A history of military equipment of Modern Greece (1821 - today)

(1927-1938) KEA Chelidon

2012-01-09T10:20:00.005-08:00

The Chelidon was designed and built in the State Aircraft Factory (KEA) by a Greek team under the supervision of Charles H. Lowe-Wylde, according to the Navy's specifications. Its development was completed in an impessive eight weeks. It was a two-seater military biplane designed mainly for advanced training and reconnaissance, and with the option of conversion into a hydroplane.
After testing though, it was considered inferior to its contemporary alternatives and production was cancelled. The Navy would be equipped instead with Armstrong Whitworth Atlas biplanes. KEA would go on building British-designed aircraft under license, including Avro 504, Atlas and 621 Tutor, but no other Greek-designed aircraft.

The photo above shows most probably C.H. Lowe-Wylde and Blackburn's test pilot (Herbert Gardner "Tiny" Travers).

Operational History
Dec. 1926 - The navy orders 18 aircraft
11 Feb. 1927 - First flight of the prototype.
23 May 1927 - Last three takeoffs from Tatoi. The last flight lasted 30 minutes and C.H.Wylde himself was in the back seat.
After a three month test flight period, the aircraft's performance is deemed inferior to alternative options, and the order is cancelled. The prototype is possibly used for technical personnel training at KEA and is most probably scrapped in 1938.

Specifications
KEA Chelidon
Length: 5.79 m
Wingspan: 8.17 m
Engine: 1x Salmson (120 hp)
Speed: ~150 km/h
Crew: 2

For Gamers and Game designers With production having been cancelled, the sole KEA Chelidon prototype was possibly used as a training platform for the factory's engineers.

For Modellers
A profile by Dimitris Georgiadis:

(1940-41) Women of Pindos

2011-12-26T15:41:00.000-08:00

During the Greco-Italian war, the Greeks had the significant advantage of support from the civilians and especially the women of nearby villages.

For example, the Greek army had published instructions for knitting socks, gloves and scarves, so that they would be "official issue" and the same for all soldiers. Out of all Greek women, however, it was the women of the Pindos mountains that standed out by bringing desperately needed supplies to the front under gruelling winter conditions and above 2 km altitude.

From Argiris Balatsos's War Diary (in "Martyries 1940-1941", Hatzipera-Fafaliou, Athens, Kedros, 1982, p. 103):

"7 November 1940. ... I met women who were carrying ammunition. One was 88 years old. Another one told me that she had locked the kid in the shed, so that she could come to help the army. During the night, I saw an old woman taking care of the two kids, while their mother was baking bread for the army under the candle light. The snow, the ice, the dreadful cold, did not seem to bother them. They all wanted to help the army where the supply trucks couldn't reach. True wonderwomen. What a difference with the women of the cities!"

By Takis E. Papagiannopoulos (in "Martyries 1940-1941", Hatzipera-Fafaliou, Athens, Kedros, 1982, p. 104):

"... When they reached the River Voyiousa (Aoos) and the fearless women saw that the raging waters were making the bridge engineers' job difficult, they spontaneously did something that was repeated later at Kalamas and Drinos. They entered the waters, held each other firmly from the shoulders and formed a human wall to break the force of the waters where the bridge engineers were working."

The monument of the Woman of Pindos:

By Nikiforos Vrettakos ("Γυναίκες της Πίνδου", in Greek):

"Κι οι μάνες τα κοφτά γκρεμνά σαν Παναγιές τ' ανέβαιναν.
Με την ευκή στον ώμο τους κατά το γιό πηγαίναν
και τις αεροτραμπάλιζε ο άνεμος φορτωμένες
κι έλυνε τα τσεμπέρια τους κι έπαιρνε τα μαλλιά τους
κι έδερνε τα φουστάνια τους και τις σπαθοκοπούσε,
μ' αυτές αντροπατάγανε, ψηλά, πέτρα την πέτρα
κι ανηφορίζαν στη γραμμή, όσο που μες στα σύννεφα
χάνονταν ορθομέτωπες η μιά πίσω απ' την άλλη".

In his memoirs, artillery commander Asimakopoulos mentions the names of women of the village of K. Pedina who helped his unit reach the Peak of St. Vlasis.
Young women: LEFTERIA G. THEODORIOU, GALATEIA Nap. TRIPSA, THALEIA K. OIKONOMIDOU, PANORAIA K. TSANTI, ANNA G. KASKA and others.
Women: MEROPI CHR. TOULOUPI, ISMINI TH. KALANTZI, ATHINA KYR. LEFKADITI,
ARIADNI D. GOGOLOU, THOUSIA ANDREA VOGLI, LAKENA AP. ARANITI, EVRIDIKI CHR. GRAZIOU, LOUKRITIA PAN. CHACHARI, RINA K. GEORGIOU, THEODOULA D. DACHRI, NIKI TH. KOULI, MANI GRABALI, IPPOLITI SIOUSIOU, KLEIO SKEPARIOTI, SOULA CHOULIARA, POLIMNIA GABALI, KIRIAKO GABALI, VGENO SKEPARIOTI and others.

In a book on the role of women of Epirus in 1940, E. Tzialla-Mantziou mentions the following names: APERGI CHRISANTHI, VOUTZATI ANTHOULA, YIOTA EVAGELI, GRIMOTSI-KISI EVDOXIA, MOUTZOULI ATHINA (Fourka), GOUVELI ASPASIA (Fourka), ZIOGA ASPASIA (Fourka), IOANNIDI FROSO (TSEPELOVO), KARAGIANNI ANDROMACHI (Asprangeloi), KAPSALI ARTEMISIA, TZIMORANGA EVAGELI, FASOULI AGORO (LIKORACHI), FRAGOU ZOITSA (Fourka Konitsis).

From an unknown source, the following list also exists:
In Zouzouli: ADAMOU TRIANTAFYLLIA, GEORGIOU HAIDO, DIMITROU ROUSA, EVAGELOU EVAGELI, EVAGELOU GLYKERIA, KOSTARA EKATERINI, LAZOPOULOU EFTIXIA, DINOLAZOU VAGELI, PAPAVASILIOU ASIMINA, PAPATHOMA EVGENIA.
KOSTARA G. XANTHI, KOSTOPOULOU MARIGO, ZISOU RISANO, PAPADAMOU SOULTANA and VASILIKI and others.
In Eftachori: VLACHOU TRIANTAFYLLIA, ZOUTSOU ALEKSANDRA, TZIAVA SOULTANA, TSAPRAZI KIRATSO.

A diorama from the National War Museum, Athens:

And a life-size 10.6m exhibit from Vrelli Museum, Ioannina, Greece:

(1937-1941) Avia B.534

2011-12-25T07:25:00.000-08:00

A wealthy businessman, G. Koutarellis bought two B.534 Series II aircraft (534.1001 and 534.1002) directly from Avia and donated them to the Hellenic Airforce in a consecration ceremony on 18 August 1936. The two aircraft are often listed simply as Avias, together with the four older Avia BH-33s that were supplied from Yugoslavia a year earlier. They received the serials ΔΚ1 and ΔΚ2 (in Greek: "Donation of Koutarellis").

Operational History
18 Aug. 1936 - Offered to the Hellenic Airforce by G. Koutarellis.
1937-1940 - Used for operational training.
9 Dec. 1940 - Enter operational service with 24 Mira.
24 Jan. 1941 - ΔΚ1 suffers severe damages after a forced landing and is transfered to KEA for repairs. It is not mentioned again in official records.
19 Apr. 1941 - ΔΚ2 is destroyed together with other aircraft of 24 Mira by Messerschmitt BF109Es strafing Amfikleia airfield.

Specifications
Avia 534 Series II
Length: 8.10 m
Height: 3.15 m
Wingspan: 9.40 m
Wing Area: 23.56 sq. m
Weight: (max) 1,913 kg, (empty) 1,385 kg
Engine: 1x Hispano Suiza 12Y-21 860 hp
Service Ceiling: 10,600 m
Range: 580 km
Speed: 394 km/h
Armament: 4x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG, 6x 20 kg bombs
Crew: 1

For Gamers and Game designers
The B.534 was one of the fastest and most capable biplanes. Its only important weakness in comparison to the final generation of biplanes was that its undercarriage is not retractable. However, at the beginning ofWorld War II, most airforces were already using much more modern monoplanes, and these aircraft would be used by the Greeks probably only in auxiliary roles, such as army liaison.

For Modellers
As far as I am aware, there are no surviving photographs of the Greek Avia B.534 aircraft. Existing profiles are based on textual rather than photographic evidence.
Profiles showing the aircraft in pre-war colours, by unknown artist from ww2drawings.jexiste.fr

Profile from unknown source, presumably showing the B534 in 1940-41. However, I do not believe that this profile is anything more than speculation. Probably unreliable.

(1929-1941) Fairey IIIF

2011-12-17T10:53:00.003-08:00

A naval cooperation hydroplane ordered by the Naval Air Force and received by the newly unified Hellenic Air Force. It took part in the war, but in less promiment operations than the Dornier Do.22 and Avro Anson.

Operational History
1929-1931 - 10 aircraft delivered from Britain. They are assigned the serial numbers N1 - N10.
1935 - Used to maintain contact with the fleet during the 1935 movement.
3 Jun. 1940 - Three killed during training accident due to bad weather near Almyros Magnisias. The aircraft is damaged beyond repair.
18 Jul. 1940 - Two killed during training accident near Rafina, Attica.
Oct. 1940-1941 - Used by the 11th Naval Cooperation Squadron for reconnaissance and convoy escort missions during the war. The squadron is based at Valtoudi.
14 Apr. 1941 - N10 (crew: Economou, Drakakis, Barbas) is returning to Moudros (Limnos) after a special operation. Around 3pm, it meets four German Ju88 fighter-bombers between St. Efstratios and Skyros. (It is claimed that) Drakakis, the gunner, forces one of the aircraft to abort, but his machine gun jams. N10 is forced to ditch at sea. The crew swims to safety (presumably to Skyros), but the aircraft is sunk and Barbas has been wounded.
20 Apr. 1941 - A Dornier Do.22 (N27, crew: Dimitriadis, Papadopoulos, Fotinatos) locates the crew of a Fairey IIIF hit by a Ju88 over Skyros the previous day. Despite being attacked by new Ju88s, it manages to return to base at Paloukia Salaminas.
30 Apr. or May 1941 - All remaining Fairey IIIF hydroplanes are machinegunned after Greece's surrender to the Germans, while stationed in Monemvasia and waiting for their escape orders. It is unclear why the aircraft do not escape to Crete or Egypt.

Specifications
Fairey IIIF
Length: 10.82 m
Height: 4.27 m
Wingspan: 13.95 m
Wing Area: 40.74 sq. m
Weight: (max) 2,858 kg, (empty) 1,779 kg
Engine: 1 x Napier Lion XIA 570 hp
Service Ceiling: 6,100 m
Speed: 209 km/h
Armament: 1 fixed Vickers 7.7mm machine gun, 1 rotating Lewis 7.7mm machine gun. The bomb payload varied according to time period
Crew: 3

For Gamers and Game designers
The Navy specification heavy type radio (110 Kg) shifted the center of gravity of the airplane causing a lot of accidents. It is possible that for this reason, the radios were removed, significantly reducing the operational capabilities of the type.

For Modellers

N2
Profiles by unknown artist from ww2drawings.jexiste.fr

N7
A computer model of the Fairey IIIF for MS Flight Simulator by Ted Cook and Matteo Arrotta:

Additional photographs of unidentified Greek Fairey IIIF aircraft:

(1937-1941) PZL P.24

2011-05-28T11:32:00.001-07:00

In the history of the Greek air force, no aircraft type saw as much combat as the Polish-built PZL P.24. According to a Polish researcher, Greek Ρ.24s shot down 40 enemy aircraft (36 Italian and 4 German). According to other researchers, the Greek fighter aircraft (primarily P.24s) scored about 22 confirmed and 12 probable victories for a loss of 19 of their own. While this is the highest number in the history of the Greek air force, it is not comparable to the successes of more experienced nations. For example, during only two months in the winter of 1940-41, the RAF pilots in Greece flying the comparable Gloster Gladiator shot down 42 Italian aircraft for the loss of 16 of their own.

Operational History
September 1936 - The Greeks order 36 PZL P.24 fighters from Poland. The photo on the right shows Polish test pilot B. Orlindski in front of the third prototype P.24/III at a demonstration of the type to the Greek airforce in Tatoi.
May 1937 - The fighters arrive in Greece, with some delay attributed to the Skoda LK 32 machine guns. They are 30 PZL P.24F and 6 PZL P.24G.
October 1940 - At the time of the Italian invasion, together with a few Bloch MB.151, these are the only Greek frontline fighter aircraft. Depending on the source, out of the original 36 PZL aircraft only 24-30 are operational.

Fighter Squadrons (Lt.Col. Emanuil Kelaidis) at the beginning of the war:

21 Mira with 10 PZL P.24 (under Capt. Ioan. Kellas from 28 Oct. 1940 to 27 April 1941) at Kalambaka. 9 officers and 5 NCOs
Pilots: Kellas Ioan., Sakellariou Ioan., Katsaros Ioan., Kyriazis Ioan., Papadopoulos, Papaioannou Ant. and others

22 Mira with 9 PZL P.24 (under Capt. A. Antoniou from 28 Oct. 1940 to 27 April 1941) at Salonika/Sedes. 6 officers and 6 NCOs. By the end of the war, 22 Mira will have taken part in 90 patrol missions (353 sorties), 30 escort missions (113 sorties), one naval convoy escort mission (3 sorties), two strafing missions (6 sorties), one army escort mission (8 sorties), and 30 aircraft transport missions (104 sorties). 22 Mira will have claimed 13 victories, 6 probable and 20 heavily damaged enemy aircraft.
Pilots: Antoniou Andr., Doukas Geor., Fanourgakis Grig., Giannikostas Kon., Mitraleksis Mar., Toregas Athan., Katsimpouris Ant., Kotronis Korn., Michalitsanos Alex., Kontogiorgos Vas., Daggoulas Epam., Filis Dim., Lampropoulos Kon., Katsarelis Leon., Argyropoulos Panag., Michopoulos Ioan.

23 Mira with 11 PZL P.24 (under Maj. Gr. Theodoropoulos from 28 Oct. 1940 to 27 April 1941) at Larissa. By the end of the war, the squadron will be down to only three aircraft. By the end of the war, 23 Mira will have taken part in 88 missions (353 sorties) with a claimed 30 victories and 11 probable or heavily damaged enemy aircraft.
Pilots: Theodoropoulos Gr.. Apladas Andr., Bousios Patr., Kotronis Korn., Tsitsas Kon., Kavounis Char., Validas Theod., Kougioumtzoglou Ioan., Sioris Kon., Nomikos Geor., Michopoulos Ioan., Mokkas Geor., Valkanas Grig., Depountis Spyr., Papaioannou (from 1 Dec. 1940).

24 Mira with 6-8 Bloch MB.151 (under Savelos from 28 Oct. 1940 to 15 Jan. 1941, and Capt. A. Anagnostopoulos from 16 Jan. 1941 to 27 April 1941) at Eleusis. 10 officers and NCOs

28 October 1940 - SM-79 bombers escorted by CR-42 fighters attack Thessalonica. P.24s intercept and force them to disperse before they cause any damage. One P.24 is shot down, presumably by the CR.42 escorts.
2 November 1940 - 3 PZL-24s of 21 Mira attack a formation of (probably) Cant Z-1007 bis bombers and presumably fighter escorts over the Epirus front. F/Lt Sakellariou & Sgt Papadopoulos are shot down and killed in action. The third PZL manages to escape.
The same day a formation of Cant Z-1007 bis bombers tries to bomb Thessalonica. Six PZLs of 22 Mira and antiaircraft guns engage the enemy bombers. F/Lt Marinos Mitraleksis (P.24, Δ130), after using up all his ammunition unsuccessfully against an enemy bomber (Cant Z-1007 bis, MΜ 22381), he rams it and saws off its rudder with his propeller’s blades. The bomber plummets to the earth out of control, while Mitraleksis successfully crash-lands his P.24. He will be decorated with the Golden Order for Valour and later on with the Flying Cross, War Cross, Golden Cross of St. George’s Order with Swords and the Phoenix Order with Swords.
A diorama at the National War Museum in Athens commemorates this achievement:

During the same action Sgt Epameinondas Dagoulas claims one more bomber. The evening of the same day, another formation of 15 enemy bombers and 7 fighters, raids the city of Thessalonica again. Antoniou (leader of 22 Mira) shoots down one enemy fighter. One P.24 is shot down, but the pilots, Sgt Konstantinos Lambropoulos, bails out safely.
3 November 1940 - Five fighters of 22 Mira intercept a formation of 9 Italian bombers and fighters heading towards Thessalonika. F/Lt Konstantinos Giannikostas claims one enemy fighter.
14 November 1940 - Nine fighters of 23 Mira shoot down two CR-42s and damage a third, which will be later destroyed during crash-landing.
18 November 1940 - 22 and 23 Mira engage Italian fighters over Morova. Having spent all his ammunition, Valkanas (23 Mira) intentionally rams an enemy bomber. Both Valkanas and the enemy crew are killed. Sgt. Dimitrakopoulos is shot down but bails out safely.
20 November 1940 - Four PZLs of 21 Mira engage three CR.42s and a bomber, probably a Cant Z.1007bis, over Lake Mikri Prespa. The bomber is shot down by Ioannis Kellas. A few hours later, 21 Mira will have all its PZL P.24 fighters replaced by British Gloster Gladiator biplanes.
3 December 1940 - Six PZLs of 23 Mira engage 18 CR.42s over Moschopolis. Konstantinos Tsetsas is shot down.
January 1941 - The Greeks now have only 19 P.24, 2 MB.151 and 7 Gladiators. Influenced by the British allies, the strategy to be pursued is the control over an area through continuous patrolling.
8 January 1941 - 9 PZLs (22 Mira) and 6 Gladiators (21 Mira) attack a formation of Cant Z1007bis bombers over Ostrovo. Cptn Gregorios Fanourgakes of 22 Mira claims one probable victory. The same Greek formation later engages 9 CR.42 fighters and one Ro.37 reconnaissance biplane over Celoure, where Captains Antoniou and Nikolaos Scroubelos claim one victory each.
25 January 1941 - After two weeks of bad weather, PZLs engage enemy aircraft near Thessaloniki, with Antoniou shooting down one Cant Z.1007 bomber. Around noon, 7 PZLs (22 Mira) and 7 Gladiators (21 Mira) attack 8 BR-20 bombers from the 116a Gruppo, 37o Stormo B.T over Premeti-Kleisoura. Antoniou claims a second kill. Staff Sgt Panagiotis Argyropoulos of 22 Mira and Cptn. Kellas claim one each. Two more BR-20 bombers are shot down by another PZL and another Gladiator.
28 January 1941 - PZLs from 22 Mira attack an enemy bomber formation heading to Thessalonika. Cptn Savellos shoots down one Cant Z1007.
8 February 1941 - During a reconnaissance operation over Kleisoura, 7 Gladiators (21 Mira) and 8 PZLs (22 and 23 Mira) engage a lone two-engine Italian bomber, which spectacularly manages to escape.
9 February 1941 - One Cant bomber is downed by Staff Sgt Eleftherios Smyrniotopoulos (24 Mira, Bloch MB. 151). At the same time, a large dogfight takes place over Kleisoura between 8 PZLs (22 and 23 Mira) and 4 Gladiators (21 Mira) with 12 Italian fighters escorting 30 bombers. F/Lt Mitraleksis claims one probable CR.42 victory (trailing black smoke). Cptn Kellas shoots down two fighters. Stf. Sgt Demetrakopoulos (21 Mira) claims one more. Two other pilots (21 Mira) claim one probable fighter each. Dagoulas (22 Mira) shoots down one enemy aircraft. The Greeks lose two aircraft, badly damaged while crash-landing at their bases.
10 February 1941 - A patrol of 11 fighters (Mira 21, 22 and 23) engage three Italian bombers over the Boubesi-Kleisoura-Premeti region. Cptn Fanourgakis claims one victory.
11 February 1941 - Two Gladiators (21 Mira) on patrol are ambushed and shot down by Italian fighters. The pilots, Cptn Anastasios Bardivilias and Stf Sgt Kostorizos are killed.
15 February 1941 - Cptn Fanourgakis claims one bomber (out of a formation of three) over Tepeleni.
20 February 1941 - 19 Greek fighters (probably the whole of the surviving fighter force of Greece) escort bombers over Sendeli. They are engaged by 10 Ro.37 and 15 G.50 aircraft. In the battle, 7 PZLs (22 Mira) lose contact due to radio malfuntion and are forced to engage the enemy on their own. Four Italian fighters are shot down by Antoniou, Fanourgakes, F/Lt Michaletsianos and Dagoulas. Antoniou manages to crash land his P.24 safely at Premeti despite heavy damage.
23 February 1941 - A formation of three Gladiators of 21 Mira, five P.24 of 22 Mira and nine P.24 of 23 Mira, engage seven Italian fighters. F/Lt Scroubelos and Staff Sgt Chrissopoulos are killed, the latter on crash-landing his Gladiator.
27 February 1941 - From this day and on, all fighter squadrons are withdrawn from operations at the front due to the small number of available aircraft and the arrival of the next generation of Italian fighters (Macchi and Romeo).
2 April 1941 - 8 Gladiators (21 Mira) pursue 10 Cant Z.1007 bombers over Florina and shoot down two of them.
6 April 1941 - On the day of the German invasion, a German reconnaissance Hs.126 aircraft is shot down, shared between Cptn Antoniou and F/Lt Antonio Katsimpouris. A second Hs.126 is shot down, shared among Cptn Doukas, F/Lt Kontogeorgios and Katsimpouris. A Dornier 17 bomber is shot down by F/Lt Oikonomopoulos.
15 April 1941 - One Hs.126 is shot down by Staff Sgt Pericles Koutroubas (23 Mira), who will be killed in action later the same day. What remains of the Greek fighter engage a large formation of German bombers and fighters near Trikala. Three Greek aircraft are shot down: one Gladiator (21 Mira, Kellas wounded), one PZL (22 Mira, Katsarelis wounded) and one Bloch (24 Mira, Mokkas killed). 11 of the remaining PZLs will be destroyed on the ground by German raids.
April 1941 - Any surviving P.24 aircraft are captured by the Germans and used by themselves or the Italians for liaison and training, before being scrapped.

Specifications
PZL P.24 F/G fighter
Crew: 1
Length: 7.81 m
Wingspan: 10.68 m
Height: 2.69 m
Wing area: 17.9 m²
Weight: empty 1,329 kg, max loaded 1,915 kg
Powerplant: 700 kW Gnome Rhone 14N-07 (950 hp)
Max. Speed: 430 km/h at 4,250 m
Ceiling: 10,500 m
Range: 700 km
Rate of Climb: 11.5 m/s
Power/mass ratio: 0.376 kW/kg (0.23 hp/lb)
Armament: (P.24F) 2x 7.9mm MG, 2x 20m Oerlikon FF cannon and 2x50kg bombs (2 x 50 kg) under wings, or (P.24G) 4x 7.9mm MG and 2x50kg bombs (2 x 50 kg) under wings.
During the war, most were equipped with a total of 4x MG due to 20mm cannon ammunition shortages. The machine guns were Ceske Zbrojovice, Czech copies of the British Vickers MG.
Other Equipment: German (Telefunken) radio and American (Gaertner) oxygen supply system.

For Gamers and Game designers
Its original speed was about 420 km/h, but due to modifications, such as engine, camouflage and armament, this quickly dropped to 400 km/h, and to 380 km/h after two months of intensive use in Greek service. The type's two main weaknesses, as noted by the Greeks, were the bad cockpit visibility and the duration of flight, which was limited to 1 hour and 45 minutes. In practice, they would be able to patrol for 30-35 minutes over the front. Also, a pilot of average quality would need at least 600m of runway to land, which was difficult to find in Northern Epirus.
The P.24 had similar performance with the Italian CR.42, but was completely outclassed by newer Italian and German fighter aircraft, such as Macchis and BF109s.
For Modellers
The 36 Greek P.24 fighters carried the codes D.101 to D.136. Due to the lack of dependable sources, their paintschemes have been widely debated over the years. Before Oct. 1940 they are thought to have had aluminium colour with black codes, and light blue national markings on fuselage, under the wings and on the rudder. After Oct. 1940, the wheel cowls are thought to have been removed, as well as the national markings (which are now a bit darker) from the rudder. A few of the aircraft now carry white rather than black codes.
According to D. Georgiadis, it is also possible that some aircraft wore a four-colour camo (Dark Brown, Dark Green, Sand, Sky Blue) right before or right after the 28th of October 1940.

The following is a list of individual aircraft with profiles, models and photos, where available:

Δ102 (P.24G)
A profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (1941, 23 Mira, probably flown by G. Laskaris), an illustration from unknown (probably Polish) source (April 1941, 23 Mira), a model by Tom Cleaver, and a profile by D. Georgiadis, which accurately shows the red spider on the fuselage:

Δ103
The camouflage introduced in late 1940. Upper surfaces were green and brown, and under surfaces were light blue. There are no national insignia under the wings.

Δ104
14 Nov. 1940 - Flown by Kavounis Char., it overturns during landing. Damages are repairable.

Δ106 (P.24F)
14 Nov. 1940 - Δ115 collides with Δ106 during landing (Δ115 flown by Daggoulas). Damages repairable.

A profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (14 November 1940, 22 Mira) and a model by Will Hendriks (1:48):

Δ107 (P.24F)
An Autumn 1940 (21 Mira) profile from unknown source:

Δ109 (P.24G)
A 1941 profile in the Azur 1/72 kit.

Δ112
From left to right, a profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (1941, 22 Mira), a 1:33 paper model by Marek Pacynski (Spring 1941, 22 Mira), the box cover for the 1:48 Mirage Hobby kit, an illustration from an unknown Polish source (March 1941), and a model by E. Papadimitriou:

Δ113 (P.24G)
A profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (1940):

Δ114

Δ115 (P.24G)
14 Nov. 1940 - Flown by Dagoulas, Δ115 collides with Δ106 during landing. Damages are repairable.

A profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (14 November 1940, E. Dagoulas), a model by Steffen Arndt (IPMS Deutschland), and a model by D. Koukourdinos (pre-war, 1940):

Δ116 (P.24G)
A superb 1/48 model by Gabriel Kalfopoulos, a profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (Dekeleia 1938), and a model from the National War Museum, Athens (presumably after October 1940):

Δ118
20 Feb. 1941 - Flown by Sioris, its engine breaks down and it is forced to land near Konitsa.

Δ120 (P.24G)
A profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (1940, 22 Mira) and a profile by Ioannis Mansolas:

Δ122
4 Jan. 1941 - Flown by Sioris, it overturns during landing at Korytsa airfield.

Δ124
18 Nov. 1940 - Flown by Stasinopoulos, it crashes on another aircraft on ground. Damages are repairable.
2 Mar. 1941 - Flown by Kotronis, it lands outside the airstrip.

Δ125
14 Nov. 1940 - Flown by Kotronis Korn., it is heavily damaged in a dogfight and lands at Florina airfield. The aircraft is later repaired.

Δ126 (P.24F)
A profile by D. Georgiadis (pre-war, 1940):

Δ127
18 Nov. 1940 - Flown by Michalitsianos, it overturns within the airfield.

A profile by Michail Solanakis and a model from unknown source:

Δ129 (P.24F)
A profile by Wojtek Rynkowski (November 1940, 22 Mira), a profile by Sankowski (autumn 1940, 22 Mira, Salonika-Sedes), the box cover for the 1:48 Mirage Hobby kit, and a model by D. Koukourdinos (pre-war, 1940):

Δ130
2 Nov. 1940 - Flying the Δ130, Mitraleksis rams and downs a Cant Z-1007bis bomber by sawing off its rudder with his propeller’s blades, before successfully crash-landing.

Δ133
14 Nov. 1940 - Flown by Skroumpelos Nik., it collides on ground with another aircraft. Damages are minor and repairable.

Δ135
28 Oct. 1940 - Flown by Kougioumtzoglou Ioan., it crash-lands due to engine break down during take-off. The pilot suffers leg injuries and is taken to the hospital. The aircraft is damaged.
18 Nov. 1940 - Flown by Apladas Andr., it overturns within the airfield. Damages are repairable.

Δ136
Before the war starts, pilot Schinas is killed in an accident flying Δ136. The aircraft is destroyed.

Additional photos of unidentified aircraft

(1931-1941) Potez Po 25 A2

2011-05-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

In 1931, in the Greek Air Force's warehouses, there were a number of 500hp Hispano-Suiza engines originally intended to be installed in Bre XIX aircraft. Due to cost considerations, they were installed instead in 24 Potez Po 25 A2 aircraft purchased from France.
These two-seater army cooperation aircraft were given the designation "Greek aircraft" ("Greq Avion") by the manufacturer. As the Po25 had been designed for a different type of engine, in order for these Hispano-Suiza to be installed, a 25kg ballast was added on the tail. According to critics, this caused several accidents.

Operational History
1931 - 24 Potez 25 aircraft are purchased from France.
October 1940 - At the time of the Italian invasion, the Greeks have 17 Potez 25, based at Sedes near Thessaloniki, as the 4th Mira of Army Support. At the same time, the Greeks also have 22 Breguet XIX A2 (only 9 being operational) and 16 Hs 126A-1 for army support. It sees limited action.
April 1941 - All Potez aircraft must have been either destroyed or captured by the Germans.

Specifications
Potez Po 25 A2 Greek
Length: 9.10 m
Height: 3.67 m
Wingspan: Upper wing 14,14 m - Lower wing 10 m
Wing Area: 34.30 sq. m
Weight: (take off) 1,945 kg, (empty) 1,230 kg kg
Engine: 1 x Hispano Suiza 12GB (500 hp)
Speed: 230 km/h
Ceiling: 7,300 m
Range: 500 km
Crew: 2

For Gamers and Game designers
An unremarkable army cooperation/observation aircraft that played little role at the early stages of World War II.

(1923-1938) Gloster Mars

2011-04-26T04:44:00.000-07:00

In 1922, to address the serious lack of available interceptor planes during the Asia Minor campaign, a number of Gloster Mars interceptors were ordered from Great Britain. They were delivered shortly after the end of the war and by April 1923 they had already equipped the 5th Fighter Squadron, which was especially created for them.
They were distributed between the Army (Tatoi/Dekeleia) and the Navy (Faliro). The Gloster Mars remained in active service as the only Greek interceptor until 1934, from when on it was used for advanced training by the Air Force Academy in Tatoi.

Operational History
1922 - First batch ordered from Great Britain.
January 1923 - First aircraft arrive in Greece.
April 1923 - They equip the newly formed 5th Fighter Squadron and are used as interceptors. They will remain as the only interceptors in Greek service until 1935.
1925-26 - Venizelos orders 25 aircraft of the VI type as part of a large airforce reorganisation programme. Only 13 will arrive.
1934 - Withdrawn from the interceptor role and are now used as advanced trainers for the next four years.

Specifications
Gloster "Mars" VI Nighthawk
Length: 5.50 m
Height: 2.74 m
Wingspan: 8.54 m
Wing Area: 26 sq. m
Weight: (max) 1,006 kg, (empty) 824 kg
Engine: 1 Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar II (325 hp)
Speed: 241 km/h
Armament: 2 x 7.7mm Vickers MG
Crew: 1

For Gamers and Game designers
The first Greek pilots trying the Gloster Mars aircraft claimed that if they had been received a year earlier, the result of the Asia Minor Campaign would have been different. It is an exaggerated claim, of course, but it illustrates how well-liked they were by the pilots. It is not surprising that the Greeks used them as their sole interceptors for over ten years.
For Modellers
The Gloster Mars aircraft took the serial numbers 1-13.

D84
A Kit from Blue Rider

D94

Additional photos

(1936-1940s) Stokes-Brandt 81mm mortar

2011-04-19T03:14:00.000-07:00

Following the disaster of the Asia Minor campaign, the Greek army was in disarray, lacking direction and equipment. In 1930, the purchase of mortars was limited to only ten 81mm mortars with 25 shells each. When Metaxas took over in 1936, he launched a large rearmament programme, which included 315 Stokes-Brandt 81mm mortars from France. The well-trained Greek mortarmen made good use of them during the Greco-Italian war.

Operational History

1930 - Greece purchases 10 81mm mortars. The type is unclear.
1936 or later - During Metaxas's premiership, Greece requests a large number of 81mm Stokes-Brandt mortars from France. With their factories fully occupied with their own critical needs for equipment, the French agree on a smaller order of 315 mortars.
28 Oct. 1940 - When Italy invades, Greece has 325 81mm mortars, 6 in every infantry regiment and 4 in every cavalry regiment.
post-war - Realistically, any remaining Stokes-Brandt mortars must have been captured by the Germans in 1941. However, Greece continues using for decades the M1 81mm mortar, which is the U.S. version of the same mortar.

Specifications
81mm Stokes-Brandt mortar M.1927/31
Weight: 56 kg
Barrel Length: 1.26 m
Crew: 3
Caliber: 81mm
Rate of Fire: 18 rounds per minute
Effective Range: 1,000 - 1,900m

For gamers and game designers
General Prasca, who led the initial offensive in the Greco-Italian war, was impressed by the efficiency of the Greek mortars and expressed the opinion that they were using special ammunition. Of course, this was not true.

For modellers

(1930-1942) Y-6 Glafkos

2011-04-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

Being one of four Loire-Simonot type submarines in the Greek Navy, Glafkos was a sister of Y-3 Proteus and similar to the earlier Katsonis class. Glafkos was undergoing major repairs and did not participate in any patrols during the Greco-Italian war. She escaped to Alexandria and carried two war patrols under Cdr. Arslanoglou. In 1942, she was sunk by German bombers while stationed for repairs in the port of Malta.

Operational History

1928 - Launched. It is the only submarine of the class that is built in the Chantiers Navals Francais (Blainville, France). The other three were built in the Chantiers de la Loire.

17 Nov. 1930 - Commissioned.
1 Dec. 1930 - Received by A. Zangas and G. Labrinopoulos
1935 - Damaged during the political upheavals of 1935. It is possibly because of these damages that Glafkos is undergoing repairs and is out of action during the Greco-Italian war.
1940 - The new commander of Glafkos is Vaker.
1941 - The new commander of Glafkos is D. Zeppos.
19-23 Apr. 1941 - Glafkos escapes to Alexandria. New commander is V. Arslanoglou.
12 Jul. 1941 - Begins first wartime patrol in the Dodecannese.
21 Jul. 1941 - Sinks the Italian sailing vessel San Nicola (21 GRT) with gunfire 4 miles NW of Rhodes.
22 Jul. 1941 - Sinks a sailing vessel with gunfire off Castelorizzo.
27 Jul. 1941 - Returns from first patrol after a total of 216 hours submerged and 138 hours surfaced.
5 Nov. 1941 - Begins second wartime patrol north of Crete.
10 Nov. 1941 - On the way to Malta for engine repairs, Glafkos torpedoes and damages the German merchant Norburg (2392 GRT) off Suda Bay, Crete.
19 Nov. 1941 - Due to urgent need for repair, Glafkos arrives in Malta ending the second patrol after a total of 158 hours submerged and 169 hours surfaced.
1 Dec. 1941 - One of Glafkos's crew, Vasilios Merlin, loses his life while in training with British submarine HMS Perseus which sinks off Otranto.
27 Feb. 1942 - V. Arslanoglou and Ioannis Kostakos are the two casualties of a German bombing of the harbour of La Valetta, where Glafkos undergoes repairs. A. Daniolos takes command of the submarine.
4 Apr. 1942 - Sinks by German bombers in the Harbour of La Valetta. No casualties. The crew is transfered to Alexandria aboard Y-3 Proteus.

Specifications
Y-6 Glafkos submarine of the Proteus class
Cost: £119,000 each submarine of the class
Displacement: Surfaced 750 tons, Submerged 960 tons
Length: 68.6 m
Beam: 5.73 m
Draft: 4.18 m
Propulsion: 2-shaft Sulzer diesels plus 2 electric motors, 1420bhp/1200shp
Complement: 41
Max. Dive: 80 m
Speed: (Surf.) 14 knots, (Subm.) 9.5 knots
Range: (Surf.) 4,000 nm @ 10 knots, (Subm.) 100 nm @ 5 knots
Fuel: 105 tons of oil
Armament: 100mm gun at the forward end of the conning tower, at casing level (150 shells) and one 40mm. No external tubes. 8x 533mm torpedo tubes (6 bow, 2 stern; 8 torpedoes)

For gamers and game designers
With only two wartime patrols, Glafkos was the least active of the four Proteus-class submarines. In 1941, it was obsolete by the standards of the major powers, but still dangerous with the 8 torpedo tubes.

For modellers

(1917-1931) Breguet XIV

2011-03-16T03:40:00.000-07:00

French built biplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered French and Greek service in 1917. It equipped the 532 and 533 Squadrons operating in the Macedonian front. It remained in service throughout the 1920s before becoming a trainer for observers in 1931.

Operational History

November 1917 - The Breguet XIV enters Greek service, equipping the 532 and 533 Squadrons which operate in the Macedonian front.
22 Dec. 1918 - Commander Denain lends his personal plane to A. Moraitinis, the leader of the Greek Navy Air Service, to fly from Thessaloniki to Phaliron. The plane never arrives to its destination. A month later Moraitinis is declared dead.
21 Sep. 1921 - A Breguet XIV A2 is captured by the Turks and will serve from now on with them. It takes the name "Sakarya".
17 Apr. 1922 - On the third attempt to land, a Greek Bre XIV crashes and burns at Afion Kara Hissar, with one of two crew dead.
22 Aug. 1922 - A second Breguet XIV A2 is forced to land due to enemy fire and is captured by the Turks. It will serve from now on with them and it takes the name "Garipçe". These are the first two Breguets XIV A2 in Turkish service. After the foundation of the Turkish Republic another 16 will be bought from the French and will serve Turkey until 1926.
October 1931 - From now on, 7 Bre XIV aircraft are used for the training of observers.

Specifications
Breguet XIV A2 Reconnaissance Length: 8.87 m Height: 3.3 m Wing area: 47.5 m² Wingspan: 12.4 m Weight: 1,010 kg (empty), 1,536 kg (max takeoff) Engine: 1x Renault 12Fe, 224 kW (300 hp) Service Ceiling: 6,000 m Speed: 184 km/h Armament: 1 fixed 0.303-in (7.7-mm) Vickers machine gun on fuselage port side, 2 ring-mounted 0.303-in (7.7-mm) Lewis machine guns in observer’s cockpit, 40 Kg bomb payload. Range: 3 hours Crew: 2

Specifications
Breguet XIV B2 Bomber Length: 8.87 m Height: 3.3 m Wing area: 47.50 m² Wingspan: 14.36 m Weight: 1,010 kg Engine: 1x Renault 12Fe, 224 kW (300 hp) Service Ceiling: 6,000 m Rate of climb: 292 m/s Wing loading: 32 kg/m² Power/mass: 0.14 W/kg (0.09 hp/lb) Speed: 175 km/h Range: 900 km Armament: 1x fixed 7.7 mm (.303 in) Vickers machine gun, 2x flexible 7.7 mm (.303 in) Lewis Gun for observer, 300 Kg bomb payload. Crew: 2

For Gamers and Game designers
Apart from its widespread usage, it was noteworthy for becoming the first aircraft in mass production to use large amounts of metal rather than wood in its structure. This allowed the airframe to be lighter than a wooden airframe of the same strength, in turn making the aircraft very fast and agile for its size, able to outrun many of the fighters of the day. Its strong construction was able to sustain much damage, it was easy to handle and had good performance. The Breguet 14 is considered one of the best aircraft of World War I.

For Modellers
A profile of the No3846 Breguet XIV A2 that fought in Asia Minor in 1921, taken from Issue No. 15 of Insignia Magazine: The text is from the Insignia Magazine: "This aircraft was one of at least 30 Breguet 14 A2 and B2 types which served with the joint French-Hellenic 522 and 523 Reconnaissance-Bomber Squadrons. Finished in a Green and Brown camouflage scheme, with Natural Metal forward and upper fuselage areas. Lower flying surfaces are Clear Doped Linen. Struts, undercarriage legs and wheel covers are Light Grey. Greek roundels in Blue and White, adapted from French roundels, are worn on the upper and lower wings as well as the fuselage. The Asia-Minor 'wavy line' theatre marking in Dark Grey/Black partially obscures the fuselage roundel. Serial number and rudder data are Black."

A model exhibited in the National War Museum, Athens.

A Breguet XIV A2 from AZ Models (seems to be No3844):

A 1:33 paper model by Fitter's Models:

A Microsoft Flight Simulator model by Manuele Villa:

(1919-1941) Torpedo Boat "Proussa"

2011-03-10T02:52:00.000-08:00

Formerly the Austrohungarian Fiume-class torpedo boat SMS Tb 94 F., Proussa, together with her two sister ships "Panormos" and "Pergamos", was transferred to Greece in 1919 as war reparation from the Central Powers. Little is known about Proussa in Greek service other than that she was sunk in Corfu during the 4 April 1941 Italian bombing of the port. She stayed half-sunk for quite a while. Later, when the Italians were in control of the island, they wrote "V" (for "Vinceremo" - we will win) on one of the funnels. According to one version of the story, the Italians tried to raise the ship, but she sank while being towed.

Operational History
In Austro-Hungarian Service
30 Nov. 1914 - Laid down at the Ganz & Co.- Danubius shipyard.
1915 - Commissioned. Serves the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of World War I.

In Greek Service
1919 - Transfered to Greece as war reparations.
3 April 1941 - Sails from Patra during the evening. Captain: N. Kotsilyris.
4 April 1941 - Arrives early morning at Agioi Saranta for Rear Admiral D. Economou to inspect the naval command there. For a few hours, she stays by the coast to avoid detection by enemy aircraft. Around noon, she sails towards Corfu where she arrives at 14:10 for D. Economou to inspect the naval command there and find out how the minesweepers Strymon and Aliakmon were damaged a few days earlier. Proussa stays 100 m from the dock (between Kafe Gyali and Vido). The Rear Admiral disembarks, but before his boat reaches land, Proussa is attacked by nine (or 6 according to some sources) Italian Ju-87 Pichiatelli belonging to the 239th Sqn, 97th Dive-bombing group (Captain Mario Larket) from Galatina, near Lecce. Evasion manoeuvres are attempted, but the ship's engines are damaged by the near misses of the Pichiatelli that were dive bombing. The AA gun managed to fire only 7 rounds. The Pichiatelli dropped five 500kg bombs at distances of 5 to 100m from the
ship. After the attack finishes, the Greeks pull the ship with ropes to the dock. The fire service, the auxiliary "Evangelistria" and several civilians try to save the ship until 11 o'clock, but unsuccessfully. Proussa settles at a depth of 4 m at the Kafe Gyali dock.
During the attack, the crew is said to have managed to disarm the torpedoes on Proussa to reduce the chance of catastrophic damage from a bomb hit. 8 crew are wounded, but nobody is killed.
This is one of three attacks carried out by this air group against Greek naval vessels this day, including the 932-ton cargo ship "Souzana" that was skip-bombed and sunk during the morning.

Specifications
Fiume class Torpedo Boat "Proussa"
Displacement: 243 tons (standard)
Propulsion: 2 Yarrow water-tube boilers, 2 AEG-Curtis steam turbines, 2 shafts. 5,000 / 6,000 shp
Length: 57.76 m
Width: 5.8 m
Draft: 1.5 m
Speed: 31 knots (initially), 32 knots (after 1925) [other sources have it at 28 knots]
Armament: 2x Skoda 70 mm / 30-cal guns, 1x 8 mm AA machine gun (added in 1914), 3x or 4x 450 mm torpedo tubes (2x2).
Crew: 41

For Gamers and Game designers
While in 1919 she was a relatively modern torpedo boat, by World War II, Proussa was completely outclassed by her Italian counterparts. However, she was not slow and if undetected she could still use her torpedoes.

For Modellers
A profile of the Fiume class torpedo boats from an unknown source:

(1881-1919) Steam Gunboat "Aktion"

2011-03-05T03:24:00.000-08:00

Built specifically for the shallow waters of the Amvrakikos Gulf, Aktion and her sister "Amvrakia" saw action in the gulf during the 1897 and Balkan Wars. Aktion was called Spetses until 1889 when the Greeks decided to use the name for the newer Battleship they had ordered.

Operational History
1881 - Built by Blackwall Dockyards in the UK and named "Spetses".
1889 - Renamed "Aktion".
1897 - Commanded by Lt Cdr E. Tombazis, she sees action against the Turks.
1912-1913 - Commanded by Lt Cdr E. Lambadarios, she sees action against the Turks.
World War I - Used for the service of the Piraeus and Keratsini net barrage.
1919 - Decommissioned after the end of World War I.

Specifications
Steam Gunboat "Aktion"
Displacement: 433 tons
Propulsion: 380hp steam engine
Length: 39m
Width: 7.6m
Draft: 2.9m
Speed: 11 knots
Armament: (initially) 1x270mm/30cal Krupp gun, (later) 1x 6inch gun and a small quick-firing gun.

For Gamers and Game designers
A gunboat that was designed for shallow waters. Despite its massive size, her initial 270mm gun was of little use against distant targets, as one needed to turn the whole ship to aim the gun.

For Modellers
A model of Amvrakia, Aktion's sistership, at the Hellenic Maritime Museum, Piraeus:

A model of Amvrakia, Aktion's sistership, by TonyH of www.shipmodels.info:

(1950-1971) Destroyer Doxa D-20

2011-03-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

Ex-USS Ludlow (DD-438) and one of two similar destroyers offered by the United States, Doxa was accepted in 1950 by Cdr N.Ritsos HN and arrived in Greece in the summer of 1951. She remained in commission without interruption until 1971, when she was put on reserve. The ship's history in US service is quite rich, as she received six battle stars for her World War II service, but less interesting post-war and after she joined the Greek Navy.

Operational History
In US service as USS Ludlow (DD-438):
18 Dec. 1939 - Laid down.
11 Nov. 1940 - Launched.
5 March 1941 - Commissioned.
Oct. 1941 - Having completed shakedown, Ludlow leaves Boston for Newfoundland and Iceland, convoying supplies ultimately destined for the British Isles.
7 Dec. 1941 - Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war between Germany and the United States, Ludlow's convoy runs are lengthened to include the ports of Derry, Liverpool, Greenoch, and Freetown, South Africa.
7 Nov. 1942 - Assigned to Task Force 34 for the invasion of North Africa, Ludlow arrives off Cape Fedhala, French Morocco. Shortly after the first wave of landing craft headed tor shore, Ludlow finds herself engaging shore batteries, bombers, and a Vichy French naval force comprising a cruiser and two destroyers in the Naval Battle of Casablanca. A 6 inch shell strikes her forward and straddling shots are falling close aboard when Augusta and Brooklyn arrive and help to dispose of the French ships.
Jan. 1943 - Returns to New York to repair battle damage and then conducts training off the coast of Maine.
14 Jan. 1943 - Departs for the first of three convoy runs to Casablanca.
June 1943 - After the third convoy, Ludlow remains in the Mediterranean Sea for the forthcoming invasion of Sicily.
10 July 1943 - Ludlow provides fire support for the invading forces off Licata and Porsa Empedocle.
11 Aug. 1943 - Following daily enemy air attacks, Ludlow downs her first enemy airplane.
9 Sep. 1943 - Participating in the invasion of Italy, Ludlow leads a section of the assault wave through a known minefield to the bloody landing at Salerno. She and her sister ships are warmly commended by the commanding general ashore for their effective close range fire support.
Late 1943 until 11 Jan. 1944 - On convoy duty between Naples and Oran.
22 Jan. 1944 - She covers Allied troops storming ashore at Anzio. In the following days, Ludlow splashes two bombers, one fighter and three rocket glider bombs. A 5 inch shell crashes through the torpedo director deck and the pilothouse, causing Ludlow to retire, but serious damage is averted when Chief Gunners Mate James D. Johnson locate the hot, unexploded shell and manage to get it topside and overboard.
Early 1944 - Repaired at New York. Trained along the Atlantic coast.
20 Apr. 1944 - Returned to the Mediterranean for antisubmarine patrols.
19 May 1944 - Ludlow and Niblack depth charge U-960 to the surface, where Ludlow's main battery sinks her.
11 Aug. 1944 - Following convoy alignments in the western Mediterranean, Ludlow steams from Palermo for the invasion of southern France. 25-30 Aug. 1944 - Following preinvasion bombardment and beachhead screening off Frejus, she joins Augusta (CA-31) to help overcome the last resistance at Marseilles. While on coastal fire support missions around Monaco, she encounters not only floating mines and E-boats, but also attacks by explosive-laden boats and human torpedoes.
5 Sep. 1944 - Ludlow captures three operators of these one-man diving machines after a series of depth charge attacks. Fire support, convoy and patrol duty continue.
23 Jan. 1945 - Ludlow sails for a month's plane guard duty off the west coast of Africa.
28 Feb. 1945 - Returns to Boston.
Apr. 1945 - Ludlow sails to England to escort a convoy of LSTs stateside and then prepares for duty in the Pacific.
27 June 1945 - Crosses the Panama Canal
17 July 1945 - Reaches Pearl Harbor and begins training for operations with the fast carriers. The surrender of Japan, however diverts her to the job of escorting ships filled with occupation troops to the home islands of the defeated Empire.
7 Sep. 1945 - Departs Pearl Harbor
27 Sep. 1945 - Arrives at Wakayama, Japan, and operates in the Far East.
3 Nov. 1945 - Sails for the Aleutians where she sees a brief period of "Magic Carpet" duty. That is the the post-World War II effort by the War Shipping Administration to repatriate the American military personnel.
20 May 1946 - Out of commission in reserve at Charleston, South Carolina. Utilised for reserve training.
6 June 1950 - In commission in reserve on 6 June 1950
21 Nov. 1950 - On active status.
22 Jan. 1951 - Decommissioned

In Greek service as Doxa D-20:
1950 - Accepted by Cdr N.Ritsos
Summer of 1951 - Arrives in Greece
1954 - Overhauled together with sistership Niki in the United States
1972 - Decommissioned

Specifications
Gleeves class (sub-class Livermore) destroyer "Doxa" D-20
Displacement: 1,639/2,572t
Propulsion: Steam turbines 50.000 shp, twin propeller Length: 106m
Width: 11m
Draft: 5.5m
Speed: 37 knots
Armament: 4x 5inch/38 guns, 12(2x4 + 2x2)x 40 mm guns, 6x 20 mm guns, 5x 21in torpedo tubes,Hedgehog, depth charges.

For Gamers and Game designers
A very capable destroyer during World War 2, but relatively obsolescent by the 1950s.

(1912-1915) Henri Farman Biplane

2011-02-11T14:11:00.000-08:00

In 1912, with the help of French experts Greece received its first four aircraft to form an air force. They were French-built Farman biplanes; a Henri Farman Biplane named "Daedalus", a Henri Farman 20, a Maurice Farman Hydravion and a Maurice Farman Biplane. Prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos had stated earlier that year that "... the airplane is the weapon suitable for the weaker countries. The venturesome nature of the Greek will make it a brilliant weapon and in the future will do yeoman's service to the Greek Armed Forces...". The purchase of the four aircraft had been financed substantially by the donation of a poet named Matsoukis.

One of the first Greek pilots was Dimitrios Kamperos, an artillery officer. In June 1912, he converted his Henri Farman to a hydroplane and reached a speed of 110 km/h, setting a new world record. After World War I, he served briefly as chief instructor of the Hellenic Air Force Academy ("Icarus School"). He died of cold and starvation during the great famine of 1942.
The nickname Trelokamperos (Crazy Kamperos) that he earned for his daredevil flying lives on in the Greek language today.

The French carte postale below shows Kamperos ("Campères" in French). It reads: "Henri Farman biplane piloted by Lieutenant Kamperos of the Hellenic Army has landed at Champagne the 1st of May 1912".

Operational History
December 1911 - Chosen from a list of 60 applicants, the first Greek officers to be trained as pilots are Dimitrios Kamperos (1st Lt., Artillery), Michalis Moutousis (1st Lt. Engineers) and Christos Adamidis (2nd Lt., Cavalry). The training is held at the flight school of the Farman brothers in Etampes, France.
April 1912 - Three more are added; Loukas Papaloukas (1st Lt., Infantry), Markos Drakos (1st Lt., Artillery), Panoutsos Notaras (2nd Lt., Cavalry).
9 April 1912 - The first four aircraft arrive at the port of Piraeus inside wooden boxes.
Early May 1912 - Having graduated, Dimitris Kamperos arrives to Greece together with his French mechanic, A. Chauveau. The aircraft are assembled inside the Zoo of Paleo Faliro.
13 May 1912 - Kamperos takes off and flies for a few minutes. This is the first military flight in Greece. Note that Emmanouil Argyropoulos has already performed the first civilian flight in front of thousands of spectators on 8 February 1912.
27 May 1912 - Official ceremony and christening of the aircraft by Venizelos, as "Daedalus", "Aetos", "Gyps", "Ierax". A large crowd has gathered to see them.
June 1912 - Having converted his Henri Farman to a hydroplane, Kamperos breaks the airspeed world record, reaching 110 km/h.
September 1912 - All trainees are called back from Etampes to Greece, to participate in the first Balkan war against the Ottoman Empire.
5 October 1912 - In the first ever Greek air operation, Kamperos takes off from the new Larisa Aerodrome, flies over the borders at the area of "Skompia" and returns to report on the enemy's position.
17 October 1912 - Prince Constantine sends a telegraph asking Kamperos to perform reconnaissance flights over the enemy positions in Kozani. On a forced landing near Kozani due to mechanical failure, both Kamperos and Chauveau are injured.

Specifications
Henri Farman Biplane "Daedalus"
Crew: 1
Length: 12 m (39 ft 4½ in)
Wingspan: 10 m (33 ft 9¾ in)
Height: 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 40 m² (430.56 ft²)
Gross weight: 550 kg (1213 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Gnome et Rhône 7-cylinder rotary engine, 37 kW (50 hp)
Max. Speed: 60 km/h

For Gamers and Game designers
The Henri Farman aircraft could realistically be used only for reconnaissance.

For Modellers
The profile below is based on the replica Daedalus at the entrance of the National War Museum in Athens.

(1826-1840) Paddle Steamer Karteria

2011-02-05T17:47:00.001-08:00

Built in London for the Greeks, Karteria was possibly the most modern warship in the world when it entered service in 1826. She was ordered, part financed and captained by retired Royal Navy officer, Captain Frank Abney Hastings.

At the age of 11, Hastings had taken part at the Battle of Trafalgar on HMS Neptune. He rose to commander until 1820 when due to an incident with a senior officer he was compelled to leave the service. A great philhellene, in 1822 he went to Greece to serve on Tombazis’s ship "Themistoklis". In 1824, he managed to secure £10,000 of the £2,000,000 of the second Greek loan from England, to finance Karteria; he paid for her guns himself. A year later, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Greek revolutionary navy.

Karteria was classified as a four-masted sloop-of-war that operated under sail while travelling, but could be propelled by steam-powered paddles in battle. Captained by Hastings, armed with 68-pounder guns and equipped with on-board furnaces to provide red-hot incendiary shots, Karteria was deadly against the older wood and sail ships of the Ottoman navy. In 1827 alone, she fired 18,000 rounds and sank several enemy ships.

Karteria is most notable for being the first steam warship in the world to be used in battle (the first steam warship built was the American USS Demologos from 1814). Apart from Karteria, five more steam warships were ordered. Two of them, "Epiheirisis" and "Ermis" entered Greek service before the war was over, one blew up during trials and two were never completed and were left to rot on the Thames.

Hastings is buried in Poros and his heart is immured at the Anglican church of St. Paul in Athens.

Maurice Abney-Hastings, antecedent of Hastings, provides an excellent relevant article by Dimitri G. Capaitzis in his website (www.captainfrank.co.uk). The two quotes below are taken from there:
____________
Materials used for construction are described by Hastings, in his Memoir of 1828:

The ‘Karteria’ was built with her timbers close and caulked together, and would therefore, have floated without planking. I had several opportunities of remarking the advantage of building thus, to resist shot; nothing less than a eighteen pounder ever came through us; this, ’tis true, might be partly attributed to Turkish bad powder, but those shot that did come through, always made a nice clean round hole without a splinter. However, against shells it would have a disadvantage, as they would be more likely to stick in it. Perhaps if shells became generally used, it will be proper to make the upper works of a ship as slight as is consistent with strength, and iron ribs might perhaps be good. The ‘Karteria’ had another peculiarity in her build – two solid bulkheads enclosing the engine room, and caulked and lined, so as to be water tight, the intention of this was, in the event of one part of the ship being leaky from any cause whatever, the water could not flow into another part of the ship. This arrangement, which is due to the ingenuity of Mr Brent, the builder, once saved this ship from fire, which broke out with great force in the after-part of the engine room, and would have communicated to the shell room very quickly. But for this bulkhead, which kept the fire forward, and gave us time to subdue it. I see no reason why all men of war should not be furnished with similar partitions. The same builder saved another ship (the Rising Star) from sinking, by this contrivance.

Samuel Gridley Howe, the ‘Karteria’ American doctor had recorded in his November, 1826 journal:

We have two Englishmen (officers), one German, one Frenchman, and one Greek; The Greek is the eldest son of Tombazi, Captain Hastings is a man who deserves the deepest gratitude and respect from the Greek nation. It is only through his exertion, his activity, and generosity, that this ship was ever got out. She was built under his own eye in London, and carries as much weight of metal as a thirty-six gun frigate; her engine, however, is not the best. Captain Hastings, having on board about forty English and forty Greek sailors, is all ready to join the Greek fleet and engage the enemy.
__________________

Operational History
1825 - Laid down at Daniel Brent's Greenland South Dockyard, Rotherhithe, London, for the Revolutionary Greek navy. The order was financed by the London Philhellenic Committee.
May 1826 - Completed.
September 1826 - Reaches Nafplion.
January 1827 - Sails to Phaliron and sees action in both sea and land engagements. She is accompanied by three brigs and five gunboats.
February 1827 - Sails to Oropos and attacks enemy coastal defences and ships, together with Papanikolis' "Nelson" and Miaoulis' frigate "Hellas". Two transports loaded with equipment and supplies are captured and taken to Poros.
March 1827 - Cochrane takes over as commander of the Greek navy and orders Karteria to lead operations off Volos, together with schooner "Themistoklis", brigs "Aris" and "Panagia" and sloop "Aspasia". Shore defences are destroyed, five loaded transports are captured, two are destroyed and one runs aground. At nearby Trikeri they attack a large warship and four beached captured schooners. All are destroyed by firing from a distance.
September 1827 - Karteria, Hellas, two schooners, twelve brig and three gunships proceed to Vasiladhi and Mesolonghi to take part in the Greek land offensive. They have limited success and the fleet is split.
29-30 September 1827 - Hastings with "Karteria", "Sauveur" and gunboats "Bavarois" and "Philhelleic" pass into the Gulf of Corinth and enter the Gulf of Salona, to engage one Algereen brig of 14 guns, the enemy Admiral’s 16-gun brig, three small schooners, two armed transport brigs, two large boats with guns, shore batteries and three loaded Austrian transport ships. The Admiral’s brig is set on fire, as well as one schooner and one transport brig, while the Algereen brig is abandoned. Out the nine enemy ships only two are spared. The three Austrian ships are taken as prizes. This success provokes Ibrahim Pasha into the aggressive movements that would lead to his fleet's complete destruction by allied fleet of England, France and Russia at the Battle of Navarino (20 October 1827).
25 May 1828 - Hastings is wounded in an attack at Aetoliko.
1 June 1828 - Hastings succumbs to his wounds in the Harbour of Zante. He is given a state funeral with full military honours and hailed as a great hero by the leaders of the soon to be born Greek State.
February 1830 - Following last September's Treaty of Adrianople, Britain, France and Russia recognise a free Greek State.
16 July 1831 - During one of the first civil conflicts of the new state, where the Hydriots revolt against the State, Karteria is used by the Hydriots to take position west of Galatas, Poros.
27 July 1831 - Together with Hellas, Karteria engages two Russian ships that support the Greek State.
1 August 1831 - Miaoulis sets fire on his fleet at Poros, including the frigate Hellas. Karteria and old two-masted "Emmanouil" are saved by Myconian sailor George Galasidis and another soldier, who swam to the ships and managed to cut the fuses just in time.
1841 - Karteria is officially no longer mentioned in the Greek navy's lists, although it is practically out of commission for almost a decade.

Specifications
Paddle Steamer "Karteria"
Displacement: 233 tons
Propulsion: two steam enginers of 85hp and four masts with schooner rigging
Consumption: 7 tons of coal per day
Speed: 7 knots
Length: 38.4m
Width: 7.6m
Armament: 4 x 68-pounder carronades and 4 x 68-pounder guns of a new design based on a model by Frank Hastings
Crew: 185 (17 officers, 22 petty officers, 32 gunners, 110 sailors and 4 cooks-cabin boys)

For Gamers and Game designers
Being the first steam warship to see action and able to fire red-hot incendiary shots from its 68-pounder guns, Karteria offered a spectacular advantage against the Ottoman navy (and possibly any other navy at the time). Also notice that she travelled under sail and the steam engines were used only in battle.

For Modellers
The first two images are of the model of Karteria by G. Vammenos, which can be seen at the Hellenic Maritime Museum, Piraeus. The third image is Karteria's model at the Hellenic Naval Academy's museum.

(1819-1921) Brig "Aris"

2011-01-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

Provided by Hydriot Anastasios Tsamados, the Brig "Aris" participated in several naval operations during the Greek War of Independence.

Aris gained fame for successfully breaking the Egyptian Blockade of Navarino in 1825. At the time, a Greek garrison was quartered at the island of Sphacteria, which controlled the entrance to Navarino's natural harbour. Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt, tasked by the Sultan to suppress the Greek revolt, needed to take the island. When the combined Turkish-Egyptian fleet started bombarding Sphacteria and disembarking its 3,000 troops, the six Greek brigs stationed there were taken by complete surprise. Most of their captains were on land, along with part of their crews, manning the island's defences. Five of the brigs managed to sail before the enemy fleet sealed off the bay, and following a brief skirmish were able to escape. "Athina" (not to be confused with Aris's post-war name, which was also "Athina") sailed without her captain, Nikolaos Votsis, and narrowly escaped. The crew of Aris, however, still waited for their captain, Tsamados, who was defending heroically on land although already shot in the leg and fighting on his knees. During the Battle of Sphacteria, 350 of the 800 defenders were killed. When they found out that Tsamados was knocked down and killed, Athina's captain, Votsis, took over as commander, with Dimitrios Sachtouris, the commander of the Navarino fortress, as first mate. Also present on the ship was the Secretary of State, Aleksandros Mavrokordatos, who was sent to the ship for safety.

Displaying superb seamanship, Aris set sail through the midst of the Egyptian fleet, being attacked from all sides and exchanging fire for over four hours with several of the 32 enemy ships. At one point, five Egyptian ships tried to ram it. With exceptional display of gunnery, Aris sank one and drove away the other four. Badly damaged, Aris exited the bay. Casualties among the crew were two dead and six wounded. It was time for the icon of the Virgin Mary to be brought up on deck by the sailors.

What followed next is unclear. According to one version, Aris was then attacked by an enemy frigate that tried to ram it, but changed course at the last moment when they heard Votsis ordering his sailors to set fire to their own powder magazine. According to another version, Aris was under full sail when obstructed by two frigates, which she avoided by demonstrating superb seamanship and causing them some damage with her guns. The exit of Aris amidst the 32 enemy ships is depicted in a masterpiece by Volanakis.

Aris was preserved until 1921, 100 years after the War of Independence, when due to the country's financial difficulties it was sunk near the Naval Base of Salamina. Many had objected and had insisted on the preservation of Aris as a historical ship, but all that is left today is its figurehead at the National Historical Museum in Athens, and surprisingly (and unknown to most people) one of its masts at the Naval Base of Salamina. The mast was actually used for several decades as a mast for signalling purposes, slowly decaying. Its significance must have been realised recently, as it has been replaced and repaired and presumably is preserved somewhere inside the base.

Operational History
1807 - Built in Venice as a merchant ship.
1819 - Hydriot Anastasios Tsamados buys the ship
1821 - Aris is armed with 16 cannon and 82 crew and is included in the Hydriot Squadron, with with she participates in almost all naval operations and battles in the Aegean, the Peloponnesian Coast and the Corinthian Gulf.
26 Apr. 1825 - Successfully breaks Ibrahim Pasha's blockade and escapes to the open sea.
After the liberation - Purchased by the Greek Government and renamed "Athina".
1863-1865 - Used as a school for Naval Cadets
1882-1885 - Used as a school for lower personnel
1879 - Renamed again "Aris".
25 Mar. 1921 - Due to financial difficulties of her upkeep, Aris is sunk by honorary salvoes near the Kyra Islet off Salamina Naval Base, during the celebrations for the 100 years since the War of Independence.

Specifications
Brig "Aris" ("Athina")
Displacement: 350 tons
Propulsion: Sail
Length: 30.5m
Width: 8.8m
Draft: 4.9m
Armament: (As built) 16 x 22-pounder cannon, (later) 2 x 12-pounder cannon and 10 x 24-pounder carronades
Crew: 82

For Gamers and Game designers
Until the arrival of steam ships, Brigs, such as Aris, were particularly popular thanks to their speed and manoeuvrability. Their main weaknesses were the fact that they needed relatively large crew to handle its rigging and that they could not easily sail into the wind.

For Modellers
The following are two models of Aris found in the Hellenic Maritime Museum, Piraeus, and a model by Aristotelis Rallis from www.naftoporos.gr.

(1942-1945) Sacred Band

2010-11-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

In 1942, there appeared to be disproportionately many officers in the Greek army fighting in the Middle East. To address this issue, a special foces unit was formed that was composed entirely of officers and officer cadets. In reality, many of the "officers" were simple soldiers who had fled to Turkey and had been told (presumably erroneously) that they couldn't join the army in North Africa unless they were officers. The unit, initially named "Company of Chosen Immortals" was formed under Cavalry Major Antonios Stefanakis in Palestine, with 200 men, 130 of which were officers. It was organised as a Machine Gun Company and intended to be attached to the II Greek Brigade. This changed when its new commander Col. Christodoulos Tsigantes took over. Tsigantes was an ex-Venizelist, who had taken part in the attempted coup of 1935. His first move was to get rid of those who were openly leftist and any others he considered troublemakers. Using his close relations with officers in the Allied HQ, he applied and succeeded in converting the unit into a special forces unit, which he renamed "Sacred Band". After intensive training in the British SAS camp in Cairo and additional training in Palestine, the Sacred Band was placed in battle in El Alamein and Tunisia. By then it numbered 400 men. Until August 1945, when it was disbanded, it fought alongside the SAS in the Libyan desert and the Aegean, as well as with General Leclerc's Free French Forces in Tunisia. The Sacred Band of 1942-45 is the precursor of the modern Greek Special Forces and some of its traditions are carried on by the Mountain Raiding Companies (LOK), founded in 1946.

Operational History
1942 - In close cooperation with the commander of the British SAS Regiment, Lt. Colonel David Stirling, and with the approval of the Greek HQ, the company moved to the SAS base at Qabrit in Egypt to begin its training in its new role.
17 Nov. 1942 - 27 Jan. 1943 - 8 men under G. Alexandris operate with the SAS behind German lines in Cyrenaica.
4 Dec. 1942 - 60 men move towards Benghazi to perform SAS-like sabotage raids, but the mission is cancelled due to the rapid advances of the British.
27 Jan. 1943 - Following special training, the Sacred Band moves west to join the SAS in raids behind German-Italian lines. The mission is cancelled due to recent heavy losses of the SAS and the capture of its leader, Stirling.
7 Feb. 1943 - Following Colonel Tsigantes's suggestion, General Montgomery puts the Sacred Band under the command of General Leclerc of the Free French 2nd Armoured Division, with the duties of Light Mechanised Cavalry.
10 Mar. 1943 - In Ksar-Rillan, Tunisia, the Sacred Band gives its first battle against a German mechanised detachment, while covering the advance of the X British Army Corps that try to by-pass the Mareth defence line from the South.
29 Mar. 1943 - After the Allied forces capture Gabès, Tunisia, the Sacred Company is detailed to the 2nd New Zealand Division
6 Apr. 1943 - A mixed Greek-New Zealand detachment fights against the Germans at Wadi Akarit.
12 Apr. 1943 - The Sacred Band enters Sousse, and participates in the battle for Enfidaville between April 13 and 17.
May 1943 - The Sacred Band, now composed of 314 men, moves to Palestine, in various camps.
July 1943 - It takes parachute training in Jenin and undergoes a reorganisation into an HQ Section, a Base Section, and Commando Sections I,II and III.
9 Sep. 1943 - The Italians capitulate and British forces start moving into the Italian-occupied Dodecanese islands.
1-17 Nov. 1943 - Section I of the Sacred Band is dropped by air to the Greek island of Samos, while sections II and III move there on fishing boats. With the failure of the campaign after the battle of Leros, however, Samos is evacuated, and the men of the Sacred Band withdraw to the Middle East.
Feb. 1944 - Put under the command of the British Raiding Forces.
7 Feb. 1944 - Section I moves for combat operations to the islands of the northern Aegean sea, while Section II moves to the Dodecanese with the same purpose.
29 Mar. 1944 - The Sacred Band liberates the island of Psara.
3 Apr. 1944 - 30 men perform diversionary attack in Mitilini.
Apr. 1944 - The Sacred Band attacks Ios, Paros and Amorgos. It also expands to regimental size, with a strength of around 1,000 men. This reflects the unit's effectiveness, and, from a British standpoint, political reliability in the face of mounting political tensions among the Greek forces in exile.
17 May 1944 - 31 men raid Samos and destroy selected targets
13-14 Jul. 1944 - A combined Greek-British force neutralises the 200-strong garrison of Simi and captures the island.
Sep. 1944 - Following sabotage raids in Thira, Ko and Karpathos, the Sacred Band with 25 men liberates Mykonos after neutralising its garrison (24-25 Sep.). A little later, it accepts the surrender of the Germans in Lesbos.
Oct. 1944 - The Greek mainland is liberated and the Sacred Band returns to Greece, where strains are becoming evident in the relationship of Papandreou's British-backed national unity government and the leftist National Liberation Front (EAM), which controls most of the countryside. The crucial issue is the disarmament of the guerrilla forces and the formation of a new national army out of members of both the exiled armed forces and the guerrillas of ELAS and EDES. However, the Papandreou government wish to retain the Sacred Band and the 3rd Greek Rimini Mountain Brigade intact. Disbanding them would mean that their members would become individual recruits in a possibly EAM-dominated people's army. This tension eventually spills over into the Dekemvriana events in Athens, where the Sacred Band fights against the Communist ELAS forces.
In the meantime, elements of the Sacred Band escort Papandreou's government in its return to Athens, and parade in front of the people of Athens.
25 Oct. 1944 - 50 men raid Tilos and liberate temporarily the island. The island is re-captured by the Germans a little later.
11 Feb. 1944 - 114 men liberate the island of Nisiros.
25 Feb. 1945 - With the help of an Indian company, it neutralises the 200-strong German garrison of Tilos and re-captures the island.
28 Feb. 1944 - 513 men attack and liberate Tinos.
Mar.-May 1945 - The unit patrols the Dodecanese in armed fishing boats (kaikia), raids Alimia and and participates in the siege of Rhodes. 217 men operate during the night and neutralise all German coastal garrisons of Rhodes. The Germans surrender in Kos and Rhodes.
3-4 May 1945 - Last raid is against the island of Milos.
June 1945 - The unit returns to Egypt.
7 Aug. 1945 - The unit disbands in a ceremony in Athens. During the ceremony the unit's flag is awarded with Greece's highest military awards, the Gold Cross of Valour and the War Cross First Class. The unit's casualties throughout its existence have amounted to 25 dead, 56 wounded, 3 missing and 29 taken prisoner.

For Gamers and Game designers
The Sacred Band was a properly trained special forces unit that operated in much the same way as the SAS. They were trained in jeep-borne and airborne operations, but their main expertise lied in amphibious island raids, usually in converted fishing boats.

For Modellers
From left to right, Tunisia Feb. 1943 by Stavros of modelclub.gr, a model by pkpappas of modelclub.gr, and a model from IPMS-Hellas 2007:

(1920-1936) Avro 504

2010-10-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

The Hellenic Navy used two distinct versions of the Avro 504; the 504 K during the Asia Minor Campaign, and the 504 O/N during the interwar period.

Greece received a small number of Avro 504 K trainers after World War 1. They were used to train pilots in Dekeleia during the Asia Minor campaign. The photo above shows a damaged plane belonging to the Naval Aviation Service (taken near Dekeleia airport in 1920; from the collection of P. Tsekas). The colours are not certain, but I chose clear doped linen, which is the most probable as the Greeks hadn't started using the silver colour yet.

In 1925, the Greeks ordered six of the newest variant, the Avro 504 N/O, as part of a very large modernisation programme. The 504 N had a number of design modifications, with most important the use of the much stronger Armstrong-Siddeley Lynx engine. It also had new, modified ailerons, no top centre section of the top wing, two 18 gal. fuel tanks below the top wing instead of one on top of the top wing, as well as a new undercarriage.
The naval version, 504 O, was different in that a vertical stabiliser was added, and of course it had floats.

The text below is from a contemporary British publication describing the strengthening of the Greek Naval Air Force during the late 1920s:
_______________________________________
"The Director of the Greek Air Force at the Ministry of Marine, Captain Demestichas, during 1925 submitted to the Superior Council of Marine a long report, with suggestions for the reorganisation of the Naval Air Force.
Capt. Demestichas, as a justification of his views, recalls that practically all the countries, without excluding those neighbouring Greece, have for some time past considered the exceptional importance of aviation, as they are of the opinion that a powerful Air Force constitutes the best weapon for the defence of the country and is at the same time an efficient means to ensure the necessary mastery to the naval forces and the communications on sea.
A powerful airforce, Capt. Demestichas declares, will render important services, the principal being: to supply the first information regarding the enemy; to attempt the destruction of his naval forces and to attack the enemy fleet in its own base. For the whole duration of the war, the Air Force shall keep a constant watch on all the seas, chase and attack the submarines and the enemy ships; it will continually send wireless messages to the chiefs of the naval units during combats; it will discover the places where the enemy has put mines, so that the Greek ships may protect themselves against the danger; it will put up aerial fights against the enemy attacking, in conjunction with the Army Air Force, the means of communications and the military units; it will conduct the long-distance bombing by the big naval units; it will supply information regarding the movements of the enemy; it will facilitate the action of friendly ships by means of smoke bombs during the day and with illuminating bombs at night; Lastly, it will defend the country against aerial attacks by the enemy which, if not prevented, would have a disastrous effect on the morale of the inhabitants.
In order to achieve the above aims, it is essential to have aircraft of high speed and great manoeuvrability, so as to chase and destroy the enemy machines. It is also necessary to have aircraft for reconnaissance and for carrying out raids into the enemy's territory, and also heavy bombing machines and of long range, suitable in addition to be used for night work.
At the end of his report, Capt. Demestichas suggests the acquisition on the part of the Greek Government of 15-18 scout machines, 15-18 fighting and reconnaissance aircraft, 3 twin-engined machines for heavy bombing at long distance, 12 heavy bombing machines and 12 torpedo-carriers. He also suggests the purchase of 12 school machines for training purposes.
In this connection, it may be stated that 12 school machines have already been ordered, six of which are of the Avro "Lynx" type, which arrived in Greece at the end of April, 1925.
The purchase of all these machines demands a sum of about £400,000, and Capt. Demestichas suggests that these expenses should be entered in the balance-sheet of the Ministry of the Marine for the next two financial years.
The report, which has been considered by the Superior Council of Marine, was entirely approved and was communicated to the Ministry of Marine, to the Prime Minister and the Council of National Defence.
By special law published in 1925, a Greek Air Force Fund was endowed with a large amount of valuable property in Athens and other parts of Greece. Also, the Fund was authorised to collect voluntary contributions from all Greeks at home and abroad. By this organisation it was hoped that the Fund would collect sufficient finance to obviate the necessity of burdening the Budget with any special expense for the provision of an efficient Air Force.
According to recent information, the Municipality of Salonika has contributed sufficient money for the purchase of twenty-five aeroplanes, Kavala, the famous Macedonian tobacco town, has offered ten aircraft, and other Greek towns have offered smaller numbers. The result of the Fund would appear to be satisfactory.
...
The chief Naval Air Station is at Phaleron Bay, with an additional Seaplane Base at Suda Bay, Crete, and the machines used up to the point of re-organisation were D.H.9s (240 h.p. "Puma" engines) for reconnaissance purposes and Sopwith "Camels" for pursuit purposes.
A number of Naval officers have been sent abroad for training, and from these will be selected the training staff for the new reorganised service..."
__________________________________

Operational History
1920-22 - A few Avro 504 K used for training during the Asia Minor campaign.
April 1925 - The first six Avro 504 O and N arrive in Greece.
1934-35 - The State Aircraft Factory in Phaliron constructs a small number of Avro 504 O and N aircraft, before turning into the licensed construction of Avro 621 Tutors.
1936 - Withdrawn from service. This date is not certain, as records show that between January 1938 and 28 October 1940, 28 Avro 504N/0 aicraft were repaired at the State Aircraft Factory.

Specifications
Avro 504 K
Length: 8.97 m
Height: 3.17 m
Wingspan: 10.97 m
Wing area: 330 sqr ft
Weight: (empty) 558 kg, (max take-off) 830 kg
Engine: 1 × Le Rhône Rotary, 110 hp (82 kW)
Armament: 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun, up to 4x104 kg bombs
Range: 402 km
Speed: (max) 145 km/h , (cruise) 126 km/h
Ceiling: 4,875 m
Climb rate: 3.6 m/s
Climb to 3,500 ft (1,065 m): 5 min
Crew: 2

Avro 504 N
Length: 8.69 m
Height: 3.33 m
Wingspan: 10.97 m
Wing area: 320 sqr ft
Weight: (empty) 718 kg, (max take-off) 1,016 kg
Engine: 1 x Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV (of 160 hp or 180 hp) or Lynx IVC of 215 hp
Armament: 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun, up to 4x104 kg bombs
Range: 402 km
Speed: (max) 161 km/h
Ceiling: 4,450 m
Crew: 2

For Gamers and Game designers
One of the most successful trainers of its time, unusually for modern Greek history, the Avro 504N was a brand new model when the Greeks started using it.

For Modellers
Manuele Villa's computer models of the 504K (left) and 504N (right) for MS Flight Simulator:

(1926-1939) Blackburn Velos

2010-10-24T06:22:00.001-07:00

The "Velos" was the first airplane that was built under license in Greece. The basic design of the Blackburn Dart was developed into a two-seater to meet a Greek Navy requirement for a coastal defence seaplane that could be used for bombing, torpedo launching, reconnaissance and training. The aircraft became the T.3 Velos, a twin-float seaplane, which differed from the standard Dart T.2 in having a two-seat cockpit with a rear-mounted Lewis Gun, an increased weapons load and provisions to fly as either a seaplane with floats or with a conventional land undercarriage. In 1925, four were built at Brough Aerodrome for the Greek Navy. Later in the same year, the aircraft was chosen as the first licence-built aircraft in Greece in a factory built by Blackburn and operated under a five-year contract. The Aircraft Factory, later renamed the State Aircraft Factory or Greek National Aircraft Factory, produced 12 Greek-built T.3A Velos aircraft with a raised rear cockpit to give an improved field of fire for the observer and a larger radiator. They were equipped with specialised equipment like electric intercom system, a 200 mile range radio and bomb rails. The first of the production order flew in March 1926.

The Blackburn T.3 Velos fulfilled an operational role as a coastal defence/torpedo bomber in the Naval Air Component Squadrons in Greece and helped establish an indigenous aviation industry. The aircraft began operations in 1926 with the Greek Navy deployed at Tatoi Aerodrome and Phaliron Bay, Athens. It remained in squadron use until 1934 with all examples retired by 1936. The Greeks operated 16 Velos aircraft in total (4 made in Britain and 12 made in Greece).

Operational History
1925 - Blackburn Aeroplane Co. and the Greek government conclude an agreement whereby they undertake to organise an aircraft factory at Phaliron, near Athens. The factory operates under the control of an inspection service belonging to the Greek Air Ministry. The general manager is G.W. Cannel and the technical manager is Herbert B. Bentley, previously manager of the company's establishment at Brough, East Yorkshire. The factory in Phaliron will construct Blackburn Velos torpedo-planes, Armstrong Whitworth Atlas two-seat fighters, and a number of Avro sea and land training aircraft (504-O and 504-N).
March 1926 - Maiden flight of the first Greek-built "Velos", named "Hope". 12 airplanes are to be constructed in total at Phaliron Airplane Factory, introducing for the first time in Greece, the metallic structure airplane construction technology. They will be used mainly with fixed landing gear.
Late 1930s - Withdrawn from service.

Specifications

Blackburn T.3 Velos torpedo seaplane
Length: 10.82 m
Height: 4.16 m
Wingspan: 14.78 m
Wing area: 654 sqr ft
Engine: 1 x Napier Lion V or Napier Lion IIB (450 hp)
Armament: 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun, up to 4x100 kg bombs or one 457mm torpedo
Crew: 2

Blackburn T.3A Velos landplane
Length: 10.82 m
Height: 3.73 m
Wingspan: 14.78 m
Wing area: 654 sqr ft
Weight: (empty) 1,711 kg, (max take-off) 2,895 kg
Engine: 1 x Napier Lion V or Napier Lion IIB (450 hp)
Armament: 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun, up to 4x104 kg bombs
Endurance: 4.5 hrs
Speed: (max) 172 km/h , (cruise) 114 km/h
Ceiling: 4,300 m
Climb rate: 3.2 m/s
Crew: 2

Almost identical was the Blackburn Swift (export version of Blackburn Dart) that Greece received at about the same time. The one below has the number T23.:

For Gamers and Game designers
The T.3 Velos was never tested in battle and it is difficult to assess how useful it could be. It was extremely slow even for its time, but as the world war 2 successes of the Fairey Swordfish indicate, a slow torpedo plane is still a torpedo plane.

For Modellers
Profiles of the Blackburn Velos (unknown source):

(1929-1941) Hawker Horsley Mk.II

2010-10-21T15:32:00.001-07:00

In December 1929, six British-made Hawker Horsley aircraft were delivered to the Greek Naval Air Force. They could carry the impressive for the time, load of a 975 kg torpedo. They were based at Tatoi, near Athens, from the beginning to the end of their service. In their final years, they were used for training purposes. They did not take part in any operation during World War II.

Operational History
Dec. 1929 - 6 Horsleys are delivered to the Naval Air Force.
21 Jul. 1934 - 3 Horsleys take part in the "Tour of the Balkans", a good-will operation after the signing of the Balkan treaty that involves visiting most of the Balkan capitals, starting from Istanbul. Involved are: Georgios Themelis (mission leader; later Defence Deputy Minister), Pavlos Sachtouris, Georgios Fraggistas, Charalambos Potamianos, Xenophon Varvaressas.

Specifications
Hawker Horsley Mk.II
Length: 38 ft 10 in
Height: 13 ft 7 3/4 in
Wingspan: 56 ft 6 in
Weight: (Take Off) 7800 lb (bomber), 9271 lb (torpedo bomber); (empty) 4670 lb (bomber), 4958 lb (torpedo bomber)
Engine: 1 x Rolls-Royce Condor IIIA (665 hp)
Service Ceiling: 14000 ft
Speed: 203 km/h (bomber), 190 km/h(torpedo bomber)
Armament: A Vickers machine gun at the nose and a Lewis machine gun in the gunner position, up to 680 kg bombs or one 975 kg torpedo
Crew: 2

For Gamers and Game designers
One of very few aircraft types in the Greek Air Force that could carry a considerable bombload.

For Modellers
As designed by Manuele Villa for MS Flight Simulator:

(1939-1941) Potez 633

2010-10-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

In January 1938, the Greeks signed an agreement with the French, for the delivery of 24 twin-engine Potez 633 B2 Grec bombers, with a deadline of one year. 13 aircraft were delivered, one of which was destroyed with French crew on the delivery to the Tanagra Air Base. The remaining 11 were confiscated by the French upon the outbreak of the war. The Greek Potez 633 had bombing configuration, except one that was delivered with photographic equipment. Their equipment included Hydraulic variable-paced propellers, F.R. radio, periscopic Bronzavia type bombing sight, OPL 36 fixed gunner sight, and GPU rails for four or two bombs. They took part in the operations in 1940 - 1941, with the 31st Bombing Squadron, until their final immobilisation due to lack of spare parts.

Operational History
Jan. 1938 - 24 aircraft ordered from France
1939 - Only 12 are delivered, one has been destroyed by the French crew delivering it and 11 have been confiscated by the French due to the outbreak of the war.
1940-1941 - The Potez 633 aircraft take part in numerous bombing and reconnaissance operations until they are grounded due to lack of spares, shortly before the arrival of the Germans.

Air Kills
CONFIRMED 22 Nov. 1940 - Chr. Christidis (Potez 633, rear gunner) downs a Fiat fighter over Lake Maliki.

Specifications
Potez 633 B2 Grec
Length: 11.07 m
Height: 3.62 m
Wingspan: 16 m
Wing Area: 32.7 sq. ft
Weight: (max) 4,500 kg, (empty) 2,450 kg
Engines: 2x Gnome Rhone 14 M6/M7 700 hp
Range: 1,300km
Service Ceiling: 8,000 m
Speed: 393 km/h at sea level, 439 km/h at 4200 m Armament: FN-Browning 7,92 mm machine gun, 8 x 60 kg internal bomb payload and 4 x 60 kg external bomb payload or 2 x 220 kg on external rail carriers
Crew: 2

For Gamers and Game designers
Although a relatively modern type, the Potez 633 was too slow and could not carry large bombloads. Its contempary German equivalent was the BF 110 C, which was 100 km/h faster with the same bombload.

For Modellers
The 12 Greek Potez 633 were the B221-B231, B233 and B234. Originally in natural metal, they were later painted in the typical Greek wartime colours of green-brown-light blue. The following are some models and paintschemes from various sources:

B 221
A profile by Michail Solanakis and a model by Dimitris Georgiadis in wartime colours:

B 222
A profile by Richard Caruana:

B 223
One of the few Greek world war 2 aircraft released as ready-to-build model kit. This one is from Azur in 1/72:

B 235

Additional photos

(1943-1973) Minesweeper "Paralos"

2010-10-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

One of four BYMS class wooden motor minesweepers that were transfered from the Royal Navy to Greece during World War II. Her sisters were Afroessa, Karteria and Salaminia. The BYMS class minesweepers were built in the US and were originally offered to the Royal Navy as part of the lend-lease programme between 1941 and 1943. They were able to perform magnetic, acoustic and mechanical minesweeping. Paralos did not serve with the Royal Navy at all. It was transfered brand new to the Greek Navy.

Operational History
9 June 1943 - Accepted to the Greek Navy in Grimsby by Lt Cdr Ch. Foufas HN, Squadron Commander of these four minesweepers.
1 Sep. 1943 - Sails to Alexandria. Used in minesweeping operations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
From 1945 - Participates in the post-war large-scale minesweeping of the Greek waters.
11 Sep. 1973 - Decommissioned.

Specifications
MMS class minesweeper "Paralos"
Displacement: 223 tons
Propulsion: Diesel 1,000 hp
Length: 41.45m
Width: 7.5m
Draft: 1.8m
Speed: 12 knots
Armament: 1 × 3 inch/50 gun, 2x 20mm guns, and four machine guns
Crew: 33

For Gamers and Game designers
A relatively modern minesweeper with adequate armament.

(1939-1941) Destroyer "Vasilefs Georgios"

2010-09-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

The sister ship of Vasilissa Olga, Vasilefs Georgios was also built by Yarrow and fitted with German-made 127mm (5 inch) guns and 37mm AA guns. Two further ships of the same class, the Vasilefs Konstantinos and Vasilissa Sofia, were to be built in Greece, but construction halted due to the outbreak of the Second World War.
Vasilefs Georgios became the flagship of the Greek Destroyer Flotilla.

Operational History

As "Vasilefs Georgios"
1937 - Laid down.
3 Mar. 1938 - Launched.
5 Feb. 1939 - Commissioned.
14 - 15 Nov. 1940 - Participates in the first naval raid against Italian shipping in the Strait of Otranto.
4 - 5 Jan. 1941 - Participates in the third naval raid against Italian shipping in the Strait of Otranto.
14 Apr. 1941 - During the German invasion of Greece, while anchored at Sofikos Bay in the Saronic Gulf, she is attacked by German aircraft and suffers severe damage. Under the command of her captain, Commander P. Lappas, she manages with great difficulty to reach the Salamis Naval Yard where she is dry docked. However, due to the rapid German advance and the inability of repairs to be completed on time, she was scuttled to prevent capture.

As ZG-3 "Hermes"
Mar. 1942 - Vasilefs Georgios is raised and repaired by the Germans. It is commissioned in the German Navy as ZG-3 "Hermes" on 21 Mar. 1942. ZG3 becomes the flagship of the German Aegean Flotilla, serving mainly in convoy escort duties, under Kapitän zur See Rolf Johannesson.
24-25 Jun. 1942 - Together with the Italian destroyer Turbine and the Italian torpedo boats Castelfidardo, F. Crispi and Solferino, ZG3 escorts a convoy of seven transports from Piraeus to Crete.
26-27 Jun. 1942 - ZG3 and the Italian escorts escort sone ships back from Crete.
02-03 Jul. 1942 - A defensive mine laying operation of the mine layers Barletta and Bulgaria near the Cyclades is covered by ZG3 and the Italian boats Cassiopeia and Lupo.
06-07 Jul. 1942 - ZG3 transfers from Piraeus to Crete.
08-10 Jul. 1942 - Together with three Italian warships and two German submarine chaser, ZG3 escorts a convoy of 7 ships to Tobruk.
15-17 Jul. 1942 - ZG3 and the Italian torpedo boat Cassiopeia escort a small convoy of two ships form Tobruk to Piraeus.
22 Jul. 1942 - ZG3 transfers from Piraeus to the Suda Bight at Crete.
23-24 Jul. 1942 - A small convoy of two transports is escorted by ZG3 and an Italian torpedo boat form Crete to Tobruk.
24-25 Jul. 1942 - The destroyer returns to the Suda Bight.
16 Nov. 1942 - Near Cape Kafireas, one of the convoys escorted by ZG3 comes under attack by the Greek submarine Triton. Triton is sunk by one of the escorting vessels.
1943 - ZG3 leaves the East side of the Mediterranean and operates in the West Mediterranean, escorting supply ships to North Africa.
Apr. - May 1943 - New commander of ZG3 is FKpt. Lampe.
21 Apr. 1943 - ZG3 sinks the British submarine HMS Splendid.
30 Apr. 1943 - During the battle of Tunis, ZG3 is heavily damaged by air attacks and is forced to run aground near Cape Bon in Tunisia a few days later. When the Allies liberate the area it is decided not to repair the ship due to the high cost involved and it is abandoned.

Specifications
Modified G-class destroyer "Vasilefs Georgios"
Displacement: (Standard) 1,414 tons
Length: 97.5 m
Beam: 9.7 m
Draft: 2.7 m
Range: 4,800 nautical miles (8,890 km) at 19 knots (35 km/h)
Speed: 35 knots
Engine: 3 Admiralty 3-Drum Type Boilers, 2 Parsons Geared Turbines, 34,000 HP
Complement: 145
Armament: (original) 4×5 in, 4×37 mm A/A, 2×4 21 in T/T
(German refit) 4×5 in, 4×37 mm A/A, 4×20mm, 2×4 21 in T/T

For modellers
Similar to Vasilissa Olga. Notice that while Greece is a neutral nation (until 28 Oct. 1940), a Greek flag is painted on the sides

For gamers and game designers
A modified G-class destroyer that was as modern as almost any other destroyer at the beginning of the war.

An Italian documentary on the ZG-3 Hermes:

(1943-1959) Flower class "Apostolis"

2010-09-05T16:28:00.001-07:00

A British ship, originally named HMS Hyacinth, with two successes against Italian submarines (one sunk, one captured) and one German submarine sunk (U-617). It was transfered on loan to the Hellenic Navy in 24 October 1943 and was renamed "Apostolis" after the Admiral from Psara that participated in the 1821 War of Independence. With the Greeks, the ship operated in the Mediterranean for the remainder of the war and in the civil war between 1946 and 1949. It war given back to the Royal Navy in 1959.

Operational History
as HMS Hyacinth
1940 - Commissioned in the Royal Navy.
28 September 1941 - Sinks Italian submarine Fisalia near Tel Aviv.
9 July 1942 - Damages and captures Italian submarine Perla. Perla is repaired and is put into operation with the Hellenic Navy under the name Matrosos.
12 September 1943 - HMS Hyacinth and the Australian minesweeper HMAS Wollongong sink the German submarine U-617.
as Apostolis
23 Oct. 1943 - Transfered to the Greeks in Alexandria and renamed "Apostolis".
1946 - 1949 - Participates in the Greek civil war on the side of the National Army.
1959 - Returns to the Royal Navy.

Specifications
Flower class corvette "Apostolis"
Displacement: 1,060/1,250 tons
Propulsion: 2,750 hp
Length: 62.4m
Width: 9.75m
Draft: 4.4m
Speed: 16 knots
Armament: 1 × 3-inch gun, 1 x 40mm, 4 x 20mm
Crew: 85

For Gamers and Game designers
HMS Hyacinth had a remarkable war record, with three anti-submarine successes, but was not equally successful in Greek service as Apostolis.

For Modellers
A model of Apostolis in the Hellenic Maritime Museum:

and a model competing at IPMS Hellas 2008:

Notice that contrary to other Flower class corvettes, like Kriezis and Tompazis, Apostolis had never had her forecastle extended. That is because both in British and in Greek service, it operated exclusively in the East Mediterranean, far from British shipyards. Also, she carried a 3-inch instead of a 4-inch gun.

More photos:

(1929-1941) Motor Torpedo Boats "T1" and "T2"

2010-08-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Built by Thornycroft in 1929, T-1 and T-2 were the only motor torpedo boats that the Greeks had at the beginning of World War II. They carried no name but just the codes T-1 and T-2. Each boat's crew included two officers, two petty officers (both engineers) and two sailors (gunner, radioman).

T1 and T2 did not see any significant action during the war, although they would certainly be useful against the Italians. They were used only in secondary roles. In 1941, they were sunk by German air raid in Salamis Naval Yard. The Germans repaired them and used them in the Aegean with slight modifications, renamed G-09 and G-10.

Interestingly, in 1939 the Greeks had ordered four newer motor torpedo boats from Vosper. These were never delivered due to the outbreak of the war. They were used by the British as MTB-218, 219, 220 and 221. Admiral Athanasios Spanidis on MTB-218 and 219 (translated from magazine "Ptisi" no143):
"In early February 1940, the Naval attaché in London informed me that I would be placed as commander of two new motor torpedo boats, being built in Portsmouth. The plan was to use them unarmed in peacetime against smuggling and armed with torpedoes in the case of war. When the war started, the English government informed the Greek that both boats should be delivered to the English Navy except if they were transfered from the Greek Ministry of Economy to the Hellenic Navy, in which case H.N. crew should be sent to receive them and not of the Ministry. During the negotiations, I studied the sailing characteristics of the boats. Towards the end of April, I went to Portsmouth to attend the final trials of the two motor torpedo boats... The news from Athens regarding the negotiations showed that they would probably be left to the English. For the record, the Greek Ministry of Economy considered it a success to receive 20,000 pounds in compensation for these ships and deny the Hellenic Navy from two capable boats. Judging by the war record with the English, I consider them as useful as our submarines in the Adriatic, with their great speed and their torpedo armament."

Operational History
1929 - Commissioned.
20 Apr. 1941 - Sunk, captured and modified lightly by the Germans

Specifications
Thornycroft 55ft CMB class Motor Torpedo Boats "T1" and "T2"
Displacement: 15 tons
Propulsion: 750 hp
Length: 16.5m
Width: 3.3m
Draft: 0.9m
Speed: 37 knots
Armament: 2 × TT 457mm (fired astern), 2 × Lewis MG, 2 depth charges
Crew: 6

For Gamers and Game designers
Although these two did not see significant action, similar torpedo boats were particularly successful for other nations, such as the British and the Italians. Notice the peculiarity of the torpedoes; they were fired astern.

For Modellers
A model of T-1 from the Hellenic Maritime Museum:

A recent model by Stavros Soulis that entered the IPMS-Hellas 2009 competition:

(1940-1941) Ski Troops

2010-05-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

In November 1940, the Greek High Command ordered the formation of the 1st Ski Battalion for alpine raiding and reconnaissance. Here, we have the immense privilege of publishing an article written by Thanos Koutsikopoulos, who at the age of 96 is possibly the last surviving member of the 1st Ski Battalion:
________________________________________________
The Greek Ski Battalion (1940-41)

Skiing itself was introduced to Greece in 1930-31 by the Alpine Club and its branches in various towns. Before the war there were talks to introduce it in mountain villages to help the inhabitants. This is why a few days after the Italian invasion through Albania (28th October 1940), the army set up the original Ski Battalion made up of skiers from the Alpine Club who were either already serving in other units or were members of the Alpine Club who volunteered. 130 experienced skiers, bringing their own skis and ski boots, formed the first company which, after a short period of military training at Metsovo, were sent to the highest point of the front at Mount Kamia (Mnema tis Grias) which has an altitude of 2100 metres. For the 2nd and 3rd companies, five divisions from mountainous regions sent 50 soldiers (non-skiers) to be trained in skiing and alpine conditions by 6 men from the 1st company. Their skis were donated by the Alpine Club and individuals. Major Ioannis Paparrodou, himself a champion cross-country skier, was appointed as C.O. of the Battalion.

The men of the 1st company were equipped with sleeping bags and, instead of heavy military overcoats, with anoraks and trousers, white for camouflage. One of the army’s problems in the Albanian mountains was frostbite to the toes and heels, the men of the 1st company had no such problem, even though the men lived in the snow, because of the better equipment, training and experience in alpine conditions. Major Paparrodou’s plans for the immediate future were, until more experienced skiers were available, as well as a short period of ski-training, to introduce snow-shoes for the 2nd and 3rd companies. These did not need extensive training to use and provided better stability for carrying loads and weapons.

After the end of the war, when the army organised a directorate of “Special Forces”, including mountain units (LOK), General Kallinsky, their first organiser, asked for and was provided with, oral and written information from members of the former Ski Battalion.

A Modern King Leonidas

Major I Paparrodou became the Greek hero of the war. Like a modern King Leonidas he sacrificed himself fighting a motorised German column single-handedly. The Germans had invaded Greece through the unprotected Yugoslavian border to the rear of the Greek Forces and his personal sacrifice gave the Greek soldiers, withdrawing to a new line, time to avoid capture or worse. Hitler, praising the gallantry of the Greeks, ordered Greek soldiers not to be taken prisoner.

- Thanos Koutsikopoulos (First Company), August 2009

__________________________________________________

Operational History

Nov. 1940 - Ioannis Paparrodou forms the 1st Ski Battalion with personal invitations to members of mountaineering clubs. The clubs respond with the majority of eligible men enlisting and with all clubs' money and equipment offered to the army.
April 1941 - Greece falls to the Germans.

Members

Ioannis Paparrodou (Athens). Cross country skiing national champion, who became the first commander of the newly-formed 1st Ski Battalion. When the Germans invaded he was transferred to an artillery unit in Argos Orestikon. Having refused to surrender, he died fighting alone on a hill, surrounded by several German troops. The Germans burried him as a hero and his death became a legend. Today, the barracks of the Raider Forces in Olympos is named after him.
Angelos Angelousis (Serres): When he returned to his native Serres, he was exiled by the Bulgarians to Volos, where he took part in the "Apollon" resistance group. He fought against the communists during the civil war and later became member of the parliament and minister. He was exiled by the military Junta for 5 years and then resumed his political career until 1990.
Georgios Dimitriadis (Athens). Downhill national champion.
Thanos Koutsikopoulos (Athens). Cross country skier.
Emmanuel Bamieros Commander of the 1st company.
Konstantinos Talios (Thessaloniki). Commander of the 2nd company.
Giorgos Pappas (Volos). Champion from the Volos club. He was killed in action.
Plouton Loggidis (Volos). He was seriously wounded in action.
Aleksis Karrer. Communist journalist, who was sent to exile in 1947 and in 1967. He died in 2004.
Neilos Mastrantwnis "Klearxos". Resistance fighter (with EPON). Killed in Lamia, in 1 Sep. 1944.
Renos Frangoudis. Cypriot volunteer. Balkan champion in track & field.
Alexandros Vouksinos. The youngest (17 years).
Spyros Tsiklitiras (Patras). National champion in 200m breaststroke swimming. He also served in the navy. He was the nephew of Greek Olympic champion, K. Tsiklitiras. Also from the Patras club: Andreas Antonopoulos, Ioannis Tassopoulos, Vasilis Antonopoulos, Alekos Antonopoulos, Kostas Kaggelaris, Andreas Asimakopoulos

(1939-1943) Destroyer "Vasilissa Olga"

2010-05-01T02:51:00.000-07:00

A modified version of the British G-class of destroyers, Vasilissa Olga was the most modern ship of the Royal Hellenic Navy at the outbreak of World War 2. Together with her sister, Vasilefs Georgios, she was built by Yarrow, but was fitted with German-made 127mm (5 inch) guns and 37mm AA guns. The installation of the armament was carried out in Greece as the Germans refused to ship the weapons to Britain. Two further ships of the same class, the Vasilefs Konstantinos and Vasilissa Sofia, were to be built in Greece, but construction halted due to the outbreak of the Second World War.

Until September 1943, when she was sunk by German bombers, Vasilissa Olga had distinguished herself as the most successful Greek ship in the war. Ironically, before she was sunk, she was known as the phantom ship of the Mediterranean destroyer flotillas, because of the several times she had escaped damage. A monument has been erected in Leros in honour of the ship.

You can watch a documentary (in Greek) of Vasilissa Olga from the Ert.gr archives.

Operational History
8 Feb. 1937 - Laid down (Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd., Scotstoun, Scotland).
2 Jun 1938 - Launched.
14 Feb 1939 - Commissioned. Under Captain Zarokostas she sails towards Salamina, Greece, where she arrives on the 1st of March 1939. She will participate in several missions until 1943 in convoy escort duty.
15 Aug. 1940 - Sails to Tinos to escort the pilgrims
14 - 15 Nov. 1940 - Participates in the 1st Otranto Straight raid
4 - 5 Jan. 1941 - Participates in the 3rd Otranto Straight raid
Feb 1941 - With defeat against the Germans seeming imminent, Vasilissa Olga carries the gold from the Bank of Greece to the island of Crete.
25 April 1941 - Three days before Greece falls to the Germans, Vasilissa Olga escapes to Alexandria, where she is assigned pennant number H 86 by the British. New captain is Georgios Blessas (photo).
Nov. - Dec. 1941 - Undergoes modernisation in Calcutta and returns to active duty in the Mediterranean Sea.
Feb. 1942 - Back in the Mediterranean. Joins a British squadron and participates in the Tobruk operations
26 Mar. 1942 - Picks up 20 survivors from the British tanker RFA Slavol that was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-205 off Sidi Barrani, Egypt.
10 Jun. 1942 - Picks up 53 men from the British tanker RFA Brambleleaf that was torpedoed and damaged by the German submarine U-559 off Ras Alem, Egypt.
15 Dec. 1942 - Together with the British destroyer HMS Petard, Vasilissa Olga sinks the Italian Adua-class submarine Uarsciek (620 tons) south off Malta.
19 Jan. 1943 - Together with the British destroyers HMS Pakenham and HMS Nubian, Vasilissa Olga sinks the German transport ship Stromboli (475 tons) off the Libyan coast.
2 Jun. 1943 - Together with the British destroyer HMS Jervis, Vasilissa Olga opens fire from 2km against the Italian Spica-class torpedo boat Castore (652 tons, see photo) and the Italian merchant ships Postumia (595 GRT) and Vragnizza (1592 GRT). Castore was sunk (at 03:15), while Postumia and Vragnizza were damaged. According to the war diaries of the Seekriegsleitung, both merchant vessels are reported to have arrived in Messina at 1630 hours on 3 June. Other sources give that Postumia went ashore and was later raised and repaired.
10 Sep. 1943 - As a recognition of the Greek Navy's contribution to the war, Vasilissa Olga leads the Allied fleet (HMS Warspite, HMS Valliant, HMS Faulknor, HMS Fury, HMS Echo, HMS Intrepid, HMS Raider, Le Terrible) that receives the surrendering Italian fleet.
17 Sep. 1943 - Together with British destroyers HMS Faulknor and Eclipse, she sinks a German convoy, consisting of the transport ships Pluto (2,000 tons), Paolo (4,000 tons) and the German submarine chaser UJ 2104 (see photo), near Astypalea.
Sep. 1943 - During the Battle of Leros, she transports members of the Long Range Desert Group to the island.
26 Sep. 1943 - Lost to an attack of 25 Ju-88 bomber aircraft while anchored in Lakki Bay, Leros. Cmdr Blessas, 6 officers and 65 other members of the crew perished with the ship. Cmdr Blessas was the first to fall during the attack. During the final moments of the ship, just before it disappears, someone cries "Zito i Olga" (Hail, Olga). All surviving members of the crew repeat it.

Specifications
Modified G-class destroyer "Vasilissa Olga"
Displacement: (Standard) 1,414 tons
Length: 98 m
Beam: 10.2 m
Draft: 2.59 m
Range: 4,800 nautical miles (8,890 km) at 19 knots (35 km/h)
Speed: 36 knots
Engine: 3 Admiralty 3-Drum Type Boilers, 2 Parsons Geared Turbines, 34,000 HP
Complement: 145
Armament: (original) 4×5 in, 4×37 mm A/A, 2×4 21 in T/T
(after 1941 refit) 4×5 in, 1×4 21 in T/T, 1×3 in A/A, 6×20 mm A/A, A/S device added

For gamers and game designersAs the most modern and most successful Greek ship in World War 2, Vasilissa Olga has a special place in Hellenic Navy wargaming. Notice that after the 1941 refit, four torpedo tubes were removed, but she was improved considerably in terms of Anti-aircraft and Anti-submarine capabilities.

For modellers

The ship's camo differed a lot before and during the war, depending on the season and the area where it operated. It is very difficult to find reliable details. There are two scale models of the ship in the Hellenic Maritime Museum. Vasilissa Olga has also appeared in 1/1800 in the Axis & Allies Naval Miniatures game. The model below is from IPMS Hellas 2007:

One more below by D. Georgiadis:

And a profile from unknown source:

(1946-1962) Centaur Mk.I

2010-04-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

The first tank that the Greek army acquired after World War 2 was the Centaur Mk.I. In May 1946, 52 such tanks were offered from Britain to the Greek government as part of the British commitment to help fight the communists during the Greek Civil War. For over two years, these tanks remained inactive as their crew were being trained and waiting for British technical support. They became operational in the summer of 1948.

The Greek Centaurs had considerable differences between them. For example, some had a 57 mm 6pdr quick firing Mk.V gun, some had different (type A or B) hulls and some were fitted with a Browning M2 machine gun mounted on the turret for Anti-aircraft purposes. Some had the older Liberty engine.

Operational History
May 1946 - The Greek Government receives 52 British Centaur Mk.I tanks.
1947 - Greek officers sent to England to be trained on Centaurs.
1948 - The officers return from training and three regiments are formed (II, IX and XI). They play significant role in operations against the communists.
January 1949 - The three regiments are renamed as 381, 382 and 383.
October 1949 - They form 391 "Kentavros" (Centaur) Regiment
1962 - Phased out. Gradually replaced by the newer M-47 Patton tank.

Specifications
A27L Centaur Mk.I
Crew: 5
Weight: 27.5 tons
Length: 20 ft 10 in
Width: 9 ft 6 in
Height: 8 ft 2 in
Engine: Liberty 395 hp
Speed: 27 m/h
Armour: 20/76 mm
Armament: 1x 6-pdr (57mm) main gun with 64 rounds and 1x 7.92mm Besa MG

For gamers and game designers
Centaur MkI tanks were used only for training in the British Army. In the Greek army, they faced only the significantly inferior Communist forces during the Civil War.

For modellers

1:35 model of the Centaur by Raw Shooter of www.modelclub.gr:

A scale model from the National War Museum, Athens:

(1927-1940) Submarine Y-3 "Proteus"

2010-04-03T02:40:00.000-07:00

A Loire-Simonot type submarine, similar to the earlier Katsonis class, Y-3 Proteus was the first Greek submarine to be lost in World War 2. It was built in Nantes, at the At. and Ch. De La Loire, at a cost of 119,000 francs for the Greeks.
Having sunk early, Proteus was the only submarine of her class that didn't serve under the control of the Royal Navy during the war.

Operational History

24 Oct. 1927 - Launched
31 Aug 1929 - Commissioned.
30 Oct. 1940 - 5 Nov. 1940 - First patrol. Patraikos Gulf. 152 hours (56 subm./96 surf.)
15 Nov. 1940 - 24 Nov. 1940 - Second patrol. Adriatic. 214 hours (98 Subm./116 surf.)
25 Dec. 1940 - 29 Dec. 1940 - Third patrol. Adriatic. 51 hours (20 Subm./31 surf.)
19 Dec. 1940 - Locates Italian convoy. Torpedoes and sinks Italian cargo ship "Sardegna" (11,452 GRT). Very quickly, Proteus is spotted by the Italian torpedoboat Antares. Antares drops 11 depth charges on Proteus, forces it to surface and rams it 40 miles East of Brindisi (40º31'N, 19º02'E). All hands lost.
10 Jan. 1941 - At 09:25, the Italian radio announces that a Greek submarine was sunk three weeks ago. On 19 Dec. 1940 Greek steamboat "Ionia" had intercepted the SSS distess signal of "Sardegna". As a result the Greeks were aware of the success of Proteus, but not of its fate until the Italian radio announcement.

Specifications
Y-3 Proteus submarine of the Proteus class
Displacement: Surfaced 750 tons, Submerged 960 tons
Length: 68.6 m
Beam: 5.73 m
Draft: 4.18 m
Propulsion: 2-shaft Sulzer diesels plus 2 electric motors, 1420bhp/1200shp
Complement: 41 - 45
Max. Dive: 80 m
Speed: (Surf.) 14 knots, (Subm.) 9.5 knots
Range: (Surf.) 4,000 nm @ 10 knots, (Subm.) 100 nm @ 5 knots
Armament: 100mm gun at the forward end of the conning tower, at casing level (150 shells). No external tubes. 8x 533mm torpedo tubes (6 bow, 2 stern; 8 torpedoes)

The crew, when sunk
Michail Chatzikonstantis (top photo - Born 1906, Piraeus, father: Antonios)

Georgios Maridakis (second photo - Born 1910, Chania)

Andreas Tournas (third photo - Born 1912, Tripoli, father: Konstantinos)

Theodoros Konidis (bottom photo - Born 1913, Konstantinoi Messinias, father: Antonios)

Kyriakos Nikolarakos
Dionysios Tilemaxos
Antonios Kafetzis
Ioannis Kyriazis
Thrasyvoulos Tsatsas
Anastasios Ntontos
Vasilios Georgiou
Achilleus Toulis
Theodoros Sanoudos
Dimitrios Giannelis
Anastasios Anastasopoulos
Georgios Tsalikis
Panagiotis Sklavos
Ilias Katsouranis
Napoleon Anthis
Dionysios Anninos
Nikolaos Armenis
Spyridonas Vlachos
Pantelis Voutsinas
Spyridon Gialypsos
Stamatios Giatrakos
Charalampos Delis
Konstantinos Dimitrakopoulos
Christos Zafiris
Panagiotis Theodosis
Georgios Kapsos
Emmanuil Levantis
Georgios Liatsis
Panagiotis Minas
Georgios Morianos
Stavros Mousoulis
Dimitrios Orfanios
Zacharias Pantaleon
Michail Panagis
Panagiotis Parasxis
Eleftherios Perdikouris
Apostolos Skarakis
Georgios Tilemaxos
Aristidis Tousas
Panagiotis Fourikis
Petros Chatzidimitriou
Konstantinos Cheliotis
Georgios Chrysanthopoulos
Petros Psyllas

For gamers and game designers
In 1940, Proteus was already an aged submarine. On paper, it was marginally better than Papanikolis and Katsonis.

For modellers
Proteus has been included in the Axis & Allies Naval Miniatures game (1:1800 scale). It comes originally in light grey colour. The photo below shows my repainted black Proteus.

The photo below is from the Hellenic Maritime Museum in Athens.

(1940-1990s) Marmon-Herrington

2009-10-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Greeks were given a small number of Marmon-Herrington I armoured cars that participated in the defence against the Germans. Later, the Greek army in the Middle East received two Marmon-Herrington III armoured cars, and several more, of the IVf type, after the liberation in 1944. IV was a complete redesign. It had a monocoque hull, had its engine mounted at the rear, not the front, and had a larger, two-man, turret, in place of the original one-man turret. Some IVfs remained in service until the 1990s.

I recorded this video during the Bovington Tank Fest of June 27, 2010. It's a Marmon Herrington IV which was given to Greece after World War II, probably during the Civil War:

Operational History

1945-1949 - During the Greek civil war, IVF armoured cars have their mechanical parts removed and are placed on flat wagons to protect trains.
1974 - At the time of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the Cypriot army has 45 Marmon Herringtons.
1990s - The Greek army is still using Marmon Herringtons in mechanised infantry battalions in the Aegean Islands.

Specifications
Marmon Herrington Mk.II/III armoured car
Crew: 4
Weight: 6 tons
Length: 5.31 m
Height: 2.49 m
Width: (II) 1.98m / (III) 2.29 m
Armour: 12 mm
Engine: 8-cylinder Ford petrol. 85 hp
Speed: 80 km/h
Operational Range: (on-road) 322 km, (off-road 193 km)
Armament: 1x 0.55" Boys Anti Tank rifle, 1x 7.92mm Bren MG, 1x 7.7mm vickers AA MG

Marmon Herrington Mk.IVF armoured car
Crew: 4
Weight: 6.4 tonnes
Length: 5.51 m
Height: 2.29 m
Width: 1.83 m
Armour: 20 mm
Engine: 8-cylinder Ford V90 petrol. 95 hp (71 kW), 3600 rpm
Speed: 80 km/h
Operational Range: (on-road) 322 km, (off-road 193 km)
Armament: 1x 40mm QF 2-pdr, 2x 7.92mm Browning MG

For gamers and game designers
Being one of their few modern armoured vehicles, the Marmon Herrington was invaluable to the Greek forces.

For modellers

A Marmon-Herrington IV from the Army's Grove in Goudi, Athens. Photos by Xristos of modelclub.gr:

A scale model of the Marmon-Herrington from the War Museum in Athens.

(1912-1941) Destroyer "Leon II"

2009-08-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Leon II was one of four Wild Beast class destroyers built in the Camell Laird shipyards in Liverpool. They were originally intended for Argentina, but they were bought by Greece for £148,000 each. For the Balkan Wars, these ships were not given torpedoes and were considered scouts rather than destroyers, because the Royal Hellenic Navy had purchased only minimum ammunitions; 3,000 torpedoes for the whole of the fleet. Leon had a lot of bad luck and no major achievements during the wars that it participated in.

Operational History
19 Sep. 1912 - Commissioned in the Royal Hellenic Navy. It will soon participate in the Balkan wars under Lieutenant Commander J. Razikotsikas, while also on board is Squadron Commander D. Papachristos.
Oct. 1916 - Seized by the French. Participates in World War I on their side.
1918 - Returns to escort duty under Greek colours and in the blockades of the coasts of the Black Sea from the Bosphorus to Trebizond.
22 Dec. 1921 - While moored with Ierax in Piraeus harbour, they are both severely damaged by the explosion of a depth charge bomb which the crew of Leon was transporting. Two officers, one petty officer and two sailors are killed on Leon and two sailors on Ierax. Leon completely loses her aft section up to her stern gun.
1925-27 - Undergoes refurbishment.
1 March 1935 - During the failed coup attempt of 1935, Leon is briefly captured by the venizelists.
1940 - Leon is commanded by Petros Protopapas during World War 2.
18 April 1941 - During a convoy escort, she collides with passenger ship Ardena and two depth charges explode. As a result, the stern section is cut off and two officers get killed.
15 May 1941 - Sunk by German bombers in Souda Bay (Crete) where she was towed from Salamis Naval Base.

Specifications
Wild-beast class destroyer "Leon" II
Displacement: (Standard) 880 tons
Length: 89.4 m
Beam: 8.3 m
Draft: 3 m
Range: 530 m
Speed: (before 1925) 31 knots, (from 1925) 32 knots
Complement: 58
Armament: (as completed) 4× Bethlehem 102 mm, 1× 75 mm AA, 6× 533 mm T.T., 3× electric search lights
(from 1925) 75 mm AA removed, 37 mm AA added, four-barrel 40 mm added, 2 mortars added, modified for laying 40 mines

For modellers
The ship differs significantly before and after its 1925 refit. This scale model represents the pre-1925 version with the five funnels.

For gamers and game designers
Notice that Leon II has no torpedoes during the Balkan wars and can act only as scout. In later years it acts as proper destroyer with torpedoes, depth charges, etc.

(1931-1936) MS.230

2009-07-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Between 1931 and 1936, Greece used the French Morane Saulnier MS.230 aircraft as elementary trainers in the Air Force. They were a brand new design at the time, the French equivalent of the iconic Boeing Stearman of the Americans and Tiger Moth of the British.

Operational History
October 1930 - Greece orders 18 MS.230 aircraft from France.
1931 - Delivered.
1936 - Removed from service as training aircraft and used only for maintenance flights until the beginning of World War 2. According to some sources, a small number were used for reconnaissance until 1941.

Specifications
MS.230 ET2 trainer
Crew: 2 (instructor and student)
Engine: Salmson 9AB, 9-cylinder, air-cooled radial engine, 109 kW (230 hp)
Weight: (Takeoff) 1,160 kg, (Empty) 832.35 kg
Height: 2.98 m
Length: 6.93 m
Wingspan: 10.72 m
Speed: 204 km/h
Range: 560 km
Ceiling: 5,000 m
Armament: none

For gamers and game designers
This aircraft has little gaming value. It's just a trainer. Relatively modern for its time, but still only an elementary trainer.

(1886-1901) Nordenfelt I

2009-06-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Not many know that Greece was among the first nations that acquired a submarine, as early as 1886. Thorsten Nordenfelt, a Swedish inventor and industrialist that had become rich with his machine gun design, headhunted English submarine pioneer George Garrett to build Nordenfelt I. This quickly proved an unsatisfactory design, difficult to control and unable to stay underwater for more than five minutes. It was fitted with one whitehead torpedo that was held in an external tube. Surprisingly, it was the first time that a submarine was fitted with the very successful whitehead torpedo. However, there is no record of a torpedo being fired by Nordenfelt I, not even in trials. It was received with mixed feelings when it was officially demonstrated in 1885 and would possibly have remained unsold if Nordenfelt's agent in the Balkans wasn't that shady character, (later Sir) Basil Zacharoff, a Greek-French arms dealer and financier. He convinced the Greek government to pay £9,000 for this submarine that would give them the edge against the Turks. Then, he convinced the Turks that they should buy two of these (Nordenfelt II and III) because the Greeks already had one, and finally he convinced the Russians to buy another two, because the Turks had two. In practice, the Greek Nordenfelt I was a complete waste of money that was left to rot for 15 years before it was scrapped. The Turkish and Russian Nordenfelts were not more successful. One of the Turkish ones sank when it attempted to fire a torpedo and one of the Russian ones sank on the way to Russia when it was purchased. From then on, the Greek government was very cautious with submarines and did not try to buy another one until 1911. Zacharoff, on the other hand, had started his arms-dealing career that made him a multi-millionaire. In 1890 he was hired by Russian machine gun producer Maxim, and was buying shares of the company until he was able to tell his boss that he had become an equal shareholder. Later, he became the director of Vickers Munitions, one of the most successful companies in World War I, and also bought the Monte-Carlo casino. Zacharoff is often seen in popular culture. For example, in Tintin he is parodied as the weapons trader Basil Bazarov, who sells to both parties of a single conflict that he helps provoke.

Below, a page from The London Illustrated News showing a Greek squadron entering the Bay of Salamis in 1886. At the bottom right of the image, one can see the submarine.

Operational History
1882 - Laid down in Stockholm.
Sep. 1885 - Undergoes trials at Landskrona and later in the same month gives surface and submerged demonstrations in front of 39 dignitaries from the navies of several European powers, Japan and Mexico. Reports mention the Prince of Wales, the King and Queen of Denmark, and the Czarina among them.
1886 - Bought by Greece for £9,000 and renamed "Piraeus". It undergoes trials in Greece.
1901 - Stricken without having been used by the navy at all

Specifications
Nordenfelt I submarine "Piraeus"
Width: 3.66 m
Height: 3.35 m
Displacement: 60 tons
Crew: 3
Max. Depth: 50 ft (15 m)
Engine: 100 HP steam engine
Speed: (Surfaced) 9 knots. It would shut down its engine to submerge
Armament: 25.4 mm Nordenfelt cannon and one Whitehead torpedo

For gamers and game designers
The Nordefelt submarine is considered a complete failure. The Greeks never used it in action, possibly only as a training platform. While reasonably balanced when surfaced, it was extremely unstable when submerged. There is no record of Nordenfelt I firing a torpedo, but when one of the later Turkish Nordenfelts attempted to do so, it sank.

For modellers
A profile of the submarine:

The actual patent awarded to Nordenfelt for the submarine in 1882:

(1877-1949) Gras rifle

2009-06-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

The Gras rifle is an example of military equipment that reached legendary status in Modern Greece. Despite the fact that it could fire only one shot at a time, its robustness and lethality made it a favourite weapon of guerilla fighters for 70 years, from the local revolts against the Ottoman Empire to the resistance against the Germans. In fact, the name "Grades" (Γκράδες) entered the Greek language to represent all kinds of rifles and was used in this manner until a few decades ago. The name "gradia" (γκραδιά) meant the shot of a Gras. Also, bad students and people that were not intelligent were often called "Grades" (Γκράδες). The colourised photo above shows guards of a Greek monastery in Mount Athos after having repelled Bulgarian invaders (1913). Some are possibly monks and there is one Gendarme among them. The front row, from left to right, carry Gras rifle, Gras cavalry carbine, two Gras musketoons and Gras rifle, while all three at the back carry Gras rifles.

The Gras is mentioned in numerous works of literature and in folk songs.

Operational History
1877 - Greece purchases about 60,000 Gras rifles from Steyr.
22 March 1886 - Last recorded order (1,000 Gras rifles). In total 129,000 have been bought since 1877 (118,000 infantry rifles, 6,000 artillery musketoons and 4,800 cavalry carbines).
24 Jul. 1923 - At the time of the Treaty of Lausanne, the Greeks have 77,000 Gras rifles & carbines, which corresponds to about 25% of the total number of rifles.
28 Oct. 1940 - At the time of the Italian invasion, the Greeks have 60,000 Gras rifles, which corresponds to about 13% of the total number of rifles.

Specifications
Greek Gras Mle 1874 infantry rifle
Weight: 4.2 kg
Length: 1.32 m
Barrel Length: 0.82 m
Caliber: 11 mm
Action: Bolt-action
Feed System: Single shot
Muzzle velocity: 450 m/s

Greek Gras Mle 1874 artillery musketoon
Weight: 3.3 kg
Length: 0.99 m
Barrel Length: 0.49 m
Caliber: 11 mm
Action: Bolt-action
Feed System: Single shot
Muzzle velocity: 410 m/s

Greek Gras Mle 1874 cavalry carbine
Weight: 3.75 kg
Length: 1.171 m
Barrel Length: 0.72 m
Caliber: 11 mm
Action: Bolt-action
Feed System: Single shot
Muzzle velocity: 430 m/s

For gamers and game designers
At the time of its introduction, the gras was a very potent rifle. Later, it was considered too slow in comparison to more modern rifles. Still, although it could fire only one shot at a time, its 11mm caliber made it particularly lethal.

For modellers
Being a close ally of the French, Greece had tried to order Gras rifles from them, but at the time France was frantically re-arming as a result of the disastrous Franco-Prussian war and could not supply Greece. Then, the Greeks turned to Austrian Steyr for Gras rifles. The Gras rifles produced by Steyr for Greece were identical to the French Gras rifles, with the exception of the left receiver flat that is marked with Styer proofs and the left buttstock that carries a Greek cartouche. The rifle is chambered for the French Mle 1874 Gras cartridge.
The Gras Musketoons are a bit shorter than the rifles and the carbines are practically identical to the French Gras cavalry carbines, but with brass buttplate and barrel bands and turned down bolt handle.

(1938-1941) Dornier Do.22Kg

2009-06-05T00:30:00.000-07:00

The Do.22 was a German seaplane torpedo bomber that was never used by the Germans and never operated as a torpedo bomber; in fact it was not always a seaplane either. 12 were sold to Greece (Kg variant), 4 to Finland (Kl) and 12 to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (Kj). In Greek service, they were first used in naval convoy escort, anti-submarine patrol, and naval reconnaissance missions, including searching for enemy minefields. Later, nine were fitted with conventional landing gear instead of sea-landing floating system, because the Greeks were desperately short of army cooperation aircraft. They were also expected to be used for night bombing missions against the Italian forces at Tepeleni, but only one such mission was carried out.

Operational History
1938 - 1939 - Greece receives her 12 Do.22.
December 1940 - January 1941 - 9 of the 12 aircraft are fitted with landing gear in Elefsis (KEA) and are assigned to the reconstituted 2nd Observation Squadron to be used in reconnaissance and night bombing missions.

Apr. 1941 - All but one are destroyed (probably on the ground) by German air raids. A hydroplane escapes to Alexandria, where it serves under British command for a short period of time.

Specifications
Do22G light bomber/reconnaissance
Crew: 3, pilot, gunner and radio operator
Length: 13.12 m
Wingspan: 16.2 m
Height: 4.83 m
Wing Area: 45 m²

Weight: Empty 2,545 kg, loaded 4,300 kg
Powerplant: 12cylinder Hispano - Suiza 12Y21 910 hp. 3-flap propeller with automatic pace modulator system
Speed: 355 km/h at 4,000 m, 280 km/h at sea level
Range: 6 hours, (with max. fuel) 1,600 km, (with max. payload) 800 km
Service ceiling: 9,500 m
Armament: front 1x FN-Browning 7,92 mm machine gun with French GSC synchronisation system, plus 1x same type machine gun at the gunner's position. Central bomb rail for 2 x 50 kg or 8 x 15 kg or 1 x 250 kg bomb payload of Greek contruction (American type).
Photographic Camera: F-50
Landing Gear: L Model
Radio: Telefunken 40/70
Oxygen Supply: Made in United States

Aiming Sight: Wimperis (made in United Kingdom)

For gamers and game designers
The Do.22s are relatively diverse aircraft that can be used for light bombing, convoy escort, night bombing and photographic reconnaissance

For modellers
The Greek Do.22 aircraft took the serial numbers N21 - N32. The ones that were converted with conventional undercarriage started from Σ81.

A model of the Greek Do.22Kg hydroplane variant made by Matt Bittner. The colour should tend more towards silver than grey, but still a great-looking model.

The following are profiles from an unknown French book. The artist is Daniel Laurelut. The text reads: "Do 22Kg Greek 'N27' based in 12NMS at Paloukia. Like many of the Greek Do22, this one could also be used in land configuration, the undercarriage being interchangeable".

From unknown French source, a profile of a Do.22Kg of 2nd Mira of land cooperation in March-April 1941.

(1879-1931) Cruiser "Miaoulis II"

2009-05-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

It may seem trivial today, but until 1900 no Greek warship had ever sailed the Atlantic to reach the United States. This was first achieved by the cruiser Miaoulis II, commanded by Koundouriotis. Built in 1879 at the Forges & Chantiers de La Med La Seyne dockyards, she was purchased by Greece as part of the naval modernisation and expansion program that followed the unsuccessful Cretan uprising of 1866. The largest part of the cost of the ship was met by K. Nikodimou's newly founded "Company For Formation of National Navy". Her military moment of glory came in 1897, when she prevented a Turkish warship from landing troops in Crete. She quickly became obsolete though, as both Greeks and Turks were upgrading to newer, faster and most importantly armoured warships. She served on active duty as a training ship until stricken in 1931.

Operational History
1878 - Laid down. Dockyards: Forges & Chantiers de La Med La Seyne in France.
1879 - Commissioned.
1897 - Flagship of the 4th Squadron, under K. Zotos, during the Cretan revolt. It prevents the Turkish warship "Fonat" from landing troops in Siteia, Crete.
1900 - Under Koundouriotis, sails the Atlantic and arrives at the United States (Boston and Philadelphia). The first Greek warship to do so.
1912 - Becomes training ship for the school of gunnery and for the school of officers, in Poros.
1931 - Stricken.

Specifications
Miaoulis II light cruiser
Displacement: 1,820 tons
Shell Weight: 256 g
Length: 75 m
Beam: 11 m
Draft: 4.4 m
Propulsion: Both sail and 2,400 HP engine
Speed: 13.5 knots
Complement: 180
Armament: 3x 170 mm Krupp 25cal single, 1x 170 mm Krupp 20cal single, 6x 37mm 1pdr single
Armour: none
Cost: 2.3 million Gold Drachmas

For gamers and game designers
Miaoulis II had become obsolete by 1900. Its lack of armour and relatively low speed made it no match for the Turkish pre-dreadnoughts and cruisers.

For modellers
A scale model of Miaoulis II from the Hellenic Maritime Museum.

(1927-1945) Submarine Y-2 "Papanikolis"

2009-05-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the Second World War, Greece had six submarines. The most well-known of them is Y-2 "Papanikolis", which was built at the Chantiers de la Loire shipyards between 1925 and 1927. It was the one of only two Greek submarines that survived the war. Today, tourists can see its bridge outside the Hellenic Maritime Museum and can visit the cave in Lefkada, which is rumoured to be the hideout of Papanikolis during the Greco-Italian war. A 1971 Greek movie is based on its exploits, which included about 15,000 tons of enemy shipping sunk and a number of special operations in the Aegean.

From a 2006 interview with the last surviving member of the crew, N. Tasiakos. Presented in the form of memoirs and first published in the newspaper "Makedonia": (translated from Greek)
"-Where are you from? asked the officer.
-Drakotrypa Karditsas, I replied
-Where is this village?
-South Pindos (a mountain)
-And you want to enlist in the navy? Tell me, what is a thermastis?
-The one who puts coal in the engine.
-You are in!
...

Three years later (1939), I applied for a transfer to the submarines. I was first in Nereus, then Proteus and finally Papanikolis, where the captain was that brave Miltos Iatridis...
The Germans had announced that any ship that isn't in its base would be bombed, and so we received a message from headquarters to return to base. ... On 27 October 1940, I was given a motorcycle and was ordered to inform all members of the crew that were on leave to return to base. The next day, the Greco-Italian war started. We were equipped with torpedoes and were sent to patrol the Adriatic Sea. On 22 December 1940, we met an Italian cargo ship, Antonietta, that was carrying supplies to Albania. We rammed it and when that failed to sink it, we burned it. We captured the 6 crew and I remember that the Italians thought we were English. They didn't believe that the Greeks had submarines in their 'mare nostrum'. Michalev, who was from Corfu and could speak Italian, learned from the ship's captain that the next day there would be an Italian convoy in the area. At 12 noon, we spotted the convoy. Cargo ships, destroyers and aircraft. We took a good position inside their right side and fired four torpedoes. All four hit the target. We heard the explosions and stayed at 30m (depth). The Italians attacked us with depth charges that were set at 100 m and had a radius of 50 m. So, having stayed at 30 m, we were relatively safe. Both aircraft and destroyers were attacking us. I remember very well one of the depth charges settling on our stern. I informed the captain that a suspicious object was on our stern and he ordered a slight move, so that we get rid of it. The depth charge fell over. It didn't explode, because it wasn't 100 m. To remain silent, we were not using our engines, so we had been carried north by the streams and we had reached Yugoslavia. It must have been midnight when we managed to resurface. I must add here that our submarines were pretty old and they needed to surface at least every 17-18 hours for air. Papanikolis had been bought from the French in 1926 as a training ship. Captain Iatridis informed the Naval Command of our success and we returned to Piraeus. There, we were welcomed as heroes, with naval marches and patriotic songs. The same day, Iatridis was promoted."

Operational History
1925 - Laid down
19 Nov. 1926 - Launched
21 Dec. 1927 - Commissioned. First captain is P. Vandoros.
1940 - Lt Cdr Miltiadis Iatridis becomes captain and carries out 4-6 war patrols against the Italians (until 1941)
22 Dec. 1940 - Rams and sinks Italian motor sailer Antonietta. About 30 nautical miles east of Brindisi in position 40 40'N, 18 40'E. One of Antonietta's mechanics gives a map of the minefields of the Adriatic Sea to the Greeks.
24 Dec. 1940 - Torpedoes and sinks 3,952-ton troop carrier Firenze in the Adriatic about 12 nautical miles west-north-west of Saseno Island in position 40 34'N, 19 02'E
Apr. 1941 - Flees to the Middle East to avoid German capture
1941 - Lt Nikolaos Roussen becomes captain
1 Jan. 1942 - Lt A. Panagiotou becomes captain (until 13 Mar. 1942)
14 Mar. 1942 - Lt Cdr P. Libas becomes captain (until 20 Apr. 1942)
20 Apr. 1942 - Cdr Athanasios Spanidis becomes captain (until 10 Oct. 1942)
11 Jun. 1942 - Sinks a small sailing vessel with gunfire off Cape Malea, Southern Greece
12 Jun. 1942 - Sinks the Greek sailing vessels Katina and Agia Aikaterini with gunfire off Cape Malea
13 Jun. 1942 - Sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire off Cape Malea
14 Jun. 1942 - Sinks the Greek sailing vessel Evangelista with gunfire off Nafplia
15 Jun. 1942 - Sinks two sailing vessels with gunfire off Scarpanto
Jun. 1942 - Disembarks SOE agents in Crete and receives a team of 15 New Zealand commandos
31 Aug. - 15 Sep - Unsuccessfully attacks a 8,000-ton oil carrier. Disembarks two mixed British-Greek commando teams at Rhodes, which succeed in attacking the island's two airfields and destroying a number of enemy aircraft
10 Oct. 1942 - Lt Nikolaos Roussen becomes captain (until 1943)
Nov. 1942 - Offloads men and equipment at Crete
30 Nov. 1942 - Sinks a 8,000-ton cargo vessel at Alimia islet, near Rhodes
17 Jan. 1943 - Carries agents and equipment to Hydra. Then captures 220-ton sailing vessel Agios Stefanos off Cape Malea, and mans it with part of her crew, which sails it to Alexandria
18 Jan. 1943 - Sinks 150-ton sailing vessel Agia Paraskevi with gunfire north of Iraklio, Crete
16 Mar. 1943 - Sinks Greek sailing vessels Agios Stefanos and Fiamenta with gunfire and by ramming, near Rhodes
18 Mar. 1943 - Sinks 200-ton sailing vessel Rina with gunfire and by ramming, S.E. of Cape Krio
8 May 1943 - sinks the Italian sailing vessels Varvara and Maria, totalling 400 tons, with gunfire north of Crete
1944 - Lt. Ch. Botsaris becomes captain
Oct. 1944 - Having survived the war, Papanikolis returns to Greece after the liberation
1945 - Papanikolis is decommissioned. Hull is sold for scrap. Conning tower is preserved (initially at the Submarine Naval Base and currently at the Hellenic Maritime Museum, Piraeus)

Specifications
Y-2 Papanikolis submarine of the Katsonis class
Displacement: Surfaced 576 tons, Submerged 775 tons
Length: 62.4 m
Beam: 5.3 m
Draft: 3.35 m
Propulsion: 2 × 2-cycle Schneider-Carels diesel 1,300hp, 2 × electric 1,000hp
Complement: 30 (39?)
Max. Dive: 73 m
Speed: (Surf.) 14 knots, (Subm.) 9.5 knots
Range: (Surf.) 3,500 nm @ 10 knots, (Subm.) 100 nm @ 5 knots
Armament: 6x 533mm torpedo tubes (2 internal bow, 2 external bow, 2 external stern; 7 torpedoes)

For gamers and game designers
In 1940, Papanikolis was already an aged submarine with mechanical problems.

For modellers
A model of Papanikolis from the Hellenic Maritime Museum

A scratchbuilt model of Papanikolis made by D. Georgiadis

(1917-1923) Dorand A.R.1 / A.R.2

2009-05-20T04:01:00.000-07:00

When the Greeks entered the First World War, they acquired 12 Dorand AR.1/AR.2 aircraft from France. These comprised the core of the Greek 532nd Reconnaissance Unit, which was established on 12 December 1917. They were used until 1923 for reconnaissance and as trainers.

Operational History
Dec. 1917 - 12 Dorand AR1/AR2 aircraft are purchased to comprise the core of the 532 Reconnaissance Unit during the First World War.
1923 - Removed from service.

Specifications
- Dorand AR.1 two-seater reconnaissance / trainer
Origin: French
Crew: 2 (pilot and observer)
Length: 9.14 m
Height: 3.30 m
Wingspan: 13.29 m
Wing Area: 50,36 m²
Weight: Empty 810 kg, loaded 1247 kg
Powerplant: 1× Renault 8 Gd V-engine, 190 hp (140 kW)
Speed: 152 km/h at 2,000 m, 147 km/h at 3,000 m, 141 km/h at 4,000 m
Climb: 2,000 m in 11 min, 3,000 m in 22 min 20 sec, 3,000 m in 39 min
Range: 375 km
Endurance: 3 hours
Ceiling: 5,500 m
Armament: 1 × fixed forward-firing .303 inch Vickers machine gun for the pilot, 1 or 2 × Lewis gun(s) on a movable mounting for the observer, and 82 kg of bombs (4 x 120 mm bombs) carried internally

- Dorand AR.2 two-seater reconnaissance / trainer
Origin: French
Crew: 2 (pilot and observer) Length: 9.14 m
Height: 3.30 m Wingspan: 13.29 m
Wing Area: 50,36 m² Weight: Empty 810 kg, loaded 1247 kg Powerplant: 1× Lorraine 8Bb, 240 hp
Speed: 159 km/h at 2,000 m
Range: 375 km
Endurance: 3 hours
Ceiling: 5,500 m
Armament: 1 × fixed forward-firing .303 inch Vickers machine gun for the pilot, 1 or 2 × Lewis gun(s) on a movable mounting for the observer, and 82 kg of bombs carried internally

For gamers and game designers
The Dorand A.R.1/A.R.2 is considered a relatively slow day-time reconnaissance aircraft compared to its contemporaries.

For modellers
It is not certain what colours the Greek Dorands had. Most probably they were like all other French ones during World War 1 and probably different when used as trainers after the war. The colours on the photos are speculative.

(1949-1953) SB2C Helldiver

2009-05-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Most of the bombing missions of the Royal Hellenic Airforce (RHAF) were performed with Spitfires and Dakota transport aircraft. A few months before the end of the Greek Civil War, RHAF acquired their first dive-bombers, 42 Helldiver aircraft from the United States Navy. It was clearly the best strike aircraft in the arsenal of the National Army, but it entered the civil war when the result had been more or less decided. Still, it was useful at bringing an end to the civil war faster by accurately and effectively bombing the mountain bases of the Democratic Army of Greece, a task that was beyond the capabilities of the Spitfires and the Dakotas. On 24 August 1949, when General Papagos attacked the Grammos base of the communists once again, the helldivers used rockets, conventional bombs and napalm bombs. Napalm is the name given to any flammable liquid used in warfare, and is often jellied gasoline. In the form of a bomb, it was used for the first time in the final stages of World War 2 and in the Greek Civil War, long before the Vietnam War, where it gained worldwide notoriety. According to the Greek Communist Party (KKE), 388 napalm bombs were dropped on the mountain line Grammos-Vitsi since September 1948 (see the relevant colourised photo below: a person examining the result of such an attack, during the civil war or shortly after). 114 of these were in operations that Helldivers participated in. Today, a preserved Greek SB2C-5 helldiver (BuNo. 83321) can be seen at the Hellenic Airforce Museum, Tatoi Air Base, Greece.

Operational History
Spring 1949 - At least 41 Helldivers (some sources mention 42) are obtained from surplus United States Navy stocks. Squadron 336 is equipped with them.
Aug. 1949 - The Helldivers are used in the final operations of the civil war.
6 Sep. 1949 - 18 Helldivers perform a fake dive-bombing show at the center of Athens.
1953 - The Helldivers are retired from the Greek airforce.

Specifications
Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver dive-bomber
Origin: United States
Crew: 2 (pilot and radio operator / gunner)
Wingspan: 15.16 m
Length: 10.90 m
Height: 3.94 m
Range: 1,773 km
Wing area: 39.2 m²
Weight: Empty 4,870 kg, loaded 6,202 kg, max. takeoff 7,471 kg
Powerplant: 1× Wright R-2600-20 Cyclone radial engine, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW)

Speed: 473 km/h at 4,940 m
Service ceiling: 7,240 m
Rate of climb: 8.9 m/s
Armament: wings 2x20mm, rear cockpit 2x7.62mm Browning MGs, internal bay 450 kg of bombs, underwing hardpoints 450 kg of bombs and 8 rockets or 2 napalm bombs (The American navy used it as a torpedo bomber too)

For gamers and game designers
The helldiver is by far the most modern and most accurate bomber of the RHAF in 1949. It can make rocket, torpedo, bomb and napalm strikes against ground targets, and does not have any opposition during the civil war, apart from the few antiaircraft guns of the communists.

For modellers

All Greek helldivers were painted in semi-gloss Sea Blue overall. They wore white serials on the rear fuselage and under the wing. Some were seen also with single tail-numbers on the top of the fin and engine cowling
(2: 3480, 6: 9386, 8: 3353, 9: 3329, 10: 3719, 11: 9250, 15: 9193, 17: 3350).

A MS Flight Simulator model of the Greek Helldiver made by Manuele Villa:

A model from IPMS Hellas 2007:

(1940-1941) Brixia 45mm mortar

2009-05-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

As far as I am aware, the Greek army did not have light mortars at the beginning of World War 2. They did, however, capture many Brixia mortars during the Greco-Italian war. In true Italian style, it was an elaborate design that was expensive to mass-produce and easy to malfunction. On the other hand, it provided a relatively high rate of fire, it was steady and it could even fold, which made it convenient for carrying. The mounting was a folding tripod with a padded seat or frame hinged to its rear leg. When the mortar was in firing position, this padded frame acted as a cushion for the man's chest, and when folded in transport it eased the load on his back. The shell was hand-loaded and the range could be adjusted by the ports located under the barrel. Elevation should also be taken into consideration. The primer mixture was the corrosive type, containing mercury fulminate, antimony trisulfide, potassium chlorate and ground glass. The mixture was covered with a thin film of lacquer.

Operational History
Nov. 1940 - During the first battles, the Greeks capture a lot of Italian equipment, including Brixia mortars.
Apr. 1941 - Capitulation to the Germans. It is not known whether the Greeks fighting in the Middle East acquired more Brixia mortars from their allies.

Specifications
Brixia Model 35 light mortar
Action Weight: 15.5 kg
Shell Weight: 256 g
Length of barrel: 260 mm
Caliber: 45 mm
Range: 530 m
Rate of fire: 8 to 15 rounds/min. In ideal conditions, well-trained troops could achieve 18 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity: 83 m/s
Traverse: 20°
Elevation: +10° to +90°

For gamers and game designers
In practice, the Brixia 45mm mortar was considered unsuitable for most types of battle fought in World War 2, due to its short range and poor fragmentation of the shell.

For modellers

Greece in World War 2

2009-05-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of videos for the involvement of modern Greece in wars during the last two centuries. I will be making more such videos in the future. I hope you enjoy them. The first is in English and the second is the Greek translation.

(1918-1941) St. Etienne Mle 1907 machine gun

2009-05-05T17:00:00.001-07:00

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(1890-1929) Battleship "Psara"

2009-05-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

In 1885, the government of Charilaos Trikoupis bought the Battleships "Hydra", "Psara" and "Spetsai" from France, as part of an effort to modernise the armed forces that had proved inadequate during the Cretan Revolt of 1866-1869 and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878.

In the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Psara, Spetsai and Hydra were at least 25 years newer than their Turkish counterparts. Nevertheless, due to their lack of coordination, they had little impact.

Operational History
1885 - Ordered from France.
1887 - Laid down at Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranée at Granville, France (while the Hydra was built at St.Nazaire). Plans made by French Admiral Dupont.
1890 - Launched and commissioned.
1897 - Commanded by Vice-Admiral K. Chatzikiriakou, Psara sees limited action against the Turks in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897.
1899 - Psara represents Greece at the founding anniversary of the city of Nice in France, and at the festivities for the crowning of British King Edward VII.
1912 - Although antiquated by now, Psara participates in the two decisive naval victories of the Balkan Wars (Battle of Elli and Battle of Limnos). She is commanded by Andreas Miaoulis, a descendant of the famous Admiral of the 1821 Greek War of Independence.
1917 - Greece enters World War I and Psara serves as Coast Defence ship.
1919-1922 - Psara serves as Coast Defence ship during the Asia Minor Campaign.
1932 - Psara is scrapped.

From Adm. Mezeviris' memoirs: (translated from Greek)
"[Battle of Elli, 2 Dec. 1912] The dawn of the first great day of the modern Greek Navy, 3 Dec. 1912, found our navy sailing between Imbros and Gallipoli. Until that day, our hopes to meet the enemy had been denied. In fact, crew and officers were spending their time being entertained by a flag officer's jokes. When the sun started to set, we saw the smoke of several ships coming from the narrows. Our flags were raised and the war trumpets sounded. Following the captain's order, I went to the guns and read the historic message of the Admiral to the crew:
'With God's power, the King's wishes and in the name of justice, I sail full speed ahead, certain of the win against our nation's enemy.'
During the battle, my role as safety officer was to deal with fires and damages, but there was no such problem. So, from the deck I could watch the battle evolving, although I would often inspect the teams below the deck, because they didn't have any officer. I vividly remember the 'Averof' speeding up and taking independent action against the enemy fleet and under attack from the enemy shore batteries. At some point, the ship seemed to be surrounded from every direction. With great anxiety we were looking (from the old battleships) at the ship that was in danger, but we couldn't help, because we were too slow. When Averof survived the engagement, everyone felt relief and there was wild enthusiasm. As we later realised, this audacious attack did not inflict the crucial blow against the enemy fleet that we were hoping for, because Averof's speed was limited due to overheating of the plastic shutters of the guns. Still, the retreat of the enemy, despite being at a better position and having suffered little damage, was a major victory of morale for the Greek Admiral.
The gunnery officer, afraid that his men's morale would drop if they stayed idle during the battle, had ordered them to fire from a distance that was out of range and without giving precise target. Being near him at the time, I reminded him about it and he replied: 'Let them fire anywhere, as long as they fire'. After many shells were wasted, the gunnery officer was convinced to order them to stop. The replenishment of these shells was manual and was done mainly by the kitchen crew, led by the athlete-sized civilian cook. With such speed replenishment was carried out that despite the continuous firing, in the end, the superstructure was full of unused shells. These were posing a danger, so they were ordered to move them back in the powder magazine.
At some point, I went out on the deck and found out that the some of the crew had left their stern powder magazine posts and were watching the battle, cheering whenever they would think an enemy ship was hit. With great difficulty I convinced them to return to their posts. The old battleships survived the battle without damage, but a little later were put in danger when a friendly torpedo from 'Averof' was accidentally fired against them."

"[Battle of Limnos, 5 Jan. 1913] ... Our old battleships took part only in the first half hour of the battle. Aboard 'Psara' we had the pleasure to identify at least one good hit against 'Messudiye', which was targetted by us and 'Hydra'. Since the guns of these ships were firing independently, we thought it was ours (the stern tower) that made the hit. There was wild cheering at that part of the ship and we could hardly hold the men below the deck from leaving their posts and coming to see the result of the hit. Apart from this case, however, we serving on the old battleships felt left out of the action. Several discussions, a lot of conflicts between officers and a lot of ink spent about this choice. The Admiral (Kountouriotis) had ordered the squadron of the three old battleships to follow him, but the message was not received, because the radio of battleship "Spetsai" had been damaged during the battle. One of the oddities of war! I was on the bridge at that time and what I vividly remember is the exasperation of Captain Andreas Miaoulis. Eventually, that brave seaman, so calm normally, but so full of energy during the battle, turned towards the officers and said: 'I believe I must exit the line'. He ordered a turn and full speed ahead until we reached 'Hydra' that was in front of us. At that time, the squadron leader 'Spetsai' changed direction and positioned itself in front of 'Psara' on the same route. 'Psara' slowed down and took its normal position in the line. It was, however, too late for the squadron to reach the retreating enemy."

Specifications
Hydra-class Battleship "Psara"
Displacement: Standard 4,885 tons
Length: 103 m
Beam: 15.8 m
Draft: 6.4 m
Propulsion: Steam engine
Speed: 17 knots in trials, but less than 13 knots in battle.
Armament: 3x 274mm, 5x 150mm
Armour: Hull 100-280mm, deck 70mm

For gamers and game designers

The three Hydra-class battleships were a failed experiment in terms of gun layout.
The central battery housed both the two 10.8" and five 6" guns, which meant that a single hit would take out almost the whole of the firepower.

There was no fire control system and due to the various gun sizes on the ship, it would be difficult to tell which splash corresponded to which gun.

In terms of protection, while they had a thick Creusot steel belt below water, the the above waterline armour was only 3", which left the boilers and engines quite vulnerable, and the ship could be taken out with one good hit. Nevertheless, gunhouse and barbette were well-armoured.

The following are some technical details of the guns that would be useful to a game designer:

274mm Guns: Weight of shell 260 kg, velocity 815 m/s
150mm Guns: Weight of shell 45 kg, velocity 597 m/s, range 8,000 yards

For Modellers
The three battleships had a small pipe ("auxiliary funnel") immediately before the first funnel; this was removed on Psara just before World War I. While Spetsai and Hydra were two-masted, Psara had three masts.
A model of Psara from the Hellenic Maritime Museum:

A profile of Psara without the auxiliary funnel (unknown source).

(1964-1993) F-104 Starfighter

2009-05-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

In 1964, following the Turks, the Greeks acquired their first F-104 Starfighters under the US Military Assistance Program (MAP); F-104G fighter-bombers and TF-104G trainers. Later they acquired several second-hand ones from other NATO countries, including RF-104Gs for reconnaissance. The Starfighters gained a "flying coffin" reputation, especially in Germany where 292 of the 916 crashed. In Greece, at least 11 pilots were lost between 1965 and 1987.

Operational History

1964 - Greece acquires 45 F-104Gs (35 built by Canadair and 10 by Lockheed) and 6 two-seat trainer TF-104Gs (Lockheed) under MAP funding. They arrive at 114 Combat Wing and the new 335 Fighting and Bombing Squadron is formed with them.
1965 - 336 Strike Squadron is equipped with F-104s.
1971 - Greece acquires 3 second-hand TF-104Gs from West Germany.
1972 - Greece acquires a further 9 second-hand F-104Gs and 1 TF-104G from Spain.
1982 - Greece acquires a further 10 second-hand F-104Gs from the Netherlands.
1981-1988 - Greece acquires a further 38 F-104Gs, 22 RF-104Gs and 17 TF-104Gs from West Germany.
March 1993 - The F-104s are phased out of service.

Pilot losses (none in combat)
19/06/1965 - S. Nikolaou (F-104G, Tanagra Airfield).
15/07/1965 - C. Efstathiou (F-104G, Tanagra Airfield).
31/07/1972 - A. Damianidis and C. Filippou (TF-104G, Ileia).
24/02/1976 - S. Roulias (F-104, Araxos; parachute didn't open due to low altitude).
21/10/1978 - D. Bibikos (F-104G, sea near Loutra Kilinis).
22/01/1979 - K. Davillas (F-104G, Prof. Ileia hill, Achaia).
15/01/1980 - S. Papastavrou (F-104G, Preveza).
15/04/1980 - S. Bourtzinakos and S. Laourdekis (TF-104G, sea NW of Araxos).
23/09/1987 - S. Zografos (F-104G).

Specifications
F-104G Starfighter, 1st Generation Jet Fighter-Bomber
Weight: Empty 6,350 kg, Loaded 9,365 kg, Max takeoff 13,170 kg
Length: 16.66 m
Height: 4.09 m
Wingspan: 6.36 m
Wing Area: 18.22 m²
Rate of climb: 244 m/s
Speed: 2,125 km/h
Ferry Range: 2,623 km
Combat Radius: 670 km
Crew: 1
Armament: 1x 20 mm M61 Vulcan gatling gun (725 rounds). 7 handpoints with a capacity of 1,814 kg. Provisions to carry combination of 4x AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, Bombs, rockets, etc.
Engine: General Electric J79-GE-11A afterburning turbojet. Dry thrust: 10,000 lbf (48 kN). Thrust with afterburner: 15,600 lbf (69 kN)
Ceiling: 15,000 m

For gamers and game designers
...

For modellers
The original MAP-funded Starfighters were in metal finish, but later the fleet started getting a disruptive pattern of olive drab / dark green / sand on top and light gray on the bottom. A nice silver Starfighter made by D. Georgiadis can be seen in the following photo:

A model from IPMS-Hellas 2006:

(1918-1941) St. Etienne Mle 1907 Machine Gun

2009-05-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

At the time of the Italian invasion, the Greeks had a total of 4,852 machine guns. Almost half of them were of the antiquated St. Etienne Mle 1907 type that was designed by the national arsenal at Saint Étienne (MAS) in 1907. It was a fairly complex design (with 64 parts) that had been gradually taken away from the French front lines towards the end of the First World War, in favour of the simpler and more reliable Hotchkiss Mle 1914 (also in the Greek arsenal in 1940). Although obsolescent, it was not disliked by the Greeks, who found it sufficiently effective during the Italian invasion.

Operational History
Possibly 1918 - (certainly before 1919) the Greeks receive several of these machine guns from France. It is not clear whether they are sold or offered to Greece when withdrawn from French service.
1919-22 - The St. Etienne is the main Greek machine gun type during the Asia Minor campaign.
1935 - With a war in Europe seeming imminent, the Greeks start repairing their old St. Etienne machine guns and buy new types too.
1941 - Greece falls to the Germans and the St. Etienne machine gun will not be used again in the Greek army.

Specifications
St. Etienne Mle 1907 machine gun
Weight: 25.73 kg
Length of weapon: 1.18 m
Length of barrel: 0.71 m
Caliber: 8 mm
Action: gas actuation
Rate of fire: adjustable 8 to theoretical max of 650 rounds/min, but below 500 in practice
Muzzle velocity: 724 m/s
Feed system: 25 rounds metal strip or 300 rounds fabric belt

For Gamers and Game designers Due to its mechanical complexity, the St. Etienne machine gun is prone to overheating. From an official French battlefield evaluation in 1917: "In summation, it functions well but only in the hands of the most meticulous of machine gun virtuosos". In some cases, it was also used in the anti-aircraft role. E.g. from the memoirs of General G. Berdeklis: "[Battle of Crete, 1941] There can be no comparison between our equipment and the equipment of the German paratroopers. Not only we lacked air support, but we were practically out of ammunition too. We had only one St. Etienne machine gun and we used it as antiaircraft. When its last round was used, we destroyed it on the spot."
This photo shows a St Etienne used as antiaircraft by Greek soldiers. Notice the unusual 30-round magazine.

For Modellers

(1940-1949) L3/35 tankette

2009-04-29T17:19:00.001-07:00

Before World War 2, Greece had tested and considered ordering Renault NC2 tanks from France, but the breakout of the war forced France to refuse. The Greeks also ordered 14 Vickers 6-ton MkVI from Britain, but these weren't delivered in time for the Italian invasion. As a result, they started the war without any armoured fighting vehicles at all. However, they quickly captured L3/35 tankettes from the Italians and efforts were made to form the mechanised 19th Division, with truck borne Infantry supported by them.

Operational History
Late 1940 - About 40 L3/35 tankettes are captured from the invading Italians and are turned against them.
1941 - All are destroyed during the German invasion of Greece.
1945 - More captured Italian L3/35 tankettes are obtained from Greece's allies. They are used during the Greek civil war.

Specifications
L3/35 Tankette
Weight: 3.2 tonnes
Length: 3.17 m
Width: 1.4 m
Height: 1.3 m
Armour: front and driver - 13.5mm, front angled - 8.5 mm, side and rear - 8.5 mm, top - 6 mm
Speed: 42 km/h on road
Range: 120 km
Crew: 2 (commander and driver)
Armament: 2×8 mm Machine Guns (in Greek service some were re-armed with .50 cal)
Engine: FIAT-SPA CV3 water cooled 43 HP (32 kW)
Operational Range: 125km

For gamers and game designers
The tankettes can be used only in anti-personnel role. They are relatively fast and their machine guns can be quite effective. However, they are vulnerable even to machine gun fire.

For modellers

(1940-1941) Bloch MB.151 fighter

2009-04-28T16:25:00.000-07:00

The Bloch MB.151 was the most modern fighter of the Greek Airforce in 1940; clearly superior to the Italian G.50s and at least equal to the MC.200s. However, out of the 25 ordered before the German invasion of France, only 9 were received and even fewer were operational in Oct. 1940. Due to lack of spares after the fall of France and the fact that they were initially reserved for the defence of Athens, the MB.151s did not see as much action as they should. The Italians and Germans seemed unaware of their existence in Greece, and would always report them as British Hurricanes and Spitfires, although these were not operating there at the time. While not massively inferior to any contemporary fighter, the fact that its engine was optimised for the relatively low altitude of 3km, placed it at a disadvantage, especially against German BF109Es. It's also worth pointing out that all 9 MB.151s were delivered with second-hand engines that were not in good shape and would easily overheat.

Operational History
April 1940 - Greece receives only 9 of the 25 MB.151 aircraft that it had ordered from France.
August 1940 - No more than 4 or 5 MB.151s are serviceable.
October 1940 - Commanded by Cpt A. Anagnostopoulos, the 24th Mira (Squadron) in Elefsina consists of these MB.151 aircraft. The Squadron belongs to the Greek Anti-Aircraft Command and is assigned the defence of Athens/Piraeus.

13 Nov. - 6 Dec. 1940 - Assigned to defence of Thessaly.
16 Jan. 1941 - Anagnostopoulos takes command of 24th Mira.
19 Jan. 1941 - Assigned to defence of W. Macedonia.
15 April 1941 - Last 2 surviving MB.151s are moved to Amfikleia airfield together with the rest of the Greek airforce.
19 April 1941 - One MB.151 is destroyed in a strafing attack and the last one is shot down by German fighters.

Air Kills
CLAIMED 25 Jan. 1941 - Michalis Savelos (Bloch 151) downs a Cant Z.1007 bomber over Thessaloniki
CONFIRMED 9 Feb. 1941 - El. Smyrniotopoulos (Bloch 151) downs a Cant Z.1007 bomber over Thessaloniki.
CLAIMED 6 Apr. 1941 - El. Smyrniotopoulos (Bloch 151) downs a (Do.17 ?) reconnaisance aircraft over the Strymonas estuary. Pan. Oikonomopoulos contributed.
CONFIRMED 6 Apr. 1941 - Pan. Oikonomopoulos (Bloch 151) downs a Do.17Z reconnaisance aircraft over the west part of the Strymonas river
CLAIMED 6 Apr. 1941 - Pan. Oikonomopoulos (Bloch 151) possibly downs a German aircraft over the Strymonas estuary
CLAIMED 10 Apr. 1941 - Pan. Oikonomopoulos (Bloch 151) downs a Cant Z.1007
CLAIMED 15 Apr. 1941 - Giorgos Mokkas (Bloch 151) downs two Stukas during the 20-Stuka and 20-Bf109E strong German raid at Trikala Airfield, before being shot down by German Ace Gustav Rödel.

Fate of individual aircraft
D.172 - Downed by German Messerschmitts and burned (north of Trikala, 15 Apr. 1941)
D.173 - While out of service, strafed and burned by enemy aircraft (Larisa airfield, 15 Apr. 1941)
D.174 - Together with Avia 534 DK2, strafed by Messerschmitts (Amfikleia airfield, 19 Apr. 1941)
D.175 - Destroyed by the squadron's rearguard, when the squadron was moved out of SEDES airfield. The aircraft's engine lacked two cylinders (SEDES airfield, 8 Apr. 1941)
D.176 - When the squadron was transfered out of Amfikleia airfield, this was left behind to be moved to KEA for repairs, following enemy strafing (Amfikleia airfield, 19 Apr. 1941)
D.179 - Destroyed by the squadron's rearguard, when the squadron was moved out of SEDES airfield. The aircraft needed an engine (SEDES airfield, 8 Apr. 1941).

Specifications
Bloch MB.151 C1 fighter
Crew: 1
Length: 9.11 m
Wingspan: 10.54 m
Height: 3.64 m
Wing area: 17.21 m²
Weight: empty 2,073 kg, loaded 2,800 kg
Powerplant: Gnome-Rhône 14N-35, 920 HP
Max. Speed: 483 km/h at 4 km, 437 km/h at 2.6 km
Climb: 1 min 57" to 1km, 7 min to 5 km
Ceiling: 10,000 m
Range: 640 km at 5.5 km
Armament: 4 x 7.5mm machine guns with 300 rounds per gun (not clear if the Greeks used the same)

For gamers and game designers
The natural opponents of the Greek MB.151s are the Italian G.50 and MC.200 fighters that are relatively weaker but more manoeuvrable. Try to stay at low to medium altitude, since the engine is not optimised for higher altitude.

For modellers
The Greek MB.151s had random camouflage that differed significantly from aircraft to aircraft, typically using green, brown, light blue and dark blue grey. They were marked with a Delta serial ("Dioksis": Pursuit Fighter) and a roundel on the fuselage. The blue of the roundel was relatively dark. The serials ranged from 171 to 179.
The following are some models and paintschemes from various sources:

D 173
A model by D. Georgiadis and a profile from unknown source:

D 177
A model by D. Georgiadis and a cardboard 1:33 model kit:

D 179
A model by Ilias of Modelclub.gr and a model by D. Georgiadis:

(1914-1932) Battleship "Limnos"

2009-04-27T03:57:00.000-07:00

"Limnos" was the pre-dreadnought American Battleship "USS Idaho" (BB-24) that served with the US Navy from 1908 to 1914. At the time, the Turks were strengthening their navy with ex-German ships, which would tip the Aegean naval balance in their favour. To address this, the Greeks hastily bought the "USS Idaho" and her sister "USS Mississippi" for the very high price of $6.3M (33M drachmas) each. Not only they were significantly overpriced, but they were also quite slow and had shallow draft. While they were good enough against the Turkish pre-dreadnoughts, in August 1914 the Turks acquired the Battlecruiser "Yavuz" (ex-German "SMS Goeben") that completely outclassed them.

Operational History
22 July 1914 - Commissioned
1916 - Since Greece has not yet entered WWI, both ships are seized by France along with the rest of the Greek Fleet.
1917 - Both ships are returned when Greece enters the war on the side of the Entente.
1919 - They see action in the Crimean expedition of the Russian Civil War (1919) on the side of the White Russians.
1919-22 - "Limnos" becomes the flagship of the Second Fleet, based in Smyrna, under Rear Adm. G. Kalamidas. Her mission is to patrol the Black Sea, Dardanelles and Asia Minor coasts.
1926-28 - Boiler repairs.
1932 - Decommissioned. Her guns are removed and used as coastal defence battery on the island of Aegina.
1941 - The hulk of Limnos (and Kilkis) is bombed in Salamina by Stuka dive bombers during the German invasion and sinks in shallow waters.
1950s - Her wreck is salvaged for scrap.

Specifications
Mississippi-class Pre-Dreadnought Battleship
Displacement: Full 14,095, Stand. 13,000 tons
Length: 382 ft (116 m)
Beam: 77 ft (23 m)
Draft: 24.7 ft (7.5 m)
Propulsion: Engines: triple-expansion reciprocating engines, Shafts: 2 (twin screw ship), Power: 10,000 hp
Speed: 17 knots maximum
Complement: 744
Armament: 4×12-inch (305 mm), 8×8-inch (203 mm), 8×7-inch (178 mm), 12×3-inch (76 mm), 6×3 pdr, 2×1 pdr, 6×.30 MG, 2×21-inch (533 mm) Torpedo Tubes
Armour: Belt 9in, Turrets 12in, Deck 3in, Conning Tower: 9in

For gamers and game designers
Their natural opponents are the two ex-German Pre-dreadnought Battleships of the Turks (Torgut Reis and Barbaros Hayreddin), which are a bit slower and have weaker guns. The following are some technical details of the guns that would be useful to a game designer:

Range @15-degree elevation: about 20,000 yards
Penetration with 870 lb AP Shell Vs. face-hardened Harvey plates: (6,000 yards) 422mm, (9,000 yards) 310mm, (12,000 yards) 251mm

For modellers

The following images show a 1:6000 "Limnos" and a 1:1800 "Kilkis" model for wargaming.

An award-winning "Kilkis" displayed at IPMS-Hellas 2010:

Additional photos of the Battleship Limnos: