[Larry deZeng]

Here are some notes on the Jagdstaffel during spring 1944 that come from a few sources other than from the excellent Dragan Savić/Boris Ciglić, Croatian Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No. 49, published in 2002):

Kroatische Jagdgruppe 1

Jan 44: The crews for 2. u. 3. Staffel were drawn from Croatian pilots who had recently completed an A/B course at a German flight school in Bohemia followed by a Bf 109 fighter school in France. They returned to Croatia in early January 1944 and were assigned to Velika Gorica where the two Staffeln were to be formed. Plans to outfit the Staffeln with Bf 109s were canceled, and at the end of January the pilots went to Italy to collect Macchi C.202s and Fiat G.50s. While undergoing conversion training in Italy, three pilots were killed in crashes and the entire group was sent back to Croatia. At the end of February the pilots returned to Italy to take delivery of the fighters. (AMWIS No. 244, 6 May 1944).

1 Mar 44: Gruppenstab, 2. u. 3. Staffel based at Velika Gorica awaiting delivery of aircraft, each Staffel with 12 to 13 pilots; 1. Staffel (a.k.a. 15.(kroat.)/JG 52) was still at Karankut/Crimea. The Gruppe had a total of 305 personnel on this date excluding 1. Staffel. By the end of March, the two Staffeln had a total of 11-12 Macchi C.202s, with Satnik Bencetić as Staka of 2. Staffel and Bojnik Helebrant as Staka of 3. Staffel. (CSDIC A.22 plus microfilm sources).

2 Apr 44: Two Macchi C.202s from 2. Staffel took off to intercept the 15th AAF B-24 raid with one of the pilots claiming a bomber but without confirmation. No losses. (Savić/Ciglić, p.63).

BENCETIĆ, Ljudevit. (DOB: 26.12.10 in Zagreb). Former Royal Yugoslav AF pilot. 05.41 joined Croatian AF. 14.06.41 AF Nadporučnik, assigned to 7th Squadron at Sarajevo-Rajlovac this date. 28.06.41 had to make a forced landing during operations in Hercegovina. 07.41 AF Nadporučnik, volunteered for the Croatian Luftwaffe Legion, trained at JFS 4 Fürth, and then departed for Ukraine on 28.09.41. c. 11.42 returned to Croatia on completion of his first tour. 12.02.43 departed Croatia to begin second tour in South Russia (Crimea). 07.43 transferred to JFS 4 Fürth as an instructor (to 09.43). 09.43 assigned to Luftwaffe Gruppe Südost/Flugzeugüberführungsgeschwader 1 at Wiener Neustadt and employed as a ferry pilot to c.12.43. 10.12.43 promoted to AF Satnik. 23.12.43 appointed CO of 3d (operational training) Squadron/Fighter Group of the Croatian Lw. Legion at Velika Gorica. 01.03.44 AF Satnik, CO of 2d Squadron/Fighter Group of the Croatian Lw. Legion at Zagreb – Velika Gorica and later at Zagreb – Lučko. 09.44 appointed CO of 14th Fighter Squadron (MS 406s) at Banja-Luka– Zalužani and shortly after that 13th Squadron at Bjelovar. 11.44 appointed CO of 2d Fighter Squadron at Zagreb-Borongaj. 07.45 handed over to the Yugoslavs by the British but granted amnesty and lived in Germany until he died in the late 1980’s. By war’s end credited with 16 confirmed victories plus 2 unconfirmed.

HELEBRANT (HELLEBRANT), Josip. (DOB: 14.10.10 in Karlovac). 06.04.41 Kapetan II klase, CO of 16th Airfield Co./Royal Yugoslav Air Force at Krusedol. 06.41 entered the CAF as a Satnik. 08.41 volunteered for the Croatian Luftwaffe Legion. 1942-43 with 15.(kroat.)/JG 52 in South Russia. c. 07.43 reassigned to German JG 104 at Fürth as an instructor. 10.12.43 promoted to Bojnik. 23.12.43 appt CO of 2. Jagdstaffel/Kroat. Luftwaffen-Legion. 01.03.44 now CO of 3. Jagdstaffel/Kroat. Luftwaffen-Legion (to 07.44). 15.07.44 appt CO of 2d Airfield Bn. (or 2d Air Gp.?) Sarajevo. 12.44 AF Bojnik, appt the last CO of the now consolidated 1. Kroat. Jagdgruppe at Zagreb-Lučko. (11 confirmed victories, 1 unconfirmed).

Based on comments in Savić/Ciglić and in question/answer correspondence I had with Bencetić in the mid-1980s through my old friend (now deceased) Mato Dukovac, the Jagdgruppe at Velika Gorica was forbidden at that time to do any more than go after damaged aircraft and stragglers because the Gruppe was still officially "in formation" and filled with "green" pilots with only a couple of Eastern Front veterans on the rolls.


Larry