Jagdgeschwader 6

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Jagdgeschwader 6
Air superiority
Offensive counter air
Fighter-bomber
SizeAir Force Wing
Nickname(s)Horst Wessel
Patron Horst Wessel
Battle honoursWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Gerhard Barkhorn
Gerhard Schöpfel

Jagdgeschwader 6 (JG 6) Horst Wessel was a

wing during World War II. Created late in the war as one of the last Jagdgeschwader, JG 6 fought on the Western and Eastern Fronts and in the Defence of the Reich
over Germany. This period of the air war was characterised by few successes and heavy losses among the German fighter arm.

Organisation

Main article:
Organisation of the Luftwaffe (1933–45)

A Luftwaffe Geschwader (wing formation) was the largest homogenous flying formation. It typically was made up of three groups (gruppen). Each group contained approximately 30 to 40 aircraft in three squadrons (staffeln). A Jagdgeschwader could field 90 to 120

roman numerals, for example I./JG 27, while staffeln were described with their number (1./JG 27).[3] The wing could be subordinated to a Fliegerkorps, Fliegerdivision or Jagddivision (Flying Corps, Division and Fighter Division) all of which were subordinated to Luftflotten (Air Fleets).[2][4] The use of Fliegerdivision became redundant and the description Fliegerkorps supplanted it until the use of Jagddivision later in the war.[4]

Formation

The backdrop to JG 6 and its creation was a general deterioration of Germany's military position. In the air war, the Luftwaffe had been driven from

air superiority, from the Battle of Kursk in July 1943. Operation Bagration collapsed the front in June 1944, cleared the majority of Wehrmacht forces from the Soviet Union while on the Western Front, Operation Overlord and the Normandy landings were pushing the Germans out of France. Hugo Sperrle's Luftflotte 3 was bled white over Normandy.[7]

The Stabstaffel, I and II Gruppen were established at

fighter escorts. This reclassification ended the Zerstörergeschwader. Stab, I and II Gruppen ZG 26 became Stab, I and II Gruppen JG 6.[1] Oberstleutnant Johann Kogler was appointed Geschwaderkommodore.[8] I and III/JG 6 were formed in October and November 1944 leaving I Gruppe and Stabstaffel the only units available in August 1944.[citation needed] Hauptmann Willi Elstermann commanded II Gruppe.[9] This gruppe converted to the Fw 190A-8 at Königsberg–Neumark.[10]

World War II

II Gruppe replaced some of the depleted German fighter units from Normandy.

General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland strongly objected to the move, which ultimately cost the gruppe 19 killed in action and four wounded in action in a short time.[11] On 23 August 1944, it was ordered to Herpy near Reims. According to one member of the unit, Feldwebel Fritz Bucholz, who arrived with 11 hours of experience on single-engine fighters and no dogfighting experience, the airfield was nothing more than flat ground surrounded by trees to hide their aircraft. Tents were provided for shelter, and much attention was paid to camouflage. The gruppe used nearby cattle to roam the airfield while no flights were ongoing to obscure the tracks made by the landing gear and deceive Allied reconnaissance aircraft.[9] The Normandy campaign was coming to an end, two days after their arrival Paris was liberated. Hauptmann Willi Elstermann led the gruppe in action towards the battle zone near St Quentin that day, 25 August.[9]

Near

Waffen SS rearguard and crossed the Seine by ferry. His wounds kept him out of action for six weeks. On his return, just four of the 40 pilots remained from the original cohort.[9] The experience of II Gruppe JG 6 was repeated in many of the German fighter units over Normandy.[9] Willi Elstermann was relieved of his command. The lack of tactical training on the Fw 190 contributed to the losses.[11]

On 26 September 1944 III/ZG 26, which provided most of its personnel to

B-17 Flying Fortress bombers before the 356th Fighter Group reacted. JG 6 lost 12 Messerschmitt Bf 109s; six killed and six wounded.[13] Their charges lost 15 Fw 190s, 12 killed and three wounded.[13] The days fighting cost Luftflotte Reich 62 killed, 32 wounded and 122 fighters in exchange for 42 US bombers and 11 fighters; a ruinous loss rate.[14]

Fw 190 G-1 showing the ETC 250 bomb rack, carrying a 250 kg (550 lb) bomb, and the underwing 300 litre drop tanks JG 6 operated the Fw 190G-1 on 1 January 1945.

In December 1944, JG 6 was allocated to the

anti-aircraft artillery.[19] Later, III Gruppe took off from Oldenburg in a bid to stop the US Ninth Air Force; the Bf 109G-14s were intercepted by Allied fighters between Cologne and Düren. In combat with Hawker Typhoons from No. 93 Squadron RAF, the gruppe lost five.[20] The RAF Squadron reported no loss.[21]

Operation Bodenplatte and end of the war

The airfield operation, planned for the 16 December 1944, was revived and put into action on 1 January 1945. Operation Bodenplatte mustered the remaining German fighter force in the west, numbering approximately 800 fighters, into one final effort to achieve air superiority and revive the stalled offensive. JG 6 was ordered to attack Volkel Air Base. The Fw 190G-1s equipped the staffeln.[22]

I and III./JG 6 were to attack while II./JG 6 was to provide cover against fighters. I./JG 6 got 29 of its 34 Fw 190s ready, while 25 of II./JG 6's fighters took part. Overall, most of the 99 Fw 190s were made available for the operation. III./JG 6 received orders to target petrol installations on the airfield only. 78 Fw 190s took off. JG 6 approached the airfield of Heesch and some of its pilots assumed it to be

442 Squadrons on recce missions early that morning so the majority of its units were airborne. Its 401 Squadron was readying for take-off when JG 6 appeared.[23]

Most of the German pilots had failed to notice the airfield, concentrating on keeping formation at low altitude. 401 Squadron scrambled. Some of the German fighters were authorised to engage, while the main body continued to search for Volkel. Stab., and II./JG 6 stumbled on another strip at Helmond, which contained no aircraft. Several German pilots believed it to be Volkel and attacked, losing several of their number to ground fire. II./JG 6 suffered severely from Spitfire and Tempests based at Helmond.[23] Very little damage was done at Heesch or Helmond. All four Gruppen failed to find Volkel and its Hawker Tempests remained untouched. [24]

The only success JG 6 had was I./JG's erroneous attack on Eindhoven, which claimed 33 fighters and six medium bombers. Like Volkel, Helmond and Heesch had escaped damage. In the dogfights over Helmond, JG 6 claimed six victories. In fact, only two Spitfires were shot down and one badly damaged. Only one further fighter, a Hawker Typhoon, was shot down. Stab./JG 6 lost the Kommodore, Kogler, as a prisoner of war. Of I./JG's 29 Fw 190s, seven were lost and two damaged; of II./JG 6's 25 Fw 190s, eight were destroyed and two damaged; III./JG 6 lost 12 out 20 Bf 109s. In total, JG 6 lost 43% of its strength and suffered 16 pilots killed or missing and seven captured. As well as Kogler, one other commanding officer was lost—Gruppenkommandeure Helmut Kühle. Three Staffelkapitane were lost: Hauptmann Ewald Trost was captured, Hauptmann Norbert Katz was killed and Lothar Gerlach was posted missing, presumed killed.[23]

Commanding officers

Geschwaderkommodore
Gruppenkommandeure;

I./JG 6

  • Hauptmann Willi Elstermann 1 November 1944 – 2 February 1945
  • Major
    Otto Bertram
    , February 1945 – May 1945

II./JG 6

  • Hauptmann Willi Elstermann July 1944 – 31 August 1944
  • Hauptmann Johannes Naumann 1 September 1944 – 30 March 1945
  • Hauptmann Günther Weyl – May 1945

III./JG 6

  • Hauptmann Theodor Weissenberger, 14 October 1944 – 24 November 1944
  • Major Helmut Kühle, November 1944
  • Hauptmann Kurt Müller, 21 January 1945 – 4 April 1945

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b Caldwell & Muller 2007, pp. 223, 236.
  2. ^ a b Muller 1992, p. 32.
  3. ^ Mason 1969, pp. 75–76.
  4. ^ a b Mason 1969, p. 75.
  5. ^ Brooks 2003, p. [page needed].
  6. ^ Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 287.
  7. ^ Price 1991, pp. 67, 71–79.
  8. ^ a b Parker 1998, p. 138.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Price 1991, p. 65.
  10. ^ Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 210.
  11. ^ a b Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 228.
  12. ^ Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 236.
  13. ^ a b c Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 253.
  14. ^ Caldwell 2012, p. 299.
  15. ^ Parker 1998, pp. 138–139.
  16. ^ Parker 1998, p. 139.
  17. ^ a b Parker 1998, pp. 250–251.
  18. ^ Parker 1998, pp. 256, 266.
  19. ^ Parker 1998, p. 287.
  20. ^ Parker 1998, pp. 296–297.
  21. ^ Franks 2000, pp. 125–126.
  22. ^ Manrho & Pütz 2004, pp. 276, 123–138.
  23. ^ a b c Manrho & Pütz 2004, pp. 123–138.
  24. ^ Parker 1998, p. 396.

Bibliography

See also

  • Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II
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