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The name of the German fighter ace Hermann
Graf is mentioned in several Eduard kits, and
an article in INFO magazine 01/2024 covers
a part of his career that was closely linked to
German football. After his successful service
with JG 52 on the Eastern Front, then the
lead of operational training unit Erg. Gr. Ost in
France, Graf received a new assignment in the
summer of 1943. He was tasked with organizing
a unit dedicated to intercepting British
Mosquito aircraft. Hermann Göring himself
was interested in this mission, as he wanted to
prevent the raids these hard-to-catch aircraft
were launching on German cities. For more
details, you can read the article
To this end, two new fighter units were
established in June 1943. Jagdgeschwader Nord
(later renamed JG 25) was set up at Berlin-
Staaken airfield, with Obstlt. Herbert Ihlefeld
taking command in July. Under Graf's command,
Jagdgeschwader Süd was established at
Wiesbaden-Erbenheim airfield (not to be
confused with the operational training unit
Jagdgruppe Süd). Each unit consisted only
of a Geschwaderstab and three Staffel in
I. Gruppe, with no additional components. Their
armament included Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-5
and G-6s, and the command intended to equip
theaircraft with the GM-1 system for high-
altitude interception.
According to some sources, Graf managed
to shoot down one Mosquito in June, but this
is uncertain. By the autumn of 1943, Graf's unit
had achieved at least 26 victories, all of which
were B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.
JG Süd's first four victories occurred on
August 12 during an American raid on targets
in the Ruhr. Graf's pilots shot down three B-17s
and destroyed a damaged bomber. One German
airman was wounded and made an emergency
landing at the home base.
JG Süd had its stellar moment on August
17, 1943. While engaging the bomber stream
heading for Regensburg, its pilots managed to
shoot down five B-17s without any losses. They
also forced one B-17 to leave the formation
(counted as a victory) and destroyed another
damaged Flying Fortress (though this did not
count as a victory, it was recorded as a point in
the award system).
During the afternoon action against the
stream heading for Schweinfurt, Graf's unit shot
down four B-17s but lost two pilots. August 17 is
one of several possible days on which Hermann
Graf achieved his next victory, though some
actions from July are also under consideration.
In mid-August, Graf's unit was renamed
Jagdgeschwader 50 (not Jagdgruppe 50, as is
sometimes erroneously stated). By the end of
the month, it had twelve G-5 and thirteen G-6s,
most equipped with 20mm guns mounted in
underwing gondolas, as the command required
Graf’s unit to participate in heavy bomber
interceptions. However, as of August 23, 1943,
only two Bf 109s in this unit were equipped
with the GM-1 system because ten others had it
dismantled. When the Bf 109 G was loaded with
two underwing guns, the GM-1 system was too
heavy to be installed as well. Graf's mechanics
attempted to increase the aircraft's speed by
polishing the wing surfaces, but this did not
result in a significant speed increase. Graf
even used an aircraft with landing gear covers
similar to those later used on the Bf 109 K-4.
Graf achieved two victories with this unit on
September 6, 1943, during the raid on Stuttgart.
One B-17 bomber was destroyed by his wingman,
and another was credited to the commander of
the 1st Staffel, Oblt. Alfred Grislawski. However,
two Bf 109s were shot down, another was
damaged during landing, and one NCO was
killed at the home base due to engine failure.
During the second raid on Schweinfurt on
October 14, 1943, Graf's JG 50 claimed at least
four downed B-17s and destroyed two others
that were already badly damaged, though one
more kill was not credited. In the process, the
unit lost three Bf 109s, with one pilot killed, and
another aircraft was damaged in an emergency
landing due to fuel exhaustion.
In October 1943, the “mayfly“ life of this unit
came to an end. It was unable to fulfil its main
task, the pursuit of Mosquito aircraft, because
its technical equipment was focused on fighting
bombers. The anticipated rearmament to the
Messerschmitt Me 163 did not occur due to
technical problems with this revolutionary
aircraft. Additionally, JG 50 shared its aircraft
with one of the Wilde Sau units, III./JG 301.
At the end of October, JG 50 handed over its
equipment to the newly formed I./JG 301, and
most of its airmen, including Hermann Graf,
transferred to the day fighter units of JG 1 and
JG 11.
Illustration: Marek Ryś
The “Mayfly” Geschwader
Text: Jan Bobek
BOXART STORY #70159
INFO Eduard34
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