In the early years of WWII, night-fighting operations in Russia were conducted only on an improvised basis - Bf 109s from JG 54 were some of the first Eastern Front 'nightfighters' attempting to interdict night-time resupply sorties into Leningrad in the early summer of 1942. It goes without saying therefore that Luftwaffe night fighting developed rather differently from the sophisticated defensive system established over Germany and western Europe. During 1941–42 there was no dedicated Luftwaffe night-fighter force, and Soviet night-time air operations were initially countered by whatever aircraft and crews were available - including He 111s - organised into small night-fighting Schwärme ('flights') assembled from bomber and reconnaissance aircraft—deployed by the various Luftflotten (air fleets). Engelbert Heiner was one of a handful of pilots from 9./KG 27 who made up the Nachtjagdschwarm of Luftflotte 4. Having scored 11 night victories in the He 111, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 9 December 1942.
The Germans faced both conventional Soviet bombers and transports and the small, slow Po-2 biplanes used extensively for harassment and partisan resupply missions operating behind German front lines. The latter proved surprisingly difficult targets because their low speed and extremely low-level operations made interception by fast fighters particularly challenging, so that much 'slower' German machines such as the Fw 189 were eventually deployed as night fighters. Several aces achieved victories with what Oblt. Josef Pützkuhl called the “slowest night fighter in the world" - the Fw 189 was fitted with search radar 'antlers' and Schräge Musik as MG 151s became available and hunted the R-5 and U-2 'crabs' when there were no bombing raids—the Ju 88 was far too fast for these lame ducks.
As Soviet night activity increased, the Luftwaffe established more specialised units, notably Nachtjagdgeschwader 100 (NJG 100) and NJG 200 in 1943. Their Ju 88s, Do 217s and Bf 110s were supported by mobile radar and ground-control stations on 'nightfighting trains', which could be moved as the front shifted. This was the so-called Eisenbahnnachtjagd ('railway night-fighting'). This allowed German crews to be directed towards approaching Soviet aircraft rather than simply searching for them independently. Nevertheless, the enormous distances involved, rapidly changing front lines, limited communications and the almost total absence of infrastructure made night interceptions particularly challenging. The organisation of NJG 200 formed in late August 1943 attests to the ad-hoc nature of the Luftwaffe's embryonic night fighter force in the East - the unit never had a Stab, far less a full complement. 1./NJG 200 was the redesignation of the Nachtjagdschwarm of Luftflotte 1 at Dno; 4./NJG 200 was formed at Orscha from the remnants of 10./ZG 1; 5./NJG 200 at Nikolajew was the former NJ Schwarm of Luftflotte 4, while 7./NJG 200 came from the NJ Schwarm of Luftflotte 6 at Smolensk. 7./NJG 200 was disbanded in December. On the same date, an 8./NJG 200 was established at Stalino with a mix of He 111s and Ju 88As for a total of barely 75 aircraft, no more than 50 of which would likely be serviceable.
Nonetheless experienced crews could achieve impressive results - especially during early 1944. Lt. Klaus Scheer of 4./NJG 100 downed five Soviet PS-84s in the Narva area (Estonia) at the controls of his Ju 88 C-6 coded “W7+BM” before landing back at Reval on the night of 6-7 March 1944. He accounted for four DB3-Fs on the night of 9-10 March during a raid by over 500 Soviet bombers on the Estonian capital of Tallinn, all later confirmed by Luftflotte 1. He ended the war with 24 night victories. That same night his comrade Uffz. Otto Holler achieved four Abschüsse in a row during the raid on Tallinn, achieving ace status. He was shot down and killed by return fire from his last victim—his kills were all later confirmed by Luftflotte 6. Hptm. Theodor Bellinghausen (4./NJG 100) also achieved ace status during the Tallinn raid, while Ofw. Karl Strohecker of 3./NJG 100 claimed a DB-6 and a “Martin” SB-2 for his fourth and fifth Luftsiege. Men such as Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, Günther Bertram, Josef Kociok, Alois Lechner, and Gustav Francsi became notable Eastern Front night-fighter aces and their comprehensive biographies feature throughout this magnificent volume in extensive 'side-bars'. Lechner was awarded the Ritterkreuz on February 5, 1944 after 42 victories. As the Russians moved ever westwards, some of these aces found themselves flying against the Western Allies - most notably following the uprising in Warsaw in the late summer of 1944. The Poles began their uprising without any significant logistic reserves, assuming that the fighting would last only three days. The Red Army failed to intervene and the fighting lasted 63 days. The RAF and the USAAF attempted to mount hazardous and ultimately unsuccessful resupply operations. Gustav Francsi claimed eight RAF bombers attempting to drop supplies over the Polish capital—including three “Lancasters” on the night of August 14/15 (all three were 178 Sqn B-24s from 205 Group). Another 1./NJG 100 ace, Ofw. Helmut Dahms, claimed two more Viermots on the night of 16-17 August 1944 and finished the war with 28 Abschüsse.
By early 1945 as huge Soviet columns moved through Poland and massed on the eastern approaches to Berlin the Eastern Front nightfighters flew what were primarily night ground-attack missions - once again new tactics had to be adopted and improvised even as the war neared its end. But even sorties like this had little impact on the Russian advance. By now units such as NJG 100 could not even operate from their remaining operational aerodromes without Mosquito intruders appearing over the field. Bertram's last victory - his 35th - was an RAF Lancaster on the evening of 10 April 1945.
The full story of the Luftwaffe's Eastern Front night fighters is told in this remarkable volume - from its ad-hoc beginnings to its 'radar trains', its aces, its 'chaotic' deployments and constantly improvised tactics. Comprehensive appendices include personnel and aircraft loss lists, camouflage and markings, tactics, victory claims and airfields and commanders. Unlike other World War II air forces and contrary to the accepted view, 'Nachtjagd over the Eastern Front' highlights the constant shortage of personnel and aircraft endured by the Luftwaffe. There were major difficulties in raising new units - even recruiting Zerstörer, bomber, transport and reconnaissance pilots could not make up the shortfall. The deployment of innovations such as night-fighting 'radar trains' resulted in important successes, but as in the West, the sheer numerical supremacy of the enemy led to an inexorable decline.
