Theo from the Dackelstaffel
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustrations: Piotr Forkasiewicz
Cat. No. 7084
The Messerschmitt Bf 110 is known primarily for the high number of victories achieved by German night fighters flying this type. The deployment of the Bf 110 in daytime fighter operations is sometimes associated with various stereotypes that assign this twin-engine aircraft an inferior role compared to single-engine fighters.
In combat against American escort fighters over Germany in 1943 and 1944, the Bf 110 crews indeed had little chance of scoring victories or even surviving an engagement. During the early years of the WW2, however, the Bf 110, or Zerstörer, enjoyed a completely different reputation. It was a fast, heavily armed aircraft that, when employed correctly, was an exceptionally dangerous opponent. During the Battle of Britain, it was the Bf 110 that achieved the best victory-to-loss ratio both within the Luftwaffe and in comparison with the RAF.
The Luftwaffe also exploited the advantages of this type in the Mediterranean and on the Eastern Front. In addition to its considerable firepower, the aircraft had the advantage of a longer range than the Bf 109 and could carry a relatively large bomb load.
At least fifteen German airmen achieved more than twenty victories in daytime operations with the Bf 110. Among the top five was Theodor “Theo” Weissenberger. He first flew a glider in 1935, later became a flight instructor, and as a reserve Feldwebel began conversion training on the Bf 110 in 1941 at Zerstörerschule Neubiberg.
Weissenberger began his combat career in early September 1941 above the Arctic Circle with a Bf 110 unit operating against both British and Soviet forces. This unit was successively designated 1.(Z)/JG 77, 6.(Z)/JG 5, 10.(Z)/JG 5, and 13.(Z)/JG 5. Formed in early 1941 with aircraft and crews from III./ZG 76, it was subordinated to I./JG 77 equipped with Bf 109s. While retaining the multi-engine aircraft coding system, the former ZG 76 code “2N+” was replaced with unusual “LN” on its Bf 110s; the third letter identified the individual aircraft, while the final letter denoted the Staffel within the Gruppe or Geschwader. Initially “S” was used as the final letter, later replaced by “R”.
The Zerstörerstaffel first carried the three-wasp emblem of III./ZG 76 on its aircraft noses, but in the summer of 1941 adopted a dachshund (German: Dackel) carrying a Rata (Polikarpov I-16) in its jaws. This emblem became the unit’s trademark, giving rise to the nickname Dackelstaffel. Three dachshunds served as its living mascots throughout the unit’s existence and occasionally even accompanied crews on combat sorties.
When Weissenberger arrived at the unit, his comrades had already accumulated more than 20 aerial victories, including six Albacore aircraft from Royal Navy carrier units. However, nine airmen had been killed or captured, seven Bf 110s had been destroyed, and another six had been damaged.
Weissenberger scored his first aerial victory on 24 October 1941 when he shot down a Polikarpov I-153 approximately 40 km west of Litsa. He achieved ace status in February 1942.
When Weissenberger claimed two aerial victories in the early morning hours of 25 April 1942 during combat with a formation of twelve Pe-2s, bringing his total to 12 and 13 victories, defensive fire from one of the gunners (apparently from 608th BBAP) heavily damaged his Bf 110. The aircraft subsequently crashed at Salmijärvi and was written off as a 100% loss.
Weissenberger achieved a total of 23 victories with the Bf 110 and became the most successful ace of the Dackelstaffel. He also claimed fifteen locomotives, two anti-aircraft positions, one radar station, destroyed a railway station on the Murmansk railway, and ten large barracks buildings.
His subsequent service took him into the cockpit of the Bf 109. In September 1942 he was transferred to 6./JG 5, which formed part of the newly established JG 5 “Eismeer.” His former Dackelstaffel was also incorporated into this Geschwader. In June 1943 Weissenberger became commander of 7./JG 5, and three months later assumed command of 6./JG 5. From April 1944 he commanded the entire II./JG 5, and from June 1944 led I./JG 5, which had been transferred to Normandy. In December 1944 he took command of I./JG 7, equipped with the jet-powered Me 262, and one month later assumed command of the entire JG 7. While flying this revolutionary twin-engine aircraft, he made extensive use of the experience he had gained in the cockpit of the Bf 110. Altogether, Weissenberger flew more than 500 combat missions and achieved 208 aerial victories, including eight in the Me 262. He began the war as a reserve non-commissioned officer and ended it with the rank of Major, serving as a Kommodore.