The “Mayfly” Geschwader
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustration: Marek Ryś
Cat. No. 70159
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.