Jagdverband 44
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2011) |
Jagdverband 44 | |
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Heinz Bär | |
Aircraft flown | |
Fighter | Me 262, Fw 190D |
Jagdverband 44 (JV 44) was a German Luftwaffe special operations unit during World War II. It was formed during the last months of World War II to operate the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter.[1]
The commander of JV 44 was General
JV 44 comprised a core of experienced pilots (
Galland was injured on 26 April after attacking B-26 bombers, and Heinrich Bär assumed command of the unit. As the German surrender approached, Galland disbanded the unit, releasing any pilots willing to leave, and lead the rest to the American occupation zone.[3] This "whole-unit" defection was a major part of Operation LUSTY, as the Americans gained a wealth of knowledge about jet technology(similar to Operation Paperclip).
Many JV-44 pilots went on to fly for the Bundesluftwaffe post-war, and formed the backbone of the establishment of the Bundeswehr.
Notable pilots
JV-44 was renowned among the late-war Luftwaffe for being a "Squadron of Experts," as many aces transferred to the unit in the final months of the war. A (false) rumor was even started to the effect that having the Knight's Cross was a prerequisite to joining the unit.[4] Some of the most notable pilots were:
- Adolf Galland, unit commander, former General of Fighter Pilots, holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, and 104-victory ace
- Heinrich Bär, second-in-command, holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, and 208-victory ace
- Johannes Steinhoff, operations officer, holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, Bundesluftwaffe general, and 176-victory ace
- Gerhard Barkhorn, holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, and second-highest-scoring ace of all time with 301 victories
- Walter Krupinski, holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, one of the Luftwaffe's most colorful figures, and 197-victory ace
- Günther Lützow, Galland's adjutant, holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, and 110-victory ace
- Erich Hohagen, unit technical officer, Bundesluftwaffe general, holder of the Knight's Cross, and 56-victory ace
- Franz Stigler, unit technical officer and protagonist of the Brown-Stigler Incident.
References
References
Bibliography
- Forsyth, Robert (2008). Jagdverband 44 : Squadron of Experten. Aviation Elite Units 28. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-294-3. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
- Makos, Adam, and Larry Alexander. A Higher Call. New York, Berkley Books, 2013.
Further reading
- Forsyth, Robert (1996). JV 44: the Galland circus. Burgess Hill: Classic Publications. ISBN 0952686708. Retrieved 24 February 2018.