KITS 02/2023

6./ZG 1, Russia, Summer 1942

The wasp emblem (Wespe in German) was designed in the

autumn of 1939 by Lt. Richard Malchfelder, a technical

officer of one of the Zerstörergruppe (II./ZG 1). It was originally composed of three small wasps and was utilized by

the same Gruppe of heavy fighters that went through several designation changes (including II./SKG 210). Finally,

in early 1942, it ended up as II./ZG 1. Soon, other Gruppe of

Zerstörergeschwader 1 came to use the wasp emblem and

their Geschwader carried the operational name of “Wespen”. This aircraft sported the RLM 74/75/76 camouflage

pattern.

4./NJG 1, Sint-Truiden, 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 ensured uninterrupted patrols over the formation between February 11 and 13,

1942, with II./NJG 1 and II./NJG 3 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. Felix-Maria Brandis, 1.(Z)/JG 77, Malmi, Finland, 1942

One of the aircraft of 1.(Z)/JG 77 commander Leutnant

Felix-Maria Brandis while stationed on the Eastern

Front. His credit count tallied 14 victories of which

five victims were British aircraft (including a pair of

Fairey Albacores) and nine Soviet ones. 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. By that

February 2023

time, his unit had been redesignated as 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 crews. 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

55