NZFF

The Sonderkommando Blaich (English: Special detail Blaich) was a German special unit consisting of one Heinkel He 111 medium bomber that raided Free French–controlled Fort Lamy (present day N'Djamena) in the Chad region of French Equatorial Africa in January 1942.
The raid against a target located 1,250 mi (2,010 km) from the German-Italian bases in North Africa was a success but, on its return flight, the German plane ran out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing; both crew and plane were rescued a week later. More on this raid here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonderkommando_Blaich.

Blaich(00004) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

Blaich(00005) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

Blaich(00003) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

Looking good JK, great shots and history.

Heinkel He 111 – More Than Just a Bomber: My Experience on the Anapa–Bagerovo Route

In the Great Battles series by Sturmovik, I often flew the He 111 as it might have been used in September 1943 during the evacuation of the Taman Peninsula to the Crimea. The retreat of the German Wehrmacht’s 17th Army from the Caucasus was the last organized German withdrawal without chaos.

What many don’t know is that the He 111 also served as a transport aircraft. It carried troops, supplies, and wounded over the relatively short distance from Anapa to Bagerovo. I personally flew this route in the simulator, and it gives a unique sense of the challenges of that time. Range, payload, and the constant threat of enemy fighters and flak made every flight a nerve-wracking experience.

I have a personal connection to the region—I was in Kherson before the war and appreciated the landscape and people. Maybe this inspires you to fly the He 111 not only in the North African scenarios but also explore the Black Sea region and this historic evacuation mission. It’s a fascinating and lesser-known chapter for the sim community.

September 1943, Anapa–Bagerovo. Where history and simulation meet in a remarkable way.