Sturmstaffel 1, IV.(Sturm)/JG 3 - ebay photo find 316

..it is not every day that you come across new Sturmstaffel or Sturmgruppe images. Given the Bf 109 with IV. Gruppe bar these images possibly date from the period April/May 1944. In early May 1944 Sturmstaffel 1 was re-designated as 11. Staffel of IV./JG 3 under new Gruppenkommandeur Hptm Willi Moritz.  IV./JG 3 was to be re-equipped with the Fw 190 and further develop von Kornatzki's assault concept. The Sturmstaffel experiment had patently enjoyed a measure of success - all told some 62 heavy bombers had been claimed shot down between 11 January and 29 April 1944 for the loss of 11 of the original pilot complement killed in action. Their actions heralded a more general expansion of units using these methods with both II./JG 300 and II./JG 4 converting to the Sturm role during the summer of 1944..

The Fw 190 with the bulged cowl cover and the mid-wing pitot tube is an A-7 and is kitted out with 'blinkers', fuselage bands and the 'lightning bolt' emblem on the cowl..

my bids are in ..here

Eduard news for September - Limited Edition Reichsverteidigung Dual combo

From the Eduard media/distributors leaflet for September 2018.

Due in September is a 48th scale Limited Edition Reichsverteidigung Dual Combo kit containing the first of the new-tool late-war Fw 190 variants, in this instance the Sturm Fw 190 A-8/R2 with a Bf 109 G-6/G-14 in the markings (13 options) of the units engaged in home defence during 1944. The Fw 190 A-8/R2 is a new tool, the first of the late sub-versions, which were among the best sellers of the 'old' Fw 190 family.  Eduard's media leaflet is available to download here for more on this exciting Dual Combo and the artwork for the 13 decal options!

A photo of Lt. Hans Weik's IV./JG 3 'white 1' (or 'white 7' as it may have been and was for Weik's last combat flight) was first published in the Prien history of IV./JG 3 and Peter Rodeike's Jagdflugzeug 190. This is  probably the only Sturm machine to display rudder victory markings. Peter's original German language caption reads;

 "..  Fw 190 A-8/R2 of Staffelkapitän 10./JG 3 Lt. Hans Weik photographed during July 1944, probably on the airfield at Memmingen. Details of note on this 'white 1' are the overall black finish to the cowl which displays a small Geschwader emblem and the white-outlined 'eagle wing' Alderflügel. The canopy is fitted out with the armoured glass 'blinkers' although the windscreen is lacking the 30mm glass quarter panes. The IV. Gruppe wavy line features on the white RV fuselage band while the rudder sports several rows of white Abschußmarkierungen kill markings - Weik had achieved his 34th on 13 May 1944 claiming a B-17 shot down. (The first eleven victory markings were topped with a Soviet red star ) Note the aperture of a gun camera in the wing leading edge. The upper engine cowl MGs have been removed and the cowl gun troughs have been faired over.."


Details of the A-5/U12 gun pods (Eduard)

The U12 Rüstsatz comprised underwing gondolas each containing a pair of MG 151 cannon, one of the few armament Rüstsätze to reach operational status and was fitted to Staffelkapitän 2./JG11 Erich Hondt’s A-5 WNr 410 266 ‘schwarze 13' (see pic below, via J-Y Lorant). The numeral was black with a red outline. Hondt's machine displayed the so-called Schwarmführerstreifen or red diagonal stripes of a Schwarm leader along the fuselage sides appearing as a 'Vee' from above. The aircraft did not have a yellow Rumpfband although this sometimes features on artworks and models of course. In fact Hondt wrote a letter to his parents describing this machine and its colourful finish which was published in Jochen Prien's JG 1 and JG 11 history; painted with the red 'V', the white tail etc - but no mention of a yellow fuselage band at all. He doesn't mention a possible red spinner either. That's not conclusive by any means, far from it. Hondt was shot down and the aircraft lost on 8 October 1943 - this is before fuselage bands were introduced though. See also a small article by Peter Rodeike's in Jet and Prop 3/12 - he is also of the opinion that there was no yellow band at this time. The nice clear print of this machine below tends to show that the 'brighter' and 'clearer' the picture the less obvious is any change of colour towards the rear fuselage..

 My build of the excellent Eduard Fw 190 A-5 'heavy fighter' in 72nd scale is here

http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2017/12/eduard-focke-wulf-fw-190-5-heavy.html

Eduard's new Fw 190 A-8/R2 Profipack kit - 1:72nd scale

First look at and in the box of Eduard's latest Fw 190 variant in 1/72 - the 'R2' Sturmbock. Very impressed with the quality of the mold, while the amount of options and 'spare' parts in the box is something to behold. This 'Profipack' features coloured etch and decals for five machines (including Bretschneider's 'red 1' and Kornatzki's 'green 3'). The model also features separate ailerons, separate tyres and wheel hubs, different upper gun cowls and canopy options. The Sturm armour is molded in situ on the fuselage halves. This kit is available - as I write this - at the great price of just £11 in the UK via Mike at MJW Models. See Eduard's free pdf magazine issue 83 for the story behind the box-top art, download link below..

For a full account of the story behind the box-top art - the Memmingen air battle of 18 July 1944 - read Jan Zdiarsky's article in the latest Eduard Info pdf magazine. Free download at this link

  https://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2017/info-eduard-2017-05EN.pdf

Eduard Info 83 Memmingen 18 July 1944 by Jan Zdiarsky - IV.(Sturm)/JG 3

Published in the latest issue of Eduard's Info pdf magazine (no. 83) is Jan Zdiarsky's thorough account of the Memmingen air battle of 18 July 1944 which introduces Eduard's new Fw 190 A-8/R2 Profipack kit. The box-art is striking to say the least. Meticulously researched it is based on the facts as presented by Jan. The artist is in this case Piotr Forkasziewicz.

from the 483rd BG unit citation;

"..As part of the strategic effort of the 15th Air Force against industrial and counter air targets in south-western Germany, a force of 167 B-17s of the 5th Wing was dispatched on 18 July 1944 to attack and destroy the Memmingen airdrome and installations at Memmingen, Germany. The importance of this target is emphasized by its description in the Intelligence Annex to the Operations Order, "Memmingen Airdrome activity has increased, with recent cover showing 70 to 73 ME-110's and 410's not too well dispersed. The installations are used for repair and assembly. This makes this airdrome one of the highest priority counter-air targets.."

At that stage the Americans were almost certainly unaware that following the Oschersleben air battle of 7 July the Sturmjäger of IV./JG 3 had moved to a new and larger field just south of Munich equipped with a concrete runway coincidentally home to the Zerstörer training Gruppe I./ZG 101 - Memmingen!

Due to adverse weather encountered en route the US bombers found themselves devoid of fighter cover. In the absence of a properly authenticated recall signal, the 483rd BG decided to attack the primary target as ordered and continued on alone and unescorted over the northern edge of Italy, over Austria and into the target area in south-west Germany. Kommodore JG 300 Walther Dahl recalled events in his sometimes exaggerated memoir  "Rammjäger "..
  
"....I have been feeling unwell for several days. The flight surgeon reckons I’ve got a touch of angina and has confined me to my bed. I’m off the flight roster of course. It is a beautiful bright morning....my Ia comes in to tell me a call has come in from Division. A force of about one hundred bombers with strong fighter escort is headed towards Munich. Such a relatively small force heading towards a large city like Munich is unusual and it is difficult to track the exact course of the bombers with radar given the proximity of the Alps. Our Einsatzleiter (Mission Co-ordinator) Hptm Kraus has put the pilots on readiness. The first sightings come in from the ground observation post at Kempten. The bombers target must be Memmingen! My gut feeling was right! The bombers will arrive over the field in minutes !..."

Some 45 Fw 190 A-8/R2 Sturmböcke of IV.(Sturm)/JG 3 led by Hptm Wilhelm Moritz were scrambled. The Sturmgruppe climbed to meet the bombers now flying over Innsbruck in a north westerly direction. As they manoeuvred into their attack formation taking up station in line abreast individual Staffelführer selected their targets behind the bombers and calmly ordered their pilots to hold their fire until they had approached to close range....


For a full account of what happened on 18 July 1944, read Jan's article - certainly one of the most complete accounts of this battle. Free download at this link
 https://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2017/info-eduard-2017-05EN.pdf

(thanks to Adam at the 72nd scale news blog for the heads-up)


Also on this blog;

Fw 190 Sturmbock over Oschersleben 7 July 1944
http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/focke-wulf-190-sturmbock-over.html

Pauke! Pauke!  IV./ JG 3 and Sturmstaffel 1 in action against the US 8th Air Force, 11 April 1944
http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/pauke-pauke-iv-jg-3-and-sturmstaffel-1_4.html

Aces and pilots of JG 51 continued ... (Part 17) Lt Horst Haase

Courtesy of Michael Meyer, more aces and pilots of JG 51 including two images of a pilot identified as Horst Haase (above & below)

According to the seller these two images show Lt. Horst Haase dismounting from his Me 109 Friedrich of 10./JG 51 during the summer of 1942 in Russia. AFAIK these are the first two images of Haase to surface - other than the standard studio portrait. Haase is a pilot I've always had a particular interest in, having written and published articles on IV(Sturm)./ JG 3. (the resemblance though to the "Haase" in the photo at bottom seems rather dubious..? ) Haase was awarded the RK on 24 October 1944 and achieved around 55-60 Luftsiege including around 12 Viermots. As Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 51 he had achieved 46 victories when he was posted back to the West during May 1944 with 2. Staffel being incorporated into IV.(Sturm) / JG 3 at Salzwedel becoming the new 16. Staffel./JG 3 in August 1944. He thus features in Prien's IV./ JG 3 Gruppe history - although not photographically IIRC. Flying a heavily armed and thoroughly unmanoeuverable FW 190 A8-R2 Sturmbock in close formation must have been a world away from the low altitude turning dogfights or Kurbelein that characterised  air combat over the Russian Steppes. Yet Haase and other JG 51 aces such as Klaus Neumann and Oskar Romm were to become leading bomber killers and Knight’s Cross winners during the summer and autumn of 1944  in the Reichsverteidigung - defence of the Reich. Over Oschersleben on 7 July 1944 he claimed two B-24s and achieved victories during most of the Sturmgruppe actions that summer. Over Kassel on 27 September 1944 he downed a 445th BG B-24 for his 55th victory, while Oskar Romm brought down three B-24s in the same action. From 16 October 1944 he flew as Kommandeur of I./JG 3 but collided near Erkerlenz with his Rottenflieger on 25 November 1944 shortly after getting airborne in poor weather conditions and was killed in the crash. He was posthumously promoted to Major.

Below and bottom left; three images of  Lt. Bernhard Vechtel seen here in the East during the summer of 1942 . Vechtal was awarded the RK on 27 July 1944 and claimed in total some 108 Luftsiege, surviving the war. During April 1945 he was Staffelkapitän of 14./JG 51, seen below climbing out of a Me 109 Friedrich of 11./JG 51

Below; Fw Herbert Friebel returned 58 Luftsiege and was awarded the RK on 24 January 1943. KIA on 15 May 1944 as Staffelkapitän of 10./JG 51 - after downing a  Jak-9, hitting the ground and bursting into flames while chasing a La-5 (Bodenberührung mit Aufschlagbrand ) in the region of Horodyslyce south west of Tarnopol.

Below; 10./JG 51 pilot Ofw. Franz-Josef Beerenbrock seen during the summer of 1942. Awarded the RK on 6 October 1941 and the EL on 3 August 1942, claiming some 117 victories in total. Put down behind Russian lines on 9 November 1942 after shooting down three Russian machines north of Welish and was taken prisoner and survived the war.

Above, from left to right; Lt. Rolf Kickert, 6 Luftsiege as Staffelkapitän of 10. Staffel MIA on 17 December 1942, Lt. Bernhard Vechtel, Lt. Horst Haase (?) and Lt. Wolfgang Böwing-Treuding, awarded the RK on 24 March 1943 posthumously for 46 Luftsiege, KIA on 11 February 1943 while strafing a Russian transport column near Dubnitza west of Welikje Luki, hit by anti-aircraft fire.

Much more like this from Michael Meyer here 

More pilots and aces of JG 51 on this blog
http://falkeeins.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/JG%2051

Storming the bombers Volume II - first review. JG 4 Sturmgruppe Defending the Reich

During March 1945, high-ranking Wehrmacht officers undertook a number of tours of Luftwaffe aerodromes with the aim of relaying the following exhortations emanating from the Reichsmarchall Göring and Genraloberst Stumpf:

" The battle for the Reich, for our people and our homeland is entering its decisive phase. In blind hatred the nations of the world have come together to destroy us. We must draw on our last remaining forces to resist this evil tide. Never in our history has our German homeland been threatened with such total destruction from which there will be no rebirth. We can resist this danger only by manifesting the highest qualities of German combativeness. This is why I am turning to you in our most decisive hour of need: save the nation through the sacrifice in battle of your own life! I call upon you now to one last taking up of arms from which there is only a small probability of return. Those who respond to this appeal will immediately enrol for a flying training programme. Comrades - a place of honour awaits you in the roll call of the Luftwaffe's most revered fighting men. By your sacrifice you will give the German people renewed hope of victory and become an example for future generations in this hour of their greatest danger." (s) Göring

Several dozen pilots responded to this appeal - among them senior and experienced pilots from diverse backgrounds. It was explained that they would be called upon to dive their aircraft onto those of the enemy, as well as troop concentrations, pontoon bridges and other kinds of strategic objectives. Many of the contingent of volunteers were to train for the 'suicide' mission mounted by the Sonderkommando Elbe mentioned previously, while other volunteers were kept in reserve for other types of Selbstopfer – or 'self-sacrifice' - operations. For many of them life itself had already lost all meaning following the death of loved ones and the destruction and loss of all their possessions. Having lived since a young age in the Third Reich, they had in all likelihood been convinced by the Nazi Party propaganda machine of the superiority of their nation and their race. Many doubtless considered that their own fate was indivisible from that of the nation. If this value system was to collapse then everything they held dear would be destroyed for ever. For most the only possible outcome was to die in action - to go down with the Third Reich in its death throes.

Those remaining members of JG 4 who had some contact with the activities and operations of these suicide pilots - usually as a result of being assigned to escort them into action - would remain deeply affected by the experience. Lt. Ewald Kraas, of the Stab III./JG 4 recalled;

" In early April 45 - as the Soviet advance along the Oder front was showing signs of stalling - there were a number of discussions on the subject of suicide missions at the level of the Geschwaderstab in JG 4 - we had become aware that a group of volunteer pilots were being called upon to fly their aircraft - packed with explosives - into the pontoon bridges that had been thrown across the Oder. During this period of inflammatory calls to the German fighting spirit it came as no surprise that some of our pilots were coming forward to undertake these kinds of 'self-sacrifice' missions - after all there had never been any shortage of volunteers for the Sturmstaffeln in our Geschwader. However a Rammjäger always had the option of bailing out at the last minute after ramming an enemy bomber - but these Selbstopfer pilots were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, diving their fully fuelled fighters onto enemy targets..

During the middle of April our Kommodore, Obstlt. Michalski, accompanied by several staff officers paid a visit to Jüterbog/Altes Lager - the aerodrome where the suicide volunteers were assembling. On his return he described the situation there to Hptm. Gerhard Strasen- I was present during this conversation. Michalski had seen eighty volunteers - pilots of all ages, ranks, backgrounds and experience. There was even an Oberfeldwebel among their number who had been decorated with the Ritterkreuz. The discussion turned to the motivations of these men and what drove them to want to sacrifice themselves in this way. Michalski turned to me and said : "well, Lt. Kraas, would you ever consider putting yourself forward to fly this kind of mission?"

Without hesitation I replied: "Herr Oberstleutnant, frankly - not at all!" _" No, neither would I" he admitted..

A link to Adam Norenberg's review of "Storming the Bombers - Vol. 2".

" ...The rare oral testimonies found here are backed up by excellent photographs from pilots and crew’s private collections. Credit must go as well to Neil Page who has produced the translation of the text and has made sure the book is never just a dry account of history as many books are when translated into the English language..."



http://www.themodellingnews.com/2012/01/review-storming-bombers-chronicle-of.html

II.(Sturm)/JG 4 on the Eastern Front, February 1945, Fw 190 Defence of the Reich

Above;  'Yellow 8' of 7.(Sturm)/ JG 4 assigned to Hans Gerd Neuhaus being replenished with fuel and munitions at Neuhausen during February 1945. Note the black-white-black Reichsvertidigung fuselage bands and the snow on the ground..

By late January 1945, when the Soviets reached the Oder just sixty miles from Berlin, the Sturmgruppen suddenly had more pressing concerns than shooting down USAF bombers.  ALL three Gruppen of Fw 190 bomber destroyers were deployed to the Eastern Front in short order, where their heavily armed and armoured Fw 190 A-8/R8s were committed on hazardous low-level strafing and bombing attacks on Soviet troops as the latter prepared their all-out assault on the Reichshauptstadt.

During early February 1945 the 48 pilots and 38 aircraft of II.(Sturm)/JG 4 were located at Neuhausen in der Lausitz under Major Gerhard Schroeder flying operations in defence of Cottbus and the surrounding area. The results of operations flown from this field during the first week of February were mixed to say the least. While the Fw 190s ventral racks now toted 250 kg bombs and their 20mm and 30mm cannon could inflict heavy losses on soft-skinned vehicles, horse-drawn columns and even tanks, it was often difficult to pick out valid targets on roads clogged with refugees fleeing westwards ahead of the Soviet advance. Soviet columns also quickly adopted the practise of using refugee Treks as human shields. Facilities for the Sturmgruppe at Neuhausen were rudimentary and the runway track was pitted and rutted and covered in puddles which grew ever-larger in the melting snow, resulting in a number of accidents.

During the week or so that the Sturmgruppe was based there, a constant round of  ground-attack sorties was flown for which its pilots had received little or no training. From the cockpits of their Fw 190s the pilots could see Russian columns that stretched away to the horizon, their progress marked by columns of smoke. There was little evidence of German troops on the ground- just devastation, " as though the entire Steppe was unfurling over Germany.." Ogfr. Adolf Held of 6. (Sturm)./ JG 4 wrote in his diary;

" ..our runway track is little more than a lake which has already resulted in seven landing accidents over the last few days and further takeoffs have been prohibited. As the Soviets are now no more than kilometres away we have been given instruction on how to handle Panzerfaust bazooka rocket launchers.."

The picture above is taken from the album of Hans Gerd Neuhaus, formerly a nightfighter pilot who joined JG 4 during late 1944. The images from Neuhaus' album were published over three issues of the German magazine 'Flugzeug Classic' during 2010 and the image here is reproduced with the kind permission of FLUGZEUG CLASSIC editor Markus Wunderlich. Back issues and a chance to view an on-line sample of the current issue are available at the link.

STOP PRESS -  images taken down since originally posted they have subsequently been secured for Volume II of the JG 4 history currently at the printers !

Wilhelm Moritz Fw 190 A-8/R2 Schongau August 1944 - 1/48 Sturmbock

Most Luftwaffe enthusiasts are familiar with Wilhelm Moritz's late IV./JG 3 Sturmbock  but superlative builds of his Fw 190 A-8/ R2 are perhaps not so common. This is UK modeller Rowan Gough's very nice Fw 190 Sturmbock as flown by the Kommandeur of  IV.(Sturm) /JG 3 during the summer of 1944.

Note the full "Sturmjägerausrüstung" - assault fighter equipment/armament package - featured on this machine, consisting of an armoured glass windscreen, triangular glass panels and side panels (otherwise known as "Scheuklappen", or 'blinkers') and Zusatzscheibe cockpit armour plates. This additional armour package had no Rüstsatz-number at the time, although it is sometimes designated "R7". In order to save weight, the MG cowl machine guns were removed and faired over on these aircraft. The heavy MK 108 cannon in the outer wing position are the principal feature of the R2 Rüstsatz, although Fieseler-manufactured Sturmjäger usually featured -as here - the broad Holzluftschraube wooden prop blades, and a BMW 801 D-2 engine incorporating the erhoehte Notleistung emergency power boost as indicated by the small yellow ring to rear of the upper cowl .

During August 1944 IV.(Sturm) /JG 3 was expanded to four Staffeln but the unit's pilot losses during that month were particularly severe - and not always due to enemy action!

The Staffelkapitän of 13./JG 3 Ekkehard Tichy - who had lost an eye during combat in March 1944 - was killed when he collided with a B-17 on 16 August. Posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant and awarded the Ritterkreuz, Ekkehard Tichy had some 25 victories including eleven four-engined bombers. Worse was to come on the morning of 20 August 1944 when 7. Jagddivision ordered IV.(Sturm)/JG 3 to readiness in anticipation of a 15th AF raid coming up from Italy. The pilots of 14.(Sturm)/JG 3 were collected from their quarters off the base for the short journey to Schongau. My correspondent former Sturmstaffel 1 and IV./JG 3 pilot Günter Ehrlich recalled what happened next in a letter written in 2001;

“..On 20 August 1944, readiness had been ordered and our bike and sidecar driver set out to get us four pilots of 14. Staffel to Schongau as quickly as possible. At a bend our totally overloaded motorcycle smashed straight into an oncoming truck. The injuries of those on the cycle were in part so severe that the 14. Sturmstaffel had to do without Unteroffiziere Oskar Bösch, Günter Ehrlich, Erich Pusch and Werner Schanz for a lengthy time. Since I was jammed into the sidecar, my left leg suffered a compound fracture. My convalescence extended well into 1945 and by the time I finally rejoined my comrades in Prenzlau in February they were flying combat sorties against the Russians..”

Rowans' complete build log is featured on britmodeller.com here

Click on the label links below for more on this blog on the Sturmgruppen and the Fw 190 A-8/R2

NEW from Casemate "The Last Drop" - Operation Varsity March 24-25 1945

"...In March 1945 Allied forces prepared for the final drive into Germany to end World War II. Standing in their way were the Rhine River and, on the opposite bank, desperate German defenders ready to fight to the last man. Operation Varsity--the last major airborne assault of World War II and the largest airborne assault of all time--began on the morning of March 24 when a fleet of Allied transport planes took off from air bases in France and England. In addition to towing more than 1,300 gliders, the planes carried some 17,000 paratroopers from two Allied divisions--the Red Devils of the British 6th Airborne Division and the Thunder from Heaven of the U.S. 17th Airborne Division. While the 6th had parachuted into battle on D-Day, the 17th had never jumped in combat before. Their mission was to drop behind enemy lines near Wesel, Germany, and gain a foothold for the Allied ground troops who would soon pour across the Rhine. The Germans had reinforced the area with antiaircraft artillery and greeted the invading armada with a firestorm of flak. Some Allied planes went down before troops could jump; others burned as paratroopers leapt from them. Upon hitting the ground, the soldiers regrouped, defeated sharp German resistance, and secured their objectives in the fields, forests, and villages around Wesel. Drawing on war diaries, unit histories, after-action reports, and interviews with veterans, The Last Drop captures Operation Varsity as it was experienced by soldiers in the sky and on the ground, from the horrors of parachuting from a C-46 or flying a glider through bursting artillery fire to the mental and physical punishment of infantry combat..."

From the view point of the Luftwaffe's hard-pressed fighters, Varsity was perhaps the final nail in the coffin for those piston-engined fighter units still offering resistance on the western Front. Even the leading Reich defence Geschwader JG 300 was committed against the Allied airborne forces landing east of the Rhine!  The forces put up by III. and IV./JG 300, weakened by losses in combat and accidents, amounted to only some fifteen aircraft per Gruppe while II./JG 300 put 32 fighters in the air. This was to be their last major action of the war. Fw. Ulrich Hampel (7. Staffel) was flying as wingman to Ofw. Rudi Zwesken;

 "...We were jumped by Mustangs with a big height advantage who proceeded to cut to ribbons the last three or four Schwärme of our formation in almost total radio silence! My attention was drawn to a muffled cry, barely audible in my earphones. I thought I heard the word “Mum”, but it was perhaps “Mustang”. I immediately shot a glance behind and saw, staggered back to the horizon, seven or eight palls of black smoke, which marked the sites where my comrades had plunged into the ground. I saw one them going down and impact in a ball of fire. The fact that I was flying in Rudi Zwesken’s Schwarm most probably saved my life. Just as we became aware of the drama being played out behind us, one or two very audible shouts of “Mustang!” shattered the radio silence. The two leading Schwärme broke hard and turned into the enemy fighters. I yoked my ship into a steep turn to starboard while switching on my gunsight and dropping my ventral tank. In such situations of “clear and present danger”, breaking hard to starboard was axiomatic, a sort of practiced routine. The enemy fighters almost certainly failed to follow me because of the surprise effect of this maneuver. Given the low altitude, the combat was brief. As my Schwarm had been split asunder, it was “every man for himself ..."

The mission was a disaster for JG 300 as the Focke Wulfs and Messerschmitts were cut to pieces by P-51s of the 353rd FG. The few remaining fighter aces of the Sturmgruppe II./JG300 were killed including Fw. Ewald Preiß of 6./JG300 and Rudi Noske of 8./JG300.

Of the 32 Focke-Wulf 190s airborne from Löbnitz, barely ten made it back to the airfield. 5. Staffel had lost six pilots.  6. Staffel had been literally wiped out during the encounter. If Lt. “Gustl” Sallfner’s 7. Staffel had returned largely unscathed, claiming two Mustangs shot down, the same could not be said of 8. Staffel. Two of its veteran pilots, Hptm. Kurt Loos and Fw. Rudi Noske, perished near Göttingen. The last Sturmgruppe defending the Reich had suffered irreplaceable losses.

Uffz. Hans Bastek (5./JG 300), shot down and killed over Göttingen on 24 March 1945 by Mustangs of the 353rd FG

unknown Sturmjäger pilot IV.(Sturm)/JG3

Another photographic gem (and low-res copy) from the collection of French researcher, author, archivist Jean-Yves Lorant. Lovely view of an unfortunately unidentified Sturm pilot of IV./JG3 seen at cockpit readiness in December 1944 or January 1945 at Gütersloh. This Sturmbock is still fitted with the armoured canopy glass known as Scheuklappen or 'blinkers' and may be a  machine from Oskar Bösch's 14. Staffel although any other indications/guesses would be most welcome. Feldwebel Josef Brandt of 13./JG3 is another candidate but the only photo of this pilot published hitherto in Jochen Prien's Chronik is too over-exposed and indistinct to allow a positive identification.

The history of 3./JGr. 10 -Stopsack article in Luftwaffe im Focus (Krebsgerät)

 Pilot and mechanic in front of 'black 15' of 3./JGr10 fitted with the 'Crab' device. Note the unit code 'IL'  aft of the Balkenkreuz.



The Chris Stopsack article in  " Luftwaffe im Focus 16 " was an excellent acount of the activities of a little known unit and I was sorry to see that part II of his feature was not included in LiF 17. 3./JGr10 was an operational trials Staffel involved in the testing of heavy weapons against the bomber Pulks and flew alongside II./(Sturm) JG300 from Erfurt-Bindersleben during September 1944 equipped with the rearward facing (or firing) WGr. 21 rocket launcher dubbed the Krebsgerät or 'crab device' which was mounted under the fuselage centre section. Losses were severe - as indeed they were for II.(Sturm)/JG300 that month. However this wasn't the first occasion that II./JG300 had been in action alongside Krebs machines as Stopsack seems to suggest in his piece. Some five months prior to 3./JGr10's operational deployment back in May 1944 12. Staffel of IV.(Sturm)/JG3 had already flown Krebs-equipped Fw 190s (see Willi Unger photo above) and Ernst Schröder reports that he regularly saw their black-cowled  Krebs 190s then.  That trials with the weapon continued well into the autumn of 1944 points to the increasing desperation evident in the Reichs air defence hierarchy. Krebs pilots were little more than cannon fodder. Schröder is scathing about the usefulness or otherwise of the weapon  - the Krebsgerät he writes was " a completely senseless notion. A fighter pilot could neither see nor aim to the rear. Of course its additional weight impacted heavily on the manouevrability of the lumbering Sturmbock Fw 190. Tactically a drop tank of fuel would have been a far better idea !"

Eduard weekend edition Fw 190 Sturmbock 1:48 scale

To coincide with the release of their new 'weekend' edition of their Fw 190 Sturmbock kit the Eduard July 2010 newsletter contains an informative and well written piece by Jan Zdiarsky on the history of Sturmbock or 'bomber destroyer' variant of the Focke Wulf 190 heavy fighter with particular reference to IV.(Sturm)/JG3 and II.(Sturm)/JG4. Download currently available from the Eduard homepage. Alternatively you can visit the 'label' links at the bottom of this post for more on the Fw 190 Sturmbock with photos exclusive to this site.

Eduard homepage





Here is the reference photo that Eduard presumably used in preparing their profile above. I first published this shot in my March 2001 SAM 'Sturmgruppen 1944' article. Note this 6. Staffel pilot's named mispelled in the Eduard caption above - he was Fw. Adalbert KOCH and is seen seated on the engine cowl in the photo below. Note that his Sturmbock was in fact 'Yellow 15' and not 'yellow 5'. The open machine gun cowl cover indicates that there were no cowl MG 131s. The inscription 'Titti Wau Wau' (his baby daughter's first 'words') appears on the armour plate below the cockpit. The armoured glass canopy panes were soon dispensed with by the pilots as ice tended to form between them and the canopy at high altitude..

Luftwaffe profiles (Konrad Bauer, Hans Weik, Wilhem Moritz, Grislawski, Kennel etc )

Bf109 G-6 flown by Hptm Gerd Stamp, Gkr. I./JG 300, summer 1944

 I'm not a big fan of profile artwork nowadays - unless its very well done. For example Mark Styling's Luftwaffe images are especially poor. Once upon a time I did a bit of 'artwork' - some of it was even published, but I quickly gave up since I simply couldn't spare the five hours it took me to create my illustrations. I got fed up with nudging individual pixels around the screen. Of course you can tell that from the quality, but at the time I was happy enough with them. In fact lots of my profiles are still floating around the web, so I thought I'd bring together some of my own artwork - which I've collected from other sites, thanks guys - on my own site. And say what you like about them, I reckon my Karl-Heinz Langer  G-6 of III./JG3 is miles better than Mark Styling's effort! Click on the images for a slightly larger image ..if you dare

FW 190 A-7 'White 9 + ' of Hptm. Alfred Grislawski, 1./J.G.1, January 1944




Hans Weik was Staffelkapitän of 10./JG 3. Attacking B-17s raiding Memmingen on 18 July 1944 he was wounded by return fire while flying Fw 190A-8/R2 (W.Nr. 680 747) "White 7". He flew "White 7" from 27 June to 18 July 1944 returning two of his 36 total victories. His wounds were serious enough to keep Weik from any further front line duties. On 27 July, Oberleutnant Weik was awarded the Ritterkreuz for 36 victories. In April 1945, Weik was transferred to III./ EJG 2 at Lechfeld to train on the Me 262 jet fighter.







Hans Ifland, IV./JG3 April 1944 (reference photo in Prien 'Chronik einer Jagdgruppe')


Karl-Heinz Langer, Staffelkapitän 7./JG3 October 1943. Ignore the model pic(above), the mottle looked absolutely nothing like that !

Walther Dahl's 'blue 13' - the cowl emblem was layered into the picture after scanning it in from a decal sheet printing - yep, even 'real' profile artists take these sort of shortcuts ! Published in Scale Aircraft Modelling, vol 23 issue 1, March 2001



FW 190 A-8 W.Nr 171 789 'Black << + -' of Major Karl Kennel, II./S.G.2, Kitzingen, Germany, 8 May 1945