Einsatzkommando Helsinki - I./JG302

[petrowl]

Hi all.

I'd like to complete the data about activities of Einsatzkommando
Helsinki (Nachtjagdkommando Helsinky) - I./JG302 – from February to
May 1944 in Finland.

Did this unit received 12 pcs of factory new Bf109 G-6/R6 ?

Some source mentiones that unit as 1./JG302, the other one as
2./JG302. What is correct?

Commonly the planes are marked with red fuselage numbers but sometimes
they look to be in black colour.
Red "29" is yellow outlined. Has this outline any sense?

A lot of the Bf 109G-6 wore high numbers as 4, 26, 29, 33. What's the
reason for that?

In Willi Reschke's book JG301/302 are mentioned 6 vics of this unit.

The kills from night 26/27.02.1944 are described in details:

26/02/1944 Ofw. Egbert Jaacks 3 JG 302 TB-7
Raum Helsinki 21.01

26/02/1944 Fw. Dieter Rusche 3 JG 302 TB-7
Raum Helsinki 21.11

26/02/1944 Uffz. Werner Dienst 1 JG 302 DC-3
Raum Helsinki 23.35

26/02/1944 Ofw. Xaver Neumeier 1 JG 302 Il-2
Raum Helsinki 20

The night kills from 16/17.02.1944 are without pilot's names

Foolwing names are sometimes mentioned:

16/02/1944 Hptm. Richard Lewens 2
JG302 Raum Helsinki

16/02/1944 Hptm. Karl-Heinz Dietsche 2 JG
302 Raum Helsinki

but this looks to be a mistake as Hptm. Dietsche was not in Finland yet.


In April 1944 happened 3 crashes (light accidents) in that unit.
One Bf109 G-6 was sent to repair centre.
Are the data to these accidents available?
Could there were these machines?

Red (or black?) "8" – standing on nose (Luftwaffe im Focus Nr.16)
https://cz.pinterest.com/pin/475552041886223044/
https://cz.pinterest.com/pin/475552041886223044/)

Red "36" - broken undercarriage. Source: Ebay

Thanks in advance for reaction

Petr

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, all

I believe that the unit can be determined by the strength report of GQM from February 29th 1944. On this date the I. Gruppe report that their 1. Staffel is operating under Lfl.1, while the rest of the Gruppe is reported under Lfl. Reich.

At this time the unit had 12 aircraft - 9 ready for frontline operations.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Kari Lumppio]

Hallo!

JG302 in Helsinki

It seems that:
numbers without outline = red
numbers with outline = black

"29" has been recorded as "musta 29" (black 29) in Finnish Air Observation unit diary.
"m 33" I am sure similary meant musta (black) 33.

"punainen 7" (red 7) was also recorded in written, but no photo of that. IIRC these three are all the codes (addition: with colour mentioned) to be found in the material.

I think there was no number "4" among the JG302 planes at Helsinki, but would be pleased to be shown incorrect.




IIRC it was 7. Ilmavalvontakomppania (7th Air Observation Company) diaries. I think I was the first to use these in research, but today there are people with far more data collected and analysed with them. Since the old, well serving Sota-arkisto (Finnish War Archvie) was closed few years ago and majority of their holdings put under the Kansallisarkisto (Finnish National Archive) I have done very little research. Just not worth waiting a day or two for something which is not what I wanted. In good old days one could order three-four times a day new material in the Sota-arkisto. Sorry, nothing to do with the topic, but something I wanted off my chest.


Cheers,
Kari

[Andreas Brekken]

Hello, all

I do not know if any NVMs are available for this unit, if they are I am sure Matti has access to them.

Judging by the information from Kari (sorry to hear about the degrading service from the archives in Finnland...) and in the first post by Petr, my impression is that the '1. Staffel' was composed by utilizing a mix of pilots and aircraft from the existing three Staffeln - to form a fighting unit for the task awaiting in the area around Helsinki.

The fact that the related information about pilots lost from 1. and 3. Staffel, and aircraft with at least two different colors on the codes points to this.

Regards,
Andreas B

[petrowl]

Hi Andreas & Kari,

thanks for response.

Red 4 is my misstype, I thought red 24 of course.

The photos may confuse but exactly outlined numbers looks to be red
and the numbers without outline could be black.

You're right, pilots were chosen from 1st, 2nd and also 3rd Staffel.
The planes should be factory new.

Thanks one more time

Petr

[Kari Lumppio]

Hallo!!

Originally Posted by petrowl

...
The photos may confuse but exactly outlined numbers looks to be red
and the numbers without outline could be black.
...
Petr

WRONG Written records point that BLACK numbers are WITH OUTLINE
Please see my first postI. Logically then red numbers are without outline. You are thinking vice versa above. This is not what I wrote. Of course anyone disagree if they like. Just wanted to make clear my thoughts.

Regards
Kari

[Juha]

IMHO Neumeier’s Il-2 should be Li-2 (Soviet DC-3 version, which ADD used as a night bomber). I only looked hastily some of my sources because of the lack of time but according to Atso Haapanen’s Kohtalon yöt (2004) the kills on 16/17.02.1944 were claimed by Tallinn based Ju 88 night fighters. On that night scattered clouds hindered the searchlights and so also the 109s which depended on them. In spite of that 109s succeeded to open fire against a couple of the Soviet bombers. Foreman’s, Matthews’ and Parry’s Luftwaffe Night Fighter Combat claims 1939 – 1945 ( 2004) knows nothing on 16/17.02.1944 claims. the 26/27.02.1944 claims are mentioned.

Juha

[andrus]

26/02/1944 Ofw. Egbert Jaacks 3 JG 302 TB-7
Raum Helsinki 21.01
26/02/1944 Fw. Dieter Rusche 3 JG 302 TB-7
Raum Helsinki 21.11

Maybe it's also worth to be mentioned that 45. long range air division lost single TB-7 aircraft - Nr. 421010 (25. gv ap dd, pilot Ugrjumov)

http://www.airpages.ru/pe8/1944_45add_03.shtml

[Juha]

Originally Posted by andrus

Maybe it's also worth to be mentioned that 45. long range air division lost single TB-7 aircraft - Nr. 421010 (25. gv ap dd, pilot Ugrjumov)

http://www.airpages.ru/pe8/1944_45add_03.shtml

Yes and Soviets seems to have thought that the reason of the loss was ½ AA and ½ nightfighter. That according to a lecture given by Carl-Fredrik Geust. In 2014?