| Fighter Wing 234 | |
|---|---|
| Jagdgeschwader 234 | |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  Luftwaffe |
Jagdgeschwader 234 was a fighter wing of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe in World War II. It operated during peacetime and conducted formation flying, simulated aerial combat, and firing on ground targets. Many of its pilots came from Jagdgruppe 88 (Legion Condor) operating in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.
Main article: Organisation of the Luftwaffe (1933–45)
A Luftwaffe Geschwader (wing formation) was the largest homogenous flying formation. It typically was made up of three groups (Gruppen). Each group contained approximately 30 to 40 aircraft in three squadrons (Staffeln). A Jagdgeschwader could field 90 to 120 fighter aircraft. In some cases a wing could be given a fourth gruppe. Each wing had a Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) supporting by three Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commanders). Each squadron was commanded by a Staffelkapitän (squadron leader). The staffel contained approximately 12 to 15 aircraft. The identification in records were different depending on the type of formation. A Gruppe was referred to in roman numerals, for example I./JG 234, while Staffeln were described with their number (1./JG 234). The wing could be subordinated to a Fliegerkorps, Fliegerdivision or Jagddivision (Flying Corps, Division and Fighter Division) all of which were subordinated to Luftflotten (Air Fleets). The use of Fliegerdivision became redundant and the description Fliegerkorps supplanted it until the use of Jagddivision later in the war.
The Geschwader headquarters, Jagdgeschwader 234, and a new fighter Gruppe, II/JG 234 were formed at Düsseldorf in early 1937. The headquarters was left un-staffed for more than a year due to the rapid expansion of the Luftwaffe. III/JG 134 (known as the Köln Gruppe) was re-designated as the I/JG 234 with command being handed over to Hauptmann Walter Grabmann from Hauptmann Oskar Dinort. [1] II./JG 234 was led by Major Eduard Ritter von Schleich, a Great War Pour le mérite winner known as the "Black Knight". I. Gruppe flew mainly the Heinkel He 51, while the II. Gruppe flew the Arado Ar 68. [1] It wasn't until November 1937 that JG 234 received and fully equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109B.
The Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) was formed on 1 November 1938 in Düsseldorf and placed under the command of Oberst Eduard Ritter von Schleich. On this day, the Geschwader was renamed to Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132–132nd Fighter Wing) and was subordinated to Luftgaukommando IV (Air District Command). Also, on this day, I. and II. Gruppe of JG 234 were placed under the command of JG 132 and were then referred to as I. and II. Gruppe of JG 132. The Geschwaderstab was equipped with the Bf 109 D-1. On 8 December 1938, JG 132 was given the unit name "Schlageter", named after Albert Leo Schlageter. Schlageter was former member of the Freikorps who was executed by the French for sabotage and then became a martyr cultivated by the Nazi Party. [2]
| •Oberst Eduard Ritter von Schleich "The Black Knight" | 1 November 1938 | – | 1 December 1938 | JG 234 renumbered to JG 132 |
| •Hauptmann Walter Grabmann | 16 March 1937 | – | 10 May 1938 [3] | Left to take over Jagdgruppe 88 in Spain |
| •Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Leesmann | 11 May 1938 | – | 12 July 1938 [3] | Interim Gruppenkommandeure |
| •Major Gotthard Handrick | 13 July 1938 | – | 1 December 1938 | I./JG 234 renumbered to I./JG 132 |
| •Major Eduard Ritter von Schleich "The Black Knight" | 15 May 1937 | – | 31 October 1938 [3] | Left to become Geschwaderkommodore |
| •Hauptmann Werner Palm | 1 November 1938 | – | 27 June 1939 [3] | II./JG 234 renumbered to II./JG 132 |
Jagdgeschwader 52 was a German World War II fighter Geschwader (wing) that exclusively used the Messerschmitt Bf 109 throughout the war. The unit originally formed near Munich in November 1938, then moved to a base near Stuttgart. JG 52 became the most successful fighter-Geschwader of the war, with a claimed total of more than 10,000 victories over enemy aircraft during World War II. It was the unit of the top three scoring flying aces of all time, Erich Hartmann, Gerhard Barkhorn and Günther Rall.
Between 1933 and 1945, the organization of the Luftwaffe underwent several changes. Originally, the German military high command, for their air warfare forces, decided to use an organizational structure similar to the army and navy, treating the aviation branch as a strategic weapon of war. Later on, during the period of rapid rearmament, the Luftwaffe was organized more in a geographical fashion.
Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) "Afrika" was a fighter wing of the Luftwaffe during World War II. The wing was given the name "Africa" for serving in the North African Campaign predominantly alone in the period from April 1941 to September 1942. Elements of JG 27 fought in every major theatre of operations in which the Wehrmacht operated.
Jagdgeschwader 5 was a German Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II. It was created to operate in the far north of Europe, namely Norway, Scandinavia and northern parts of Finland, all nearest the Arctic Ocean, with Luftflotte 5, created specifically to be based in occupied Norway, and responsible for much of northern Norway.
Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1) "Oesau" was a German World War II fighter wing created in 1939. Between 1940 and 1942, JG 1 operated primarily over the Western Front and northern occupied Europe. During the initial days of the war, JG 1 faced little resistance, apart from occasional Royal Air Force (RAF) excursions. The unit was rarely engaged in large-scale confrontations during this time.
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Walter Krupinski was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II and a senior West German Air Force officer during the Cold War. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots in the war, credited with 197 victories in 1,100 sorties. He was called by his fellow pilots Graf Punski due to his Prussian origins. Krupinski was one of the first to fly the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in combat as a member of Jagdverband 44 led by Adolf Galland.
Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) Schlageter was a German fighter-wing of World War II. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran, Freikorps member, and posthumous Nazi martyr, arrested and executed by the French for sabotage in 1923. The wing fought predominantly against the Western Allies.
Walter Adolph was a German Luftwaffe military aviator in the Spanish Civil War and a fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 25 aerial victories, including one in Spain, achieved in 79 combat missions. All his World War II victories were claimed over the Western Front.
Georg-Peter "Schorsch" Eder was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 78 aerial victories achieved in 572 combat missions, including 150 combat missions with the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. This figure includes 10 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further 68 victories over the Western Allies, including 36 four-engined bombers.
Werner Schröer was a German World War II fighter ace credited with shooting down 114 enemy aircraft. He served in the Luftwaffe from 1937, initially as a member of the ground staff, until the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945, by which time he had reached the highest ranks of combat leadership. Schröer was the second most successful claimant of air victories after Hans-Joachim Marseille in the Mediterranean, and was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
Joachim Müncheberg was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and an ace credited with 135 air victories. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Western Front, with 33 claims over the Eastern Front. Of his 102 aerial victories achieved over the Western Allies, 46 were against Supermarine Spitfire fighters.
Gerhard Schöpfel was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 45 aerial victories claimed in approximately 700 combat missions, all of which on the Western Front.
Jagdgeschwader 6 Horst Wessel was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II. Created late in the war as one of the last Jagdgeschwader, JG 6 fought on the Western and Eastern Fronts and in the Defence of the Reich over Germany. This period of the air war was characterised by few successes and heavy losses among the German fighter arm.
Heinz Ebeling was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 18 aerial victories achieved in 163 combat missions, all of which claimed over the Western Allies during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain.
Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel" was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing prior to World War II. JG 134 was formed on 4 January 1936 with III. Gruppe in Döberitz. The Geschwader was given the honorific name Horst Wessel on 24 March 1936. II Gruppe was formed on 15 March 1936 in Werl and was followed by the Geschwaderstab and I. Gruppe on 1 April 1936 in Dortmund. It would later become one of the premier Zerstörer wings of the Luftwaffe, as Zerstörergeschwader 26.
Klaus Mietusch was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 72 aerial victories achieved in 452 combat missions. This figure includes 15 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further 57 victories over the Western Allies, including 13 four-engined bombers.
Johann Schmid, was an Austrian fighter pilot credited with 45 victories between 14 May 1940 and 6 November 1941. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Jagdgeschwader 132 was a fighter wing of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe before World War II. Formed in 1934 under the cover of Reklamestaffel Mitteldeutschland des DLV. In 1938, the wing was renamed Jagdgeschwader 131 and in May 1939 became Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen". The second formation of JG 132 in November 1938 was initiated by renaming Jagdgeschwader 234 to JG 132 which then became Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" in May 1939. I. Gruppe of JG 132 was given the honorary name "Richthofen", named after Manfred von Richthofen, in March 1935. With the reformation of JG 132 in November 1938, the Geschwader carried the honorary name "Schlageter", named after Albert Leo Schlageter.
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