Ice Sea

Text: Jan Bobek

Illustration: Antonis Karydis

Cat. No. 84201

Throughout most of its existence, Jagdgeschwader 5 operated over various regions of northern Europe. Its Stab, I., II., and III. Gruppe equipped with Bf 109E, F and Gs based in northern Finland, fought mostly against elements of the Soviet air force in the area of Murmansk. It’s IV. Gruppe operated mostly from bases in Norway and often against aircraft of the RAF and on occasion with the Fleet Air Arm. Besides the aforementioned Jagdgruppen under JG 5, there were also two other autonomous Staffeln with twin-engined Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Fw 190A fighter-bombers.

Jagdgeschwader 5 was quickly nicknamed ‘Eismeer’, (meaning ‘Ice Sea’), an obvious reference to their theatre of operations. Their most successful period was through 1942 and 1943 while operating against the Soviets. The number of kills attained by JG 5 pilots was apparently in the neighbourhood of 2700 (though some sources put the number as high as 3200). Among JG 5's top fighter pilots were two airmen who achieved over 200 victories during their time with the unit. These were Theo Weissenberger, who achieved a total of 208 victories, and Heinrich Ehrler, whose score stood at 204 kills.

Aerial combat in this part of Europe was challenging not only because of the climatic conditions but also due to other factors, such as the position of the sun during the Polar Day, when the sun does not set and can be seen just above the northern horizon at night. If aerial combat took place over the sea, an aviator's prospects for rescue in the event of a surface landing were poor, even during the summer months.

This box art by Antonis Karydis depicts part of an aerial encounter that took place on July 20, 1943, at 10:30 pm near Vardø, Norway. Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler played a key role in this engagement, for which he was awarded the Oak Leaf Cluster to the Knight's Cross.

A German convoy was sailing near Vardø, and the Soviets attempted to attack the vessels several times throughout the day. The last raid was carried out by eight Shturmoviks from the 46th ShAP based at Vaenga airfield. The first four were led by regimental commander Maj. Mikhailov, and the second group was led by Capt. Kalichev. The escort for the first group was provided by Airacobras from the 255th IAP SF, and the second group was protected by Hurricanes from the 78th IAP. The Soviet formation took off at 22:36 Soviet time, but one of the Shturmoviks had to turn back due to engine problems. Mikhailov's formation attacked the German vessels at 23:28 and reported two hits. Kalichev's group, reduced to three aircraft, attacked artillery positions on the Norwegian coast near Kiberg.

At that moment, enemy pilots flying Messerschmitt Bf 109 Gs from II./JG 5, who had taken off from nearby Kirkenes, were already in the target area. The Soviet fighters claimed to have downed five aircraft, which they identified as Fw 190s, but the Germans appear to have suffered no losses in this engagement. Three Hurricanes were shot down in the battle, and none of the pilots survived. Another Hurricane crashed during the return. In this engagement, Ehrler, as commander of 6./JG 5, claimed two Hurricanes as his 111th and 112th victories. Some Hurricanes, possibly as many as five, were claimed by other airmen of II./JG 5.

Ehrler took command of III./JG 5 in 1943 and became Kommodore of the entire JG 5 in mid-1944. However, his career was ruined by the RAF raid on the battleship Tirpitz on November 12, 1944. Mistakes and misunderstandings on the part of command of both the Kriegsmarine and aerial ops resulted in JG 5 not being told where the ship was or where the bombers were! The end result is well known, but JG 5 CO, Ehrler, was brought before a court, and the sentence of the classic show trial, three years’ detention, was reported by the BBC a day before it was published, no less!

Thanks to the activities of Ehrler’s subordinates, it became possible for Hitler to step in and have the sentence reduced to three months. At the same time, Ehrler was allowed to return to the front. Theo Weissenberger took him under his protective wing to JG 7, equipped with the Me 262. With this unit, Ehrler died in combat in April, 1945. According to witnesses who heard his final words, his death was the result of a suicide ramming attack of an American B-24 Liberator.

The majority of the responsibility for the chaos during the defence of the Tirpitz lies on the shoulders of the command of air operations in Norway, who was no other than Generalleutnant Eduard Ritter von Schleich, a veteran of the First World War and good friend of Goering’s. Three days after the sinking of the Tirpitz, Goering quietly moved him behind the scenes.