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Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War 2)
Encyclopedia
Jagdgeschwader 1 was a German World War II fighter unit or "wing" which used the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft, between 1940–1944. The name of the unit derives from Jagd, meaning "hunt" and Geschwader, meaning "wing". First formed in May 1939 in eastern Prussia, I./JG 1 was one of the original groups created by the Luftwaffe
as part of its expansion plans.
Between 1940 and 1942, JG 1 operated primarily over the Western Front
and northern occupied Europe. During the initial days of the war, JG 1 faced little resistance, apart from occasional Royal Air Force
(RAF) excursions. The unit was rarely engaged in large-scale confrontations during this time. From late 1942 onwards it was tasked with defence of the Reich. After D-Day
, elements of JG 1 were moved to France and were tasked with air support to the army Wehrmacht
, along with their air defence role. Operation Bodenplatte severely reduced the strength of JG 1.
Towards the end of the war, the unit was disbanded and its remaining pilots and aircraft were re-organized. What remained of these groups surrendered to Allied forces at the end of the war.
JG 1 was the first unit to attempt 'aerial bombing' techniques against the United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) heavy bomber formations. It was the only unit to be equipped with the Heinkel He 162
jet fighter.
In 1944 the "Oesau" suffix was added to the unit's title, after its late Geschwaderkommodore
Oberst
Walter Oesau
(127 kills), who was killed in action.
Some 700 enemy aircraft were claimed shot down during the war by the unit.
s for short-range domestic defence duties and the twin-engined Messerschmitt Bf 110
for external long-range offensive roles. In the summer of 1939, Luftwaffe replaced its long-term expansionist plans for fast mobilization with creation of five new Geschwader starting in July 1939. Even those plans failed to materialize and several groups (Gruppen) were created from existing groups. One such group, I./Jagdgeschwader 131 (JG 131), was thus created from II./Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132). The new group, I./JG 131, was commanded by Major Bernhard Woldenga
, and was based in Jesau, East Prussia (modern Nivenskoye
in Russia). The unit was re-equipped with the Bf 109E by June 1939.
In May 1939, the entire organization of the Luftwaffe was changed. As a result, a large number of units were re-designated and many command title changes took place. I./JG 131 was given the designation I./JG 1. The high-profile and most senior home front wing, JG 2 "Richthofen" had coveted that designation, but was left in "second place". However, on 7 May, just before the invasion of France and the Low Countries, I./JG 1 was merged with Jagdgeschwader 27
and re-designated as III./Jagdgeschwader 27
(JG 27). This temporarily dissolved JG 1 as a unit. Seven months later, on 7 December 1940 a new unit I./JG 1 was formed at Jever
out of several defensive units based on the North Sea coast.
JG 1's role was to provide air cover over a large portion of the North Sea coastline. Its commander was Oberstleutnant Carl-August Schumacher. Their operational area stretched from the Netherlands to Southern Norway. On 5 January 1942, Schumacher handed over command to Major Erich von Selle
to become commander of the fighter forces for Luftflotte 5
(Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
).
(JG 11) on 31 March 1943. I and II Gruppen JG 1 were transferred to JG 11. IV Gruppe was re-designated as I./JG 1. A new III Gruppe was formed in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, commanded by Major Karl-Heinz Leesmann
The new Jagdgeschwader 1 was moved to Deelen
to protect occupied Dutch territory, and Jagdgeschwader 11 tasked with protecting the North German border between Holland and Denmark. Erich Mix
was replaced by Major Hans Philipp
as Geschwaderkommodore. By mid 1943, JG 1 came under the control of Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte, which went on to form Luftflotte Reich
.
, equivalent to a USAAF Wing Commander
or RAF Group Captain
. A Geschwaderkommodore was supposed to have the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
(Oberstleutnant
) or Colonel
(Oberst
), but the position could be filled by a relatively junior officer.
Initially most Luftwaffe
fighter
wings consisted of three groups (Gruppe), which were the equivalent of USAAF group
s or RAF Wings. Groups were identified using Roman numerals, followed by the unit number; e.g. I./JG 1. In 1942 JG 1 was the first unit to be expanded to incorporate a fourth group. Partly as a result of JG 1's expansion, other Luftwaffe fighter wings incorporated a fourth group from mid-1943.
Each group usually consisted of three to four squadrons (Staffeln), which were identified using numbers; e.g. 3./JG 1. Each squadron also had a subordinate headquarters flight (Stabschwarm) associated with it. A squadron with an establishment of 12–16 aircraft usually consisted of three to four flights (Schwärme) of four aircraft usually flying in the "finger-four
" formation. The commanding officer of a squadron (Staffelkapitän
) usually held a rank of Senior Lieutenant (Oberleutnant
) or Captain (Hauptmann). The flights of a squadron were color coded "Red","Blue","Yellow" and "Green".
) on 30 November 1939 with an intention to co-ordinate with Navy (Kriegsmarine
) flak and signals units. This autonomous command defending the coastline was placed under Oberstleutnant Carl-August Schumacher. Geschwaderstab JG 1 (Stab. JG 1) was also alternatively called JG Nord or JG Schumacher and was equipped with Bf 109 'D' and 'E' variants.
commenced on 10 May 1940, I./JG 1 was put under the administrative control of JG 27. After seeing extensive service, the group was re-designated III./JG 27 on 5 July 1940.
1./JG 1 was reformed on 7 December 1940 in Vlissingen from the Holland Squadron (Jasta
Holland). 2./JG 1 was formed on 5 July 1941 in Katwijk
, Netherlands, from the Münster-Loddenheide Squadron (Jasta Münster-Loddenheide) of Luftflotte 2
while 3./JG 1 was formed on 1 March 1941 in De Kooy
from parts of the Training/Supplement squadron of JG 52 (Ergänzungsstaffel Gruppe/JG 52). These three units operated independently until September 1941 when they were grouped into I./JG 1 under Major Erich Mix
.
3./JG 1 was ordered to Sicily
and later Africa, and re-designated as 6./JG 51 on 30 November 1941. Another 3./JG 1 was formed in Wangerooge
on the same day. In January 1944, the 18 Staffel unit was transferred to Dortmund
where they were located next to I./JG 1. Here they were subordinated to Major Rudolf-Emil Schnoor, the commander of I./JG 1. On 15 August 1944, 9./JG 77 was transferred to reinforce I./JG 1, becoming 4./JG 1.
(JG 3) was transferred from the Eastern front to Germany for rest and re-supply. In November 1941, it was transferred to the northern Netherlands and on 15 January 1942 re-designated II./JG 1 in Katwijk
. The group had been involved in the Battle of France
and the Eastern Front
campaigns as I./JG 3, and had 421 kills to its name by September 1941. While at Katwijk
and Vlissingen, they were assigned the task of coastal defence and protection of shipping routes.
In early 1944, the Reichsluftministerium
(Reich Air Ministry — RLM) reinforced the day-fighters of "Defence of Reich" with additional units from the Eastern Front. On 15 August 1944, II./JG 1 was increased to four staffeln with the addition of 7./JG 51 equipped with the Bf 109G-6 "Gustav"
from its base at Brest-Litovsk. On arrival in May 1944 at Störmede
, they were re-equipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190
and re-designated 8./JG 1 on 15 August 1944. 4./JG 1 was re-designated to 7./JG 1. From this point until the end in 1945, II./JG 1 would consist of its Headquarters Flight, Stab II./JG 1, as well as 5., 6., 7. and 8./JG 1.
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
as part of its expansion plans.
Between 1940 and 1942, JG 1 operated primarily over the Western Front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
and northern occupied Europe. During the initial days of the war, JG 1 faced little resistance, apart from occasional Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) excursions. The unit was rarely engaged in large-scale confrontations during this time. From late 1942 onwards it was tasked with defence of the Reich. After D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, elements of JG 1 were moved to France and were tasked with air support to the army Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, along with their air defence role. Operation Bodenplatte severely reduced the strength of JG 1.
Towards the end of the war, the unit was disbanded and its remaining pilots and aircraft were re-organized. What remained of these groups surrendered to Allied forces at the end of the war.
JG 1 was the first unit to attempt 'aerial bombing' techniques against the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
(USAAF) heavy bomber formations. It was the only unit to be equipped with the Heinkel He 162
Heinkel He 162
The Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger was a German single-engine, jet-powered fighter aircraft fielded by the Luftwaffe in World War II. Designed and built quickly, and made primarily of wood as metals were in very short supply and prioritised for other aircraft, the He 162 was nevertheless the fastest of...
jet fighter.
In 1944 the "Oesau" suffix was added to the unit's title, after its late Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Walter Oesau
Walter Oesau
Walter "Gulle" Oesau was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1934 until his death in 1944...
(127 kills), who was killed in action.
Some 700 enemy aircraft were claimed shot down during the war by the unit.
Formation history
In 1938 the Luftwaffe envisaged a five-year expansion plan that utilized the single-engined Messerschmitt Bf 109Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
s for short-range domestic defence duties and the twin-engined Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
for external long-range offensive roles. In the summer of 1939, Luftwaffe replaced its long-term expansionist plans for fast mobilization with creation of five new Geschwader starting in July 1939. Even those plans failed to materialize and several groups (Gruppen) were created from existing groups. One such group, I./Jagdgeschwader 131 (JG 131), was thus created from II./Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132). The new group, I./JG 131, was commanded by Major Bernhard Woldenga
Bernhard Woldenga
Oberst Bernhard Woldenga was born 4 December 1901 in Hamburg and died 19 January 1999. During World War II Woldenga served in the German Luftwaffe commanding the JG 27 and JG 77 fighter wings. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, and was based in Jesau, East Prussia (modern Nivenskoye
Nivenskoye
Uzhnyi was an interceptor aircraft air base in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia located 17 km south of Kaliningrad. A large mile-wide taxiway ring on west side fed a series of aircraft revetments. There were remote bomber or alert revetments for about 5 aircraft...
in Russia). The unit was re-equipped with the Bf 109E by June 1939.
In May 1939, the entire organization of the Luftwaffe was changed. As a result, a large number of units were re-designated and many command title changes took place. I./JG 131 was given the designation I./JG 1. The high-profile and most senior home front wing, JG 2 "Richthofen" had coveted that designation, but was left in "second place". However, on 7 May, just before the invasion of France and the Low Countries, I./JG 1 was merged with Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika was a World War II Luftwaffe Geschwader. It was most famous for service in the North African Campaign, supporting the Deutsches Afrikakorps.- Formation:...
and re-designated as III./Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika was a World War II Luftwaffe Geschwader. It was most famous for service in the North African Campaign, supporting the Deutsches Afrikakorps.- Formation:...
(JG 27). This temporarily dissolved JG 1 as a unit. Seven months later, on 7 December 1940 a new unit I./JG 1 was formed at Jever
Jever
Jever is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer which is produced here, the city is also a popular holiday resort. Jever was granted city status in 1536. Unofficially Jever is sometimes referred to as...
out of several defensive units based on the North Sea coast.
JG 1's role was to provide air cover over a large portion of the North Sea coastline. Its commander was Oberstleutnant Carl-August Schumacher. Their operational area stretched from the Netherlands to Southern Norway. On 5 January 1942, Schumacher handed over command to Major Erich von Selle
Erich von Selle
Erich von Selle was a German Luftwaffe Flying ace during World War II. He also held various senior command positions in the Luftwaffe including Geschwaderkommodore of the Jagdgeschwader 1 fighter wing.In his private life he was married to Harda Jenny Auguste von Langendorff. The couple had 3...
to become commander of the fighter forces for Luftflotte 5
Luftflotte 5
Luftflotte 5 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed 12 April 1940 in Hamburg for the invasion of Norway....
(Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen was a formation of the German Luftwaffe based in Occupied Norway during World War II.It was named for the "Fighter Leader , Norway" and referred to the units under his command.-Service history:...
).
Reorganization
Similar to its parent Jagdgeschwader 2, Jagdgeschwader 1 was designated to be a "donor" unit in forming a new unit called Jagdgeschwader 11Jagdgeschwader 11
Jagdgeschwader 11 was a German fighter wing of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Its primary role was the defense of Northern Germany against Allied day bomber raids...
(JG 11) on 31 March 1943. I and II Gruppen JG 1 were transferred to JG 11. IV Gruppe was re-designated as I./JG 1. A new III Gruppe was formed in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, commanded by Major Karl-Heinz Leesmann
Karl-Heinz Leesmann
Karl-Heinz Leesmann was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl-Heinz Leesmann was shot down on 25 July...
The new Jagdgeschwader 1 was moved to Deelen
Deelen
Deelen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is largely located in the municipality of Ede, Netherlands, but a small part lies in the municipality of Arnhem.Deelen is best known for the Deelen Air Base, a military airfield close to the village....
to protect occupied Dutch territory, and Jagdgeschwader 11 tasked with protecting the North German border between Holland and Denmark. Erich Mix
Erich Mix
Erich Mix was a German politician, member of the Nazi Party, later a member of the FDP and Flying ace during World War II....
was replaced by Major Hans Philipp
Hans Philipp
Lieutenant Colonel Hans Philipp was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until he was killed in action 8 October 1943 by a P-47 Thunderbolt-pilot. It is believed that he was shot down by Robert S. Johnson...
as Geschwaderkommodore. By mid 1943, JG 1 came under the control of Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte, which went on to form Luftflotte Reich
Luftflotte Reich
Luftflotte Reich was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 5, 1944 in Berlin-Wannsee from Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte...
.
Organization structure
Generally, the organization of JG 1 followed the standard Luftwaffe organization for any typical wing (Geschwader). It was commanded by a GeschwaderkommodoreGeschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
, equivalent to a USAAF Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
or RAF Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. A Geschwaderkommodore was supposed to have the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
(Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
) or Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
(Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
), but the position could be filled by a relatively junior officer.
Initially most Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
wings consisted of three groups (Gruppe), which were the equivalent of USAAF group
Group (air force)
A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...
s or RAF Wings. Groups were identified using Roman numerals, followed by the unit number; e.g. I./JG 1. In 1942 JG 1 was the first unit to be expanded to incorporate a fourth group. Partly as a result of JG 1's expansion, other Luftwaffe fighter wings incorporated a fourth group from mid-1943.
Each group usually consisted of three to four squadrons (Staffeln), which were identified using numbers; e.g. 3./JG 1. Each squadron also had a subordinate headquarters flight (Stabschwarm) associated with it. A squadron with an establishment of 12–16 aircraft usually consisted of three to four flights (Schwärme) of four aircraft usually flying in the "finger-four
Finger-four
The "Finger-four" formation , is a flight formation used by fighter aircraft. It consists of four aircraft, and four of these formations can be combined into a squadron formation.- Description :...
" formation. The commanding officer of a squadron (Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
) usually held a rank of Senior Lieutenant (Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
) or Captain (Hauptmann). The flights of a squadron were color coded "Red","Blue","Yellow" and "Green".
Headquarters Flight JG 1
A Geschwaderstab was essentially a Headquarters Unit (Stabschwarm) for the entire wing. There were headquarters units also at gruppe level. Initially when JG 1 was re-formed in Jever, it was constituted as a Regional Fighter Command (Jagdfliegerführer 2Jagdfliegerführer 2
Jagdfliegerführer 2 was part of Luftflotte 2 , one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed December 21, 1939 in Dortmund. On September 6, 1943 the unit redesignated Jagdfliegerführer 4 and reformed again in September 1943 from Stab/Jagdfliegerführer Deutsche...
) on 30 November 1939 with an intention to co-ordinate with Navy (Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
) flak and signals units. This autonomous command defending the coastline was placed under Oberstleutnant Carl-August Schumacher. Geschwaderstab JG 1 (Stab. JG 1) was also alternatively called JG Nord or JG Schumacher and was equipped with Bf 109 'D' and 'E' variants.
Group I./JG 1
I./JG 1 consisted of one Headquarters Flight (Gruppenstab) and 1., 2. and 3 Staffels. When the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
commenced on 10 May 1940, I./JG 1 was put under the administrative control of JG 27. After seeing extensive service, the group was re-designated III./JG 27 on 5 July 1940.
1./JG 1 was reformed on 7 December 1940 in Vlissingen from the Holland Squadron (Jasta
Jasta
The Jagdstaffeln were specialized fighter squadrons in the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I.-Background:...
Holland). 2./JG 1 was formed on 5 July 1941 in Katwijk
Katwijk
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:...
, Netherlands, from the Münster-Loddenheide Squadron (Jasta Münster-Loddenheide) of Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
while 3./JG 1 was formed on 1 March 1941 in De Kooy
De Kooy
De Kooy Airfield is an airfield south of Den Helder, the Netherlands, named after the nearby hamlet De Kooy. It serves as both a civilian airport under the name Den Helder Airport and a naval airport under the name Maritiem Vliegkamp De Kooy .Most movements on the De Kooy are made by...
from parts of the Training/Supplement squadron of JG 52 (Ergänzungsstaffel Gruppe/JG 52). These three units operated independently until September 1941 when they were grouped into I./JG 1 under Major Erich Mix
Erich Mix
Erich Mix was a German politician, member of the Nazi Party, later a member of the FDP and Flying ace during World War II....
.
3./JG 1 was ordered to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and later Africa, and re-designated as 6./JG 51 on 30 November 1941. Another 3./JG 1 was formed in Wangerooge
Wangerooge
Wangerooge is one of the 32 Frisian Islands in the North Sea located close to the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. It is also a municipality in the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony in Germany.Wangerooge is one of the East Frisian Islands...
on the same day. In January 1944, the 18 Staffel unit was transferred to Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
where they were located next to I./JG 1. Here they were subordinated to Major Rudolf-Emil Schnoor, the commander of I./JG 1. On 15 August 1944, 9./JG 77 was transferred to reinforce I./JG 1, becoming 4./JG 1.
| JG 1 Unit | Date | Original unit | Location | Aircraft type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stab I./JG 1 | 1 September 1941 | Parts of Führer der Jagdkräfte | Katwijk Katwijk Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:... |
Bf 109F-2. |
| 1./JG 1 | 7 December 1940 | Jasta Holland | Vlissingen | Bf 109E-4, later Bf 109F-2 |
| 2./JG 1 | 5 July 1941 | Jasta Münster-Loddenheide | Katwijk Katwijk Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:... |
Bf 109F-2 |
| 3./JG 1 | 1 March 1941 | parts of Erg. Gruppe./JG 52 | De Kooy De Kooy De Kooy Airfield is an airfield south of Den Helder, the Netherlands, named after the nearby hamlet De Kooy. It serves as both a civilian airport under the name Den Helder Airport and a naval airport under the name Maritiem Vliegkamp De Kooy .Most movements on the De Kooy are made by... |
Bf 109E-4, later Bf 109F-2 |
| 4./JG 1 | 15 August 1944 | 9./JG 77 | Aulnay-aux-Planches Val-des-Marais Val-des-Marais is a commune in the Marne department in the Champagne-Ardenne region in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Marne department... |
Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8 |
Group II./JG 1
In September 1941, Hauptmann Hans von Hahn's I./Jagdgeschwader 3Jagdgeschwader 3
Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. The Geschwader operated on all the German fronts in the European Theatre of World War II. It was named after Ernst Udet in 1942.-Campaign in the West :...
(JG 3) was transferred from the Eastern front to Germany for rest and re-supply. In November 1941, it was transferred to the northern Netherlands and on 15 January 1942 re-designated II./JG 1 in Katwijk
Katwijk
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:...
. The group had been involved in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
campaigns as I./JG 3, and had 421 kills to its name by September 1941. While at Katwijk
Katwijk
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:...
and Vlissingen, they were assigned the task of coastal defence and protection of shipping routes.
| JG 1 Unit | Date | Original unit | Location | Aircraft type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stab II./JG 1 | 15 January 1942 | Stab I./JG 3 | Katwijk Katwijk Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:... |
Bf 109F |
| 4./JG 1 | 15 January 1942 | From 1./JG 3 | Vlissingen | Bf 109F |
| 5./JG 1 | 15 January 1942 | From 2./JG 3 | Katwijk Katwijk Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:... |
Bf 109F |
| 6./JG 1 | 15 January 1942 | From 3./JG 3 | Katwijk Katwijk Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. It has a population of 61,292.-Location:... |
Bf 109F |
| 7./JG 1 | 15 August 1944 | From 4./JG 1 | Connantre Connantre Connantre is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.... |
Bf 109F |
| 8./JG 1 | 15 August 1944 | From 7./JG 51 | Connantre Connantre Connantre is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.... |
Bf 109F |
In early 1944, the Reichsluftministerium
Reich Air Ministry
thumb|300px|The Ministry of Aviation, December 1938The Ministry of Aviation was a government department during the period of Nazi Germany...
(Reich Air Ministry — RLM) reinforced the day-fighters of "Defence of Reich" with additional units from the Eastern Front. On 15 August 1944, II./JG 1 was increased to four staffeln with the addition of 7./JG 51 equipped with the Bf 109G-6 "Gustav"
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
from its base at Brest-Litovsk. On arrival in May 1944 at Störmede
Geseke
Geseke is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is situated approx. 12 km south-east of Lippstadt and 20 km south-west of Paderborn.- Neighbouring municipalities:* Büren* Erwitte* Lippstadt...
, they were re-equipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
and re-designated 8./JG 1 on 15 August 1944. 4./JG 1 was re-designated to 7./JG 1. From this point until the end in 1945, II./JG 1 would consist of its Headquarters Flight, Stab II./JG 1, as well as 5., 6., 7. and 8./JG 1.
Group III./JG 1
By January 1942, most fighting wings (Jagdgeschwader) of the Luftwaffe had created their own Training Group (Ergänzungsgruppe), with which to prepare trainees for operational service with their parent wing. Each training group had its own operating squadron (Einsatzstaffel) that doubled as a supplemental squadron, consisting of instructors and trainees. It was from such Einsatzstaffel that III./JG 1 was formed.| JG 1 Unit | Date | Leeuwarden led by Major Karl-Heinz Leesmann Karl-Heinz Leesmann Karl-Heinz Leesmann was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl-Heinz Leesmann was shot down on 25 July... . Group IV./JG 1JG 1 expanded to include a 4th group (Gruppe) around the same time as III./JG 1, and was also formed using the training groups (Ergänzungsgruppen) and training squadrons (Einsatzstaffeln) of other wings.
On 21 March 1942 IV./JG1 was re-designated as III./JG 5. It was re-established on the same day in Werneuchen Werneuchen Werneuchen is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, in the district of Barnim northeast of Berlin within the metropolitan area. Most of the population of Werneuchen commutes to Berlin.-International relations:Werneuchen is twinned with: Dziwnów, Poland... with elements of the previous IV./JG 1 and training squadrons of fighter schools 1 and 4. On 1 April 1943, IV./JG 1 was re-designated as I./JG 1 Aircraft of Jagdgeschwader 1When JG 1 was formed, it primarily used the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants Due to the Messerschmitt Bf 109's versatility and time in service with both the Luftwaffe and other foreign air forces, numerous variants were produced over the eight years of service with the Luftwaffe and even more were produced by its foreign users.... . In mid-1942, II., III. and IV./JG 1 started converting to the Fw 190; although I./JG 1 continued to operate the Bf 109 'E' and 'F' and later 'G' models, including the specialized 'F-4/Z' and 'G-1' (the latter also being pressurized) high-altitude fighter with GM-1 GM-1 GM-1 , colloquially known as Haha-Gerät was a system for injecting nitrous oxide into aircraft engines that was used by the Luftwaffe in World War II. This increased the amount of oxygen in the fuel mixture, and thereby improve high-altitude performance... boost. By April 1943, I./JG 1 had largely transitioned to the FW 190A, while III./JG 1 returned to the Bf 109G. In April 1944, III./JG 1 was one of the first Luftwaffe units to have been equipped with the Bf 109G-5/AS with improved supercharger and methanol-water MW-50 boost. I. and II. JG 1 were the first units to equip with the Heinkel He 162A-2 Spatz (Sparrow, Heinkel Heinkel Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight.-History:... 's name for the design), with deliveries of the He 162 in February 1945 to I./JG 1 at Parchim Parchim Parchim is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is the capital of the Ludwigslust-Parchim district. It was the birthplace of Moltke, to whom a monument was erected in 1876. Founded about 1210, one branch of the family of the duke of Mecklenburg residence in Parchim during part of the 14th... . Around April 1945, II./JG 1 moved to Rostock-Marienehe Rostock Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders... near the Heinkel Heinkel Heinkel Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturing company founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It is noted for producing bomber aircraft for the Luftwaffe in World War II and for important contributions to high-speed flight.-History:... factory to receive the deliveries of the new aircraft. Unit emblem and color schemesWhen JG 1 was initially formed as I./JG 1, its emblem was designed by Major Woldenga as a German Crusader's cross on which a flight of three Bf 109s was transposed. Tatzelwurm In Alpine folklore, the Tatzelwurm is a worm-like creature. It is reported to live in several areas of Europe, including the Austrian, Bavarian, Italian and Swiss Alps.... , a mythical Norse Norse mythology Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving... serpent with origins with JG 3. I./JG 1 was the only group that displayed individual aircraft numerals on the engine cowling until it was re-designated III./JG 27. Each of the staffeln also had its own emblems . For example, 2./JG 1 had a sword slicing Chamberlain's Neville Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the... umbrella in two. The badge of 9./JG 1 depicted a flintlock pistol on a heart surrounded by the words, (translated from German) "Who Shoots first gets more out of life". After his appointment as Geschwaderkommodore Geschwaderkommodore Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank... Oberstlt. Walter Oesau Walter Oesau Walter "Gulle" Oesau was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1934 until his death in 1944... introduced a new emblem on 12 November 1943 and used by all of JG 1; a red–winged ‘1’ inside a white diamond surrounded by a black circle. There seem to have been some disputes over emblem details, with one version enclosing the white diamond with a red circle instead of a black one. In spring 1943 I./JG 1 briefly introduced high-visibility geometric patterns of alternating black and white horizontal stripes on the engine cowling, with other units of JG 1 (formerly IV./JG 1) using checkerboard patterns on the cowling. I./JG 1 was unique in using a variation of a more colorful identification scheme of checkerboard black-and-white-striped engine cowlings. The checkerboards were divided into black-white, black-red and black-yellow for the 1., 2. and 3. Staffeln respectively. Following the general adoption of aft coloured fuselage bands identification by all Jagdgeschwaders, I./JG 1 utilised black and white bands. I./JG 1 started painting red aft fuselage bands to distinguish from JG 11 and the Sturmstaffel aircraft. Use of these colored fuselage bands was generally abandoned by mid-1944. At one point, a color scheme of painting the tail rudder in white was trialled for units dedicated to Defence of Reich duties. Wartime historyThe original I./ JG 1 based in Jesau, played little part in the Invasion of PolandInvasion of Poland (1939) The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe... . Within Eastern Prussia, they were re-deployed to three forward bases; Heiligenbeil Mamonovo Mamonovo , prior to 1945 known by its German name Heiligenbeil, is a town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. Population: Mamonovo is named after a Soviet Commander, Nikolai Vasilyevich Mamonov , killed in action near Pułtusk on 26 October 1944, who was posthumously given the title Hero of the Soviet... , Schippenbeil and Arys-Rostken Orzysz Orzysz is a town in Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7,512 inhabitants .-Notable residents:* Kurt Sanderling , conductor* Wolfgang Heyda , U-boat commander... . I./JG 1 had negligible involvement and no enemy aircraft were downed. The only casualty was a pilot of 2./JG 1 injured by friendly flak. On 5 September 1939, the group returned to Jesau. After a ten day stop in Lübeck-Blankensee Lübeck The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World... , the group arrived at Vörden Neuenkirchen-Vörden Neuenkirchen-Vörden is a municipality in the district of Vechta, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km southwest of Vechta, and 30 km north of Osnabrück.... . Although I./JG 1 came under administrative control of JG 27, I./JG 1 was temporarily put under administrative control of JG 77 on 4 June 1940. It came back under control of JG 27 few days later. Upon arrival at Vörden the first aircraft credited to I./JG 1 was a Bristol Blenheim Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter... of No. 110 Squadron RAF No. 110 Squadron RAF -Formation and World War I:No. 110 Squadron RFC was formed on 1 November 1917, at Rendcomb, Gloucestershire and was equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. The squadron moved to Kenley the following year and re-equipped with the DH.9A - the first squadron to employ this aircraft. Its original complement of... shot down on a reconnaissance mission. In February 1940, Major Bernhard Woldenga was promoted to the position of Inspectorate of Fighters and was succeeded by Joachim Schlichting. The unit went on to participate extensively in the Battle of France Battle of France In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and... . I./JG 1 claimed 82 air victories during the Battle of France Battle of France In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and... , with Hauptmann Wilhelm Balthasar Wilhelm Balthasar Major Wilhelm Balthasar was a German World War II Luftwaffe flying ace, commander of Jagdgeschwader 2 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery... top scorer with 23 kills, and Leutnant Ludwig Frantisek with 9. After being re-established in December 1940, I./JG 1's primary responsibility was the air defence of Germany and its Northern occupied territories. In this role, the unit almost exclusively worked in the Netherlands prior to its transfer to central West Germany. Its main opponents through 1940–41 were therefore lone RAF reconnaissance aircraft, the anti-shipping aircraft of RAF Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive... and the medium bombers of RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental... 's 2 Group, although the group would see little action compared to other theaters during 1941. During this time, this sector was considered relatively safe compared to other theaters. Defence of the Reich 1942–1943Because RAF bombers and their escorts had insufficient range to reach German airspace, JG 1 was somewhat isolated from the RAF's "Lean into Europe" fighter offensive of 1941 that involved JG 2 and JG 26. OberstleutnantOberstleutnant Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant... Erich Mix Erich Mix Erich Mix was a German politician, member of the Nazi Party, later a member of the FDP and Flying ace during World War II.... , a veteran of World War I and over 40 years of age, claimed a Blenheim Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter... as his 13th kill in mid-1941. JG 1 did however take part in the famed Channel Dash, as part of the air cover plan (Operation Donnerkeil Operation Donnerkeil Unternehmen Donnerkeil was the codename for a German military operation of the Second World War. Donnerkeil was designed as an air superiority operation to support the Kriegsmarine Operation Cerberus, also known as the "Channel Dash".In 1941 Kriegsmarine surface vessels had carried out commerce... ) for the German Kriegsmarine Kriegsmarine The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly... battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, with cruiser Prinz Eugen German cruiser Prinz Eugen Prinz Eugen was an Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, the third member of the class of five vessels. She served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down in April 1936 and launched August 1938; Prinz Eugen entered service after the outbreak of war, in August 1940... on 13 February 1942. By May II./JG 1 was assigned to Woensdrecht Woensdrecht Woensdrecht is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands.Woensdrecht is mainly known for Woensdrecht Air Base. In 1983 it was decided that the US would station 48 nuclear armed cruise missiles here, unless the USSR would reduce the number of SS-20 missiles to 378. Since the number was... and Katwyk. Its first victory was scored by Unteroffizier Meisner of 6./JG 1. By early 1942, the group had started re-equip from the earlier Bf 109F-4 to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, completing by 12 May 1942. One notable ace from early 1942 was Oberfeldwebel Gerhardt, leading scorer of JG 1 with a tally of 9 by 17 February 1942.  Heinz Knoke Heinz Knoke was a World War II Luftwaffe flying ace. He is credited with 33 confirmed aerial victories, all claimed over the Western theatre of operations, and claimed a further five unconfirmed kills in over 2000 flights... developed was "air bombing" the bombers from above using a delay-fused 250 kg bomb with a 15 second fuse, although the loss of aircraft performance and vulnerability of the bomb-carrying aircraft to fighters meant the method was not widely adopted. Knoke's initial operation using air bombs was from 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) above the bomber formation on 22 March 1943, and he reported breaking the wing off one of the bombers, although the only B-17 lost that day was to III./JG 1. JG 1 also pioneered the use of underwing Werfer-Granate Rüstsätze Rüstsätze were field modification kits produced for the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. They were packaged in kit form, usually direct from the aircraft manufacturer, and allowed for field modifications of various German aircraft used in World War 2, predominantly fighter bombers and... (Wfr. Gr. or WGr) 21 rockets as a "stand-off" anti-bomber weapon in mid-1943, although they proved too heavy for the fighter aircraft and were removed later in the year. By the start of 1943, JG 1 were mainly equipped with the Fw 190-A, excepting I./JG 1 still using the Bf 109G-1. The first large-scale air battle between JG 1 and VIII Bomber Command VIII Bomber Command The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was... occurred when the latter bombed the naval base at Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:... on 27 January 1943 with a force of 64 B-17 Flying Fortress (B-17) and 27 B-24 Liberator B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber... s (B-24). Facing them were I., II. and IV./JG 1. With their Jever base below the route I./JG 1 attacked in full strength under Hauptmann Günther Beise. In broken cloud cover, they intercepted at 25000 ft (7,620 m). The lack of heavy armament on the Bf 109 and the lack of experience of I./JG 1 meant had less than satisfactory results. The US crews noted the Bf 109s did not press home their attacks. Although most of the B-17s had some combat damage, only one failed to return, with first American casualty of "Defence of Reich" campaign Captain Vance Beckham's 305th Bomber Group 305th Air Mobility Wing The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command... B-17F (41-24637). There were five claims (one unconfirmed) and the bomber was shot down by either Oberleutnant Hugo Frey Hugo Frey Hugo Frey was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. On 6 March 1944, Hugo Frey was killed over Sleen, Holland... of 2./JG 1 or by Feldwebel Siegfried Zick of 2./JG 1, as his second kill. Five of the Bf 109s went down with three pilots killed, although damage to the naval base was minimal. Cloud cover over the target and bad radio communication meant the B-24 formation broke up. The smaller B-24 formation lost their way and crossed into Holland near Woensdrecht Woensdrecht Woensdrecht is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands.Woensdrecht is mainly known for Woensdrecht Air Base. In 1983 it was decided that the US would station 48 nuclear armed cruise missiles here, unless the USSR would reduce the number of SS-20 missiles to 378. Since the number was... . After wandering over North Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... they turned north towards the North Sea where they ditched their bombs. II. and IV./JG 1 took off from Woensdrecht Woensdrecht Woensdrecht is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands.Woensdrecht is mainly known for Woensdrecht Air Base. In 1983 it was decided that the US would station 48 nuclear armed cruise missiles here, unless the USSR would reduce the number of SS-20 missiles to 378. Since the number was... and München-Gladbach to intercept while 5. and 6./JG 1 refuelled at Schiphol. 4./JG 1 made one pass at the bombers and two Liberators were claimed but not confirmed. 12./JG 1 intercepted over Terschelling Terschelling Terschelling is a municipality and an island in the northern Netherlands, one of the West Frisian Islands.Waddenislanders are known for their resourcefulness in using anything and everything that washes ashore. With few trees to use for timber, most of the farms and barns are built with masts... , downing two Liberators. Of these, one was the result of a collision with a downed Fw-190 that cut the bomber's tail, 12./JG 1's only loss.  Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 was a German Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 1 was formed on 22 June 1940 in Mönchengladbach.By the end of the war it was the most successful night fighter unit and had claimed some 2,311 victories by day and night, for some 676 aircrew killed in... (NJG 1), equipped with Bf 110 twin-engined night fighters, joined the fray along with I./JG 1, II./JG 1 and IV./JG 1. Due to poor weather conditions only 3./JG 1 was able to find the formation at first, claiming one B-17. II./JG 1 and IV./JG 1 claimed six B-17 downed at the cost of two fighters. I./JG 1 claimed four B-17s and four B-24s on 26 February 1943 during an attack on the Wilhelmshaven U-boat yards Submarine pen A submarine pen is a bunker which is designed to protect submarines from air attack.The term is generally applied to submarine bases constructed during World War II, particularly in Germany and the occupied countries which were also known as U-boat pens .-Background:Amongst the first... and two Liberators were confirmed lost. One was claimed by Oberleutnant Heinz Knoke Heinz Knoke Heinz Knoke was a World War II Luftwaffe flying ace. He is credited with 33 confirmed aerial victories, all claimed over the Western theatre of operations, and claimed a further five unconfirmed kills in over 2000 flights... , and the other claimed by Unteroffizier Unteroffizier Unteroffizier is both a specific military rank as well as a collective term for non-commissioned officers of the German military that has existed since the 19th century. The rank existed as a title as early as the 17th century with the first widespread usage occurring in the Bavarian Army of the... Leo Demetz of 3./JG 1. Thirteen B-17s were claimed downed by JG 1 in total. On 18 March 1943, 76 B-17s and 27 B-24s were sent to bomb Vegesack Bremen-Vegesack -Geography:Vegesack is located at the mouth of the river Lesum, beside the Weser River . Abutting the district of Vegesack to the northwest is the district of Blumenthal, in the southeast the district of Burglesum... U-Boat Yards Bombing of Bremen in World War II The Bombing of Bremen in World War II by the Royal Air Force and the Eighth Air Force targeted strategic targets in the state of Bremen, which had heavy anti-aircraft artillery but only 35 fighter aircraft in the area. In addition to Wesermünde/Bremerhaven, targets were also in Farge and... near Bremen Bremen The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is... . I./JG 1, IV./JG 1 and parts of III./JG 1 along with Nachtjagdgeschwader Night fighter A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility... formations intercepted the bombers southwest of Heligoland Heligoland Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea... . Knoke and his wingman Dieter Gerhardt each attacked one B-24 bomber head on. Knoke's target exploded but was also claimed by Oberleutnant Walter Borchers Walter Borchers Walter Borchers was a Luftwaffe night fighter flying ace of World War II. Borchers was credited with 59 aerial victories, including 43 nocturnal victories, 10 as a destroyer pilot and 6 four-engined bombers at day time, claimed in roughly 300 combat missions.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter... of 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3(NJG 3) Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 3 was formed on 29 September 1941 in Stade from Stab./ZG 26.-Kommodore:*Major Johann Schalk, 1 December 1941 – 1 August 1943... . Gerhardt's target B-24 limped back to England while he was shot down over the North Sea by another bomber return fire. The fight lasted for two hours, and four B-17s and five B-24s were claimed shot down for the loss of two pilots and three aircraft. Only one B-24 and one B-17 was actually lost. On 1 April 1943, Oberfeldwebel Fritz Timm of 3./JG 1 shot down a Lancaster Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other... . On 17 April 1943, Hauptmann Fritz Losigkeit, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 1 shot down his first B-17, and his unit claimed a total of three of which two were confirmed for the loss of one pilot and two Fw 190s. 17 other B-17s were claimed shot down by JG 1 and JG 11. On 11 June 1943, Leesmann's III./JG 11 saw action for the first time. The group intercepted a formation of B-17s approaching Wilhelmshaven. Leutnant Eugen Wintergerst, Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 1 claimed one B-17 for his twenty-first victory. VIII Bomber Command VIII Bomber Command The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was... organized its first large attack on the Ruhr Area Ruhr Area The Ruhr, by German-speaking geographers and historians more accurately called Ruhr district or Ruhr region , is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.2 million , it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany... on 22 June 1943. The main objective involving bombing the synthetic rubber plant in Hüls by ten B-17 groups. JG 1 intercepted and was credited with fifteen bombers. On 25 June 1943, another B-17 formation headed into Germany. However both primary and secondary targets were covered with cloud and the bombers attacked two convoys off the Frisian Islands Frisian Islands The Frisian Islands, also known as the Wadden Islands or Wadden Sea Islands, form an archipelago at the eastern edge of the North Sea in northwestern Europe, stretching from the north-west of the Netherlands through Germany to the west of Denmark... . Some eight assorted groups of fighters intercepted, among them III./JG 1, who claimed seven bombers, Leesmann responsible for one of them. III./JG 1 lost two pilots including Adjutant Oberleutnant Friedrich Hardt, and three pilots were injured. The weather on 25 July was so poor that two bomber formations of VIII Bomber Command VIII Bomber Command The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was... selected their secondary target and a third abandoned its mission. III./JG 1 downed three bombers, but lost Leesmann, who crashed into the North Sea along with his 37th victim. Next day, the bombers went after rubber factories in Hannover, along with Hamburg U-Boat Yards Blohm + Voss Blohm + Voss , is a German shipbuilding and engineering works. It is a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems; there were plans to sell 80% of Blohm + Voss to Abu Dhabi Mar Group, but talks collapsed in July 2011.-History:It was founded on April 5, 1877, by Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss as a... . Feldwebel Alfred Miksch of 8./JG 1 and Hauptmann Robert Olejnik Robert Olejnik (pilot) Robert Olejnik was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was credited with 41 aerial victories claimed in some 680 combat missions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... of III./JG 1 each claimed one bomber. 30 July 1943 was the last day of what was dubbed "Blitz Week". Mission No. 80 targeted the Fieseler Fieseler The Gerhard Fieseler Werke was a German aircraft manufacturer of the 1930s and 40s. The company is remembered mostly for its military aircraft built for the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.-History:... factory in Kassel Kassel Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :... . III./JG 1 did scrambled until the bombers had bombed and were returning, and, along with III./JG 11, intercepted the bombers near the Dutch border over Emmerich am Rhein. They were unexpectedly confronted by one hundred USAAF P-47 Thunderbolt P-47 Thunderbolt Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to... s and III./JG 1 had three Bf 109G aircraft damaged, of which two were beyond repair. Leutnant Wintergerst of 9./JG 1 shot down one P-47, the first P-47 lost in the "Defence of Reich" campaign. The 56th Fighter Group and 78th Fighter Group 78th Fighter Group The 78th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 78th Fighter Wing, being assigned to Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 February 1961.... recorded the loss of one fighter each. Two bombers were also shot down. On 12 August 1943, 330 B-17s bombed targets in Western Germany, escorted for the first time by P-47s with drop tanks. II./JG 1 had six Fw 190s force-land and another six suffered heavy damage, losing one pilot. On 8 October 1943, JG 1 lost high scoring ace Oberstleutnant Hans Philipp Hans Philipp Lieutenant Colonel Hans Philipp was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until he was killed in action 8 October 1943 by a P-47 Thunderbolt-pilot. It is believed that he was shot down by Robert S. Johnson... , killed by the P-47 P-47 Thunderbolt Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to... fighters of the 56th Fighter Group. The geschwaderstab heard Philipp announce a victory over a Thunderbolt, and his last transmission was to wingman Oberfeldwebel Reinhardt, stating "Reinhardt, attack!". . Reinhardt last saw Philipp's aircraft disappear into a cloud. Reinhardt was wounded after colliding with an enemy aircraft, but made a successful forced landing. II./JG 1 were reinforced with several experten at this time, including Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Weber Karl-Heinz Weber Karl-Heinz Weber was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Weber was credited with 136 victories. All his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front in over 500 combat missions.... (136 kills in 500+ missions with 7./JG 51) Oberleutenant Friedrich Krakowitzer (23 kills by June 1944) and Obfw. Günther Heckmann (12 kills). It was during late 1943 that Walter Oesau was appointed Kommodore of JG 1. On 28 December 1943, 6./JG 1 lost Unteroffizier Gerhard Hartwig and Rudolf Wezulek over Mesum and Oberfeldwebel Werner Essinger bailing out over Burgsteinfurt Steinfurt Steinfurt is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Steinfurt.-Geography:Steinfurt is situated north-west of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia. Its name came into being in 1975 when the two – up to then independent – parts of the city – Borghorst and... . Hauptmann Hans-Georg Hackbarth, who had joined JG 1 on 15 November was promoted to replace Hans Ehlers in I./JG 1, killed on 22 December 1943. D-Day and beyond 1944Major Hans-Günther von Kornatzki had formed an experimental unit to evaluate new methods of bomber attack. Sturmstaffel 1 consisted entirely of volunteers trained to engage the enemy bombers in extremely close quarters, utilising specially armed and up-armored Fw 190's (so-called Sturmböcke or Battering Rams). These were intended to attack the bombers from the rear in tight arrowhead formations, closing to extreme close range. In January 1944, the 18 Staffel unit was transferred to DortmundDortmund Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union.... where they were subordinated to Major Rudolf-Emil Schnoor and his I./JG 1.  Georg-Peter Eder Georg-Peter Schorsch Eder was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... (33 kills ) and Major Heinz Bär (179 kills). Oberleutnant Georg-Peter Eder Georg-Peter Eder Georg-Peter Schorsch Eder was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... was assigned as Staffelkapitän Staffelkapitän Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank.... of 6./JG 1 on 15 March 1944, after recovering from wounds suffered while serving with JG 2. On 4 February 1944 Hauptmann Hermann Segatz replaced Hauptmann Walter Hoeckner as commander of II./JG 1. Although Major Bär had led I./JG 77, his out spoken criticism of the Luftwaffe leadership led Reichsmarschall Göring to demote him to Staffelkapitän Staffelkapitän Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank.... leading an operation training group. He was transferred on 21 January 1944 to 6./JG 1 as an ordinary pilot. Walter Oesau welcomed him with assurances to High Command that Bär would not have command responsibilities. Oesau however managed to utilize Bär's skills as formation leader after the death of Segatz on 8 March 1944, and Bär was appointed as acting commander of II./ JG 1. On 24 February 1944, the Eighth Air Force attempted to repeat the success of 20 February. 1st and 2nd Divisions flew due east towards Germany and the 3rd Division east-northeast without escort. After crossing into Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig... they attacked targets along the Baltic sea coast. The 1st and 2nd Divisions were considered to be the main thrust of the attack and the 3rd Division went unmolested. The B-24 bombers of the 2nd Division were scheduled to bomb Gotha Gotha (town) Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in... and JG 1 were directed to attack these B-24s. Due to strong tailwinds and flying at lower altitude, the bombers were separated from their escorting fighters and JG 1 reached Gotha before the bombers. Major Heinz Bär led II./JG 1 in a diving attack and claimed four B-24s while I./JG 1 attacked head-on and claimed five B-24s downed. At the time an "assembly directive" in place dictated that the senior pilot landing at any fighter airfield would assume command of all other fighter pilots (irrespective of unit) landing on that airfield with a serviceable aircraft. This enabled large ad-hoc formations of fighters to be quickly thrown back into the battle. JG 1's Walter Oesau led one such attack with improvised command.  Jimmy Doolittle General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War... ordered 730 bombers to bomb Berlin for the first time. They were escorted by 644 fighters from 8th Air Force Eighth Air Force The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.... , 9th Air Force Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.... and the RAF. The Commander of I. Jagdkorps 1st Fighter Corps (Germany) I. Jagdkorps For more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 15 September 1943 in Zeist from the XII. Fliegerkorps and the Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte, and later subordinated to the Luftflotte Reich. The Stab relocated to Brunswick-Querum in March 1944 and to Treuenbrietzen in October 1944... requested and received reinforcements from II. Jagdkorps and 7 Jagd-Division. Oesau led Stab./JG 1 and I./JG 1, Major Bär led II./JG 1, and accompanied by I./JG 11 and III./JG 54 they initially intercepted sixteen B-17s of 100th Bomb Group 100th Air Refueling Wing The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall.... who were escorted by P-47s of the 78th Group 78th Air Base Wing The 78th Air Base Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. The 78th ABW acts as the host unit at Robins.-Mission:... . Ten B-17s went down in the first wave, and in several waves of attacks on the bombers from multiple directions most of the pilots ended up exhausting their ammunition, resulting in twenty bombers being shot down in the 25 minutes before the escorting P-47s arrived. During the first half of 1944, Allied attacks on railway networks had thoroughly frustrated Reichsmarschall Reichsmarschall Reichsmarschall literally in ; was the highest rank in the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II after the position of Supreme Commander held by Adolf Hitler.... Hermann Göring Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"... . Göring was not at all happy with the inability to stop the bombing, and he questioned the commitment of several fighter wing leaders who were not flying and personally leading their units on a regular basis. On 11 May 1944, 1,000 B-17 and B-24 bombers of the 8th Air Force attacked vital railway networks in north east Belgium and eastern France, escorted by an even greater number of fighters. Oesau was sick and in bed at the time but, angered by Göring's insinuations, took off with two other fighters of the Headquarters Flight in his "Green 12" Bf 109. There are various versions regarding his death. One version suggested that his wingman reported damage and was asked to break off. Alone over the Ardennes Ardennes The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel... , he was engaged by at least four escorting P-38s or possibly by P-51s. In the ensuing 20 minute dogfight, he was killed crashing near St. Vith. In his memory, Jagdgeschwader 1 was granted the "Oesau" suffix.  Georg-Peter Eder Georg-Peter Schorsch Eder was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... . Hauptmann Weber was appointed to command III./JG 1 on 7 June 1944. The wing had served almost exclusively in North Germany and the Netherlands until now, when it was transferred to Central and Western Germany before moving to France, providing air cover over the Army (Wehrmacht Wehrmacht The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:... ) during the Battle of Normandy. On D-Day D-Day D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar... , II./JG 1 received orders to transfer west from their base near Störmede Geseke Geseke is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is situated approx. 12 km south-east of Lippstadt and 20 km south-west of Paderborn.- Neighbouring municipalities:* Büren* Erwitte* Lippstadt... . 32 Fw 190A-8s took off under the command of Oberleutnant Eder, and headed for Essay Essay, Orne Essay is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.... . By late afternoon all the aircraft landed at Montdidier Montdidier, Somme Montdidier is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Montdidier is situated on the D935 road, some 30 km southeast of Amiens, in the region known as the ‘Santerre’.-Population:-History:... . News that their original destination had been bombed meant a diversion to Le Mans Le Mans Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux... . The newly added Staffel 7./JG 51 (later 8./JG 1) was attacked by Mustangs near Le Mans, Lt. Johann Brünnler being shot down and killed. I./JG 1 and II./JG 1 , along with II./JG 53, were based at Le Mans with a complement of 100 Fw 190s and Bf 109s. The next day saw the notable loss of Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Weber Karl-Heinz Weber Karl-Heinz Weber was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Weber was credited with 136 victories. All his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front in over 500 combat missions.... , commander of III./JG 1 who was shot down and killed by Mustangs. It was from Le Mans that JG 1 started to perform fighter-bomber Fighter-bomber A fighter-bomber is a fixed-wing aircraft with an intended primary role of light tactical bombing and also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. This term, although still used, has less significance since the introduction of rockets and guided missiles into aerial... (Jagdbomber or Jabo) missions, even though I. nor II./JG 1 had any specialised training. On 8 June 1944 both gruppen were sent off on ground-attack missions. 25 Fw 190s of II./JG 1 attacked Allied shipping off the Normandy coast unmolested. RAF aircraft bombed Le Mans airfield on the night of 9 June, resulting in II./JG 1 losing seven aircraft and five damaged. Oberleutnant Rüdiger von Kirchmayr flew back to 4./JG 1 after hospitalization on 12 June in Störmede Geseke Geseke is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:It is situated approx. 12 km south-east of Lippstadt and 20 km south-west of Paderborn.- Neighbouring municipalities:* Büren* Erwitte* Lippstadt... , and en route he was attacked by Spitfires over Flers Flers, Somme Flers is a commune near the northern edge of the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It lies to the south of the D929 road, between Albert and Bapaume.-History:... , claiming an unconfirmed kill as a result. There was a follow-up bombing attack on 15 June resulting in a loss of two more Fw 190s. On 15 June 1944, Feldwebel Günther Henschel of 8./JG 1 downed a Mustang north of Caen Caen Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel.... . One Fw 190 was downed without human loss. On 16 June 1944, II./JG 1 moved its complement of 25 Fw 190s to Essay Essay, Orne Essay is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.... and was tasked with defending the skies over the beaches of Normandy. During the transfer, 8./JG 1, was probably attacked by the P-51s of the 354th Fighter Wing 354th Fighter Wing The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces . It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force .-Overview:... , near Alençon Alençon Alençon is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon .-History:... . JG 1 lost three pilots and one mechanic riding passenger, and also lost were two other aircraft without human loss with a claiming of two P-51s downed credited to Lt. Friedrich Krakowitzer (24th kill) and Oberfeldwebel Günther Heckmann (13th kill). The base at Essay was bombed the same day by B-24 Liberators, making the airfield unsuitable for missions. This prompted a transfer to a landing ground at Semallé Semallé Semallé is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-References:*... , south-east of Alençon Alençon Alençon is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon .-History:... . As the unit was establishing itself here, they came under fresh attack from Mustangs, which shot up the airfield, destroying 15 Fw 190s and putting II./JG 1 out of the battle. Around 11 non-operational Fw 190s were also destroyed – resulting in the final losses of II./JG 1 in Normandy. In ten weeks in Normandy, II./JG 1 had lost 27 pilots, 3 captured and 2 wounded. A total of 106 aircraft were lost for various reasons. On 17 August 1944, II./JG 1 transferred back to Reinsehlen, Germany, for training and re-equipping with the new Heinkel He 162 Salamanders. On 21 November, 1,149 bombers and 858 fighters of the 8th Air Force attacked the Merseburg Merseburg Merseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle . It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg.... oil yard. In poor flying conditions, many of the new inexperienced pilots of I./JG 1 were lost, some 20 aircraft being shot down. I./JG 1 was then assigned to support preparations for the Ardennes counter-offensive, which would restart the Battle of the Bulge Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and... Providing air support to the army in the Bastogne Bastogne Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin... area was as hard for II./JG 1,losing several experienced pilots. On 26 December 1944,Leutnant Horst Ertmann, Oberfeldwebel Georg Hutter and Oberfeldwebel Reinhard Flecks of 5./JG 11 and 6./JG 11 were all lost. Other pilots lost included Unteroffizier Ferdinand Nüsse and Johann Ruburg and Leutnant Heinz Fresia, Oberführer Paul Brühl and Oberführer Helmut Bullenkampof 8./JG 1. Operation BodenplatteIn late 1944, the Luftwaffe Operation Bodenplatte with the aim of crippling Allied tactical air forces based in the Low Countries, and thus reviving the bogged-down progress of the Wehrmacht during the Battle of the Bulge. The operation was launched on New Year's Day, 1945. JG 1 participated in this action with orders to destroy as many enemy aircraft on the ground as possible. Although a large number of allied aircraft were destroyed, the Luftwaffe lost a large number of pilots that were irreplaceable.JG 1's targets included:
JG 1 lost ten pilots killed, seven missing and eight captured. During a fight with No. 308 Squadron Spitfires, by Flight Sergeant Józef Stanowski engaged Hauptmann Georg Hackbarth (30 kills) and his Fw 190A-8 crashed near St. Pieters railway station, his body being thrown clear of the wreckage. Fw. Karl Hahn was also shot down by Stanowski, as was Feldwebel Harry Klints' I./JG 1 Fw 190 "Green 5" which crashed near Zwijnaarde Zwijnaarde Zwijnaarde is a village in the municipality of Ghent, Belgium. It is known for its fair and its Zwijntjes beer. A cluster of biotech companies is located at the Zwijnaarde science park, with biotech companies such as Innogenetics, and DevGen.... . Flying Officer Tadeusz Szlenkier also claimed the Fw 190 piloted by Klints. Szlenkier in turn was attacked and crash-landed. However, Stanowski had to crash-land due to lack of fuel. As No. 308 Squadron returned to base they shot down four more of the I./JG 1 fighters. It was then that II./JG 1 arrived. Fw. Edger Ardner of 5./JG 1 was engaged by two Spitfires and shot down, bailing out and taken prisoner. No. 317 Squadron then joined the mêlée Mêlée Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual.... upon arrival. Warrant Officer Warrant Officer A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first... Stanisław Piesik shot down another Fw 190. One eye witness account suggested some of the downed JG 1 pilots faced the wrath of Belgium civilians, citing that the body of one of the pilots was stripped and attacked by an angry mob. Another pilot, Unteroffizier Fritz Hoffman, barely escaped by surrendering to Allied forces after being shot down by Flight Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... Czesław Mroczyk of 317 Squadron. Feldwebel Paul Mayr and Leutnant Ernst Von Johannides were also shot down by No. 317 Squadron. In turn, Flight Lieutenant Tadeusz Powierza was shot down and killed. Another Allied pilot crash-landed after downing a German aircraft. Pilot Officer Andrzej Dromlewicz was credited for downing another German aircraft and Flight Lieutenant Mach shot down another German aircraft after a chase at ground level. Another German Fw 190 was shot down by his wing man, Warrant Officer Stanisław Bednarczyk. The remaining pilots of I./JG 1 and II./JG 1 started their homeward journey, some of whom, like Fw. Paul Wunderlich, were downed by enemy flak. They also came under fire from friendly flak, downing even more pilots. In all, JG 1 claimed 32 Spitfires, one B-17 and one Short Stirling Short Stirling The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941... on the ground. However, RAF records state only 13 Spitfires were destroyed, with 8 shot down in aerial combat. Just 4 were listed as lost in aerial engagements with JG 1. Defence of the Reich 1945After the disastrous losses of Operation Bodenplatte, and failing to maintain air superiority over the Ardennes area, a severely weakened II./JG 1 transferred to Insterburg in East PrussiaEast Prussia East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia... (modern Chernyakhovsk Chernyakhovsk Chernyakhovsk is a town and the administrative center of Chernyakhovsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Instruch and the Angrapa Rivers, forming the Pregolya... in Russia). I./JG 1 faced British fighters over Hengelo-Twente Hengelo Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:... on 14 January 1945. JG 1 lost 12 pilots with 7 being killed, 3 wounded and 2 missing. Spitfires shot down the entire 1. and 2. staffels of JG 1 at Twente airport Enschede Airport Twente Enschede Airport Twente is located north from Enschede, a municipality in the Twente region and the Overijssel province of the Netherlands. It has one runway , though one of the current taxiways has been used as a runway... as they took off (for the loss of two). Ihlefeld threatened to court martial Major G. Capito, the new leader of I./JG 1, for such a disastrous loss but was unable to during the transferring to the Eastern front. In Poland JG 1 were briefly assigned to Luftflotte Reich Luftflotte Reich Luftflotte Reich was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 5, 1944 in Berlin-Wannsee from Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte... (the Air Fleet assigned to defend what was left of Germany from the final Allied offensives).  Parchim Parchim is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is the capital of the Ludwigslust-Parchim district. It was the birthplace of Moltke, to whom a monument was erected in 1876. Founded about 1210, one branch of the family of the duke of Mecklenburg residence in Parchim during part of the 14th... , performing "Defence of the Reich" duties, and one of the bases of the pioneering German jet fighter wing, JG 7. Since this was not far from Rostock-Marienehe Rostock Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders... , where the Heinkel factory was located, it was easier for the pilots of I./JG 1 to pick up the new jets. However, with Germany on the brink of collapse, transportation and fuel supply was getting difficult with the increased Allied air attacks. On 7 April 1945, 134 B-17 Flying Fortresses bombed the field at Parchim. In two days, I./JG 1 relocated to a nearby airfield at Ludwigslust Ludwigslust Ludwigslust is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, 40 km south of Schwerin. It was the capital of the former district of Ludwigslust, and is part of the district Ludwigslust-Parchim since September 2011.-History:... . They moved again a week later to Leck. Around this time, II./JG 1 had moved to airfield at Marienehe and also started taking delivery of the He 162. These new jet aircraft would never see widespread combat with JG 1 due to their late introduction and a shortage of pilots, aircraft and fuel. JG 1 could no longer field their full complement or effectively fly operations as required. The new He 162 had about 30 minutes worth of fuel. This endurance was simply not enough, and at least two JG 1 pilots were killed making Deadstick landing Deadstick landing A deadstick landing, also called a dead-stick landing is a type of forced landing when an aircraft loses all of its propulsive power and is forced to land. The term is often misunderstood, as the flight controls in the majority of aircraft are either fully or partially functional, even with no... after exhausting their fuel. By April, I./JG 1 had scored a number of kills, but at the cost of 13 He 162s and 10 pilots. The losses were mostly attributed to issues with the He 162 such as engine flame-outs or occasional structural failures, which can most probably be attributed to poor design and insufficient development time. On 24 April 1945, III./JG 1 was disbanded. On 19 April at least one He 162 of 3./JG 1 fell victim to a Hawker Tempest Hawker Tempest The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war.... of 222 Squadron No. 222 Squadron RAF -In World War I:The Squadron was formally formed at Thasos on 1 April 1918 from A squadron of the former No. 2 Wing, RNAS when the Royal Air Force was formed. Later, 6 April 1918 former Z Squadron of No. 2 Wing, RNAS was added to the strength. Renumbered No. 62 Wing and consisting of Nos... . Leutnant Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal... Gerhard Steimer wrote: We took off from the concrete runway in Leck, Kirchner (Fhj.Fw Günther Kirchner) stayed 30 metres behind me on my right side as usual;... We climbed up to about 200 metres, when suddenly two Thunderbolts The combat matches an account by Flight Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... G. Walkington of 222 Squadron No. 222 Squadron RAF -In World War I:The Squadron was formally formed at Thasos on 1 April 1918 from A squadron of the former No. 2 Wing, RNAS when the Royal Air Force was formed. Later, 6 April 1918 former Z Squadron of No. 2 Wing, RNAS was added to the strength. Renumbered No. 62 Wing and consisting of Nos... who reported shooting down an unusual looking German aircraft while on armed reconnaissance in the area. This was the first loss of an He 162 in combat. DissolutionOn 30 April 1945, II./JG 1 was combined with I./JG 1 at Leck to form two new groups (Gruppen): I. (Einsatz)/JG 1 and II. (Sammel)/JG 1; a combined total of about 50 pilots and aircraft. On 4 May 1945, all of JG 1's surviving He-162s were formed into a special consolidated Intervention groups (Einsatzgruppen). However on 5 May 1945, the war ended and there was a ceasefire which, effectively grounded the He 162s. Surviving JG 1 crews collectively turned their He 162s over to the Allies.Notable successes and lossesOne of the most famous group commanders (Gruppenkommandeure) of JG 1 was Major Heinz "Pritzl" BärHeinrich Bär Oskar-Heinz "Pritzl" Bär was a German Luftwaffe flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat... , before he was promoted as wing commander of JG 3. Credited with 220 kills, Bär was the 8th ranking aerial "Ace Fighter Ace Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots... " of all time. Other notable aces were Oberstleutnant Georg-Peter Eder Georg-Peter Eder Georg-Peter Schorsch Eder was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... , the highest-scoring Luftwaffe ace against the USAAF, who would go on to become a "jet ace", scoring at least 12 and possibly 24 victories in an Me 262 while serving with Kommando Nowotny Kommando Nowotny Kommando Nowotny was a Luftwaffe fighter Gruppe formed during the last months of World War II for testing and establishing tactics for the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter, and was created and first commanded by Walter Nowotny, from whom it drew its name.... and JG 7. The Gruppe's 700th victory occurred on 29 April 1944, credited to Oberlt. von Kirchmayr as his 15th kill. There were several high-scoring pilots associated with JG 1. For example, Alfred Grislawski had a score of 134 to his name, Georg-Peter Eder had 78, and Walter Oesau had 127 confirmed prior to his death. However, losses were also high. Five of the fourteen Group commanders (Gruppenkommandeure) of II./JG 1 were killed in action while serving with II./JG 1. The notable losses were Oberleutnant Rohwer, and Hauptmanns Kijewski, Wickop, Seegatz and Dähne. During early 1944, prior to D-Day, II./JG 1 was led by one of its four experienced formation commanders. These were Hauptmann Segatz, Major Bär, and Oberleutnants von Kirchmayr and Eder. Yet the unit suffered heavy losses (along with most other wings in the West) of 48 pilots killed, 23 wounded, and 158 aircraft destroyed for 164 confirmed victories. Of these, 119 were USAAF four-engined bombers. Significantly, the highly experienced and irreplaceable experts were among the losses. The most notable loss of II./JG 1 was its Kommandeur, Hauptmann Seegatz (KIA 8 March 1944, 40 kills). The Group also lost seven experienced team leaders (Rottenführer Rottenführer Rottenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in the year 1932. The rank of Rottenführer was used by several Nazi paramilitary groups, among them the Sturmabteilung , the Schutzstaffel and was senior to the paramilitary rank of Sturmmann.The insignia for Rottenführer... ) and flight leaders (Schwarmführer Flight (military unit) A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,... ).
When 8./JG 1 (originally 7./JG 51) was transferred from Eastern front, it had 15 pilots in May 1944. By August, twelve pilots had been killed, one captured and another severely wounded; only Lieutenant Günther Heckmann was the sole pilot remaining. The Luftwaffe units committed to battle after the D-Day landings suffered further catastrophic losses against the overwhelming numbers of allied fighters present. In the ten weeks of action following D-Day, II./JG 1 lost 106 aircraft (41 in air combat) and 30 pilots, for just 32 air claims. Many experienced and irreplaceable Experte were killed during this time. Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Weber Karl-Heinz Weber Karl-Heinz Weber was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Weber was credited with 136 victories. All his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front in over 500 combat missions.... , Gruppenkommandeur Gruppenkommandeur Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four... of III./JG 1 (136 claims) was killed in action against Polish Wing Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain The Polish Air Forces was a name of Polish Air Forces formed in France and the United Kingdom during World War II. The core of the Polish air units fighting alongside the allies were experienced veterans of Invasion of Poland of 1939 and they contributed to Allied victory in the Battle of Britain... Mustangs on 7 June 1944, north of Paris, while on 17 June 1944, Leutnant 'Toni' Piffer Anton-Rudolf Piffer Anton-Rudolf Piffer was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Piffer was credited with 35 victories. All his victories were recorded over the Western front and included 26 four-engine bombers.-Career:... (35 claims) was shot down and killed in aerial combat with USAAF fighters over La Cordonnerie. On 16 June 1944, while 8./JG 1 was moving from Le Mans to Essay, France came under attack by the P-51s of 354th Fighter Wing 354th Fighter Wing The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces . It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force .-Overview:... , near Alençon. In the ensuing dogfight, 8./JG 1 lost three pilots and one mechanic riding passenger. Those were Uffz. Günther Henschel, Uffz. Franz Zechner, and Feldwebel Helmuth Heidemann. The mechanic was Uffz. Herbert Redlich. Also lost were two other aircraft without loss of life. Total pilot losses in World War II were 464 killed in action, 174 wounded, 94 killed in accidents, and 16 POW. JG 1 Knight's Cross recipientsThe following pilots received the Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II... or a higher grade while being assigned to Jagdgeschwader 1.
Wing Commanders (Geschwaderkommodore)Originally JG 1 was formed as a single Group I./JG 1 in 1938. A full wing was formed only in Nov 1939. The first Wing Commander was Schumacher.
I./JG 1Originally JG 1 was formed only as a single group I./JG 1 under Woldenga. That group was re-designated as III./JG 27. JG 1 thus temporarily ceased to exist. It was reactivated 7 months later under Schumacher in November 1939. But a formal I./JG 1 came to exist in September 1941.
II./JG 1
III./JG 1In April 1943, III./JG 1 was re-designated as I./JG 11. A new group was added to JG 1 as III./JG 1 based on Operation squadrons of Fighter schools.
IV./JG 1IV./JG 1 was re-designated as I./JG 1 in April 1943. Afterward there was no IV./JG 1 added to JG 1 and JG 1 continued to exist as three group wing until its dissolution.
FootnotesThe He 162 was equipped with one of the first ever Ejection seats, powered by compressed air, fitted to a combat aircraft. Received the Knight's Cross while Serving with JG 52Jagdgeschwader 52 Jagdgeschwader 52 of the Luftwaffe, was the most successful fighter-wing of all time, with a claimed total of more than 10,000 victories over enemy aircraft during World War II. It was the unit of the top three scoring Fighter aces of all time, Erich Hartmann, Gerhard Barkhorn and Günther Rall... . Should the Score of the original I./JG 1 under Woldenga be added to the total of JG 1 is debatable. It can either be part of JG 1 or JG 27 into which it was incorporated. The discussion is on this thread. For example Adolf Galland Adolf Galland Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts... became Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26 in August 1940 while still a Major, the equivalent of an RAF Squadron Leader. External links
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