Detchment Kuhlmey was temporary unit of Luftwaffe during WWII. The unit was commanded by Oberstleutant Kurt Kuhmley.
The unit participated in large battles in summer 1944, during the Finnish-Soviet Continuation War. When the Soviet Red Army launched its fourth strategic offensive on 9th June 1944 Finnish Marshall Mannerheim aske Nazi Germany for help. Among the help that arrived was a Luftwaffe unit that arrived in Finland 12th June. Detachment Kuhmley aircrafts landed at Immola airfield near the frontlines 17th June. The unit used the whole airfield from there on. The unit flew 2,700 missions mostly with Stuka dive bombers and dropped 770 ronnes of bombs. It destroyed over 150 Soviet aircrafts, about 200 tanks, and dozens of bridges and transport vessels. Personnel losses included 23 pilots killed and 24 wounded in battles. The unit lost 41 of its aircrafts.
The dtatchement consisted around 70 airworthy aircrafts to support 200 aircraft strong Finnish airforce (whole Finnish airforce). Its operational strenght varied due to losses, additio s and troop movements. The unclear structure is partly explained by the Luftwaffe replacement programs, where older Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers were replaced by focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter bombers.
I watched rare documentary (Finnish/German languages). Some of the veterans are telling their story of the those hard days of constant battles with Soviets, who were throwing massive amounts manpower and war machines towards west.
Here is Facebook link for that documentary, if I get enough interest of this story, I can translate this great documentary with english subtitles. Let me know if you would like me to do that.
Youtube has removed this important documentary due copyrights excuse…