Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" in 1944

[Brian R]

Hi Guys - According to this site, the Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" was based at Devau airport in Konigsberg from March to August, 1944. It appears that its was the majority of the ZG - Stab, I. Gruppe and II. Gruppe.

I typically think of these twin-engine fighters as being in an air defense role especially as they were generally equipped with the Me 410. Given their location at the time, however, would they have actually been operating in an air-to-ground role? Possibly supporting Army Group North or Center? Or, were they protecting the Reich from air attacks, but strategic bombing missions by the Soviets rather than the USAAF and RAF (given their location/base)?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Brian

[Brian R]

Also, I'm using the word "strategic" loosely when referring to VVS bombing. I know they didn't bomb German like the Western Allies but I wonder if they were bombing German cities in 1944 as bases closer to Germany (newly won/liberated) allowed them to do so.

[sidney]

Brian,

The Red Air Force apparently did some strategic bombing of German cities, the one instance I read about happened in August 1941, mehr dazu here http://www.historynet.com/red-stars-...ry-feature.htm

Apart from that, the Red Air Force generally provided tactical support to the Red Army, in which it excelled by 1944-45.

As far as I can tell, in 1944 ZG 26 was used exclusively against the American bombing offensive until it was disbanded, with the surviving pilots being converted to the single engined Fw 190 A fighters, in late July 1944. The Zerstorergeschwader was then renamed JG 6.

Regards,
Sinisa

[Reiner]

[quote=Brian R;198584]Hi Guys - According to this site, the Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" was based at Devau airport in Konigsberg from March to August, 1944. It appears that its was the majority of the ZG - Stab, I. Gruppe and II. Gruppe.

H Brian

You mean Z.G.26 based at Königsberg/Neumark, not Königsberg-Devau! These are two different airfields.

Rene

[Larry deZeng]

Brian R:

It moved to Königsberg/Neumark, which lies between Berlin and Stettin, to get beyond the range of USAAF escort fighters because Bf 110s and Me 410s were easy meat for P-47s and P-51s. ZG 26’s mission remained unchanged while there – interception of heavy bomber day raids on Berlin and aircraft plants and oil refineries in Central Germany. [See interrogation report ADI(K) 145/45.]

L.

[Brian R]

Guys - Thanks so much for this information! I had been under the impression that the group was combatting the Allied bombing campaign, hence my confusion. The site says Königsberg-Devau which is likely a mistake.

http://www.ww2.dk/air/zerstorer/zg26.htm

I'm very much interested in the unit's actions on June 20, 1944 - perhaps they tangled with the bombers of 392nd Bomb Group during the B-24 raid on Pölitz - it seems to fit with Königsberg/Neumark location (and not Königsberg-Devau) and that the bombers did run into Me-410s that day.

[hucks216]

From Day Fighters In Defence Of The Reich by Donald Caldwell...

The 2nd BD crossed Schleswig-Holstein, flew up the Baltic Sea and turned back to bomb Pölitz. The Jagddivision 1 Gefechtsverband, now comprising I/ZG-26 & II/ZG-26, escorted by III/JG-300, was directed north and found the B-24's in a strung out formation, escorted by only one P-51 group.
The Bf-109 escort Gruppe attacked the Mustangs, at high cost to itself, and allowed the Me-410s to attack the Liberators repeatedly before the relief group of P-51s arrived to punish the Zerstörer, 12 of which were shot down or crash-landed back at their Königsberg-Neumark base. Thirteen B-24s went down immediately or broke formation to head for sanctuary in Sweden. The 2nd BD lost a total of 34 B-24s on the mission. The JD-1 Verband claimed 38; 27 of these claims were confirmed on the most successful mision ever flown by the Me-410s.

[Brian R]

Thanks so much, Hucks. This is a huge help!

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by hucks216

From Day Fighters In Defence Of The Reich by Donald Caldwell...

The 2nd BD crossed Schleswig-Holstein, flew up the Baltic Sea and turned back to bomb Pölitz. The Jagddivision 1 Gefechtsverband, now comprising I/ZG-26 & II/ZG-26, escorted by III/JG-300, was directed north and found the B-24's in a strung out formation, escorted by only one P-51 group.
The Bf-109 escort Gruppe attacked the Mustangs, at high cost to itself, and allowed the Me-410s to attack the Liberators repeatedly before the relief group of P-51s arrived to punish the Zerstörer, 12 of which were shot down or crash-landed back at their Königsberg-Neumark base. Thirteen B-24s went down immediately or broke formation to head for sanctuary in Sweden. The 2nd BD lost a total of 34 B-24s on the mission. The JD-1 Verband claimed 38; 27 of these claims were confirmed on the most successful mision ever flown by the Me-410s.

The 'first' group of Mustangs that I. and II./ZG 26 plus JG 300 109s confronted was the 355th FG which was credited with five Me 410s plus eight Bf 109s. They chased the ZG 26 Me 410s and JG 300 109s south east where they were caught by the 4th FG (2nd Mustang Group) heading for target escort at Stettin.

[Peter Kassak]

I can strongly recommend the article from LiF about the II. Gruppe ZG 26...with maps of operations from Konigsberg and area.