The Luftwaffe over Germany: Defense of the Reich by Donald Caldwell Richard Muller

Author:Donald Caldwell, Richard Muller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Military / World War II
ISBN: 9781473896963
Publisher: Frontline Books
Published: 2014-04-01T16:00:00+00:00

Jagdabschnittsfü Ungarn

Obstlt. Neumann

Budapest

LUFTFLOTTE 3

GFM Sperrle

Paris

II. Jagdkorps

Genmaj. Junck

Chantilly

Jagddivision 4

Oberst Vieck

Metz

Jafü 4

Oberst von Bülow

St. Pol-Brias

Jagddivision 5

Genmaj. Hentschel

Jouy-en-Josas

Jafü 5

Oberst Gollob

Bernay

Jafü Bretagne

Oberst Mix

Rennes

Jafü Südfrankreich

Oberst Vollbracht

Aix

The day-fighter defenses of the Reich and the western occupied zone had now reached their penultimate state of organization, as tabulated above. Jagdabschnittsführer (Jagdabschnittsfü—Fighter Sector Leaders) controlled smaller forces than did Jagd-fliegerführer, sometimes single Staffeln. Jafü 1, Jafü 2, and Jafü 3 had by now been disbanded, their functions having been taken over by their parent Jagd-divisionen. The last major change would come on June 15, when Jafü Ostmark was renamed Jagd-division 8 and left Jagddivision 7.119

Seven Jagdgruppen from the three Wilde Sau Geschwader (JG 300, JG 301, JG 302) were merged smoothly into the day order of battle. According to Willi Reschke, an experienced Wilde Sau pilot, this was “… a period of great day success … The combination of bomber pilots experienced in night and formation flying and aggressive young fighter pilots (most at this time with some bad-weather training) gave good results—each learned from the other.”120

Sturmstaffel 1 received new aircraft in April— special-build Fw 190A-8/R2 Sturmböcke (“assault billy goats” or “battering rams”), which were up-armored and up-armed for the sole purpose of attacking the bomber Pulks. The Sturmbock was 180 kg (400 pounds) heavier than the standard Fw 190A-8, with external armor plate bolted around the cockpit and the gun troughs and laminated 30-mm-thick glass panels on the front and sides of the canopy. The outer-wing 20-mm cannon were replaced by 30-mm MK 108s firing high explosive shells called Minengranate. Only 55 rounds of ammunition could be carried for each cannon, enough for five seconds of fire. The Staffel’s standard rear attack to close range was deemed to be ideal for maximizing the destructive effect of these weapons.121

On April 2, the Fifteenth Air Force bombed two major targets in Steyr, Austria: a ball-bearing factory and an aircraft assembly plant. The Fifteenth still had only three P-38 groups and one P-47 group for escort, but this time staged them better to support the penetration leg of the mission. This undoubtedly saved many bombers, because Jafü Oberitalien and Jagddivision 7 responded early, and with maximum force, aided by the presence of a Fühlungshalter airplane from Osoppo and a straight-line course to Steyr by the bombers. The one Italian and two German Bf 109 Gruppen based in northern Italy attacked the stream and claimed 11 bombers, but were then driven off by the P-38s and P-47s. Jagddivision 7 called on Jagddivision 3 and was able to form nine Jagdgruppen and three Zerstörergruppen into three Gefechtsverbände, which attacked before, over, and after the target area. The Bf 110s had one of their last truly successful days in the RLV; 62 took off, and all made contact, attacking both the B-17 and the B-24 streams from the rear, with rockets. Claims by the twin-engine crews totaled five B-17s, three B-24s, and one P-38, for the loss of eight, most to 14th Fighter Group P-38s. The 312 single-engine fighters also attacked primarily from

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