Jagdgeschwader 27
Encyclopedia
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
.
, Germany
on 1 October 1939. The emblem of I Gruppe, featuring a map of Africa
, originated with the Gruppenkommandeur
in 1940, Hauptmann
Helmut Riegel (killed in action 20 July 1940) who was born in German South West Africa.
II. Gruppe was formed in January 1940 in Magdeburg
. In July 1940, I./JG 1
was transferred to JG 27 as III. Gruppe.
From July 1941, a Spanish
contingent flew with the Geschwader as 15./JG 27. IV. Gruppe was formed in June 1943 in Kalamaki
, Greece
.
JG 27 saw considerable action both during the Battle of France
as part of VIII. Fliegerkorps
, scoring heavily against Allied bombers during the crossing of the Meuse river
. 285 claims for aircraft destroyed were made, Hauptmann Wilhelm Balthasar
(of 1./JG 1, by July renamed 7./JG 27) becoming top scorer of the campaign with 24 air kills and 13 ground kills. Hauptmann Adolf Galland
the Geschwader adjudant to Geschwaderkommodore
Oberst
Max Ibel
, also made 14 claims during the campaign.
Based near Cherbourg for the Battle of Britain
, JG 27 had a relatively inauspicious campaign, claiming 146 aircraft downed although losses of pilots were heavy with 83 Bf -109Es lost, and 58 killed, missing or POW by December 1940.
In November JG 27 redeployed back to Germany for re-equipping and rest. From 24 September - 5 November, JG 27 was based at Saint-Inglevert
, Pas-de-Calais.
In April 1941 the Geschwader briefly served in the Balkans
, before (with the exception of I./JG 27) participating in the opening offensive
against the Soviet Union
on the central front in June 1941. On the first day of action Major
Wolfgang Schellmann
bailed out over Soviet territory when he collided with a I-153 Chayka fighter flown by a Lt. Kuzmin. Kuzmin was killed in the collision but Schellmann managed to bail out, but failed to make his way back to German lines and was captured and later executed by NKVD
troops. In September a Spanish Air Force volunteer staffel was attached to JG 27, becoming 15.(span.)/JG 27. Recalled to Spain in January 1942, 460 missions were flown on the Eastern Front for 10 air kills claimed.
In November the Gruppen were returned to Germany for re-fitting.
After a short stint in the Eastern front the Jagdgeschwader 27 left for Africa.
I. Gruppe had been sent in April 1941 to Gazala
, North Africa
in order to support the Afrikakorps. Under the astute command of Hauptmann "Edu" Neumann
, one of the Luftwaffe's most capable field commanders, I. Gruppe would quickly improve its performance.
On 19 April I./JG 27 claimed its first four victories in air combat: one by Oberleutnant
Karl-Wolfgang Redlich, Staffelkapitän
of 1. Staffel, provided I./JG 27 with its 100th victory of the war.
In September, the group was joined by Hpt. Wolfgang Lippert’s
II./JG 27, which had achieved 43 victories in a three-week stint on the Eastern Front. II. Gruppe was now equipped with the Bf109F-2/Trop
. The arrival of II. Gruppe permitted I./JG 27 to rotate back to Germany, one Staffel at a time, to exchange its war-weary "Emils" (Bf 109Es) for brand new "Friedrichs" (109Fs). The whole process would take well over a month. With the arrival of III./JG 27 from Russia in late October, by December the whole of JG 27 was in North Africa. The Geschwader units on the Eastern Front had claimed over 270 aircraft during operations in 1941, for just 16 aircraft lost in air combat.
The Geschwader had an immediate impact on the campaign, which had up until then been dominated by the British Commonwealth
's Desert Air Force
. JG 27 now became synonymous with the Afrikakorps and the campaign in North Africa, providing Rommel's army with fighter protection for virtually the whole Western Desert campaign, from late 1941 until November 1942.
Fighting against the Desert Air Force's generally inferior Hawker Hurricane
s and Curtiss P-40
s, which were often flown by inexperienced and under-trained pilots, the Bf-109s inflicted heavy losses, although serviceability in the harsh conditions and chronic fuel shortages greatly reduced the effectiveness of the Geschwader. On March 24, 1942, Leutnant Korner shot down a Douglas Boston, the 1,000th victory for the Geschwader.
On 23 March III./JG 27 sent a small detachment to Kastelli, Crete
. On 5 May, a fourth Staffel was added to the Gruppe: 10.(Jabo)/JG 27. Jabo or Jagdbomber was the German term for fighter-bombers.
Leutnant Hans-Joachim Marseille
and Oberfeldwebel Otto Schulz
were each awarded the Knight’s Cross on 22 February (for 50 and 44 victories respectively). Schulz was promoted to Oberleutnant although he would be shot down and killed after 51 claims on 17 June.
On 7 August a Schwarm from 5./JG 27, led by Oberfeldwebel Emil Clade
, chanced upon a Bristol Bombay
transport of No. 216 Squadron RAF
. The Bombay was carrying a special passenger: Lt Gen. William Gott
, who had been appointed Commander of the British 8th Army
, only hours previously. Clade’s first pass forced the lumbering Bombay to crash-land. All but one of those remaining inside, including Gott, were killed when Unteroffizier Schneider carried out a strafing run. Gott was the highest ranked British soldier to be killed by enemy fire in the Second World War. His death led to the hurried appointment of a replacement commander for the 8th Army, a relative unknown named Bernard Law Montgomery.
On 1 September 1942, as the Afrikakorps assaulted Allied positions at El Alamein
, JG 27 had their best day. Hpt. Marseille alone claimed 17, destroying eight P-40s in 10 minutes during one sortie over Alam Halfa. However it believed that at least two, and as many as four of Marseille's "kills" were not shot down.
However, author Stephen Bungay
pointed out the limited military value of shooting down fighters rather than the bombers of the DAF
which, by 1942, were attacking DAK and Italian ground units and convoy routes with increasingly damaging effects. He points out that on that day the DAF bombers were able to attack the Axis ground troops and rear echelons with impunity; while Marseille probably shot down 15 fighters, while the rest of the Luftwaffe pilots shot down another five confirmed aircraft:
The 100 figure given by Bungay represents the Geschwader's strength, and not the number of German pilots that took part in the three missions of 1 September. The number of German fighters pilots that participated was 50, at most.
Major Robert Tate of the United States Air Force
seems to reject Bungay's notion of internal rivalry. Tate argues that the Allied Squadrons were far more competitive for kills:
In late 1942, the Allied superiority in numbers began to tell. In the space of three weeks, Jagdgeschwader 27 was rocked by the deaths of three top aces: Leut. Günter Steinhausen
(40 kills) in air combat with Hurricanes of No. 127 Squadron RAF
, followed 24 hours later by Leut. Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt
(59 kills) in air combat with a Spitfire from No. 601 Squadron RAF
and on 30 September 1942 Hpt. Hans-Joachim Marseille, "The Star of Africa" (158 kills) was killed in an aircraft accident. By November, the intensity of operations was such that JG 27 often had fewer than a dozen fighters serviceable.
Understandably, high combat fatigue and low morale meant the Stab, I. and III. Gruppen of JG 27 were withdrawn to Sicily
in October, to operate over Malta
. They returned briefly to North Africa but then the whole of JG 27 was withdrawn from the theatre for the final time in December 1942. JG 27 was then replaced by JG 77.
I./JG 27 claimed 588 aircraft shot down in the period of April 1941–November 1942. Stahlschmidt, Steinhausen and Marseille accounted for 250 of these; a huge 42% of the unit's total.
The total claims in North Africa for JG 27 were 1,166 aircraft: the Stab flight claimed one kill, I. Gruppe claimed 588, II. Gruppe 477, and III. Gruppe 100 aircraft shot down. JG 27 lost some 200 aircraft in action. The surviving top scorers were Lt Werner Schröer
(I/JG 27) with 61 claims and Hpt. Gustav Rödel
(II/JG 27) who by now had claimed 52 kills.
Most of JG27 avoided the final defeat of Axis forces in Africa, in Tunisia
. After withdrawing to airfields in western Cyrenica, and having abandoned a large number of its aircraft along the way, the unit passed the remainder of its aircraft to JG 77 and were then evacuated from North Africa on 12 November. II./JG 27 remained nearly a month longer, based at Merduma airfield. During that month the Gruppe lost three pilots killed for six Allied fighters destroyed. The last of these kills, a Kittyhawk, was the first kill for Leutnant Hans Lewes of 6. Staffel, in the final sortie by JG 27 in Africa, on the morning of 6 December 1942.
commander, who merely saw a "cloud of dust", after an Allied plane passed behind a sand dune. He also lists several dates on which there was significant, demonstrable over-claiming by JG27 pilots. For example, pilots from JG27 were credited with destroying 19 or 20 P-40
s from No. 239 Wing (No. 3 Squadron RAAF
, No. 112 Squadron RAF
and No. 450 Squadron RAAF
) on 15 September 1942. Marseille alone claimed seven kills in six minutes. However, the records of the individual Allied squadrons show a total of five aircraft lost to enemy action that day and one lost to friendly AA
fire. This analysis is supported by other authors. Brown states: "clearly in the combat of 15 September, there could not have been seven accurate eyewitness reports, let alone twenty [emphasis in original], but Marseille's seven victory claims were accepted without question ... [and] other recognised Experten, Schröer, Homuth and von Lieres submitted a total of six further [accepted] claims between them."
During September 1942 some pilots including Karl-Heinz Bendert
were involved in falsifying claims.
In 1943 I./JG 27 was posted to Luftflotte 3
(Air Fleet 3) in Northern France, while II./JG 27 went to Sicily and Brindisi
and were tasked with the protection of the supply convoys from Sicily and Tunisia. Lt Willi Kientsch emerged as the top scorer during these operations, adding 25 claims to the 17 scored in Africa. II gruppe then returned to Germany in August 1943 for Reich air defense duties based in Frankfurt
, Wiesbaden
and Merzhausen
. The gruppe, under the command of Hpt.Werner Schröer, first saw action on 6 September 1943, claiming 9 B-17's shot down. In May 1943 IV. JG 27 was formed in Greece, and was posted to defend the Rumanian oil fields at Ploesti.
I gruppe found the transition from desert warfare to anti-bomber operations difficult; many of the pilots were fresh recruits and the experten left were unfamiliar with the European theater. Gruppenkommandeur
Hpt. Heinrich Setz
(132 Soviet kills) was killed in March 1943. Hpt Erich Hohagen
, a JG 2 veteran, was posted in to command I./JG 27, although he was badly wounded in July 1943, and the gruppe were transferred to the South of France soon after.
III./JG 27, Stab./JG 27, and IV./JG 27 remained on Crete
and the Greek islands and were in action against the unsuccessful British landings on various Greek Islands in the fall of 1943. The Geschwader claimed its 2,000 kill on 29 September 1943. While based at Wels
I./JG 27 increased its establishment of personnel and aircraft to double its usual complement, as the unit undertook training for experienced junior pilots from other units to become formation leaders.
On 14 May 1944 Unteroffizier. Stadler of 7. JG 27 scored the last of JG 27's victories in the North African and Mediterranean theaters when six Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
s of Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
were shot down over the Strait of Otranto
. JG 27s last casualty, Unteroffizier Gerhard Siegling was shot down and killed in this action. He was the last of 150 German pilots killed in the theatre.
In June 1944 the invasion of France
prompted I, III. and IV./JG 27 to be thrown into the battle, initially stationed on airfields around Rheims. By September the Jagdgruppen in France had been decimated, with JG 27 alone losing nearly 200 aircraft and 87 pilots killed and 62 wounded. (146 Allied aircraft were claimed shot down.) They were withdrawn to Saxonia for re-formation. In the meantime II./JG 27 were based in Austria, "working up" on the Bf 109 G-6/AS high altitude fighter.
By November JG 27 was back serving with Reich air defense, flying operations in the Southern Germany and Austria against the USAAF 15th Air Force bombing raids. On 2 November JG 27 suffered its highest losses on a single day, losing 53 aircraft with 27 pilots killed and 11 wounded, to the P-51 escort fighters of the USAAF, in return for six USAAF P-51 Mustang
s shot down
The Geschwader also took part in the ill-fated Operation Bodenplatte
attacks on Allied airfields on New Year's Day 1945, losing 15 pilots. The IV Gruppe was disbanded in March 1945 to provide reinforcements to the other Gruppen.
By 8 May, the remains of JG 27 were based near Salzburg
, Austria
. JG 27's commander surrendered to the American forces nearby.
Although official records were lost at the end of the war, research suggests Jagdgeschwader 27 claimed over 3,100 kills for some 1,400 aircraft lost, and lost approximately 827 pilots killed, missing or POW during 1939-45.
Twenty-four JG 27 pilots earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.
or a higher grade while being assigned to Jagdgeschwader 27.
Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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....
Geschwader. It was most famous for service in the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, supporting the Deutsches Afrikakorps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
.
Formation
The Geschwader Stab (headquarters staff) and I. Gruppe/JG 27 were formed in HandorfHandorf
Handorf is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on 1 October 1939. The emblem of I Gruppe, featuring a map of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, originated with the 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...
in 1940, Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Helmut Riegel (killed in action 20 July 1940) who was born in German South West Africa.
II. Gruppe was formed in January 1940 in Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
. In July 1940, I./JG 1
Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War 2)
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"...
was transferred to JG 27 as III. Gruppe.
From July 1941, a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
contingent flew with the Geschwader as 15./JG 27. IV. Gruppe was formed in June 1943 in Kalamaki
Alimos
Alimos is an affluent suburb in the south-southwestern part of Athens, Greece, also known as Kalamaki . Poseidonos Avenue runs in the western part of Alimos, with the Hymettus mountain to the east meeting mainly grassland, while areas to the north of Argyroupoli are forested...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Western and Eastern Europe
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...
as part of VIII. Fliegerkorps
8th Air Corps (Germany)
VIII. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 19 July 1939 in Oppeln as Fliegerführer z.b.V. The abbreviation z.b.V. is German and stands for zur besonderen Verwendung . Fliegerführer z.b.V was renamed to VIII. Fliegerkorps on 10 November 1939...
, scoring heavily against Allied bombers during the crossing of the Meuse river
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
. 285 claims for aircraft destroyed were made, 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...
(of 1./JG 1, by July renamed 7./JG 27) becoming top scorer of the campaign with 24 air kills and 13 ground kills. Hauptmann 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...
the Geschwader adjudant to 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...
Max Ibel
Max Ibel
Max Ibel is credited among others as one of the creators of the Luftwaffe. Ibel organized JG 27 and led it successfully during the Battle of France. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross August 22, 1940, three months later he was given a staff position...
, also made 14 claims during the campaign.
Based near Cherbourg for the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, JG 27 had a relatively inauspicious campaign, claiming 146 aircraft downed although losses of pilots were heavy with 83 Bf -109Es lost, and 58 killed, missing or POW by December 1940.
In November JG 27 redeployed back to Germany for re-equipping and rest. From 24 September - 5 November, JG 27 was based at Saint-Inglevert
Saint-Inglevert Airfield
Saint-Inglevert Airfield is a general aviation airfield at Saint-Inglevert, Pas-de-Calais, France. In the First World War an airfield was established near Saint-Inglevert by the Royal Flying Corps, later passing to the Royal Air Force on formation and thus becoming RAF Saint Inglevert...
, Pas-de-Calais.
In April 1941 the Geschwader briefly served in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, before (with the exception of I./JG 27) participating in the opening offensive
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
on the central front in June 1941. On the first day of action Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Wolfgang Schellmann
Wolfgang Schellmann
Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Schellmann was German World War II Luftwaffe Ace, commander of JG 2 and JG 27 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
bailed out over Soviet territory when he collided with a I-153 Chayka fighter flown by a Lt. Kuzmin. Kuzmin was killed in the collision but Schellmann managed to bail out, but failed to make his way back to German lines and was captured and later executed by NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
troops. In September a Spanish Air Force volunteer staffel was attached to JG 27, becoming 15.(span.)/JG 27. Recalled to Spain in January 1942, 460 missions were flown on the Eastern Front for 10 air kills claimed.
In November the Gruppen were returned to Germany for re-fitting.
After a short stint in the Eastern front the Jagdgeschwader 27 left for Africa.
North Africa
Gazala
Gazala, or Ain el Gazala , is a small Libyan village near the coast in the northeastern portion of the country. It is located west of Tobruk....
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
in order to support the Afrikakorps. Under the astute command of Hauptmann "Edu" Neumann
Eduard Neumann
Eduard 'Edu' Neumann was a German Luftwaffe Officer and commanded the famous Jagdgeschwader 27 ‘Afrika’ during the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943.-Early life:...
, one of the Luftwaffe's most capable field commanders, I. Gruppe would quickly improve its performance.
On 19 April I./JG 27 claimed its first four victories in air combat: one by 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...
Karl-Wolfgang Redlich, 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 1. Staffel, provided I./JG 27 with its 100th victory of the war.
In September, the group was joined by Hpt. Wolfgang Lippert’s
Wolfgang Lippert (pilot)
Wolfgang Lippert was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. Lippert was credited with 29 victories, five of which were scored in the Spanish Civil War.-Luftwaffe career:...
II./JG 27, which had achieved 43 victories in a three-week stint on the Eastern Front. II. Gruppe was now equipped with the Bf109F-2/Trop
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...
. The arrival of II. Gruppe permitted I./JG 27 to rotate back to Germany, one Staffel at a time, to exchange its war-weary "Emils" (Bf 109Es) for brand new "Friedrichs" (109Fs). The whole process would take well over a month. With the arrival of III./JG 27 from Russia in late October, by December the whole of JG 27 was in North Africa. The Geschwader units on the Eastern Front had claimed over 270 aircraft during operations in 1941, for just 16 aircraft lost in air combat.
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
's Desert Air Force
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
. JG 27 now became synonymous with the Afrikakorps and the campaign in North Africa, providing Rommel's army with fighter protection for virtually the whole Western Desert campaign, from late 1941 until November 1942.
Fighting against the Desert Air Force's generally inferior Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s and Curtiss P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
s, which were often flown by inexperienced and under-trained pilots, the Bf-109s inflicted heavy losses, although serviceability in the harsh conditions and chronic fuel shortages greatly reduced the effectiveness of the Geschwader. On March 24, 1942, Leutnant Korner shot down a Douglas Boston, the 1,000th victory for the Geschwader.
On 23 March III./JG 27 sent a small detachment to Kastelli, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. On 5 May, a fourth Staffel was added to the Gruppe: 10.(Jabo)/JG 27. Jabo or Jagdbomber was the German term for fighter-bombers.
Leutnant Hans-Joachim Marseille
Hans-Joachim Marseille
Hans-Joachim Marseille was a Luftwaffe fighter pilot and flying ace during World War II. He is noted for his aerial battles during the North African Campaign and his bohemian lifestyle. One of the best fighter pilots of World War II, he was nicknamed the "Star of Africa"...
and Oberfeldwebel Otto Schulz
Otto Schulz
Oberleutnant Otto Schulz was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace...
were each awarded the Knight’s Cross on 22 February (for 50 and 44 victories respectively). Schulz was promoted to Oberleutnant although he would be shot down and killed after 51 claims on 17 June.
On 7 August a Schwarm from 5./JG 27, led by Oberfeldwebel Emil Clade
Emil Clade
Emil Josef Clade was a Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II, and figured in German civilian aviation after the war...
, chanced upon a Bristol Bombay
Bristol Bombay
|-See also:...
transport of No. 216 Squadron RAF
No. 216 Squadron RAF
No. 216 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed Tristar K1, KC1 and C2 from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.- History :216 Squadron was formed at RAF Manston by re-numbering No. 16 Squadron RNAS when the RAF was established in 1918, hence it is always spoken of as 'two-sixteen Squadron'...
. The Bombay was carrying a special passenger: Lt Gen. William Gott
William Gott
Lieutenant-General William Henry Ewart Gott CB, CBE, DSO and bar, MC , nicknamed "Strafer", was a British Army officer during both the First and Second World Wars, reaching the rank of lieutenant-general when serving in the British Eighth Army.-Military career:Educated at Harrow School he was...
, who had been appointed Commander of the British 8th Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
, only hours previously. Clade’s first pass forced the lumbering Bombay to crash-land. All but one of those remaining inside, including Gott, were killed when Unteroffizier Schneider carried out a strafing run. Gott was the highest ranked British soldier to be killed by enemy fire in the Second World War. His death led to the hurried appointment of a replacement commander for the 8th Army, a relative unknown named Bernard Law Montgomery.
On 1 September 1942, as the Afrikakorps assaulted Allied positions at El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
, JG 27 had their best day. Hpt. Marseille alone claimed 17, destroying eight P-40s in 10 minutes during one sortie over Alam Halfa. However it believed that at least two, and as many as four of Marseille's "kills" were not shot down.
Stephen Bungay
Stephen Bungay is a British management consultant, historian and author who has made a special study of the Battle of Britain.He read Modern Languages at Oxford, where he received an MA with First Class Honours. He subsequently studied for a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford and the University of...
pointed out the limited military value of shooting down fighters rather than the bombers of the DAF
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
which, by 1942, were attacking DAK and Italian ground units and convoy routes with increasingly damaging effects. He points out that on that day the DAF bombers were able to attack the Axis ground troops and rear echelons with impunity; while Marseille probably shot down 15 fighters, while the rest of the Luftwaffe pilots shot down another five confirmed aircraft:
The 100 figure given by Bungay represents the Geschwader's strength, and not the number of German pilots that took part in the three missions of 1 September. The number of German fighters pilots that participated was 50, at most.
Major Robert Tate of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
seems to reject Bungay's notion of internal rivalry. Tate argues that the Allied Squadrons were far more competitive for kills:
In late 1942, the Allied superiority in numbers began to tell. In the space of three weeks, Jagdgeschwader 27 was rocked by the deaths of three top aces: Leut. Günter Steinhausen
Günter Steinhausen
Feldwebel Günter Steinhausen was a German World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace with 40 combat victories to his name. He was also a posthumous recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
(40 kills) in air combat with Hurricanes of No. 127 Squadron RAF
No. 127 Squadron RAF
No. 127 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the United Kingdom's Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force.It was first formed as a day bomber unit in February 1918, but was disbanded on 4 July of that year without seeing service...
, followed 24 hours later by Leut. Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt
Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt
Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt was a German fighter pilot and ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He scored all of his 59 victories against the Western Allies in North Africa flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
(59 kills) in air combat with a Spitfire from No. 601 Squadron RAF
No. 601 Squadron RAF
No. 601 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in London. The squadron battle honours most notably include the Battle of Britain and the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of this squadron.-History:...
and on 30 September 1942 Hpt. Hans-Joachim Marseille, "The Star of Africa" (158 kills) was killed in an aircraft accident. By November, the intensity of operations was such that JG 27 often had fewer than a dozen fighters serviceable.
Understandably, high combat fatigue and low morale meant the Stab, I. and III. Gruppen of JG 27 were withdrawn 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,...
in October, to operate over Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. They returned briefly to North Africa but then the whole of JG 27 was withdrawn from the theatre for the final time in December 1942. JG 27 was then replaced by JG 77.
I./JG 27 claimed 588 aircraft shot down in the period of April 1941–November 1942. Stahlschmidt, Steinhausen and Marseille accounted for 250 of these; a huge 42% of the unit's total.
The total claims in North Africa for JG 27 were 1,166 aircraft: the Stab flight claimed one kill, I. Gruppe claimed 588, II. Gruppe 477, and III. Gruppe 100 aircraft shot down. JG 27 lost some 200 aircraft in action. The surviving top scorers were Lt Werner Schröer
Werner Schröer
Werner Schröer was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945...
(I/JG 27) with 61 claims and Hpt. Gustav Rödel
Gustav Rödel
Oberst Gustav Rödel was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but one of his 98 victories against the Western Allies in over 980 combat missions whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.-Biography:Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 in Merseburg, Saxony...
(II/JG 27) who by now had claimed 52 kills.
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. After withdrawing to airfields in western Cyrenica, and having abandoned a large number of its aircraft along the way, the unit passed the remainder of its aircraft to JG 77 and were then evacuated from North Africa on 12 November. II./JG 27 remained nearly a month longer, based at Merduma airfield. During that month the Gruppe lost three pilots killed for six Allied fighters destroyed. The last of these kills, a Kittyhawk, was the first kill for Leutnant Hans Lewes of 6. Staffel, in the final sortie by JG 27 in Africa, on the morning of 6 December 1942.
Overclaiming
Australian author Russell Brown has cast doubt on the accuracy of aerial victory claims by JG27 pilots in North Africa. Brown, who has researched the records of individual Desert Air Force squadrons, suggests that Luftwaffe claim confirmation in North Africa was less stringent than it had been during the Battle of Britain. Brown points out specific, documented examples of spurious verification, such as one "confirmation" by a PanzerPanzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
commander, who merely saw a "cloud of dust", after an Allied plane passed behind a sand dune. He also lists several dates on which there was significant, demonstrable over-claiming by JG27 pilots. For example, pilots from JG27 were credited with destroying 19 or 20 P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
s from No. 239 Wing (No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
, No. 112 Squadron RAF
No. 112 Squadron RAF
No. 112 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It served in both the First World War and Second World War and was active for three periods during the Cold War. It is nicknamed "The Shark Squadron", an allusion to the fact that it was the first unit from any air force to use the famous...
and No. 450 Squadron RAAF
No. 450 Squadron RAAF
No. 450 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. It was the second RAAF Article XV squadron formed for service with the British military, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan...
) on 15 September 1942. Marseille alone claimed seven kills in six minutes. However, the records of the individual Allied squadrons show a total of five aircraft lost to enemy action that day and one lost to friendly AA
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
fire. This analysis is supported by other authors. Brown states: "clearly in the combat of 15 September, there could not have been seven accurate eyewitness reports, let alone twenty [emphasis in original], but Marseille's seven victory claims were accepted without question ... [and] other recognised Experten, Schröer, Homuth and von Lieres submitted a total of six further [accepted] claims between them."
During September 1942 some pilots including Karl-Heinz Bendert
Karl-Heinz Bendert
Karl-Heinz Bendert 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 Bendert claimed 55 victories in 610...
were involved in falsifying claims.
Back to Europe
Luftflotte 3
Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on September 26, 1944...
(Air Fleet 3) in Northern France, while II./JG 27 went to Sicily and Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
and were tasked with the protection of the supply convoys from Sicily and Tunisia. Lt Willi Kientsch emerged as the top scorer during these operations, adding 25 claims to the 17 scored in Africa. II gruppe then returned to Germany in August 1943 for Reich air defense duties based in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
and Merzhausen
Merzhausen
Merzhausen is a town in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.*...
. The gruppe, under the command of Hpt.Werner Schröer, first saw action on 6 September 1943, claiming 9 B-17's shot down. In May 1943 IV. JG 27 was formed in Greece, and was posted to defend the Rumanian oil fields at Ploesti.
I gruppe found the transition from desert warfare to anti-bomber operations difficult; many of the pilots were fresh recruits and the experten left were unfamiliar with the European theater. 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...
Hpt. Heinrich Setz
Heinrich Setz
Heinrich Setz was a German World War II Luftwaffe 138 victories Flying ace and recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
(132 Soviet kills) was killed in March 1943. Hpt Erich Hohagen
Erich Hohagen
Erich Hohagen was a German Luftwaffe flying ace during World War II and a General in the post war Bundeswehr...
, a JG 2 veteran, was posted in to command I./JG 27, although he was badly wounded in July 1943, and the gruppe were transferred to the South of France soon after.
III./JG 27, Stab./JG 27, and IV./JG 27 remained on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and the Greek islands and were in action against the unsuccessful British landings on various Greek Islands in the fall of 1943. The Geschwader claimed its 2,000 kill on 29 September 1943. While based at Wels
Wels
Wels is the second largest city of the state of Upper Austria, located in the north of Austria, on the Traun River near Linz. It is not part of its surrounding Wels County , but a so-called Statutarstadt . However, Wels is the county seat of Wels-Land.- Geography :Wels is located in the...
I./JG 27 increased its establishment of personnel and aircraft to double its usual complement, as the unit undertook training for experienced junior pilots from other units to become formation leaders.
On 14 May 1944 Unteroffizier. Stadler of 7. JG 27 scored the last of JG 27's victories in the North African and Mediterranean theaters when six Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.84 was an Italian bomber aircraft of World War II. It was designed by Savoia-Marchetti as a replacement for its successful SM.79, and shared its three-engine layout...
s of Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force , or Air Force of the South , was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September...
were shot down over the Strait of Otranto
Strait of Otranto
The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and separates Italy from Albania. Its width at Punta Palascìa, east of Salento is less than . The strait is named after the Italian city of Otranto.- History :...
. JG 27s last casualty, Unteroffizier Gerhard Siegling was shot down and killed in this action. He was the last of 150 German pilots killed in the theatre.
In June 1944 the invasion of France
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...
prompted I, III. and IV./JG 27 to be thrown into the battle, initially stationed on airfields around Rheims. By September the Jagdgruppen in France had been decimated, with JG 27 alone losing nearly 200 aircraft and 87 pilots killed and 62 wounded. (146 Allied aircraft were claimed shot down.) They were withdrawn to Saxonia for re-formation. In the meantime II./JG 27 were based in Austria, "working up" on the Bf 109 G-6/AS high altitude fighter.
By November JG 27 was back serving with Reich air defense, flying operations in the Southern Germany and Austria against the USAAF 15th Air Force bombing raids. On 2 November JG 27 suffered its highest losses on a single day, losing 53 aircraft with 27 pilots killed and 11 wounded, to the P-51 escort fighters of the USAAF, in return for six USAAF P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
s shot down
The Geschwader also took part in the ill-fated Operation Bodenplatte
Operation Bodenplatte
Operation Bodenplatte launched on 1 January 1945, was an attempt by the Luftwaffe to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries during the Second World War. The goal of Bodenplatte was to gain air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge, to allow the German Army and...
attacks on Allied airfields on New Year's Day 1945, losing 15 pilots. The IV Gruppe was disbanded in March 1945 to provide reinforcements to the other Gruppen.
By 8 May, the remains of JG 27 were based near Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. JG 27's commander surrendered to the American forces nearby.
Although official records were lost at the end of the war, research suggests Jagdgeschwader 27 claimed over 3,100 kills for some 1,400 aircraft lost, and lost approximately 827 pilots killed, missing or POW during 1939-45.
Twenty-four JG 27 pilots earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.
Statistics
| Victories | KIA | MIA | POW | wounded | injured | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stab/Jagdgeschwader 27 | ||||||
| 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... 10 May 1940 – 25 June 1940 |
18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Battle of Britain Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940... July 1940 – November 1940 |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Balkans Balkans The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe... April 1941 – May 1941 |
1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare... June 1941 – October 1941 |
13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Africa North Africa North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and... 10 December 1941 – 2 December 1942 |
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 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,... April 1943 – June 1943 |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aegean Sea Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus... July 1943 – February 1944 |
6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Defense of the Reich Defense of the Reich The Defence of the Reich is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German occupied Europe and Germany itself during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the destruction of German military and civil industries by the Western Allies... February 1944 – June 1944 |
25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Invasion of Normandy June 1944 – August 1944 |
12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I./Jagdgeschwader 27 | ||||||
| North Africa North Africa North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and... 18 April 1941 – 16 November 1942 |
590 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| II./Jagdgeschwader 27 | ||||||
| North Africa North Africa North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and... 16 September 1941 – 6 December 1942 |
433 | 23 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 4 |
| Jagdgeschwader 27 total | ||||||
Some of the Luftwaffe aces attached to JG 27
- Wilhelm BalthasarWilhelm BalthasarMajor 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...
23 kills with JG 27, 44 total - Karl-Heinz BendertKarl-Heinz BendertKarl-Heinz Bendert 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 Bendert claimed 55 victories in 610...
36 kills, 55 total - Emil CladeEmil CladeEmil Josef Clade was a Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II, and figured in German civilian aviation after the war...
27 kills - Ludwig FranzisketLudwig FranzisketProf. Dr. Ludwig Franzisket was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
43 all with JG 27, 1939–45 - Adolf GallandAdolf GallandAdolf "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...
14 kills with JG 27, 104 total - Fritz GromotkaFritz GromotkaFritz Gromotka was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Fritz Gromotka was credited with 29 aerial victories, 27 on the Western Front and 2 on the Eastern Front....
27 with JG 27 - Gerhard HomuthGerhard HomuthMajor Gerhard Homuth was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but two of his 63 victories against the Western Allies whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and was one of the top scoring aces in the North African campaign.- Military career :Homuth initially served in the...
46 in Africa, 61 with JG 27, 63 total - Max IbelMax IbelMax Ibel is credited among others as one of the creators of the Luftwaffe. Ibel organized JG 27 and led it successfully during the Battle of France. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross August 22, 1940, three months later he was given a staff position...
3 kills with JG 27 - Erbo Graf von KageneckErbo Graf von KageneckErbo Graf von Kageneck was a German fighter pilot and flying ace in the Luftwaffe from 1938 to 1942 during World War II. Graf von Kageneck was credited with 67 aerial victories—that is, 67 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft...
65 kills with JG27 (48 in USSR) - Willy KientschWilly KientschWilhelm "Willy" Kientsch was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
41 with JG 27, 52 total - Friedrich KörnerFriedrich KörnerFriedrich Körner was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Körner was credited with 36 victories in over 250...
36 kills, Africa - Hans-Joachim MarseilleHans-Joachim MarseilleHans-Joachim Marseille was a Luftwaffe fighter pilot and flying ace during World War II. He is noted for his aerial battles during the North African Campaign and his bohemian lifestyle. One of the best fighter pilots of World War II, he was nicknamed the "Star of Africa"...
151 with JG27 in Africa, 158 in total - Gustav RödelGustav RödelOberst Gustav Rödel was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but one of his 98 victories against the Western Allies in over 980 combat missions whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.-Biography:Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 in Merseburg, Saxony...
57 with JG 27, 98 kills total - Otto SchulzOtto SchulzOberleutnant Otto Schulz was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace...
42 in Africa, 51 kills total - Werner SchröerWerner SchröerWerner Schröer was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945...
61 kills in Africa, 114 in total - Rudolf Sinner 32 in Africa, 39 total
- Hans-Arnold StahlschmidtHans-Arnold StahlschmidtHans-Arnold Stahlschmidt was a German fighter pilot and ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He scored all of his 59 victories against the Western Allies in North Africa flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
59 kills, Africa - Peter WerfftPeter WerfftDr. Peter Werfft-Wessely , an Austrian chemist, was a Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II, and a chemical industry entrepreneur after the war. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
26 kills
Geschwaderkommodore
| Oberstleutnant Max Ibel Max Ibel Max Ibel is credited among others as one of the creators of the Luftwaffe. Ibel organized JG 27 and led it successfully during the Battle of France. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross August 22, 1940, three months later he was given a staff position... |
1 October 1939 | – | 10 October 1940 | |
| 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... |
11 October 1940 | – | 22 October 1940 | |
| Major Wolfgang Schellmann Wolfgang Schellmann Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Schellmann was German World War II Luftwaffe Ace, commander of JG 2 and JG 27 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... |
22 October 1940 | – | 21 June 1941 | KIA USSR |
| 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... |
21 June 1941 | – | 10 June 1942 | |
| Oberstleutnant Eduard Neumann Eduard Neumann Eduard 'Edu' Neumann was a German Luftwaffe Officer and commanded the famous Jagdgeschwader 27 ‘Afrika’ during the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943.-Early life:... |
10 June 1942 | – | 22 April 1943 | |
| Oberstleutnant Gustav Rödel Gustav Rödel Oberst Gustav Rödel was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but one of his 98 victories against the Western Allies in over 980 combat missions whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.-Biography:Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 in Merseburg, Saxony... |
22 April 1943 | – | 29 December 1944 | |
| Major Ludwig Franzisket Ludwig Franzisket Prof. Dr. Ludwig Franzisket was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat... |
30 December 1944 | – | 8 May 1945 |
Geschwaderadjutanten
| Hauptmann Joachim Schlichting Joachim Schlichting Major Joachim Schlichting was German Spanish Civil War and World War II Luftwaffe Ace and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... |
1 November 1939 | – | 13 February 1940 | |
| Hauptmann Eduard Neumann Eduard Neumann Eduard 'Edu' Neumann was a German Luftwaffe Officer and commanded the famous Jagdgeschwader 27 ‘Afrika’ during the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943.-Early life:... |
13 February 1940 | – | 20 July 1940 | |
| Hauptmann Herbert Nebenführ | July 1940 | – | 12 June 1941 | |
| Hauptmann Hermann Schultz | June 1941 | – | 30 March 1942 | wounded |
| 31 Mar 1942 | – | 26 May 1942 | ||
| Hauptmann Ernst Düllberg Ernst Düllberg Ernst Düllberg was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II... |
26 May 1942 | – | 16 October 1942 | |
| 16 Oct 1942 | – | |||
| Oberleutnant Jost Schlang | – | 4 January 1944 | KIA | |
| 5 Jan 1944 | – | 9 March 1944 | ||
| Hauptmann Geert Suwelack | 10 March 1944 | – | 6 October 1944 | |
| 7 October 1944 | – | 8 May 1945 |
I./JG 27
| Hauptmann Helmut Riegel | (1 October 1939 – 20 July 1940) |
| Major Eduard Neumann Eduard Neumann Eduard 'Edu' Neumann was a German Luftwaffe Officer and commanded the famous Jagdgeschwader 27 ‘Afrika’ during the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943.-Early life:... |
(21 July 1940 – 7 June 1942) |
| Hauptmann Gerhard Homuth Gerhard Homuth Major Gerhard Homuth was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but two of his 63 victories against the Western Allies whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and was one of the top scoring aces in the North African campaign.- Military career :Homuth initially served in the... |
(8 June 1942 – November 1942) |
| Hauptmann Heinrich Setz Heinrich Setz Heinrich Setz was a German World War II Luftwaffe 138 victories Flying ace and recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat... |
(12 November 1942 – 13 March 1943) |
| Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Heinecke (acting) | (17 March 1943 – 7 April 1943) |
| Hauptmann Erich Hohagen Erich Hohagen Erich Hohagen was a German Luftwaffe flying ace during World War II and a General in the post war Bundeswehr... |
(7 April 1943 – 15 July 1943) |
| Hauptmann Hans Remmer Hans Remmer Hans Remmer 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... (acting) |
1 June 1943 |
| Hauptmann Ludwig Franzisket Ludwig Franzisket Prof. Dr. Ludwig Franzisket was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat... |
(15 July 1943 – 12 May 1944) |
| Hauptmann Hans Remmer (acting) | March 1944 |
| Hauptmann Walter Blume (acting) | 3 April 1944 |
| Hauptmann Ernst Börngen Ernst Börngen Ernst Börngen 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... |
(13 May 1944 – 19 May 1944) |
| Major Karl-Wolfgang Redlich | (20 May 1944 – 29 May 1944) |
| Hauptmann Walter Blume | (30 May 1944 – 11 June 1944) |
| Hauptmann Rudolf Sinner | (12 June 1944 – 1 August 1944) |
| Hauptmann Siegfried Luckenbach (acting) | 30 July 1944 |
| Hauptmann Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He claimed a total of 96 victories and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... |
(August 1944 – 30 November 1944) |
| Hauptmann Johannes Neumayer | (1 December 1944 – 11 December 1944) |
| Hauptmann Schüller (acting) | 11 December 1944 |
| Hauptmann Eberhard Schade | (12 December 1944 – 1 March 1945) |
| Leutnant Buchholz (acting) | 1 March 1945 |
| Hauptmann Emil Clade Emil Clade Emil Josef Clade was a Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II, and figured in German civilian aviation after the war... |
(3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945) |
II./JG 27
| Hauptmann 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... |
(1 January 1940 – 1 February 1940) |
| Hauptmann Walter Andres | (1 February 1940 – 30 September 1940) |
| Hauptmann Ernst Düllberg Ernst Düllberg Ernst Düllberg was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II... (acting) |
since 8 August 1940 |
| Hauptmann Wolfgang Lippert (acting) | (4 September 1940 – 1 October 1941) |
| Hauptmann Wolfgang Lippert | (1 October 1940 – 23 November 1941) |
| Oberleutnant Gustav Rödel Gustav Rödel Oberst Gustav Rödel was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but one of his 98 victories against the Western Allies in over 980 combat missions whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.-Biography:Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 in Merseburg, Saxony... (acting) |
until 25 December 1941 |
| Hauptmann Erich Gerlitz | (25 December 1941 – 20 May 1942) |
| Hauptmann Gustav Rödel Gustav Rödel Oberst Gustav Rödel was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but one of his 98 victories against the Western Allies in over 980 combat missions whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.-Biography:Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 in Merseburg, Saxony... |
(20 May 1942 – 20 April 1943) |
| Hauptmann Werner Schröer Werner Schröer Werner Schröer was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945... |
(20 April 1943 – 13 March 1944) |
| Hauptmann Fritz Keller | (14 March 1945 – 7 May 1945) |
| Major Walter Spies (acting) | KIA 12 December 1944 |
| Hauptmann Herbert Kutscha | until 25 December 1944 |
| Hauptmann Gerhard Hoyer | KIA 21 January 1945 |
III./JG 27
- Hauptmann Joachim SchlichtingJoachim SchlichtingMajor Joachim Schlichting was German Spanish Civil War and World War II Luftwaffe Ace and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, 9 July 1940 - Hauptmann Max Dobislav, 7 September 1940
- Hauptmann Erhard Braune, 1 October 1941
- Hauptmann Ernst DüllbergErnst DüllbergErnst Düllberg was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II...
, 16 October 1942 - Oberleutnant Franz Stigler (acting), 1 October 1944
- Hauptmann Dr. Peter WerfftPeter WerfftDr. Peter Werfft-Wessely , an Austrian chemist, was a Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II, and a chemical industry entrepreneur after the war. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, October 1944 - Oberleutnant Emil CladeEmil CladeEmil Josef Clade was a Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II, and figured in German civilian aviation after the war...
(acting), February 1945
IV./JG 27
- Hauptmann Rudolf Sinner, June 1943
- Oberleutnant Dietrich Boesler (acting), September 1943
- Oberleutnant Alfred Burk (acting), October 1943
- Hauptmann Joachim KirschnerJoachim KirschnerHauptmann Joachim Kirschner was a German World War II Luftwaffe 188 victories Flying ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, 19 October 1943 - Hauptmann Otto Meyer, 1 February 1943
- Hauptmann Hanns-Heinz Dudeck, July 1944
- Hauptmann Ernst-Wilhelm ReinertErnst-Wilhelm ReinertErnst-Wilhelm Reinert was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
, 2 January 1945
JG 27 Knight's Cross Recipients
The following soldiers 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 27.
| Name | Knight's Cross | | Oak Leaves | | Swords | | Diamonds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst-Wilhem Reinert received the Knight's Cross and the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross with JG 77 | ||||
| * | ||||
| Werner Schröer received the Swords to his Knight's Cross with JG 3 | ||||
| * | ||||
| Knight's Cross with JG 3 | * | |||
| * | ||||
| * | ||||
JG 27 pilots killed or missing in action
External links
Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II