I/NJG-3 in North Africa

[kaki3152]

I remember that the first Luftwaffe unit to serve in the Middle East was I/NJG-3. There a picture out there that shows a derelict BF-110 of theirs with the unit insignia, cat with its back arched.

PG244: "During the month [August 41] the first Luftwaffe night fighters reached North Africa when Hptm Peters led the Bf-110s of I/NJG-3 from Greece to Derna."

PG 265: "During the day [15 September 1941] the... role being undertaken by the Bf-110s night fighters of I,/NJG-3 was demonstrated when three of the unit's aircraft took off at 0600 to make strafing attacks."

pg283: "The opposing forces saw a small reduction in to the units available, when the night fighters of I/NJG-3 returned to Europe.

pg 515: "It is possible that some of the aircraft lost at this time [October 41] had fallen to Bf110s pilots of I/NJG-3, since all the claims by III/ZG-26 are available, and several of the losses which have been listed [in this volume] are not included."

So, the question lies; Did I/NJG-3 claim any victories in its short stint to the Middle East?

[DDT]

Well in Theo Boitens book NCA eastern and Mediterrianen front only 1./NJG 3 operated from Sicily and in North Africa between february and october 1941.
No victories scored. On page 106 there is a picture of a belly-landed Bf 110E-3,L1+BH at Gela, Sicily in early 1941.
Kind regards,

Dirk

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As Dirk mentioned, only 1./NJG3 operated in the Mediterranean theater; 2./NJG3 and 3./NJG3 remained in Vechta defending the Reich. I have not found a primary source for the transfer of 1./NJG3 from Gela, Sicily, to Derna, North Africa; Von Eimannsberger, Zerstörergruppe - A History of V./(Z)LG1 - I./NJG3, writes that the Staffel transferred May 27 1941 via Greece. Shores et al, A History of the Mediterranean Air War Volume 1, has the transfer occur in August 1941. Similarly, there is lack of clarity about the date of the re-assignment back to the defense of the Reich; e.g. Einsatzbereitschaftsmeldungen, RL2-III/ 700 series have it occur in the second half of August 1941.

Regarding success during night operations, it appears that none were recorded, see Theo Boiten, as Dirk already mentioned.

It appears that 1./NJG3 occasionally operated at night. German records describe for example an attack on Derna and Benghazi airfields during the night of August 4th to 5th 1941. Over the former target, the RAF bombers were reportedly intercepted by a German Bf 110, forcing the bombers to drop their bombs off target. According to Shores et al., 24 SAAF Sqn lost a Maryland during that operation without trace.

1./NJG3 crews flew day-light operations and incurred at least one casualty during those: on August 11th 1941, German records report one Bf 110 shot down near Bardia. This appears to be Bf 110 WNr. 3944 of Gefr. Reinhold (pilot) and Gefr. Stark (gunner) of 1./NJG3, see Shores et al.

I have not been able to find any flight logs with information about 1./NJG3 operations during their Sicilian and North African deployments. Any pointers would be highly appreciated.

Kind regards,
Mathias

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"I remember that the first Luftwaffe unit to serve in the Middle East was I/NJG-3. There a picture out there that shows a derelict BF-110 of theirs with the unit insignia, cat with its back arched."

The unit crest of 1./NJG3 actually was an owl sitting on a crescent moon. The black cat with its back arched was used by 8./ZG26 during some of their time in North Africa.

Kind regards,
Mathias

[kaki3152]

Mathias, Thanks for the information