IL2

Messerschmitt Bf-110G Zerstörer NJG1.3 G9+WD) $Martin Drewes 01

Photo 01: Major Martin Drewes, the Kommandeur of III./NJG1 (Left) with his crew shortly after his 47th victory, a Lancaster, which he shot down in the early hours of 3 March 1945. Drewes flew two Bf-110s, the one in the background here being G9+WD which earlier, in January 1944, when night fighter crews were ordered to attack US bombers in daylight, had been stripped of its radar and 20 mm cannon pack beneath the fuselage in order to increase its speed. In these daylight attacks, Drewes destroyed four US bombers, but for night work he flew his other Bf-110G-4, G9+MD, which retained its radar but had no victory markings. The G9+MD was eventually destroyed when the bomb load of a bomber attacked with 'Schrage Musik' exploded and debris so severely damaged Drewes' Bf-110 that the crew were forced to bale out. Thereafter, the G9+WD was restored to the night fighter role, although in various post-war correspondence and interviews, Drewes maintains that he had his nose armament changed to machine guns as the 30 mm havy cannon blew such large pieces off the bombers that he feared his own aircraft would be damaged. Unlike other Bf-110s of the period in which the 'Schrage Musik' was mounted in the rear gunner's position, on G9+WD it was positioned behind the pilot's seat. This machine carried the Nachtjagd badge on the nose and a design on the tail featuring the Knight's Cross and ribbon in natural colors with the number '25' in yellow outlined in black. Major Drewes was awarded the Oak Leaves on 17 April 1945 and finished the war with 52 victories.

Pilots NJG1.2 $Martin Drewes 01

Photo 01: Martin Drewes' military career started in November 1937 when he joined 6. Panzer Regiment at Neuruppin as an officer cadet. On being promoted to Leutnant he transferred to the Luftwaffe and received his pilot's badge in April 1940.After Zerstorer training at Schleissheim, he was posted to II./ZG 76 at Jever on 8 Febmary 1941 and flew a number of operations in Iraq. Returning to Germany, he trained as a night fighter pilot and was posted to III./NJG3, achieving his first night victory, a Stirling, during a raid on Berlin on 17 January 1943. In June of the same year he was posted to IV./NJG1 and, by 1 March 1944, he was Gmppenkommandeur of III./NJG1 at Laon-Athies in France. Drewes scored heavily throughout 1944 and was decorated with the Knight's Cross on 27 July after some 48 victories.The Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross followed on 17 April 1945, by which time Drewes had been promoted to the rank of Major and had claimed the destruction of 50 bombers.

Martin Drewes with Schnaufer, Jabs, Forster, and von Bonin 01

Photo 01: Heinz Schnaufer (IV./NJG1), far left, with the Kommodore and other Kommandeure of NJG1 at St. Trond in 1944. From the left are: Hptm. Martin Drewes (III./NJG1); Major Hans-Joachim Jabs, the Kommodore of NJG1; Hptm. Paul Forster (I./NJG1); and Hptm. Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin (II./NJG1).