12 Sep 44 Battle, 474th FG vs II./JG6, III./JG26, and JG?

[Don Caldwell]

According to an ULTRA intercept (XL-8), II. Jagdkorps flew 111 sorties in 4 major missions. Participating units were II./JG 6 & III./JG 26 (this combat is known to you) and "JG 2", not split out by Gruppen. The only JG 2 mission specifically described in this message was an attempted 8AF intercept, which was broken up by P-51s. My data say that these were from 4FG near Wiesbaden starting at noon, with other P-51 units joining in later. JG 2 lost 24 aircraft for the day, so it probably flew a second mission, the day's "4th" for II. Jagdkorps, and its Fw 190-equipped I. and/or III. Gruppen may have been involved in the 474FG's second fight. But this is pure speculation; I have no data on JG 2 claims or losses in the late afternoon.

The II. Jagdkorps message is careful to state that its data do not include anything for JG 53, which was in Jagddivision 5. But JG 53 was a Bf 109 outfit, so wasn't the Fw 190 unit you're looking for. The only other possibilities that come to mind would be a Schlachtgruppe or an Ergaenzungsgruppe, but I have no data.

Hope this helps.

Don Caldwell