Night fighting with Bf109s was not the invention of Hajo Herrmann and JG300 in 1943. One early Bf 109 night fighting unit was IV.(N)/JG2 which was established in February 1940 and had its origins in the Ar68-equipped 10.(N)/JG 131. Its component Staffeln assumed responsibility for the defence of the German Bight coastline under the operational command of the Stab/JG1. Maj. Albert Blumensaat was Gruppenkommandeur of IV.(N)/ JG2 from February to June 1940 when the unit was incorporated into NJG 1. He was previously Staffelkapitän of 10.(N) /JG2 prior to being appointed Gkr. He was replaced in this command by Oblt. Erwin Bacsila who later achieved a degree of notoriety with Sturmstaffel 1. The Staffelkapitän of 11.(N)/ JG2 was a certain Johannes Steinhoff while the StaKa of 12(N)./JG2 was Oblt. Hans Baer. 'N+7' above was probably the a/c of Ofw. Hermann Förster of 11.(N)/JG2 who claimed his first victory on 22 Feb 1940 (a Wellington -note the two tail kill markings). His second victory on 26 April 1940 was a 49 Sq Hampden shot down on a mine-laying sortie near Hörnum. On 23 April 1940 12. and 11.(N)/JG2 Bf109D fighters had moved from Jever via Aalborg to Trondheim (Norway) to support other fighter units in that theatre. 11.(N)/JG2 Bf109 D machines usually display the unit's Eulenwappen (owl emblem) on the forward fuselage just above the exhaust as here..
