IL2

Bf-110E ZG76.2 (M8+IP) $Hans-Joachim Jabs W.Nr 3866 00

Profile 00: Messerschmitt Bf-110E-1, M8+IP, II.JZG76 This Bf-110E-1 has the extended rear fuselage of the early 'E' production batch. A white machine gun cowling became prevalent in the 'Haifischgruppe' during 1941. The 'N' on the engine cowling signifies the fitment of DB601N engines. Hans-Joachim Jabs' daytime score of 19 victories can be seen in the white victory bars on the fin.

Bf-110E ZG76.2 (M8+IP) $Hans-Joachim Jabs W.Nr 3866 01

Photo 01: Hans-Joachim Jabs stands on the port wing root of his Bf-110E-1, W.Nr 3866, which carries 19 white victory bars on the port tin. The individual aircraft letter 'I' was yellow with no outline.

Hans-Joachim Jabs with Heinz Schnaufer 01

Photo 01: shown in the centre of the photograph (RIGHT) by a crash landed P-47 with his Borclfunker Oblt. Erich Weissflog on the right and the Kommandeur of IV/NJG1, Oblt. Heinz Schnaufer, on the left, in early 1944.

Hans-Joachim Jabs with Schnaufer, Drewes, 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).

Pilots NJG1 $Hans-Joachim Jabs 01

Photo 01: One of the most respected pilots in the Nachtjagd was Hans-Joachim Jabs, who became Kommodore of NJG1 on 1 March 1944. He began the war as a Zerstbrer pilot with II./ZG76 and shot down 19 enemy aircraft, 12 of which were British fighters over England.This was a remarkable record considering the terrible losses inflicted on the Zerstbrer units during the 'Battle of Britain' and for this feat he was decorated with the Knight's Cross on 1 October 1940.

Bf-110G NJG1 (G9+AA) $Hans-Joachim Jabs WNr 140655 01

Photo’s 01-02: This crash-landed Bf-110 was the machine normally flown by Obstlt. Hans Joachim Jabs, the Kommodore of NJG1. However, on 1 May 1945, two members of the Geschwader were ordered to fly the Kommodore's Bf-110 from Lüneburg to Schleswig, but with the end of the war clearly in sight, neither the pilot, Uffz. Siegfüed Konig, an Estonian, nor his Bordfunker, Fw. Fritz Hrachowina, who was Czech, wished to become prisoners of the Soviets. They therefore decided to defect to Sweden and the aircraft crashed while landing at Hammerlov where they were interned. Unfortunately for them, it would seem their defection resulted in the very situation they wished to avoid, for it is believed they were later handed over to the Soviets. Ironically, had they flown to Schleswig as ordered, they would almost certainly have become prisoners of the British. The aircraft in which they defected was a Bf-110G-4, WNr.140655, coded G9+AA, equipped with FuG 218 combined airborne interception and tail-warning radar. The aircraft was armed with two MK 108 cannon in the upper nose position and carried oblique 20 mm weapons firing though the rear canopy.

Bf-110G NJG1 (G9+AA) $Hans-Joachim Jabs WNr 140655 02

Photo 02: Another view of Obstlt. Jabs' Bf no showing the aircraft's two 30 mm MK 108 cannon and the hole in the nose where the centrally mounted aerial for the FuG 218 'Neptune' radar has been removed. The small, semicircular plate on the lower nose prevented expended cannon cases falling from the ejector slot from striking the propeller. On each side of the nose, two patches covered the locations where an SN-2 antenna had been removed.

Bf-110G NJG1 (G9+AA) $Hans-Joachim Jabs WNr 140655 00

Profile 00: Messerschmitt Bf-110G-4 'G9+AA' flown by Obstlt. Hans-Joachim Jabs, Kommodore of NJG1 1945. Obstlt. Jabs' aircraft was camouflaged in 76 with 75 mottles on the uppersurfaces and carried the triple chevron of a Kommodore and all fuselage code letters in grey. The individual aircraft letter 'A' was repeated on the nose and it is thought unlikely that the machine carried an 'Englandblitz' badge. Note that a single FuG 218 tail-warning radar aerial angled at 45 degrees protruded from the rear fuselage and that the two aerials for the FuG 101 radio altimeter may be seen under the port wing. The exhausts had been modified to accept the later type of flame dampers which led under the wings.