THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E 12958 th e c l ou d c e i l in g w a s t o o l o w It . w a s f o un d th a t th e M e - 1 10 un it s c o ul d no l on ge r b e us e d fo r i o n g - r a n g e fi ght e r m i s s io n s ow i ng t o th e i r p o o r op e r a t i o na l c on dit i on T h . e s e p la ne s , a n d w h at w a s l e ft o f th e M e - 109 's , w e r e th e r e fo r e t ur n e d o v e r to th e F o ur th A i r F l e e t f o r us e in a i r f i e l d de f e n s e a c t io ns at ba s e s w h i ch ha d c om e unde r f r e que nt Sov i et a i r at t a c k s dur in g th i s t im e . T h e e ff o r t s t o c a r r y o ut l o n g - r a ng e fi ght e r op e r at io ns fa il e d b e - c a us e o f th e ina de q ua c i e s o f th e a i r c r a ft e m p l oy e d , wh i c h h a d m e r e l y b e e n c o n di ti ona l l y eq uipp e d fo r l on g - r a n ge m i s s i o n s . A r e a l l o ng - r a n g e fi g h t e r {s o m e th i ng th a t th e L u ftw a ff e G e ne r a l St a ff h a d l o ng de m a nde d) w a s c l e a r l y la c k in g , a n d w ith o ut s uc h a i r c r a ft no e s c o rt s c o u l d b e p r o - v i de d f o r t`vo pl a n e s a n d gl i de r s . T h u s a noth e r h op e of in c r e a s in g th e s upp l y s h ipm e nt s t o St a l i ng r a d w a s da s h e d . T h e t ra n s f e r o f c a r g o gl i de r s f r om th e Z one o f th e In t e r i o r w a s h a lt e d o n 2 4 J an ua r y , a n d F ie l d M a r s ha l M il c h r e l e a s e d th o s e a l r e a dy in th e F ou r th A i r F l e et a r e a f o r u s e i n a n a i r l i ft op e r at i on f o r th e F i r s t P an z e r A r m y f r om th e K r a s n o da r a r e a t o K e r ch a n d M a r iup ol - T a gan r o g . 1 10 A ft e r 10 Ja nua r y S ov i e t p r e s s ur e s f r o m th e s o uth a ga in s t th e D on R iv e r l in e a ga in m a de it ne c e s s a r y f o r H e - 1 1 1 un i t s t o m o v e fa r th e r to th e r e a r th i , s t im e f r o m N o v o ch e r ka s s k t o T a ga nr o g , th e r e by i nc r e a s i n g t o 2 52 m il e s th e di s t a nc e t o th e St a l i ng r a d p o c ke t 1 1 1 y . e t d , e s p it e th i s a dv e r s it y th , e t r e m e ndo us e ff o rt s of th e a i r c om m a nd , b oth fl y i n g an d gr o un d p e r s onn e l , r e s ul t e d in a n i nc r e a s e in de l iv e r e d t onna ge fr om 6 0 t o 7 8 t o n s T h i . s in c r e a s e w a s m a int a in e d unt i1 16 Ja nua r y 1 1Z T h . . e r e - a ft e r , p r e s s ur e s up on th e S ix th A r m y ' s p e r im e t e r s th r ea t e ne d th e ba s e a t G um r ak . T h e Gum r ak a i r f i e l d w a s c ap tu r e d by th e R e d A rm y o n 2 1 Ja nua r y , a n d l an di ng w a s n o l o ng e r p o s s ib l e a t th e G o r o di s h ch e a i r fie l d b e c a us e it w a s now s it ua t e d o n th e m a i n l i ne o f r e s i s t a n c e a n d h a d c om e un de r h e a v y a r t ill e r y a nd in fa nt r y fi r e A t th . e l a s t po s s ibl e m om e nt , e ff o rt s w e r e m a de t o eq uip a l a n din g a r e a th , e St a l in g ra ds k iy a i r fi e l d i , n th e im m e dia t e v i c i nit y o f th e c it y of Sta l ing r a d , a n e x t r e m e l y de s p e r at e m e a s ur e T h i . s w a s ha r dl y a n a i r fi el d in th e r e a l s e n s e o f th e w o r d b , ut by th e ev e ni n g o f th e 2 1s t r ep o rt s f r o m th e Six th A r m y in di c a t e d th a t th e fi e l d w a s i n c o ndit i o n t o r e c e iv e a i r c r a ft . M o s t o f th e s upp l ie s w e r e b y th i s ti m e de liv e r e d by a ir - dr op , b ut a i r c r ew s m a de la ndin g s a ga in a n d a g a i n a t th e ne w a i r fi e l d de , s p it e h e a v y a rt ill e r y f i r e a nd num e r o u s s h e ll a nd b o m b c ra t e r s on th e s t r ip It . w a s , o f c our s e in , ev i ta bl e th a t h e av y l o s s e s o f a i r c r a ft a nd p e r s onn e l r e s ult e d 32 3 THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E 12958
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