 – Feb 44)?; Werft-Abt. 42/III (1944-45); 131. Flugh.Betr.Kp. (Qu) (Nov 44 – 1945); II./Flak-Lehr-Rgt. (le. mot.) (Oct 37 – Aug 39?).
Tutow, Germany - Arado Aircraft Factory and Luftwaffe Airfield
Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration ©
Tutow, Germany as seen today
Image courtesy of Google Earth Pro™
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