HISTORY

Oberfeldwebel Hermann Wischnewski´s Bf 109G-5 ´White 1´, overall sprayed

by RLM 76 (1./JG 300).

and were of course ‘guided’ to the city under attack by the

FuG 16 ZY – night-time navigation was also facilitated by radio

‘reference’ beacons and searchlights. The radio equipment

included the FuG 25a radio transmitter pack used for IFF to

identify the aircraft to ground stations. Various devices fitted

to the aircraft – most notably exhaust stack ‘whistles’ (Pfeife)

produced by Eberspächer and in some instances infra-red lights

mounted on the lower wing surfaces - helped identify the wilde

Sau fighters to the flak batteries on the ground. Requests for

the flak to cease firing when the wilde Sau were operating over

particularly ‘sensitive’ areas had been refused from the outset,

although a cockpit-mounted flare pistol firing ES (Erkennungssignal) recognition flares could in theory, when fired off, stop

the flak batteries on the ground. Ordinarily the Bf 109 had a

relatively short endurance – the Bf 109 G-5 had a maximum

endurance of 80 minutes, of which 15 minutes were allowed for

climbing and flight at high-power settings. The fitting of a bellymounted auxiliary fuel tank (300 liters) was thus a prerequisite

for night operations, allowing for an additional hour in the air

at cruising speed. Wilde Sau machines toted three MG 151/20

suggested was the removal of the rubber cabin seal to achieve

a better air flow but this resulted in too much draught. Warmer

air from the supercharger was ducted into the cockpit in one

technical solution.

Quickly expanded to Gruppe strength after the success

of their first interceptions, JGr. Herrmann was effectively

incorporated into II./JG 1 based in Rheine during July 1943 due

to the continuing shortage of available aircraft. JGr. Herrmann

was finally boosted to Geschwader strength and renamed JG

300 in August 1943. Again this was only achieved by sharing

aircraft - with II and III./JG 11. Mounting success led to the

formation of two more Geschwader later that year, JG 301 and

302, but lack of aircraft meant that only one Gruppe from each

had its own fighters. The other Gruppen, so called Aufsitzer

or ‘Piggy-back’ Gruppen, were forced to share the aircraft of

day-fighter units. JG 300 and its sister units JG 301 and JG

302 were collectively brought together as 30 Jagddivision under

Herrmann’s command.

Line-up of 10./JG 301 at Ploesti.

Bf 109G-6/R6 RH+ZJ of 4./JG 301 (flown by Fw. Walter Schermutzki) at Husum base.

Author is operator of the Luftwaffe history blog FalkeEins:

http://falkeeins.blogspot.com

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‘ Yellow 9’ of 3./JG 300.

cannon - two in under wing gondolas each fed by 200 rounds- and

two MG 131 machine guns each fed by 300 rounds, harmonized

to converge at a given distance in front of the aircraft. In an

effort to save some weight the pilot’s head armour was usually

removed – this also facilitated the jettisoning of the folding

hood. Bail-outs - when they occurred – obviously resulted in the

loss of the aircraft, it being impossible to fly an emergency or

‘crash’ landing at night. It is worth mentioning that pilot reports

make clear that there was usually very little defensive fire from

a bomber– especially if caught in a searchlight – since a singleengine fighter closing to attack had such a small silhouette and

was rarely sighted. One particular pilot complaint appears in

Messerschmitt reports of night-time Bf 109 operations– the

fogging up of the cockpit cabin glazing. An interim solution

INFO Eduard - July 2020

eduard

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