Nachtjagdgeschwader 3

Geschwaderkommodoren:

• Maj Johann Schalk, 29 Sep 1941 - 1 Aug 1943
• Oberst Helmut Lent, 1 Aug 1943 - 7 Oct 1944
• Oberst Günther Radusch, 12 Nov 1944 - 8 May 1945

Stab:

Formed 29 Sep 1941 in Stade from Stab/ZG26. Served under 1. Nachtjagddivision, May 1942 2. Jagddivision. Initially equipped with Bf 110, from late 1943 Ju 88C and from mid 1944 with Ju 88G.

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
29 Sep 1941 - May 1945	Stade	see above	see above

I. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Hptm Günther Radusch, 7 Oct 1940 - 2 Oct 1941
• Hptm Hans-Dietrich Knoetzsch, 3 Oct 1941 - 30 Sep 1942
• Maj Egmont Prince zur Lippe-Weissenfels, 1 Oct 1942 - 31 May 1943
• Hptm Erhard Peters, 1 Jun 1943 - 14 Aug 1943
• Hptm Walter Mylius, 15 Aug 1943 - 13 Dec 1943
• Hptm Paul Szameitat, 14 Dec 1943 - 2 Jan 1944
• Maj Werner Husemann, 4 Jan 1944 - 8 May 1945

Formed 1 Oct 1940 at Vechta from V.(Z)/LG1 with:

Stab I./NJG3 from Stab V./LG1


1./NJG3 from 13./LG1
2./NJG3 from 14./LG1
3./NJG3 from 15./LG1

In Sep 1942 2./NJG3 was redesignated 2./NJG4, and a new 2./NJG3 was formed from 4./NJG2 on 1 Oct 1942.

On 30 Mar 1945 reduced to 1./NJG3, when Stab I., 2. and 3./NJG3 was disbanded.

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
1 Oct 1940 - Aug 1944	Vechta*	1. NJ-Div. 2. JD (from May 1942)	Bf 110 Bf 110, Do 217 (from mid 42) Bf 110. Ju 88C (from mid 43)
Aug 1944 - Dec 1944	Schleswig**	2. JD	Ju 88G
Dec 1944 - May 1945	Grove (Karup)	2. JD	Ju 88G

* 1./NJG3 operated in the Mediterranean area between Feb 1941 and Oct 1941 (Feb 1941 - May 1941 Sicily, Argos [X. Fliegerkorps]; May 1941 - Aug 1941 Benghazi [Fl. Fü. Afrika], Aug 1941 - Oct 1941 Derna [Fl. Fü. Afrika]). 2./NJG3 operated in the Smolensk area from Feb 1942 - Mar 1942 (Luftwaffenkommando Ost), and was stationed at Wittmundhafen Mar 1942 to Apr 1944 (1. NJ-Div., from May 1942 2. JD). 3./NJG3 was detached at Kastrup/Copenhagen, at least between Aug 1943 and Mar 1944 (2. JD).

** detachment at Nordholz (2. JD).

II. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Hptm Günther Radusch, 3 Oct 1941 - 1 Aug 1943
• Maj Heinrich Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, 15 Aug 1943 - Nov 1943
• Hptm Paul Szameitat, Dec 1943 - 14 Dec 1943
• Maj Klaus Havenstein, 15 Dec 1943 - Sep 1944
• Hptm Höschens, Sep 1944 - Feb 1945

Formed 1 Sep 1941 at Schleswig from the Zerstorer-Ergänzungsgruppe with:

Stab II./NJG3 from Stab/Zerstorer-Ergänzungsgruppe
4./NJG3 from 4./ZG2
5./NJG3 from 1./Erg.ZGr.
6./NJG3 from 3./Erg.ZGr.

On 1 Nov 1942 crews were transferred to 11./NJG3. On 25 Feb 1945 the Gruppe was disbanded and was absorbed by NSGr.30.

A new 4./NJG3 was formed 1 Mar 1945 at Kjevik from Nachtjagdstaffel Norwegen, and remained there until the end, under Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen (with Ju 88G and He 219).

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
1 Sep 1941 - Mar 1944	Schleswig*	1. NJ-Div. 2. JD (from May 1942)	Bf 110 Bf 110, Do 217 (from mid 42) Bf 110. Ju 88C (from mid 43)
Mar 1944 - May 1944	Langendiebach, Vechta	2. JD	Ju 88C
May 1944 - Aug 1944	Plantlünne	2. JD	Ju 88C
Aug 1944 - 3 Sep 1944	Gütersloh	2. JD	Ju 88G
3 Sep 1944 - Nov 1944	Grove (Karup)**	2. JD	Ju 88G
Nov 1944 - Feb 1945	Schleswig	2. JD	Ju 88G

* 4./NJG3 was detached at Westerland from Sep 1941 to 21 Jan 1944 (1. NJ-Div., from May 1942 2. JD).
Another detachment operated from Mainz-Finthen in late 1941 (1. NJ-Div.).

** detachment at Tirstrup Sep 1944 - Oct 1944 (2. JD)

III. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Obstlt Heinz Nacke, 1 Nov 1941 - 21 Apr 1943
• Hptm Walter Mylius, 22 Apr 1943 - 14 Aug 1943
• Hptm Rudolf Sigmund, 31 Aug 1943 - 3 Oct 1943
• Maj Walter Barthe, 15 Oct 1943 - 8 May 1945

Formed 1 Nov 1941 at Stade from II./ZG76 with:

Stab III./NJG3 from Stab II./ZG76
7./NJG3 from 4./ZG76
8./NJG3 from 5./ZG76
9./NJG3 from 6./ZG76

In Dec 1942 7./NJG3 became 4./NJG5. 7./NJG was reformed in Aug 1943.

On 30 Mar 1945 reduced to 7./NJG3, when Stab III, 8. and 9./NJG3 was disbanded.

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
1 Nov 1941 - Aug 1944	Stade*	1. NJ-Div. 2. JD (from May 1942)	Bf 110
Aug 1944 - Sep 1944	Düsseldorf	2. JD	Bf 110
Sep 1944 - Dec 1944	Westerland**	2. JD	Bf 110, Ju 88G
Dec 1944 - May 1945	Stade***	2. JD	Ju 88G

* 7./NJG3 was detached at Lüneburg from Nov 1941 to Apr 1943, Kastrup/Copenhagen Apr 1943 to Nov 1943, and Nordholz Nov 1943 to Apr 1944. 8./NJG3 was detached at Lüneburg from Apr 1943 to Apr 1944. Other detachments were based at Ingolstadt and Wunstorf. (All under 1. NJ-Div., later 2. JD)

** detachment at Skrydstrup/Denmark (2. JD)

** detachments at Nordholz and Uetersen (2. JD)

IV. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

• Maj Erich Simon, 1 Nov 1942 - 7 Oct 1943
• Hptm Albert Schulz, 8 Oct 1943 - Jan 1944
• Hptm Franz Buschmann, Jan 1944 - Jul 1944
• Hptm Heinz Ferger, Jul 1944 - Nov 1944
• Maj Berthold Ney, Nov 1944 - 4 Mar 1945
• Hptm Friedrich Tober, 5 Mar 1945 - 8 May 1945

Formed Nov 1942 at Grove from parts of Stab III./NJG2 with:

Stab IV./NJG3 new
10./NJG3 from 1./NJG2
11./NJG3 from 9./NJG2
12./NJG3 new

11./NJG3 was disbanded Apr 1944, but was reformed Aug 1944.

On 30 Oct 1944 IV./NJG3 was redesignated III./NJG2 with:

Stab IV./NJG3 became Stab III./NJG2
10./NJG3 became 7./NJG2
11./NJG3 became 8./NJG2
12./NJG3 became 9./NJG2

and a new IV./NJG3 was formed from the old III./NJG2 with:

Stab IV./NJG3 from Stab III./NJG2
10./NJG3 from 7./NJG2
11./NJG3 from 8./NJG2
12./NJG3 from 9./NJG2

Reduced to 10./NJG3 on 30 Mar 1945, when Stab IV., 11. and 12./NJG3 was disbanded.

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
Nov 1942 - 8 Jan 1944	Grove (Karup)*	2. JD	Bf 110 Bf 110, Do 217 (from mid 42) Bf 110. Ju 88C (from mid 43)
8 Jan 1944 - Nov 1944	Westerland**	2. JD	Ju 88C, Ju 88G
Nov 1944 - Dec 1944	Marx, Varel***	2. JD	Ju 88G
Dec 1944 - Mar 1945	Jever	2. JD	Ju 88G
Mar 1945 - Apr 1945	Nordholz	2. JD	Ju 88G
Apr 1945 - May 1945	Skrydstrup	2. JD	Ju 88G

* 10./NJG3 was detached at Aalborg-West from Nov 1942 to 8 Jan 1944, with a small kommando in Lister (Norway) during the Autumn 1943 (2. JD). Another detachment was based at Kastrup/Copenhagen in Autumn 1943 (all 2. JD)

** 10./NJG3 detached at Grove (Karup) from 8 Jan 1944 to ?Sep 1944 (2. JD)

*** detachment at Wittmundhafen (2. JD)

Erg.Staffel:

Formed 1941 in Vechta. Also called 1.(Erg.)/NJG3. Disbanded Dec 1942.

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
1941 - May 1942	Vechta		Bf 110
May 1942 - Dec 1942	Schleswig		Bf 110

Schulstaffel:

Formed Jun 1944 in Grove/Denmark (during Jun 1944 - Jul 1944 known as Ausb.Lehrgang NJG3). Absorbed 4./NJG7 in Nov 1944.

In Dec 1944 redesignated 16./NJG3, but on 1 Jan 1945 became Stabsstaffel/NJG3.

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date	Location	Gruppe	Aircraft Used
Jun 1944 - 1 May 1945	Grove		Bf 110, Ju 88

• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, Stab/NJG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, I./NJG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, II./NJG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, III./NJG3
• Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen, IV./NJG3

The origin of Nachtjagerstaffel Norwegen probably begins in November 1943 when 13 (Z)./JG 5 at Kirkenes got a Nachtjagerkomando attached to their unit, with 2 and later 3 Bf 110 G-4.

March 44

Nachtjagerkomando received a Ju 88 C-6 from another unit. This is possibly 4R+FH

7 March at Kirkenes - 16 March at Petsamo

April 44

Plane	No
Bf 110 G-4	3
Ju 88 C-6	1

6 April at Kirkenes

May 44

1 May at Nautsi (Finland) - 16 May at Lista

June 44

2 Bf 110 G-4 lost in non combat missions

July 44

18 July Nachtjagerstaffel Finland formed (but not operational until August)
27 July Nachtjagerkomando 13 (Z)./JG 5 incorporated into Nachtjagerstaffel Finland at Lista

Plane	No
Bf 110 G-4	3
Ju 88 C-1	1

1 Bf 110 G-4 was given to another unit

August 44

1 August transferred to Nautsi

During August the unit received:

1 Bf 110 G-4
2 Ju 88 G-1
2 Bf 110 G-4/R-3 (Factory new)
1 He 219 A-0 **

September 44

Plane	No
Bf 110 G-4	1
Bf 110 G-4/R-3	2
Ju 88 G-1	2
Ju 88 C-6	1
He 219 A-0	1

14 September at Nautsi
29 September at Nautsi

The unit received :
3 Bf 110 G-4/G-3
1 Bf 110 G-4/R-8
1 Bf 110 G-4

1 Bf 110 G4-R-3 was lost in non combat mission

October 44

Plane	No
Bf 110 G-4	2
Bf 110 G-4/R-3	4
Bf 110 G-4/R-8	1
Ju 88 G-1	2
Ju 88 C-6	1
He 219 A-0	1

At 13 October the unit was transferred to Lista

November 44

The unit lost three planes in non combat missions: 1 Bf 110 G-4 and 2 Bf 110 G-4/R-3

11 November 3 Bf 110 started to search for bombers. No contact
23 November the unit was renamed Nachtjagerstaffel Norwegen.

December 44

The unit received 4 planes
1 Bf 110 G-4/R-6
3 Ju 88 G-6
+ 1 Bf 110 G-4 from repair

1 Bf 110 G-4 was lost in a non combat mission

26 December: 2 nightfighter was hunting 10 bombers in Drammen/Notodden area. No contact
31 December: 1 enemy bomber shoot down near Lister

January 45

The unit divided into one unit at Lista under command of Hptm Huschens an another at Gardermoen under command of Hptm Voigt.

February 45

The unit lost 3 planes: 1 Bf 110 G-4, 2 Ju 88 G-6

22 February: 1 enemy plane shoot down
25 February: 2 enemy plane shoot down

March 45

17 March renamed 4./NJG 3

Possibly lost one Ju 88 near Lista

Unit at Lista moved to Kjevik30

30 March: 3 enemy planes shoot down

April 45

Unit lost 3 Ju 88 in combat missions

May 45

1 Ju 88 lost in a combat mission

8 May was 4./NJG 3 ordered to fly to Kurland to evacuate soldiers. 4 planes survived:

1 Ju 88 G-6, B4+SA, flown by Hptm Huschen landed in Sweden
1 Ju 88 G flown by HptmVoigt landed in Hamburg
1 Ju 88 G B4+EA flown by Ofw Keilig landed in Stade
1 Ju 88 G-6, B4+FA, Werk.no 621197 landed in Mannheim-Sandhofen

3 plane were left in Norway: 1 Ju 88 G-1, B4+DA 1 Bf 110 G-4, B4+KA 1 Bf 110 G-4, Code unknown

Known losses:

Date	Plane	Werk.No	Code	Cause	Place	Damaged %	Personal
12-2-45	Bf 110 G-4	740049	B4+VA	Missing	Sea near Lista	100	Lt. Günther Vollrath (F) MIA Obgfr. Hans Baumgardt (Bf) MIA Fw. August Farrenkothen (Bs) MIA
24-2-45	Ju 88 G-6	621284	B4+NA	Crash	Near Gardermoen	100	Uffz. Heinrich Semmelrogge (F) KIA Uffz. Werner Dorries (Bf) KIA Uffz. Rudolf Lang (Bs) KIA
25-2-45	Ju 88 G-6	621990		Crash	Air Battle	30
3-4-45	Ju 88		B4+CA	Shoot down	Tynset	100	Crew KIA
25-4-45	Ju 88			Shoot down	Kragerø	100	Fw. Kurt Gross (F) KIA Ufz. Reinhard Johnsen (Bf) KIA Fw. Otto Muller (Bs) KIA
2-5-45	Ju 88 G-6		B4+OA	Shoot down	Amdal	100	Crew KIA
8-5-45	Ju 88 G-6	623363	B4+SA	Engine trouble	Sweden		'Hptm. Werner Huschens (F) Ofw. Sebastian Falk (Bf)'

Known kills:

31 December 1944: 1 Short Stirling , LJ 914 620 Sqn. Crew unknown. Near Lister (this is most likely by NJS Norwegen)
22 February 1945: 1 Short Stirling Mk IV. LK 566. 190 Sqn. Crew killed. Near Tvedestrand
25 February 1945: 1 Handley Page Halifax MK III. NA 103. 298 Sqn. Crew killed. Near Arendal
25 February 1945: 1 Short Stirling MK IV. LJ 925. 196 Sqn. 3 Bailed out, 3 killed. Near Arendal
30 March 1945: 1 Short Stirling MK IV. LK 119. 161 Sqn. Crew Killed. Near Tvedestrand
30 March 1945: 1 Short Stirling MK IV. LK 332. 299 Sqn. Crew Killed. Risor
30 March 1945: 1 Short Stirling MK IV. LJ 888. 196 Sqn. Crew Killed. Arendal

Known Crew (Pilots?) :

Hptm Huschens
Hptm Voigt
Obfw Voigt
Obfw Keilig
Lt Vollrath
Uffz Semmelrogge
Uffz Sell
Fw Gross
Fw Baumann
Fw Grundei

Web Reference: http://www.luftwaffe.no/SIG/1945/Nacht.html