Thorn (POL) (a.k.a. Toruń) (53 01 45 N – 18 32 45 E)
General: airfield (Fliegerhorst) in NW Poland 192 km NW Warsaw, 41 km ESE of Bromberg
(Bydgoszcz) and 5.25 km WNW of Toruń. History: a Polish AF airfield and home of the 4th
Air Regiment of the Polish AF on 1 Sep 39, it was taken over and considerably expanded
and improved by the Germans. An important training and replacement center to mid-
summer 1944 when operational units began arriving from the front area to the east.
Surface and Dimensions: grass surface on sandy soil. In 1940 measured 1000 x 800
meters but by 1944 this had been extended to c. 1645 x 1370 meters (1800 x 1500 yards).
There were 2 runways of 1280 meters (1400 yards), one aligned NNE/SSW and the other
WNW/ESE. Infrastructure: had 8 hangars, workshop buildings, fuel storage and barracks
in 1940. Improvements and augmentations were made by the Germans during the war.
Dispersal: several organized dispersal areas were available.
Remarks:
24 Jan 45: city surrounded by Soviet forces and supplied by air until the defenders were
driven out on 2 Feb 45.
Operational Units: Wekusta 26 (Ost) (Jun 44 – Jan 45); III./KG 4 (Jul-Oct 44);
Transportstaffel IV. Fliegerkorps (Aug-Sep 44); Stab/FAGr. 2 (Aug 44 – Jan 45); 4.
(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 11 Sep-Nov 44); 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 122 (Aug-Dec 44); detachment of Aufkl.St. 2.
(F)/Nacht (Aug 44 – Jan 45); Stab/KG 55 (Sep-Oct 44); III./JG 1 (Jan 45).
School Units: Grosse Kampffliegerschule Thorn (Nov 39 – Jan 40); Grosse
Kampffliegerschule 4 (Jan 40 – Oct 42); Artillerieflieger-u.Bordschützenkommando (Aug –
Oct 42); Stab, I., II./Kampfbeobachterschule 1 (Mar 43 – Sep 44); FFS B 21 (Feb – Jun
44).
Reserve Training & Replacement Units: IV./ZG 26 (Apr – Jul 41); Artillerieflieger und
Bordschützenkommando (Aug-Oct 42); Artilleriefliegerkdo./Erg.Nahaufkl.Gr. (Oct 42 –
1943).
Station Commands: Koflug 5/I (1941); Fl.H.Kdtr. L Thorn (1941); Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 272/III
(Jan 45)?
Kommandant (mainly prior to the establishment of numbered station commands – not
complete):
Oberst Heinrich Seywald (15 Nov 39 - 16 Jun 42).
Station Units (on various dates – not complete): Stab/IV. Fliegerkorps (Aug-Sep 44);
Koflug 5/I (Mar 41 – c.Aug 42); Werft-Abt. 16/I (Dec 44); Werft-Abt. 109/I (Dec 44, Jan
45); schw.Feldwerft-Abt. 3/VII (Jan 45); Werft-Kp. d.Lw. 7 (Mar, Sep 41); Werft-Kp. 25
(Mar 41); Stab/Flak-Rgt. 121 (Oct 44); elements of schw.Flak-Abt. 213 (Oct 44); elements
of gem.Flak-Abt. 296 (Jan 45); Stab/schw.Flak-Abt. 484 (Nov 44); 2., 3., 4./schw.Flak-Abt.
571 (Nov 44); Stab/schw.Flak-Abt. 633 (Jan 45); le.Flak-Abt. 767 (Jan 45);
Sperrfeuerbatterie 202 (Sep 41); Sperrfeuerbatterie 205 (Sep 41); Sperrfeuerbatterie 209
(Sep 41); Sperrfeuerbatterie 266 (Sep 41); Sperrfeuerbatterie 267 (Sep 41); le.Hei.Flak-
Bttr. 20/I (1943-45)?; le.Hei.Flak-Bttr. 22/VIII (Jan 45)?; s.Hei.Flak-Bttr. 217/III (1944-
45)?; s.Hei.Flak-Bttr. 220/III (1944-45)?; s.Hei.Flak-Bttr. 224/III (1944-45)?; s.Hei.Flak-
Bttr. 230/III (1944-45)?; Feuerleitungsstab (A) (Sep 41); Flak-Geräteausgabestelle 6/II
(Jan 45); Flak-Trsp.Bttr. 46/XII (Jan 45); 13.(Ers.)/Luftgau-Nachr.Rgt. 1 (Nov 42);
elements of Ln.-Abt. 71 (Jan 45); Trsp.Kol. d.Lw. 120/IV (Jan 45); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 54/I
(Jan 45); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 22/III (Sep 41); Ldssch.Zug d.Lw. 43/IV (Jan 45); Ldssch.Zug
d.Lw. 311/XI (Jan 45); Kampfbeobachter-Anwärter-Btl. I (Jun 43 - ? ).
[Sources: AFHRA A5263 p.1128 (30 Oct 44); BA-MA; NARA; PRO/NA; web site ww2
Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45
Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45
Poland
By Henry L. deZeng IV
https://www.ww2.dk/Airfields - Poland.pdf