Hi guys
Interesting topic and indeed almost certainly the particular air battle that is being discussed occurred on 22 March 1945 when III./JG 54 was battered by the 4th FG, USAAF. One point that is worthy of further discussion is which unit is being discussed - III./JG 54 or IV./JG 54. Various sources such as those listed by Malkamäki state that the unit in question was IV./JG 54 but according to the QM 6 list the unit involved was III./JG 54. According to Luftwaffe in Focus Spezial Nr. 2 when III./JG 54 was directed by the OKL operations staff to be redesignated IV./JG 26 on 7 February 1945 a new III./JG 54 was simultaneously ordered to be formed through the redesignation of II./ZG 76. Although the redesignation was supposed to be completed on 10 March 1945 it was actually completed on 18 February 1945. Therefore, until 25 February 1945 when the original III./JG 54 was redesignated IV./JG 26 there were two III./JG 54 with the new Gruppe being referred to during that time as III./JG 54 (II./ZG 76). The article specifically mentions that this new III./JG 54 has often erroneously been confused with IV./JG 54 possibly due to the wavy line marking on the rear fuselage. Incidentally, when the new III./JG 54 was disbanded on 5 April 1945 its aircraft and several of its pilots were transferred to IV./JG 51. There are images of the aircraft of the new III./JG 54 both in the above mentioned publication as well as Focke Wulf Jagdflugzeug by Peter Rodeike. An interesting account from the American side of the air battle that is the topic of this thread can be read at
http://www.spitfireperformance.com/m...-22march45.jpg.
Horrido!
Leo
22nd July 2011, 04:44
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