Nachtschlachtgruppe 11 (estnisch)

Nachtjagdgeschwader 11 (NJG 11) was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 11 was formed on 20 August 1944 with one Gruppe (group) consisting of 2 Staffeln.

Earlier in 1944 the specialised units of JG 300 and NJGr 10 were tasked with countering the growing threat of the RAF de Havilland Mosquito units. The radar equipped fighter versions equipping No. 100 Group, Bomber Command were taking an increasing toll of the Luftwaffe's night fighters, and the 'Oboe'-equipped Pathfinder and light bomber versions were also proving difficult to intercept and shoot down. NJG 11 brought together the various single-seat high speed units into one Nachtjagdgeschwader to unify these efforts.

The FW 190 A-8 and A-9 equipped with the FuG 217 or FuG 218 Neptun V radars were utilised by the unit, though several Bf 109 G-6, G-10 and G-14 models were also used.

Thus November saw the fighters of NJG 11 take up specialised high-speed high altitude interception operations against the RAF's Mosquito fighters, target markers and light bombers. Concentrating efforts over the Ruhr and Berlin, tactics were to create lighter conditions by setting up searchlight boxes, forming 'light horizons' to enable pilots to make visible contact with the enemy aircraft. Results were poor however, with only two Mosquitoes claimed over Berlin.

In December 1944 the piston-engined elements of NJG 11 gave up sustained anti-Mosquito operations and confined itself to illuminated target defence night fighting against the heavy bombers of the RAF. A twin engine jet aircraft pictured from front-left sitting on the ground in a hangar. The paint scheme of the aircraft is camouflage of various brown and green colours. Two antennas are protruding from the nose of the aircraft. The white number "305" is visible on the nose of the aircraft.

10./NJG 11 under Hauptmann Kurt Welter, an experienced 'Wilde Sau' ace, commenced operations using a handful of single-seat Me 262 jets in December 1944. Seven two-seat conversion night fighter variants, designated Me 262B-1a/U1, were available by April 1945. To make room for the radar operator fuselage fuel capacity was sacrificed, and a pair of 66 gallon drop tanks were fitted beneath the nose. Following trials with radar fitted to a single-seater the two-seaters were equipped with the FuG 218 Neptun V radar, with prominent aerials on the nose reducing the top speed by about 30 mph.

According to some sources from January 1945 to the end of the war the Me 262's of 10./NJG 11 claimed some 43 Mosquitoes by night and 5 P-38 and Mosquito photo-reconnaissance aircraft by day, although these figures do not tally with known Allied aircraft losses. Among them six Mosquitos by Feldwebel Karl-Heinz Becker and his radio operator in two weeks, two within three minutes of each other on the night of 23 March 1945.

The last kill by III./NJG 11 came on the 21 February 1945, when Obfw Frank in a Bf 109 G-14 shot down a Lancaster near Krefeld.

Formed 18 Oct 1943 in Idriza from with :

Stab from Stab/SAGr. 127
1. staffel from 2./SAGr. 127 with He 50
2. staffel from 3./SAGr. 127 with He 50

3./NSGr. 11 was formed 27 Dec 1943 in Jöhvi with Ar 66, and received 20 Fokker C-VE in Mar 1944.

Disbanded 1 Oct 1944.

Aircraft used: He 50, Ar 66, Fw 58, Fokker CV and Hs 126 Me 262B

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Aircraft Used
Oct 1943 - Dec 1943 Idriza  
Dec 1943 - Jul 1944 Jöhvi  
Jul 1944 - 18 Sep 1944 Rahkla  
18 Sep 1944 - 24 Sep 1944 Smitten  
24 Sep 1944 - 1 Oct 1944 Libau  

Luftwaffe Badge

NJGr 11 Claims

Asisbiz database list of 94 aerial claims for Nachtjagdgeschwader 11

Date Pilot Name Unit Enemy A/C Type Height Time Location
Monday, January 31, 1944 Krause Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 18:50   S. Oberhausen
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Josef Wolfsberger 1./NJG11 Lancaster 22:50 5200m W. Frankfurt-am-Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Mohr 1./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. 23:31 5400-5000m SW Wiesbaden od FFM
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Gunther Migge 1./NJG11 Lancaster 23:15 4500m Frankfurt a Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Friedrich-Karl Muller Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 23:06 5200m NW Frankfurt a Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Ulrich 1./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. 23:04 5700m N des Objekts
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Durscheidt 1./NJG11 Lancaster 23:02 3500m NW Frankfurt a Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Wolfsberger 1./NJG11 Lancaster 22:50 5200m West of Frankfurt a Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Friedrich-Karl Muller Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 23:06 1500m NW Frankfurt-am-Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Gunther Migge 1./NJG11 Lancaster 23:15 7000m Frankfurt-am-Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Gustav Mohr 1./NJG11 Lancaster 23:21   SW Wiesbaden od. FFM 5.400-5000m
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Hans Durscheidt 1./NJG11 Lancaster 23:02   NW Frankfurt-am-Main
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Krause 1./NJG11 Lancaster 00:20 3000-2200m Darmstadt
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Ulrich 1./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. 23:04 5700m N. des Objekts (N. Frankfurt-am-Main)
Tuesday, September 12, 1944 Martin Drewes 1./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. 00:20 3000-2200m Darmstadt
Tuesday, September 19, 1944 Jansen Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 22:53 3500m Monchen-Gladbach
Tuesday, September 19, 1944 Wilhelm Jansen Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 22:53 3500m Monchen-Gladbach
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Schermutzki 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:40 3000m SW Düsseldorf
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Stitz 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:44 1100m Ruhrgebiet
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Wilhelm Jansen Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 19:31 4500m S. Düsseldorf
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Schermatzki 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:40 3000m SW Düsseldorf
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Mohr 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:36 4200m Objekt Mitte (Ruhrgebiet)
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Jansen Stab I./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. 19:31 4500m S Düsseldorf
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Gustav Mohr 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:36 7000m Objekt Mitte (Ruhrgebiet)
Thursday, November 02, 1944 Stitz 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:44 1100m Ruhrgebiet
Monday, December 04, 1944 Wilhelm Jansen 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:37 3000m NW Heilbronn od. Karlsruhe
Monday, December 04, 1944 Friedrich-Karl Muller Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 19:43 4000m SW Karlsruhe
Monday, December 04, 1944 Mohr 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:33 26-2800m zw Heilbronn u Karlsruhe
Monday, December 04, 1944 Jansen 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:37 3000m NW Heilbronn od Karlsruhe
Monday, December 04, 1944 Mohr 2./NJG11 4-mot. Flgz. 19:49 3000-3200m NW Heilbronn
Monday, December 04, 1944 Gustav Mohr 2./NJG11 Lancaster 19:33   zw. Heilbronn u. Karlsruhe
Monday, December 04, 1944 Gustav Mohr 2./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. 19:49 6000m NW Heilbronn
Monday, December 04, 1944 Friedrich-Karl Muller Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 19:35 2000-3000m Worth-Lautersbad
Wednesday, December 06, 1944 Loos 2./NJG11 Lancaster 20:20 2800m Objekt Giessen
Wednesday, December 06, 1944 Laas 2./NJG11 Lancaster 20:20 2800m Objekt Giessen
Wednesday, December 06, 1944 Ullrich 2./NJG11 Lancaster 20:18 2800-2900m Giessen
Wednesday, December 06, 1944 Ullrich 2./NJG11 Lancaster 20:18 2800-2900m Giessen
Wednesday, December 06, 1944 Schuster 2./NJG11 Lancaster 20:15-20 3000-1000m Giessen
Wednesday, December 06, 1944 Schuster 2./NJG11 Lancaster 20:15-20 3000-1000m Giessen
Saturday, December 09, 1944 Reichenbach 4./NJG11 Mosquito 22:02 8500m FG (Berlin)
Saturday, December 09, 1944 Reichenbach 4./NJG11 Mosquito 22:02 8500m FG (Berlin)
Monday, December 11, 1944 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Wednesday, December 13, 1944 Gustav Mohr 2./NJG11 Lancaster -   -
Sunday, December 31, 1944 Krause Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster 18:50   S. Oberhausen
Tuesday, January 02, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, January 05, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Wednesday, January 10, 1945 Kurt Welter 10./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Sunday, January 14, 1945 Friedrich-Karl Muller Stab I./NJG11 Lancaster -   -
Tuesday, January 16, 1945 Kurt Welter 10./NJG11 Lancaster -   -
Tuesday, January 16, 1945 Kurt Welter 10./NJG11 Lancaster -   -
Wednesday, February 07, 1945 Heinz Bocksteigel 10./NJG11 Lancaster -   -
Thursday, February 15, 1945 Karl-Heinz Becker Stab II./NJG11 P-38 Lightning 15:46   5km N. Spremberg
Tuesday, February 20, 1945 Friedrich-Karl Muller Stab I./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. -   -
Tuesday, February 20, 1945 Friedrich-Karl Muller Stab I./NJG11 4-mot. Flzg. -   -
Wednesday, February 21, 1945 Frank Stab III./NJG11 Lancaster 23:23   NW Neuss
Thursday, February 22, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Thursday, February 22, 1945 Reichenbach Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Thursday, February 22, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, February 23, 1945 Reichenbach Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, February 23, 1945 Reichenbach Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, February 23, 1945 Richards Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, February 23, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, February 23, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Saturday, February 24, 1945 Kreibaum Stab II./NJG11 Lancaster 20:12   NW Krefeld
Friday, March 02, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, March 02, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, March 02, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Wednesday, March 07, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Sunday, March 18, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Sunday, March 18, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Wednesday, March 21, 1945 Karl-Heinz Becker Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:34   10km SW Berlin
Wednesday, March 21, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:38   -
Wednesday, March 21, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 22:04   -
Wednesday, March 21, 1945 Reichenbach Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:38   -
Wednesday, March 21, 1945 Reichenbach Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:48   -
Saturday, March 24, 1945 Karl-Heinz Becker Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:32   3km S. Fehrbellin
Saturday, March 24, 1945 Karl-Heinz Becker Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:32   3km S. Fehrbellin
Saturday, March 24, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Tuesday, March 27, 1945 Karl-Heinz Becker Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:38   10km W. Nauen
Tuesday, March 27, 1945 Karl-Heinz Becker Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:38   10km W. Nauen
Wednesday, March 28, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, March 30, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, March 30, 1945 Karl-Heinz Becker Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:52   Tegel [Berlin]
Friday, March 30, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, March 30, 1945 Reichenbach Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Tuesday, April 03, 1945 Herbert Altner Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito 21:40   Berlin
Tuesday, April 03, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Tuesday, April 10, 1945 von Stade Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Tuesday, April 10, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Wednesday, April 11, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Friday, April 13, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Saturday, April 14, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Sunday, April 15, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
Wednesday, April 18, 1945 Kurt Welter Stab II./NJG11 Mosquito -   -
  • Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen,

References:

  1. History of the German Night Fighter Force', Anders

Web References:

  • http://www.ww2.dk/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftwaffe_units_before_the_1939_invasion_of_Poland
  • http://www.feldgrau.com/luft.html
  • http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/

Book References:

  • Bundesarchiv-Militïärarchiv, Freiburg.
  • Feldpostübersicht, RH 3/18 - 129. Has also been published by N. Kannapin in 3 volumes.
  • Schematische Kriegsgliederung, RH 2. Has also been published in Kurt Mehner's Geheime Tagesberichte der OKW, 12 vols. Exists in full, for the period 8 Jun 1940 - 31 Dec 1943, and partly for 15 Apr 1944 - 7 May 1945
  • Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den fliegenden Verbanden, RL 2 III/184, 752 - 767, 1170 - 1198. The year 1944 is missing, but can be extracted from RL 2 III/852 (summarischen Verlustmeldungen).
  • Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei Schulen und Sonstige Verbanden, RL 2 III/769 - 784
  • Flugzeugbestand und bewegungsmeldungen, RL 2 III/874 - 882. Only covers the months Mar 1942 to Dec 1944. The rest is missing.
  • Storkemeldungen der fliegenden Verbande, RL 2 III/1732 - 1765
  • Übersicht über Soll, Istbestand, Einsatzbereitschaft, Verluste und Reserven der fliegenden Verbande, RL 2 III/700 - 734
  • Flakübersicht Nov 1943 - Dec 1944, RL 2 III/1119 - 1122
  • Kriegstagebücher
  • USAF Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
  • K1028F - Eastern front 1942, incl. KTB Fliegerführer Süd (Feb 1942 - Aug 1942), extracts from Richthofen and Fiebig's diaries, monthly strength returns for entire eastern front, 60 page summary of 1. Luftwaffen-Flotilla (Siebel ferries) operations on Ladoga Sea
  • K1028G - Eastern front 1943, mainly VIII. Fliegerkorps operations
  • K1028Y & K1028X - KTB I. Jagdkorps (Sep 1943 - May 1944) and KTB 5. Jagddivision (Jun 1944).
  • A1128 - German Order of Battle - Statistics as of Quarter Years, 1938-45 (parts of the USAF Strategic Bombing Survey)

Luftwaffe Emblem References:

  • Junkers Ju 87: From 1936 to 1945 by Herbert Leonard Paperback
  • Messerschmitt Me 110: Messerchmitt's twin-engined Bf 110, Me 210 and 410 by Dominique Breffort Perfect Paperback
  • Focke-Wulf Fw 190: From 1939 to 1945 (Planes and Pilots) by Dominique Breffort Paperback
  • Messerschmitt Me 109, Vol. 1: From 1936 to 1942 (Aircraft and Pilots) by Anis ElBied Paperback