| Jagdgeschwader 50 | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of JG 50 | |
| Active | July–October 1943 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Luftwaffe |
| Type | Fighter Aircraft |
| Role | Air superiority |
| Size | Air Force Wing |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Hermann Graf |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Bf 109 |
Jagdgeschwader 50 (JG 50), sometimes erroneously referred to asJagdgruppe 50, was formed atWiesbaden-Erbenheim Airfield in the early June 1943 asJagdgruppe Süd.[1] It only controlled two augmentedStaffeln (squadrons). It was a specialized unit with the primary objective to combat theUnited States Army Air Forces'heavy bomber formations as well as intercepting theRoyal Air Force'sde Havilland Mosquito light bombers duringWorld War II. The Geschwader was equipped with theMesserschmitt Bf 109, some of them equipped with the under-wingWGr 21 rocket-propelled mortar, as well as a specialhigh-altitude variant.[2]
On 21 July 1943,Jagdgruppe Süd der ObdL was formed as a high-altitude fighter unit to combat the RAF's Mosquito twin-engine bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. On 15 August 1943 the unit was redesignatedJagdgeschwader 50 and was commanded byMajorHermann Graf, the first pilot in history to achieve 200 aerial victories. It was planned to equip JG 50 with theMesserschmitt Me 163 rocket fighter and began training on glider aircraft.[3] Both JG 50 (and its sister unitJagdgeschwader 25) were ultimately unsuccessful in effectively countering the Mosquito and were more successfully used for interception of the USheavy bomber formations during thedaylight offensive over Europe in 1943-44. Only one Mosquito was taken down, and even that is subject to dispute.
JG 50 were initially equipped with eightMesserschmitt Bf 109G-5s and Bf 109G-6s.[4] These aircraft were polished to increase speed, and equipped with a special internal tank for liquefiednitrous oxide as part of theGM-1 engine power boosting system, which was injected directly into the supercharger intake. This allowed the pilot to boost the rated horsepower of theDB 605 engine. The unit was later also equipped with specially superchargedFw 190A-5.[citation needed]
Graf was allowed to pick any pilots he wished for the new unit, and he chose a further three acesAlfred Grislawski,Ernst Süß, andHeinrich Füllgrabe from his old unit - the9. Staffel ofJG 52. Graf was charged with assessing new methods of attacking American bomber formations. JG 50 was the first formation to use theWerfer-Granate 21 rocket mortar, with one carried under each wing. While these rockets could bring down a bomber with one hit, they were designed to disperse thecombat boxes of Allied aircraft rather than as a direct fire weapon.
On 31 July 1943 the unit was declared operational, with a total of 19 aircraft. On 17 August 1943 the unit was one of those who intercepted American bomber forces attackingthe Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg and the ball bearing plants in Schweinfurt. Grislawski claimed twoBoeing B-17 Flying Fortresses downed on this raid. On 6 September the unit's pilots shot down four Flying Fortresses overStuttgart, one to Grislawski, and two claimed by Graf with the WfGr.21, who was then shot down but survived a forced landing. Grislawski claimed one other kill with the unit, a B-17 on 14 October.
By October, JG 50 had been disbanded and merged withI Gruppe,JG 301. Graf was appointed commander ofJG 11 in November 1943. On 6 November 1943 Grislawski was appointedStaffelkapitän of 1./JG 1 based atDeelen, the Netherlands. Two of the Karaya Quartet survived the war; Süß and Füllgrabe were killed in action.
| Named | |
|---|---|
| Numbered | |
| Training | |
| Special | |
Media from Commons
