bounce two First Gruppe Staffeln at 25,000 feet

v
bounce two First Gruppe Staffeln at
25,000 feet over St. Omer, but no
Focke-Wulf sustained recordable
damage. One Spitfire pilot was
wounded, but the Gruppe filed no
claims.
10 November
Routine patrols and Alarmstarts
were flown without encountering
Allied aircraft.
Lt. Hans Hartigs' "black 9" in the 8th Staffel
servicing area at Wevelghem. The airplane's crew
chief was Uffz. Franz-Wilhelm Bauerhenne.
Hartigs was taken prisoner on 26 December 1944.
(Bauerhenne)
14 November
10(Jabo )/JG 26 transferred to
Marseilles-Istres, where it joined
lO(Jabo)/JG 2 and I1JG 2 in supporting the German occupation of
Vichy France and guarding against
the possible invasion of southern
France by the Allies. The two Jabostaffeln and a Bf 109 Staffel from the Erg/JGr West were formed into an ad hoc
unit, Jabogruppe 226, and given the task of patrolling the Mediterranean for
submarines. The aerial defense of the Channel coast was thus left to four
Jagdgruppen: I1JG 26, II/JG 26, III/JG 26, and IIIIJG 2.
Gefr. Heinrich Heuser and Uffz. Heinz Munch joined the Geschwader from
fighter training and were assigned to the First Gruppe.
15 November
l1(Hohen)/JG 26 was subordinated to II/JG 51 in Tunisia, but half of the
Staffel's ground crews never arrived; their Ju 52s were probably shot down by
Beaufighters on the flight from Sicily. l1(Hohen)/JG 2 was already in North
Africa, flying with II/JG 53.
16-18 November
Routine patrols and Alarmstarts were flown without encountering Allied
aircraft.
19 November
Routine patrols and Alarmstarts were flown. Only one resulted in combat. The
9th Staffel scrambled from Maldeghem and was directed to intercept a squadron
of Spitfires that had strafed the airfield at Flushing. Uffz. Edgar Dorre's wingman, Uffz. Heinz Muller, was trapped by Spitfires after some maneuvering and
was shot down and killed. Dorre claimed one of the Spitfires, but all in fact
escaped. The victorious unit was the 335th Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group,
the sole American fighter unit remaining in England.
Adolf Galland was promoted to Generalmajor, giving him a rank equal to his
position as General der Jagdflieger. At age thirty he was the youngest general
in the Luftwaffe.
Uffz. Wolfgang Polster and Uffz. Hans Pritzke joined the Geschwader from
fighter training and were assigned to the Third Gruppe.
21 November
The 4th Staffel transferred to II/JG 2's former base at Beaumont-Ie-Roger to
help bolster the defenses of the Paris region.
303
up the JaW 2 orders to Mayer 's unit, and No. 609 Squadron was quickly scrambled
from Manston. The two flights met over the damaged MTB. The Typhoons shot down
three Fw 190s of Mayer's Stabsschwarm in the subsequent battle, killing all three
pilots; two Typhoons were also lost with their pilots.
15 February
The Germans successfully passed convoys of small ships through the Channel for
much of the war. The Allies, uncertain of their nationality, usually let them pass. From
time to time a blockade runner or an armed merchant raider attempted the passage. The
presence of a large ship in the Channel always prompted a brisk response from the
RAF, which still smarted from the embarrassment of the previous February's Channel
Dash. The German armed merchant ship Coronel was now berthed at Dunkirk. Three
Circuses were mounted today, beginning at 1300, in an attempt to sink it. The Jafii 2
controllers were slow to recognize the target, and failed to position their fighters for
an interception. The second Circus was a repeat of the first; again, no contact was
made. When a third attack force was detected, the defenders were directed not to the
coast, but to mid-Channel, to intercept it on its return flight. This third Circus was the
largest of the day ; its bomber component comprised twenty-two B-24s from the 44th
Bomb Group. One B-24 was shot down by the Dunkirk Flak. A second was shot down
east of Dover by ObIt. Hohagen, the KapiUin of 7fJG 2, but the attempted interception
was otherwise unsuccessful. Hptm. Galland and a 7fJG 2 pilot claimed Spitfires off
Ramsgate, but no RAF loss has been traced. Uffz. Johannes Kemper and Uffz. Karl
Bruhn, both of the 7th Staffel, were shot down in mid-Channel, and two more Third
Gruppe Focke-Wulfs crash-landed on Wevelgem after this mission. Fighter Command
claimed 11-2-5 Focke-Wulfs during the day, and the 7th Staffel suffered the only two
losses; these match up best with the claims made by the Norwegians of the North
Weald Wing, which sustained no losses.
Gefr. Heuser flew a last nonproductive sortie from Vendeville in mid-afternoon , and
then boarded a train for East Prussia with the last group of First Gruppe pilots to leave
for the Eastern Front.
JG 26 Casualties: 10 - 15 February 1943
Cas
Unil Aircraft
WNr
10-02A3 F\V.
Fricd ri ch , Karl
KIA
11 /54 Bf 1090A
16103 rd 10
15·02-43 Uffz.
Bruhn. Karl
KIA
7
5728
Date
Rank Name
15·02-43 Uffz.
Kemper. lohannes
KIA
7
F\V 190AA
Fw 190AA
2434
Mkgs Place
\Vh 6
\Vh8
Time Cause
Allied Unit
N of Cap
1715
Typhoon
609 Sqd
Blanc Ne z
15km NW
1546
Spitfire
1550
Spitfire
33 1 or 332
Sqd
33 1 or 332
Sqd
of Dunkirk
15km NW
of Dunkirk
16 February
Improved weather brought a resumption of the Second Gruppe coastal patrols, which
on this day found nothing. A noon scramble by Major Priller's Stabsschwarm and the
Second Gruppe was also unsuccessful , and it was not until late evening, when another
Circus was sent to bomb the Coronet at Dunkirk, that contact was made. Claims for
two downed Spitfires were confirmed; the day 's only three Spitfire losses were
attributed by the RAF to oxygen failure, but one could have resulted from Obit.
Naumann's attack, which was made at an altitude of 8000 meters (26,000 feet).
The major Allied attack of the day was on the St. Nazaire submarine pens by
seventy-one B-17s and eighteen B-24s of the understrength 8th Bomber Command.
Once again the JaW 3 controller held his fighters away until the eleven escorting
fighter sq uadrons turned back. Lt. Stammberger's 9th Staffel, termed the "Vannes
Staffel" in the 8th Bomber Command operations research summary, was the first to
attack the bombers, just as they left the target. The Staffel attacked continuously for
the next forty-five minutes, in head-on passes to very close range by one or two
aircraft. The bombers claimed 16-11-2 of the dozen Focke-Wulfs, but only Lt.
28
Stammberger's aircraft was hit hard enough to be entered in the German records. One
shell smashed his canopy, and fragments hit his left hand. He and Fw. Dorre teamed
up to shoot down one B-17, and Uffz. Schwarz downed another. Stammberger's
injuries were slight. The next day he and his Staffel were ordered to rejoin its parent
Gruppe in Belgium, after receiving a commendation from the JG 2 Kommodore,
Obstlt. Oesau.
The III/JG 2 Staffeln flying from Brest apparently failed to score, but the three
Staffeln of I/JG 2, flying a second sortie from St. Brieuc, attacked in groups of four to
six until the bombers were halfway back across the Channel, before turning back at the
approach of the Spitfire withdrawal escort, which was apparently running very late.
l/JG 2 filed six victory claims, of which five were confirmed. Some Bf 109s from a
reconnaissance Staffel, 2/NAGr 13, put in a late appearance and claimed two B-17s
over the Channel, but these claims were not confirmed. Six B-17s failed to return from
the mission, two each from the 303rd, 305th, and 306th Bomb Groups.
JG 26 Victory Claims: 15 - 16 February 1943
Date
Rank
15-02-43
16·02-43
16-02-43
16-02-43
Hptm.
Name
Galland W-F.
11. Stab
Obit.
Fw.
Naumann
Unit
11 CO
11 St
6CO
Dorre
9
Uffz,
Schwarz E,
Lt.
Sl.ammberger
9
9
CI#
30
4
11
5
Aircraftd
Spitfire
Spitfire
Spitfire
B- 17
Place
6-8km SE of Ramsgate
8km NW of Abbeville
BOllrseville
2.5km SW of
2
B- 17
B-17-HSS
6-IOkm W of Ploennal 1125
St Nazaire
1120
Time
1604
1735
1728
1120
Opponent Conf
yes
402 Sqd
yes
402 Sqd
yes
i.O.
Pleuradeur
16-02-43
16-02-43
i,O,
no
17 February
The day 's major Allied operation was another attack on the Coronel, which was still
at Dunkirk and was still undamaged by the week's attacks. Twelve No. 21 Sqd.
Venturas made the attempt, but were turned back by clouds. No. 124 Squadron, flying
high cover in its high-altitude, Spitfire VIs, was blown all the way to St. Omer by a
strong tailwind. The isolated squadron was easy pickings for the thirty Fw 190s of the
Second Gruppe, which downed four of the Spitfires without loss. Uffz. Gomann took
part in this mission and was then assigned to escort a VIP's Ju 52 from Vi try to CalaisMarck and back.
The JG 26 Jabostaffel was redesignated 10 (Jabo)/JG 54 today; this Staffel would
be staying in France when the rest of JG 26 moved to the Eastern Front. A change-ofcommand ceremony was held at St. Omer-Wizernes. It was attended by the Green
Heart Kommodore, Obstlt. Hannes Trautloft, who flew over from his command post
near Leningrad. The Jabo pilots removed their Schlageter armbands, but little else
changed; they remained under JG 26 for administration, while tactically they operated
independently, as before. During its twelve months as JO(Jabo)/JG 26, the Staffel had
lost eighteen pilots killed and two POWs, by far the highest losses of any JG 26
Staffel.
The 7th Staffel pilots left today by train from Courtrai. Their ultimate destination
was Krasnogvardeisk, on the Leningrad Front; advance detachments from the Third
Gruppe Stab and the 7th, 8th, and 9th Staffeln were already there . The 9th Staffel had
returned from Vannes to Wevelgem to replace the 7th Staffel in JafU 2. A Green Heart
Staffel, 4/JG 54, was en route from Russia, and would be assigned to III/JG 26 until
the remainder of its own Gruppe, II1JG 54, arrived from the Eastern Front.
In all probability ll /JG 26 was officially redesignated ll /JG 54 on this date. (The
designations II /JG 26 and 111JG 54 are used almost interchangeably in documents
dated from January to June, 1943.) General Galland intended to raise the establishment
strength of each of the Jagdgruppen based in the West to four Staffeln. Thus the 11th
Staffel was a convenient "extra", available to augment any Gruppe of JG 54 upon its
arrival in the West. There was apparently no plan to send this Staffel to Russia.
29
return escort, but the RAF did not pursue the Jabos across the Channel. Two III/JG 54
Messerschmitts collided northwest of Lille while airborne on this reception flight, and
one pilot was killed.
12 March
The Jabostaffeln flew their second combined mission in two days. Twenty-four Jabos
crossed the English coast at 0730; apparently some penetrated as far as London. Only
No. 609 Squadron 's standing patrol was able to make contact. Two Typhoons followed
Fw. Emil Bosch of 10(Jabo)/JG 54 back across the Channel and shot him down off
Dunkirk. A lO(Jabo)/JG 2 Focke-Wulf crashed on Coxyde with combat damage,
killing the pilot. The Second Gruppe, patrolling the Thames Estuary, and Priller and
III/JG 54, patrolling the French coast, failed to make contact; two Green Heart
Messerschmitts force-landed with engine problems.
The four B-17 groups bombed the Rouen railroad yards shortly after noon. Jam 2
had its fighters up from Lille and Vitry in ample time to make an interception, but no
contact was made. It is possible that there was a problem passing the control to Jam 3,
in whose area the target lay.
The American 8th Fighter Command, which had only one fighter group, the 4th,
operational at this time, seemed to be fighting an independent war. It rarely took part
in escort missions, but instead flew small-scale sweeps which the Germans usually
ignored . In late afternoon two squadrons from the 4th swept St. Omer. The two
formations were fifteen miles apart, and two airborne 9th Staffel pilots saw the
opportunity to make a clean bounce. Fw. Dorre shot down one American Spitfire, and
the two Focke-Wulfs then escaped untouched.
13 March
The Second Gruppe scrambled from Vitry at 1345 after a formation was reported over
the Channel ; the Allied aircraft apparently never crossed the French coast, and the
Germans landed forty-five minutes later, only to take off again in twenty minutes
when a large formation which included heavy bombers was plotted east of Dieppe. At
this time Major Priller led III/JG 54 up from Vendeville, and 12/JG 2 and I/JG 27 took
off from their bases west of the SOl1une. The bomber force comprised eighty B-17s en
The Geschwader Stabsschwarm catch up o n the ir reading while at readiness . Major Priller is seco nd from
left; Hptm . Gath , third . The Fw 190A-4 is Prill er's W.Nr. 2386 - Yendevill e, earl y J943. (Cranston)
35
2
JG 26 Casualties: 6 - 7 September 1943
Date
Rank Name
06-09-43 Uffz. Hallke, Erwin
Cas
Unit
WIA 4
Aircraft
Fw 190A-5
WNr
732 1
Mkgs Place
wh 9
Romi lly-s ur-
Time Cause
Allied Unit
no fuel
n/a
Spitfire
Spitfire
crashed
non-op
Seine
06-09-43 Uffz. Berger, Waiter
06-09-43 Fw.
Jerg, A dolf
07-09-43 Lt.
Kippin g, Peter
KIA 6
KIA 6
K IFA 5
Fw 190A-5
Fw 190A-5
Fw 190A-4
7306
7300
7054
br 8
12km NE of Poix
br 3
Molins
bk 14 Beauvais alf
8 September
Operation Starkey, the Allied invasion exercise which to date had gone completely
unnoticed by the Germans, reached a crescendo today when the mediums targeted the
long-range guns at Boulogne. The principal diversion was an attack by two B-26
groups on Lille-Nord and Lille-Vendeville. Most of the pilots of the First and Second
Gruppen and the Geschwadergruppe made two sorties, but had very little luck. Fw.
Erich Schwarz of the 8th Staffel scored the only success against the Lille raiders,
shooting down a No. 302 Sqd. Spitfire near Menen. In mid-afternoon, Schwarz and
Uffz. Wiegand took off from Moorsele to chase a pair of No. 414 Sqd. Mustangs;
Wiegand caught his Mustang over Mardyck and shot it down, for his third victory.
Two First Gruppe pilots were shot down by Spitfires at unrecorded times. Obit.
Beese bailed out with slight injuries after his Focke-Wulf was hit west of Cambrai. Fw.
Helmut Baumener, who had just returned to the unit after a long convalescence, was
hit and force-landed in a farmyard near Lille. He was again severely injured, and this
time did not return to the Geschwader.
The Third Gruppe began transferring today from Schipol, where it had seen little
action, to Lille-Vendeville. The aircraft of the 7th and 9th Staffeln landed on
Vendeville just in time to be bombed by the B-26s, which destroyed two of its
Messerschmitts. Fw. Edgar Dorre of the 9th Staffel, with five B-17 victories the best
non-commissioned "bomber-killer" of the Gruppe, was hit by Spitfires and crashed
north of Mons in his airplane. The Third Gruppe had been displaced from Schipol by
IIIJG 3, which had come from the Eastern Front and had been declared ready for
operations after one month in training at Uetersen . The 11 th Staffelleft Lille-Nord and
flew the few miles to Vendeville, where it joined the Third Gruppe for the first time.
The fourth Staffel of the Third Gruppe, the 12th, remained in isolation on Moorsele.
The 10th Staffel also left Lille-Nord at some time this week and rejoined its parent
Second Gruppe at Beauvais. The 8th Staffel left Vendeville and, after flying from
Moorsele and Wevelgem for a few days , joined the Geschwaderstab at Lille-Nord. The
three organic Gruppen of the Geschwader were now in close proximity, and Priller
broke up his unofficial Geschwadergruppe. The 8th Staffel was to stay under Priller 's
direct command as the Fiihrungsstaffel (leader's squadron), however, until the
following June.
9 September
The 8th Bomber Command brought Operation Starkey to an end with fragmentation
and high explosive bomb attacks on eight Luftwaffe airfields in France. Several
members of the Geschwader ground staff were killed or injured in the raids , and six of
its aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground. The four P-47 groups of the
exclusively-American escort were extremely effective. A Luftwaffe report stated that
the P-47s prevented any head-on attacks by turning aggressively into every German
approach. No Geschwader pilot filed a claim ; Fw. Peter Crump , who had just returned
to the 5th Staffel after a long home leave, noted in his logbook that he had downed a
B-17 near Beauvais, but no bomber of the Beauvais force was in fact lost.
The B-26s and RAF bombers kept up the attacks on airfields and coastal
installations for the rest of the day, but the Spitfires kept the German fighters away.
The Third Gruppe was still digging out of Vendeville and Moorsele, but the other
Staffeln of the Geschwader were involved in combats, most of which were
153
inconclusive. The Focke-Wulf of Uffz. Herbert Kind was hit near St. Omer, and he
force-landed with injuries. The only success of the entire day was scored by Uffz.
Wiegand , who shot down a No. 122 Sqd. Spitfire as it was exiting France near Bercksur-Mer.
JG 26 Casualties: 8 - 9 September 1943
Date
Rank Name
08-09-43 Obit. Beese, Arlur
Btiumc llc r. Hel1l1Ul
08-09·43 Fw.
Cas Unit Aircraft
WI A I CO Fw 190A-5
WI A 3
Fw 190A-5
08-09-43 FlY.
DOrre, Ed gar
09·09-43 Urfz. Kind, Herbert
KIA 9
WI A 2
Br 109G-6
Fw I90A-4
WNr Mkgs Place
550474 w h 2 W of Cambrai
W o f Cambrai 2688
fl l Vendev ille
18829 yl 5
Lens
2366
Coyecq ucs-IJI St Omer
Time Cause
Spitfire
Spitfire
1600
Allied Unit
Spitfire
Spitfire
11 September
There was so little air activity over the Channel in the morning that the Second Gruppe
scheduled and flew a rare, full-strength training mission in mid-afternoon, probably as
a way of introducing its new Kommandeur, Major 10hannes Seifert, to his unit. Seifert
had been reprieved from his exile to Bulgaria after an appeal to General Galland. Since
Seifert's former First Gruppe command was now held by Hptm. Borris, Hptm.
Naumann, the junior Gruppenkommandeur in the Geschwader, was bumped from his
job to make room for Seifert. Naumann returned to the 6th Staffel, and Lt. Radener
resumed his previous position as Hptm. Naumann 's deputy.
Shortly after the Gruppe had landed at its Beauvais fields and refueled, it was
scrambled in response to a large raid approaching the coast west of Dieppe at low
altitude. Peter Crump recalls:
"About half-way to the coast we struck the enemy formation with what [ believe
were thirty aircraft - I can no longer remember exactly. We attacked the 20-25
Typhoons from above; our altitude was about 2500 meters [8000 feet].
I fired at one from the left rear - I remember clearly that it turned very poorly
compared to a Spitfire - after which it trailed a thick light-gray smoke plume and
dived away steeply. I immediately found a second opponent in the by-now general
dogfight and, after a quick glance around for security, attacked from the right and
below. It too smoked at once, but this time with a darker color. The pilot, by now
ri ght down at ground level , steered toward a meadow. To my astonishment, his
landing gear was down ; I couldn ' t tell if my fire had caused it to drop, or whether
it was a sign of surrender. At any rate, the plane touched down in good shape, but
while still at a high speed it hit a small group of trees which stood in the meadow
and exploded in a fireball. "
No Focke-Wulfs were hit in this encounter. The Typhoons were the three-squadron
No. 124 Wing on a bombing mission to Poix. Crump 's victim was a flight sergeant
from No. 175 Squadron. Lt. Hoppe shot down the Typhoon of the wing commander,
W /C Alex Ingle; Ingle survived as a prisoner. Hptm . Naumann filed a third claim , but
this was rejected.
JG 26 Victory Claims: 7 - 11 September 1943
Date
07-0 9-43
0 7-09-4 3
0 8-09-4 3
08-0 9-43
0 9-09-4 3
0 9-09-43
11 -09-4 3
11 -0 9-4 3
11 -09-4 3
Rank
Obit.
Lt.
Fw.
Uffz.
Fw.
Uffz.
Lt.
Fw.
Hpllll .
Name
Beese
Ke hl
Schwarz E.
Wiega nd
Crump
Wiega nd
Hoppe
C rump
Naumann
Unit
I CO
4
8
8
5
8
4 CO
5
6 CO
CI#
18
3
5
3
4
21
11
24
Aircraft
P-47
Mustang
S pit fire
Mu stang
13- 17
Spitfire
Ty phoon
Ty phoo n
Ty phoon
154
Place
w o f Rotte rd a m ( 1J9)
near Rosay ?
NW of Me nin
Time
1003
1627
1026
nr Dunkirk
1500
Beauvais-Somme
0930
St. Po l
1600
S of Aumale- Beau vai s 1848
near Haudramont
184 1
near Forges
Opponent
4 FG
168 Sqd
302 Sqd
414 Sqd
122 Sqd
124 Win g
175 Sqd
Conf
yes
yes
unk
yes
no
yes
yes
yes
unk
In die Verteidigung gedrangt
207
lein schien geschlagen. Der ganze Spuk mag eine Minute gedauert haben, uns schien es eine
Ewigkeit. Drei Bombentrichter von etwa 16 m Durchmesser und 4 m Tiefe bdanden sich im
Umkreis von 50 Metem. Meine Zigarette war ausgegangen und hatte sich tid in den Mund
geschoben. Oberhalb seiner Umwallung war der Gefechtsstand von Splittem durchsiebt. Die
kleine Halle mit den Kuriermaschinen brannte lichterloh, hier war nichts mehr zu retten. Die
FW 190 aber waren samtlich unbeschadigt. Das TO-Geschaftszimmer am Platzrand war verwiistet. Die Decke war von oben heruntergekommen. Mein Schreiber, Unteroffizier Schmidt,
war vor Schreck vom Stuhl gefallen und hatte sich unter dem Schreibtisch in Sicherheit gebracht.
Ein Mann der Nachrichtenkompanie blieb fur immer verschollen, wir fan den nicht die geringste
Spur von ihm.
1943 erlebten wir noch mehrere Bombenangriffe auf die Platze Lille-Vendeville und LilleNord. Der Maschinenschaden war meist gering. In Lille-Nord hatten wir den Verlust eines
Mannes des technischen Personals zu beklagen. Die Angriffe zwangen uns, den Gefechtsstand
jeweils etwa 2 km vom Platz endemt aufzubauen. Das technische Personal wurde vor erwarmen Angriffen mit LKW vom Platz abgefahren.
Wiihrend der Invasion 1944 erlebten wir einen schweren Bombenangriff auf Guyancourt bei
Paris. Der Angriff erfolgte durch eine geschlossene Wolkendecke, also ohne Zielsicht haargenau
auf die mit Hallen besetzte Platzseite. Mehrere Maschinen gingen verlustig. Der Gefechtsstand
befand sich in einem Betonbunker am Platzrand. Mein inzwischen zum Feldwebel avancierter
TO-Schreiber Schmidt schlief neben dem Bunker im TO-Geschiiftszimmer. Als der Anflug erfolgte, erinnerte man sich im Gefechtsstand noch rechtzeitig an Schmidt, der nach seiner niichtlichen Bereitschaftsdurchgabe morgens um 8 Uhr naturlich noch im Bett lag. So wie er
war, wurde er aus, dem Bett geholt und 'in den Bunker gezerrt. AIs sich die Tur hinter
ihm geschlossen hatte, fie! die erste Bombe als Volltreffer in seine Schlafstatte. Samtliche
TO-Akten und die Schreibmaschine konnten nachher unversehrt im Umkreis von 50 Metern
geborgen werden.
In die Verteidigung gedrangt
Im Sommer 1943 wurde die deutsche Jagdwaffe weitgehend in die Verteidigung geddingt, wenn auch die schweren Tag- und Nachtangciffe der anglo..,amerikanischen Bomber nicht die von den AUiierten erwartete W.irkung hatten. Der gesamten
Jagdwaffe konnten bis ins Jahr 1944 hinein monatlich etwa 700 Flugzeuge zugefuhrt
...erden, was die Ausfalle ersetzte und die Aufstellung neuer Einheiten ermoglichte. Die
erfahrenen Flugzeugfuhrer, die gefallen waren, lieBen sich nicht ersetzen, wahrend der
Gegner uber unerschopfliche Reserven an Fliegendem Personal und Material verfugte.
Fur den Kommodore war im Juni eine schwierige Lage entstanden. Kawn war die
1. Gruppe aus dem Osten zuruckgekehrt, als sie am 23. Juni nach Rheine und die
Ill. Gruppe nach NorcLholz verlegt wurde. Der Grund lag.in feindlichen Luftangriffen
auf das rheinisch-westfalische Industriegebiet, wodurch eine Verlagerung der Abwehr
nach Norden erforderlich wurde. Bis die Ill. Gruppe Mitte August nach Schiphol in
Holland verlegt wurde, unterstand sie dem Jafu Deutsche Bucht.
Das Gesprach der Fuhrung, der Offentlichkeit und naturlich der Truppe war der Abwehrkampf gegen die "Viermotorigen". Im Sommer 1943 lieE Hauptmann Waiter Hockner, bis zum
19. Juni Kapitan der 1./26 und dann Gruppenkommandeur im JG I, in Rheine eine Anzahl
208
23. 6. 1943 bis 5. 6. 1944 - Im Operationsgebiet der Wtst!ront
Boeing-Modelle, etwa 30, basteln, hangte sie in einer Turnhalle in ihrer gewohnten Flugform
auf und demonstrierte damit dem Reichsmarschall erstmals genau, mit welcher Abwehr der
angreifende Jager zu rechnen· habe. Gt:niitzt hat es nichts. Die Kriegsberichter kamen zu den
Frontgeschwadern, urn sich Rat zu holen, was sie in der Presse erzahlen sollten. Eine riesengrolle
Schlagzeile "VIERMOTORIGE werden bezwungen" und alle durchaus wahren Einzelheiten
konnten nicht verbergen, was unsere Jager wu!hen, daE namlich der Gegner zwar empfindliche
Verluste hinnehmen muEte, auf die Dauer aber den langeren Atem hatte. Trotzdem warell
unsere Manner unverzagt. lrgendein Jacky aus USA, der als zweitcr Pilot in einem Bomber
flog, schon von alteren Kameraden einiges iibcr die "Abbeville-boys" gehort hatte, sagte nach
seinem AbschuE durch Hauptmann Galland anerkennend: "Wirklich schneidige Teufel, dim
Abbeville-boys! " Feldwebel Dorre von der 9.126, als musterhafter Pilot selbstverstandlich an
seiner Maschine angetroffen, als ihn der Kriegsberichter nach seiner Meinung fragte, lachelte
nur: "Ach ja, die Viermotorigen. Idl will Ihnen was sagen : Man muE mit Kopfchen fliegen-,
das ist alles. Durch die Abwehr kommt man durch, wenn man den notigen Schneid hat! ~untcr
kriegt man die Dinger aber nur, wenn man genau weiE, was man will. Die Panzerung der Viermotorigen ist genauso stark wie ihre Abwehr und dagegen kommt man eben nur an, wenn man
sich nach jedern Angriff iiberlegt, was man falsch gemacht hat ... " Obrigens ist damals eine
Boeing flugfahig erbeutet worden, zu der wir am 3. Juli den Begleitschutz stelltcn.
Am 12. Juli verlegte die I. Gruppe nach Grimberghen und am 28.JuLi die 11. von
V.itry nach Deelen, erste Bewegungen zur Versammlung des JG 26 im Raum Holland.
Am 30. JuLi schog Unteroffiz.ier Wiegand von der 8./26 .us Rottenflieger bei Oberfeldwebel Heitmann urn 8.20 Uhr im Raume westlich Eupen eine Boeing B 17-F ab, die
zurn Schlug zerplatzte. Von Interesse ist, dag es sich urn einen PuLk von etwa 120 Bombern handelte. Wiegand mugte wegen Zerschug der Querrudersteuerung aus seiner
FW 190 A-S abspringen. Es war flir ihn nicht das letzte Mal. - Inzwischen hatte in
Nordholz Hauptmann Staiger die 12./26 iibernommen und im Bereich der Deutschen
Bucht vom 17. bis 29. Juli 5 Boeings abgeschossen.
Heifte Augusttage
Im August steigerten sich die Kampfe zu augerster Heftigkeit. Bomberpulks von
60, 100, 120 und mehr waren die Regel. Die Spitfire, Thunderbolts, Typhoons wnschwirrten sie dicht wie Mlic:kenschwarme. Sicher hat in den Kriegstageblichern fiir
jeden Tag Kampftatigkeit gestanden. Aus unseren Unterlagen gehen schwerste Luftkarnpfe an mindestens 11 Tagen, namentlich am 12. und 17. August, hervor. Sie zogen
sich liber Hunderte von Kilometern bis ins Reich hinein. Mit unbeschreiblichem Mut
gr.iffen die Schlageterjager an. Allein in diesem Monat fielen 15 FLugzeugflihrer vom
Gefreiten bis zum Major. Am 12. August schossen die I. und H. ·elf Bomber, am
17. August weitere neun Bomber ab. Kommodore Priller vernichtete am 18,/19. August
zwei Boeings. Im Ganzen fielen, ein Abschug von Sta.iger eingeschlossen, aber ohne
die sonst im einzelnen unbekannten Abschlisse der HI.I26, 25 Viermotorige und 12 Jiger breIUlend vom Himmel. Jetzt la.g das Geschwader in Schiphol- Stab und Ill. - die
H. in Volkel und ab 15. August in Beauvais-Tille und die I. in Grimberghen.
5thr bewegter Herbst
221
dungen der daneben, darunter oder daraber fliegenden Bomber gewesen sein. Waren
es aber wirklich immer "brennende" Abschiisse? Der deutsche Jiger hatte sein Hauptinteresse am Abschu6 eines Bombers. Er entzog sich deshalb, nachdem er seinen Angriff
gefIogen hatte, jedem Kampf mit den Begleitjagern nach Moglichkeit. Wenn er nun mit
Notleistung nach unten wegstiirzte, hinterlie6 er eine dicke schwarze Rauchfahne. Fiir
Unerfahrene sah es also so aus, als sei der Jager abgeschossen.
Sehr bewegter Herbst
Wahrend in den vergangenen Jahren, bedingt durch Wind und Wetter, die LuA:kampfe im Herbst etwas abflauten, nahmen sie jetzt durch die Vervollkommnung der
technischen Mittel zu . "General Wetter" kampfte auf seiten der Alliierten, weil diese
im Westen die Wetterlagen iiber ihrem Ziel genau berechnen konnten. Der September
brachte fiir uns keine Erleichterung. Zum Beispiel waren die "dicken Ottos" am
3. September iiber Paris, nicht weniger als etwa 250 Viermotorige unter dem Schutz
von 100 britischen und amerikanischen Jagern. Am 4. September fiel Oberfeldwebel
Walter Griinlinger, bis vor kurzem Rottenflieger von Oberstleutnant Priller, iiber
St. Omer im LuA:kampf mit Spitfires. Er war von gr06em Ehrgeiz beseelt und der LuA:kampf war sein Lebenselement. Bald folgte ihm ein anderer ausgezeichneter Kampfer,
Feldwebel Dorre von der 9./26, ein kleiner blonder Sudetendeutscher aus Tetschen.
Nl ch dem Abrmstart am 8. September wurde die Staffel noch im Ansteigen von
Thunderbolts aus Dberhohung angegriffen und Dorre, auf de ss en Abschu61iste mehrere
Viermotorige standen, fiel. Derartige Verluste, wie sie laut unserer Verlustliste im
steten Kampf mit Bombern, Spitfires, Thunderbolts, Typhoons und Marauders den
ganzen Herbst und Winter hindurch eintraten, bedeuteten nichts weniger als die stete
Verringerung der bewahrten und erfahrenen Jagerelite. Das war auf die Dauer nicht
tragbar. Wahrend sich iI\ der hochsten Fiihrung der Konflikt zwischen Goring und Galland immer mehr zuspitzte, machte der JagdfIiegerfiihrer 2, Generalleutnant Osterkamp, seinem alten Jagerhcrzen in einer DenkschriA: Luft und sandte diese im Oktober
1943 aus Balagny durch Kurier an Feldmarschall Milch. Die Folge war seine Ablosung. 1 )
ObeTstleutnant SeifeTt gefalien
Fiinf Kommandeure der n. Gruppe, die Hauptleute Kniippel, Noac:k, Ebbighausen , Adolph
und Major W . F. Galland, waren im Luftkampf gefallen. Der sechste, den dieses Los an der
Spitze seiner Manner traf, war unser dienstaltester Gruppenkommandeur Oberstleutnant Johannes Seifert .
• Hannes" Seifert, wie er von alien genannt wurde, gehorte bereits in Friedenszeiten dem
Geschwader an. Bis zum 10. Juli 1941 fiihrteer als Kapitan die 3. Staffel und bis zum 31. Mai
1943 als Kommandeur die I. Gruppe. Als er aus der Front zuriickgezogen und zur Fiihrer' ) Vgl. Thee O"erk.mp .Durch Hohen und Tiefen f1ie,t ein Herz", Kurt Vewindtel Verl.g , Heidelb,rg
Unsere Gefallenen: Flugzeugfuhrer
308
Nr.
Name
Vomame
Dienstgrad
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
Heim:mc:yer
Bock
Vohwinkel
Hans-Joachim
Amulf
Lt.
Fw.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Lt.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Fw.
Lt.
Hptm.
Obfw.
Uffz.
Lt.
Obgefr.
Ulfz.
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
Westhauscr
Paul
Albert
Knobloch
Brooo
Fritsch
Schrickel
Crome!
Paul
Kurt
Paul
Alfred
Kurt
Leitz
Emil
Muller
WaIter
Erost
Heinrich
Giinther
Wilhelm
Hans- Joachim
Hans-Joachim
Horst
Karl
Wilhelm-Fetdinand
Friedrich
Schwarz
Chri~tof
Sprinz
Kelch
Mackenstedt
StoUer
Wermbtcr
Gaull
Hadraba
Galland
Hoffmann
Fritzlehner
Schmidtke
Meyer
UlImann
Borowllck
Kat!
Krieg
Heck
Schmidt
Janda
Scholz
Grtinlinger
Heinemann
Jorg
Berger
Kipping
D6rre
Bannischka
Gasser
Todt
Kretichmer
Drahdm
Dirkscn
Bidet
Locrzer
Steinberg
Matthiesen
Richter
Eckhardt
Rosner
Kratzel
Meye!
WOlfert
Burger
Pittmann
Ebenberger
Hennann
Fritz
Glinter
Johannes
Helmuth
Eeich
Gerhard
Heinrich
Gert
Karl-Heinz
Erost
Erwin
WaIter
Emst
Adolf
Waiter
Peter
Edgar
Hdmut
Franz
Em"
Horst
Manfred
Ham
Alfred
Hans-G.
Gtinter
Johannes
Horst
Konrad
Raimund
Anton
AIel.
Hans
WaIter
Helmut
Kurt
Major
Obfw.
Uffz.
Ulfz.
Obit.
Gcfr.
Obfw.
Lt.
Uffz.
Lt.
Lt.
Obit.
Uffz.
Obfw.
Lt.
Fw.
Ulfz.
Lt.
Fw.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Lt.
Uffz.
Lt.
Fw.
Uffz.
Lt.
Uffz.
Lt.
Ulfz.
Fw.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Uffz.
Lt.
Ulfz.
Ulfz.
Hptm.
Einheit
11./26
6./26
6./26
11./26
11./26
5./26
5./26
6./26
12./26
2./26
7./26
11./26
1./26
2./26
7./26
6./26
8./26
8./26
1./26
10./26
11./26
11./26
12./26
1./26
10./26
10./26
10./26
9./26
5./26
10./26
4./26
8./26
6./26
J . G.26
4./26
6./26
6./26
5./26
9./26
7./26
4./26
III./26
1./26
1./26
8./26
9./26
7./26
10./26
1./26
3./26
9./26
4./26
2./26
12./26
7./26
5./26
1./26
4./26
Geboren am
Gefallen am
26. 4. 22
21. 5.20
23. 6.22
1. 11. 18
2. 9.20
2. 9. 20
26. 10.19
11. 3.23
14. 1. 21
26.11. 21
19. 7.19
4. 8. 21
11.11. 17
13. 4.22
4. 4.17
25. 1. 17
14. 2.21
31. 5.24
17.10.22
7.12.19
23.10.14
20. 3.15
19. 8.22
21. 2.21
8. 3. 18
10.10.21
16. 5.16
29. 1. 22
15. 6.20
15. 5.21
29. 7. 21
16. 7.21
15. 7.23
7.11.17
22. 6.21
19. 2.20
28.11.20
23. 3.24
24.11.19
9. 6. 21
31. 3.18
5. 4.22
11. 6.21
7. 7. 21
24. 8. 19
21. 6.21
3. 3.22
9. 3.20
4. 7.21
5. 6.21
4. 3.23
23. 7.19
21. 6.20
18. 4.21
26. 1.21
19.11.21
30. 7.23
11. 2.14
1. 7. 43
1. 7.43
1. 7.43
2. 7.43
3. 7.43
6. 7.43
7. 7.43
15. 7.43
17. 7.43
24. 7.43
28. 7. 43
29. 7.43
30. 7.43
30. 7.43
31. 7.43
1. 8.43
9. 8.43
12. 8.43
15. 8.43
16. 8.43
17. 8.43
17. 8.43
17. 8.43
17. 8.43
19. 8.43
23. 8.43
23. 8.43
23. 8. 43
27. 8. 43
31. 8.43
3. 9.43
3. 9.43
3. 9. 43
4. 9.43
4. 9. 43
6. 9. 43
6. 9.43
7. 9.43
8. 9.43
14. 9.43
16. 9.43
19. 9.43
20. 9.43
21. 9.43
21. 9.43
27. 9.43
3.10.43
4.10.43
7.10.43
14.10.43
20.10.43
20.10.43
20.10.43
20. 10.43
20.10.43
20.10.43
22.10.43
24.10.43
g
g
g
g
v
G
G
G
G
G
v
G
G
v
G
g
g
v
g
g
g
v
G
G
G
G
G
g
G
g
G
g
g
g
g
g
g
G
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
g
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
g
G
g
G
g
g
G
g
G
v
G
g
g
g
g
G
G
G
G
v
G
g
g
g
G
G
G
g
G
G
g
g
g
G
g
G
G
g
G
G
g
g
g
g
g
G
G
Die Abschuftliste
334
Nr.
92
Abschus", QuellefJkmcrkungen
Name
Vomamc
Lctzter Dicnstgrad
Einheit
Sclunidt
Johanncs
Obcrlcutnant
11./26
12
U
3./26
11
U
3./26
11
U
1./26
5./26
1./26
11
11
11
U
U
U
gef. 19. 8.42
93
Abrens
Peter
Leutnant
verunglilckt 4. 3. 45
94
GUnthcr
Joachim
Lcutnant
gef. 24. 2. 4S
9S
96
97
Kicfncr
Georg
Obcrleutnant
KOS5C
Wolfgang
Obcrleutnant
Lcibold
Erwin
Oberf<ldwebel
gef. 26. 7. 42
Oberf<ldwebel
98
Schwatt
Erich
99
BUrschgens
Jo"'ph
1.00
Guttmann
Gerhard
101
Muller
Wilhelm
102
Strasen
Gerd
103
Unzeitig
Robert
104
OuUtof
Emst
105
DOrte
Edgsr
106
Koch
107
Krug
Hans
11
U
10
U
10
U
10
U
10
E 8 We.t. 2 Ost
davon 1 4-mot.
llI./26
10
U
1./26
9
U
9./26
9
U
Obcrlcutnant
5./26
9
U
Oberlcutnant
4./26
9
U
9
U
1./26
Hauptmann
7./26
1. 9. 40 Gefangenschaft
Feldwebel
5./26
gef. 27. 3. 44
Oberf<ldwebel
3./26
gef. 7. 11 . 40
Hauptmann
11./26
Lcutnant
gef. 12. 4. 42
Feldwebel
gef. 30. 7. 43
Feldwebel
gef. 8. 9. 43
7. 9. 40 Gefsngenschaft
Hauptmonn
8./26
gef. 25. 2. 44
Leutnant
8./26
gef. 25. 3. 45
108
Lcusch<l
Rudolf
109
Schulwitz
Gcm.rd
110
Szuggsr
Willy
Oberfeldwebel
5./26
9
E
davon 4 5panien
1 Naehtjagd
4 Osten
111
Zimgibl
Joseph
Obcrfeldwebel
gcf. 21 . 6. 44
8./26
9
U
112
Beyer
Gcorg
Hauptmonn
7./26
28. 8. 40 Gefsngcnachaft
U
113
Bierwirth
Heinrich
Oberfeidwebel
gcf. 27. 11.42
U
114
Busch
Erwin
OberleubWlt
115
Hem
Kurt
Feldwebel
116
HoI£mann
Hcrmann
Obcrfeldwebel
gcf. 17. 8. 43
Feldwebel
117
JAckei
Emst
1t8
Johannacn
Han,
119
Longc
Friedrlch
120
Ryuvy
Martin
121
Schmidt
122
Adam
U
5./26
10./26
U
3./26
8
U
11./26
8
U
2./26
8
U
7./26
8
U
6./26
8
U
2./26
8
U
Gottfried
LcubWlt
gcf. 28. 3. 42
LcUbWlt
gcf. 2. 3. 44
OberleubWlt
gef. 2. 7. 41
OberleubWlt
9./26
8
E
Hcinz-Gllnther
Leutnant
1./26
7
U
gcf. 20. 12. 42
E
E

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