page_title: Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942)
section_title: Air offensive
hierarchical_section_title: Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942) / Second Axis offensive / Battle / Air offensive
caption_attribution_description: English: This satellite image highlights the jagged coastline of the southern Crimean Peninsula and the various docking areas of Sevastopol. The urban area is light grey, and it is bounded to the north and west by the Black Sea, to the south by vegetated (light green) and fallow (tan) agricultural fields, and to the east by the city of Inkerman and vegetated uplands (deep green). The city of Balaklava, to the south, houses another relic of the Cold War—an underground Soviet submarine base that is now open to the public as a monument. The Chernaya River issues into the Black Sea near Inkerman, flowing into the Sevastopol Inlet to the west. ISS Crew Earth Observations: ISS020-E-28072IdentificationMissionISS020 (Expedition 20)RollEFrame28072Country or Geographic NameUkraineFeaturesSEVASTOPOL, C. KHERSONESSKIY, FOR., AGR., HILLSCenter Point Latitude44.6° NCenter Point Longitude33.5° ECameraCamera Tilt20°Camera Focal Length400&#160;mmCameraNikon D3Film4256 x 2832 pixel CMOS sensor, 36.0mm x 23.9mm, total pixels: 12.87 million, Nikon FX format.QualityPercentage of Cloud Cover0-10%Nadir What is Nadir?Date2009-08-05Time07:40:40Nadir Point Latitude43.6° NNadir Point Longitude34.0° ENadir to Photo Center DirectionNorthSun Azimuth124°Spacecraft Altitude187 nautical miles (346&#160;km)Sun Elevation Angle52°Orbit Number1369Original image captionThe port city of Sevastopol is located in southernmost Ukraine on the Crimean Peninsula. The city is an important naval base due to the numerous inlets and bays along the coastline. During the Cold War, the city was the base of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, but now it services vessels of both the Ukraine and Russia. The main economy of the city is based on trade and shipbuilding, but Sevastopol is also a popular tourist and resort destination for visitors from the Commonwealth of Independent Countries (formed from former Soviet Republics). This astronaut photograph highlights the jagged coastline of the southern Crimean Peninsula and the various docking areas of Sevastopol. The urban area is light gray, and it is bounded to the north and west by the Black Sea, to the south by vegetated (light green) and fallow (tan) agricultural fields, and to the east by the city of Inkerman and vegetated uplands (deep green). The city of Balaklava, to the south, houses another relic of the Cold War—an underground Soviet submarine base that is now open to the public as a monument. The Chernaya River issues into the Black Sea near Inkerman, flowing into the Sevastopol Inlet to the west.
context_page_description: The Siege of Sevastopol also known as the Defence of Sevastopol or the Battle of Sevastopol was a military battle that took place on the Eastern Front of the Second World War. The campaign was fought by the Axis powers of Germany and Romania against the Soviet Union for control of Sevastopol, a port in the Crimea on the Black Sea. On 22 June 1941 the Axis invaded the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa. Axis land forces reached the Crimea in the autumn of 1941 and overran most of the area. The only objective not in Axis hands was Sevastopol. Several attempts were made to secure the city in October and November 1941. A major attack was planned for late November, but heavy rains delayed it until 17 December 1941. Under the command of Erich von Manstein, Axis forces were unable to capture Sevastopol during this first operation. Soviet forces launched an amphibious landing on the Crimean peninsula at Kerch in December 1941 to relieve the siege and force the Axis to divert forces to defend their gains. The operation saved Sevastopol for the time being, but the bridgehead in the eastern Crimea was eliminated in May 1942.
context_section_description: Manstein demanded an all-out assault by the Luftwaffe before the main ground action began. Situated only 70 km from Sevastopol, the German formations had barely enough time to reach altitude before reaching their targets. The 8th Air Corps began its bombing campaign along the north and southeast of the city. At the same time, German medium bombers conducted rolling attacks on the city, which included all units except LG 1, which engaged in suppressing anti-aircraft installations. Oil, electricity, water pumps, harbor facilities, and submarine bases were attacked by StG 77 Ju 87s. Von Richthofen watched the bombing from an observation post close to the front. The targets were badly damaged, and fires broke out all over the port city. The Luftwaffe flew 723 missions and dropped 525 tons of high explosive on the first day. Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, just one Ju 87 was lost.
  While the bulk of the Luftwaffe was busy with the land battle, III./KG 26 sought to break Soviet sea communications. They sank the tanker Mikhail Gromov, but the flotilla leader Tashkent, the destroyer Bezuprechnyy, and transport Abkhaziya escaped to bring 2,785 soldiers into the fortress. Air support continued with 643 sorties on 3 June, 585 on 4 June, and 555 on 5 June, with some German crews flying daily averages of 18 missions. By the start of the ground attack on 7 June, the Luftwaffe had flown 3,069 sorties and 2,264 tons of high explosive and 23,800 incendiary bombs were dropped. Many of the bombs dropped were 1,000 kg SC 1000, 1,400 kg SC 1400, and 2,500 kg SC 2500 bombs. The heavy-caliber weapons were aimed at Soviet concrete bunkers. Ivan Laskin, commanding the 172nd Rifle Division in the northern sector recalled, "Bombers in groups of twenty to thirty attacked us without caring for their targets. They came in, wave after wave, and literally ploughed up the earth throughout our defence area. German aircraft were in the air above our positions all day long. The sky was clouded by smoke from explosions of thousands of bombs and shells. An enormous dark grey cloud of smoke and dust rose higher and higher and finally eclipsed the sun". The German air campaign against Sevastopol in June 1942 surpassed by far the German bombings of Warsaw, Rotterdam or London. From 3 to 6 June, the Luftwaffe carried out 2,355 operations and dropped 1,800 tons of high explosives.
  On 7 June, Manstein ordered the ground assault. The Luftwaffe carried out 1,368 sorties and dropped 1,300 tons of bombs on Soviet positions, but the Soviet infantry clung on.
caption: Satellite image of the Sevastopol area. Note the dense forest terrain situated on high ground and valleys to the east of the port.
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