Flakjäger 22 Wiking 10

For my German convoy escort I want some more escort vessels. And naturally not just more Trawler type ones.
Whalers made excellent escorts. The Hamburger Walfang Kontor had five newly finished a few weeks before war.
They got named Wiking 6 – 10. In 1939 they became Vorpostenboote in 15th Vorpostenflottille.

25.6,1940 the 2. Flakjägergruppe was formed, 1st November it was renamed 2. Flakjägerflottille but got just one vessel more. (There was no 1. Flottille, it is said that it was planned for Ostsee but there no AA vessels are needed in 40. )
Main job was escort for convoys running between Den Helder, Borkum, Emden, Wesermünde and Bremen. AA armament was not big in 1940 compared to the later Vorpostenboote in 1943-45. A single 3,7 cm and a 2 cm. And DC throwers. The Allied air force was no big thread until 1941. Until Barbarossa campaign the Luftwaffe was able to give air cover. From that time on the vessels got converted and armed with more guns.
The Flottille had originally the four whalers and two boats from custom service. A trawler and a pilot boat followed. These eight vessels are the only Flakjäger the Kriegsmarine had.
Flakjäger Fl.J. 21 “Wiking 8” Whaler
Flakjäger Fl.J. 22 “Wiking 10” Whaler
Flakjäger Fl.J. 23 “Wiking 9” Whaler
Flakjäger Fl.J. 24 “Wiking 6” Whaler

Flakjäger Fl.J. 25 Zollkreuzer “York” Custom service 43 to 3. VP Flotilla ?
Flakjäger Fl.J. 26 Zollkreuzer “Nettelbeck” Custom service 43 to 3. VP Flotilla ?
Flakjäger Fl.J. 27 “Schiewenhorst” Trawler type became 7/42 DC 42 ?
Flakjäger Fl.J. 28 “Simon von Utrecht” Pilot / Lotsen boot 43 back to Lotsen service

Flottilla Cos are given as: 12. Juli 1940 Kapitänleutnant Großmann, 18. Juli 1940 Korvettenkapitän Dipl. Ing. Fischer, 8. September 1942 Korvettenkapitän Eisenberger, 13. Dezember 1942 Korvettenkapitän Frank (m.d.W.d.G.b.), 27. Januar 1943 Korvettenkapitän Dr. Stamer (m.d.W.d.G.b.)

With 13,5 kts the whalers had been around 3kts faster than the average Vorpostenboot, so they are chosen. The custom vessels reached 21 kts. But FL.J 28 just reached kts and the trawler type Fl.J. 27 just 10.

So it was hardly possible to operate them together. While that is a small question the later war careers are a much bigger Enigma.

25th April 43 the Flakjäger Flotilla was disbanded. So we read in books. But Flakjäger 21 – 24 seem to have done escort service under same name. They now had 1x 8,8 cm in Ulaf (Submarine gun) , 1x 3,7 cm, 2x 2cm and three 15mm. All four survived the war and became British Whalers.

Flakjäger 25 and 26 are said to be assigned / “zugeordnet” to 3. Vorpostenflottille. But got no VP names and are not listed there. And FL 27 is not the harbor defense vessel DC 42 that is stated in books as new name. (In fact that was the Reem) It was a 39 m trawler type vessel., much smaller than the Warlord Vorpostenboot that is advertised as Flakjäger too.

Only the pilot / Lotsen vessel is known to have used as pilot training vessel.

So there is a lot of confusion. Some claim the Flakjägerflottille was converted to an artillery barge “Artillerieträger” one. But none of the unit lists the whalers.

So four good whaling vessels disappear from 43 to 45. I’m sure that they served on as escorts but without being permanent with one of the VP Flottillen