Text: Jan Bobek

Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz 

Cat. No. 84186

Among the German fighter units that moved from the Eastern Front to Western Europe at the end of summer 1943 was II./JG 3 “Udet” under the command of Maj. Kurt Brändle. From the eastern battlefield, its Stab and three Staffeln returned with more than 2,100 kills to their credit. It suffered its heaviest losses during the Battle of Kursk and in the following weeks of July, losing 24 Messerschmitts Bf 109 in combat and 14 pilots killed, wounded or missing. After moving west in late August 1943, JG3 was supplemented with a large group of novices, but its core was still a strong group of experienced veterans. The transition to combat with American bombers and their fighter escorts was no easy task. Brändle’s unit scored more than thirty kills during September and October, but lost 22 pilots with 17 Bf 109s  shot down, while another 20 were written off due to crashes. However, the worst was yet to come.On November 3, 1943, American heavy bombers made a raid on Wilhelmshafen, accompanied by one Fighter Group with P-38s and seven others armed with P-47s. Germans were only able to send 139 fighters due to bad weather. Brändle’s II./JG 3 took off from Schiphol and in a 30-minute battle with P-47s of 4th Fighter Group under the command of Lt. Col. Blakeslee claimed four victories. Two P-47s were lost and Brändle scored his 171st and 172nd victories in the process.However, the situation was reversed in the afternoon when Schiphol airfield was attacked by 64 B-26 Marauders. The first box of Marauders flew under the protection of Coltishall Wing and the second box was protected by Spitfires of the Canadian Digby Wing, commanded by W/Cdr Lloyd W. Chadburn. Brändle’s unit was ordered to make an emergency take-off at 15.40, but alarm came late as bombs began to fall on the airfield as the last of the 109s were taking-off. Brändle didn’t have time to organize his unit against the attacking formation. The fighter escort faced about fifteen 109s, which were scattered in flights of two to four fighters. Spitfires attacked them immediately.The first kill was recorded by F/O A. Bradshaw of No. 129 Sq at 15:56 over Zandvoort, on the coast. Canadian No. 416 Sqn. fought the 109s in a wild dogfight at 1,000 feet over the same town. At 16.00 one fighter was shot down by F/Lt D. E. Noonan over the town´s centre. His victim was apparently Fw. Walter Stienhans of 6./JG 3, whose machine crashed into the town and the pilot was killed. On the outskirts of Zandvoort one Bf 109 each were claimed by F/Lt R. D. Booth, F/O W. H. Jacobs and F/Lt A. H. Sager. Noonan and Sager together shot down one more. There was probably some overclaiming, because only Gefr. Hans Hahn, also of 6./JG 3, crashed on the outskirts of the town and perished. A member of this Staffel, Fw. Walter Stienhans, shot down Jacobs, who was last seen with black smoke coming from his Spitfire and did not survive. Over Schiphol one Bf 109 was shot down by S/Ldr M.G.L.M Donnet of No. 64 Sq. This may have been the machine that crashed at Hoofdorp and its pilot escaped unhurt. Two other Messerschmitts made emergency landings at Schiphol, one with combat damage, the other due to pilot error. Over the sea off Ijmuiden, W/C Chadburn hit  another Bf 109, whose pilot bailed out. F/Lt John D. Mitchner of No. 402 Sq RCAF first pursued one fighter whose pilot bailed out before the Canadian could open fire. He then sent down another machine, burning, whose pilot also bailed out. This moment is captured by Piotr Forkasiewicz in the painting of this boxart story.Chadburn claimed another Bf 109, whose pilot also bailed out from burning machine. The final success was achieved by S/Ldr G. W. Northcott of No. 402 Sq RCAF, who hit a Bf 109 which caught fire and disintegrated. Northcott mistakenly thought his wingman's machine was on fire. However, his wingman flew unhurt through the explosion and lost contact with his leader. This situation was recreated by Piotr Forkasiewicz on the boxart of the previously released 1/48 scale kit Spitfire Mk. Vb late. The five victories listed above correspond to the three losses that occurred over the sea. Major Brändle, Lt. Horst Brock of 6./JG 3 and Uffz. Horst Kirschner of 4./JG 3 did not survive. The crushing defeat of II./JG 3 became one of the most successful actions in the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Among the German fighter units that moved from the Eastern Front to Western Europe at the end of summer 1943 was II./JG 3 “Udet” under the command of Maj. Kurt Brändle. From the eastern battlefield, its Stab and three Staffeln returned with more than 2,100 kills to their credit. It suffered its heaviest losses during the Battle of Kursk and in the following weeks of July, losing 24 Messerschmitts Bf 109 in combat and 14 pilots killed, wounded or missing.

After moving west in late August 1943, JG3 was supplemented with a large group of novices, but its core was still a strong group of experienced veterans. The transition to combat with American bombers and their fighter escorts was no easy task. Brändle’s unit scored more than thirty kills during September and October, but lost 22 pilots with 17 Bf 109s  shot down, while another 20 were written off due to crashes. However, the worst was yet to come.

On November 3, 1943, American heavy bombers made a raid on Wilhelmshafen, accompanied by one Fighter Group with P-38s and seven others armed with P-47s. Germans were only able to send 139 fighters due to bad weather. Brändle’s II./JG 3 took off from Schiphol and in a 30-minute battle with P-47s of 4th Fighter Group under the command of Lt. Col. Blakeslee claimed four victories. Two P-47s were lost and Brändle scored his 171st and 172nd victories in the process.

However, the situation was reversed in the afternoon when Schiphol airfield was attacked by 64 B-26 Marauders. The first box of Marauders flew under the protection of Coltishall Wing and the second box was protected by Spitfires of the Canadian Digby Wing, commanded by W/Cdr Lloyd W. Chadburn. Brändle’s unit was ordered to make an emergency take-off at 15.40, but alarm came late as bombs began to fall on the airfield as the last of the 109s were taking-off. Brändle didn’t have time to organize his unit against the attacking formation. The fighter escort faced about fifteen 109s, which were scattered in flights of two to four fighters. Spitfires attacked them immediately.

The first kill was recorded by F/O A. Bradshaw of No. 129 Sq at 15:56 over Zandvoort, on the coast. Canadian No. 416 Sqn. fought the 109s in a wild dogfight at 1,000 feet over the same town. At 16.00 one fighter was shot down by F/Lt D. E. Noonan over the town´s centre. His victim was apparently Fw. Walter Stienhans of 6./JG 3, whose machine crashed into the town and the pilot was killed.

On the outskirts of Zandvoort one Bf 109 each were claimed by F/Lt R. D. Booth, F/O W. H. Jacobs and F/Lt A. H. Sager. Noonan and Sager together shot down one more. There was probably some overclaiming, because only Gefr. Hans Hahn, also of 6./JG 3, crashed on the outskirts of the town and perished. A member of this Staffel, Fw. Walter Stienhans, shot down Jacobs, who was last seen with black smoke coming from his Spitfire and did not survive.

Over Schiphol one Bf 109 was shot down by S/Ldr M.G.L.M Donnet of No. 64 Sq. This may have been the machine that crashed at Hoofdorp and its pilot escaped unhurt. Two other Messerschmitts made emergency landings at Schiphol, one with combat damage, the other due to pilot error.

Over the sea off Ijmuiden, W/C Chadburn hit  another Bf 109, whose pilot bailed out. F/Lt John D. Mitchner of No. 402 Sq RCAF first pursued one fighter whose pilot bailed out before the Canadian could open fire. He then sent down another machine, burning, whose pilot also bailed out. This moment is captured by Piotr Forkasiewicz in the painting of this boxart story.

Chadburn claimed another Bf 109, whose pilot also bailed out from burning machine. The final success was achieved by S/Ldr G. W. Northcott of No. 402 Sq RCAF, who hit a Bf 109 which caught fire and disintegrated. Northcott mistakenly thought his wingman's machine was on fire. However, his wingman flew unhurt through the explosion and lost contact with his leader. This situation was recreated by Piotr Forkasiewicz on the boxart of the previously released 1/48 scale kit Spitfire Mk. Vb late. The five victories listed above correspond to the three losses that occurred over the sea. Major Brändle, Lt. Horst Brock of 6./JG 3 and Uffz. Horst Kirschner of 4./JG 3 did not survive. The crushing defeat of II./JG 3 became one of the most successful actions in the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force.