KITS 01/2023

4./NJG 1, St. Trond, Belgium, February 1942

NJG 1 was the oldest night fighter Luftwaffe unit and was

founded by the legendary Oberst Wolfgang Falck. At the beginning of 1942, the unit’s II. Gruppe was led by Major Walter

Ehle, who kept the commanding position for over next three

years. In 1942, the well-known night fighter Wilhelm Herget, for example, also served within the ranks of 4. Staffel

II./NJG 1. This “G9+JM” is interesting not only for the shark

mouth marking, but also for the temporary application

of a “naval” RLM 72 green on the upper surfaces, as this

plane took part in patrol flights for Operation Donnerkeil.

A quick identification mark came in the form of a yellow

fuselage band. During the operation, the Germans managed

to navigate the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau as

well as the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen through the English

Channel from Brest (Bretagne, France) to northern Germany.

The Luftwaffe, between February 11 and 13, 1942, ensured

uninterrupted patrols over the formation. II./NJG 1 and II./NJG

3 were tasked with cover duty during twilight and overnight

hours. On the second day of operations, elements of both night fighter units relocated to Lister airbase in Norway, from

which the last segment of the fleet’s cruise was covered.

The unit’s detachment stayed in Norway through to the end

of February. All air to air victories during Operation Donnerkeil were achieved by day fighters of the Luftwaffe.

Lt. Herbert Kutscha, 5./ZG 1, Soviet Union, 1942

Herbert Kutscha ((*1917 †2003) served with II./JG 77 at the

beginning of the war, but he was soon transferred to 5./ZG

1 equipped with Messerschmitts Bf 110. During the Battle of

France, he shot down a number of aircraft, including a Bf

109 of the air force of neutral Switzerland. Later, he also

gained much success on the Eastern Front as a ground

attack pilot, partially due to II./ZG 1 transformation into

II./SKG 210. Kutscha’s II.Gruppe, under the command of

Hptm. Rolf Kaldrack, was specialized in ground attack

operations, especially in low level bombing. The Bf 110

was able to move faster over the enemy territory than

other bombers. Here is where the term “fast bombardment wing” (SKG; Schnellkampfgeschwader) was coined.

Kutscha was awarded the Knight’s Cross after his 22nd

victory. At that time there were 41 aircraft destroyed on

the ground, 41 tanks, 15 locomotives, 11 anti-aircraft guns

and 157 transport vehicles added to his tally. In June 1943

he took command of 15. Staffel JG 3 “Udet”, utilizing single

engine fighters. In the summer of 1944, he took control of

II./JG 3 in Normandy and by the end of the year he changed

the unit to lead II./JG 27. From February 1945 he commanded III./JG 1 on the Eastern Front. All in all, he flew over 900

sorties and achieved 47 kills, six of which were four engine heavy bombers and 22 of his kills he achieved behind

controls of Bf 110. German Geschwader was much bigger

unit than RAF or USAAF Squadron. In fact, it was corresponding to USAAF Wing, while Gruppe was equal to USAAF

Group and Staffel was similar unit as the USAAF squadron.

Lt. Felix-Maria Brandis, 1.(Z)/JG 77, Malmi, Finland, 1942

One of the aircraft of 1.(Z)/JG 77 commander Lt. Felix-Maria Brandis while stationed on the Eastern Front. His credit

count tallied 14 victories of which five victims were British (including a pair of Fairey Albacores) and nine Soviet

aircraft. Lt. Brandis died on February 2, 1942, when flying

Bf 110E-2 (WNr. 2546) LN+AR at Olang. He crashed on the

return leg of a combat sortie in bad weather conditions.

January 2023

By that time, his unit had been re-designated 6.(Z)/JG 5

(January 25, 1942). The designation of the unit progressively changed from 1.(Z)/JG 77 to 6.(Z)/JG 5, 10.(Z)/JG 5 and

13.(Z)/JG 5. On the nose of the aircraft, there was the emblem of a dachshund with a Rata (Polikarpov I-16) in its

mouth. It was a typical marking of this unit, as a number of

these dogs were mascots of the “Dackelstaffel” through its

existence, irrespective of the unit designation carried at any

particular time. Some sources even say each crew had their

own dog. The wiener dogs even occasionally flew on combat

missions with the crew. The unit opposed British aircraft as

well as Soviet ones in northern Europe. This aircraft, flown

by Lt. Harry Kripphal, fell a victim of anti-aircraft fire 30 km

west of Murmansk on June 18, 1942.

INFO Eduard

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