Zerstorergeschwader 26 'Horst Wessel'

Geschwaderkommodoren:

  • Oberst Kurt Bertram von Döring, 1 May 1939 - 14 Dec 1939
  • Obstlt Joachim-Friedrich Huth, 14 Dec 1939 - 1 Nov 1940
  • Oberst Johann Schalk, 1 Nov 1940 - 29 Sep 1941
  • Obstlt Karl Boehm-Tettelbach, Oct 1943 - Jun 1944
  • Obstlt Johann Kogler, Jun 1944 - Jul 1944

Stab:

Formed 1 May 1939 in Dortmund from On 29 Sep 1941 redesignated

Reformed 13 Oct 1943 in Wunstorf. In Jul 1944 redesignated

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
1 May 1939 - Aug 1939 Dortmund   Bf 109D
Aug 1939 - Nov 1939 Varel   Bf 109D
Nov 1939 - 5 Jan 1940 Dortmund   Bf 109D, Bf 110
5 Jan 1940 - Mar 1940 Crailsheim   Bf 110
Mar 1940 - May 1940 Dortmund   Bf 110
May 1940 - Jun 1940 Boos-Rouen   Bf 110
Jun 1940 - Nov 1940 Lille   Bf 110
Nov 1940 - 28 Mar 1941 Memmingen   Bf 110
28 Mar 1941 - Apr 1941 Szeged   Bf 110
Apr 1941 - May 1941 Larissa   Bf 110
May 1941 - May 1941 Athens-Tatoi   Bf 110
May 1941 - Jun 1941 Argos   Bf 110
Jun 1941 - 28 Jun 1941 Suwalki   Bf 110
28 Jun 1941 - 26 Jul 1941 Vilnius and ?   Bf 110
26 Jul 1941 - 8 Aug 1941 Pleskau   Bf 110
8 Aug 1941 - 25 Sep 1941 Sarudinye   Bf 110
25 Sep 1941 - 29 Sep 1941 Stade   Bf 110
13 Oct 1943 - 22 Mar 1944 Wunstorf   Bf 110
22 Mar 1944 - 31 Jul 1944 Konigsberg-Devau   Bf 110, Me 410

I. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

  • Hptm Karl Kaschka, 1 May 1939 - Jan 1940
  • Hptm Wilhelm Makrocki, 27 Jan 1940 - 21 May 1941
  • Hptm Herbert Kaminski, May 1941 - 1941
  • Hptm Wilhelm Spies, ? - 27 Jan 1942

Formed 1 May 1939 in Dortmund from with:

Stab I./ZG26 from Stab I./ZG142
1./ZG26 from 1./ZG142
2./ZG26 from 2./ZG142
3./ZG26 from 3./ZG142

Disbanded Apr 1942, and was absorbed by and

Reformed 13 Oct 1943 in Bad Lippspringe from with:

Stab I./ZG26 from Stab I./ZG1
1./ZG26 from 1./ZG1
2./ZG26 from 2./ZG1
3./ZG26 from 3./ZG1

In Jul 1944 redesignated with:

Stab I./ZG26 became Stab I./JG6
1./ZG26 became 1./JG6
 

2./ZG26 became 2./JG6
 

3./ZG26 became 3./JG6

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
1 May 1939 - Aug 1939 Dortmund   Bf 109D
Aug 1939 - 5 Dec 1939 Varel   Bf 109D, Bf 110
5 Dec 1939 - 5 Jan 1940 Lippstadt   Bf 109D, Bf 110
5 Jan 1940 - 11 Mar 1940 Crailsheim   Bf 110
11 Mar 1940 - 9 May 1940 Langendiebach   Bf 110
9 May 1940 - 18 May 1940 Niedermendig   Bf 110
18 May 1940 - Jun 1940 Boos-Rouen   Bf 110
Jun 1940 - Nov 1940 Yvrench/St. Omer   Bf 110
Nov 1940 - 28 Mar 1941 Memmingen   Bf 110
28 Mar 1941 - Apr 1941 Szeged   Bf 110
Apr 1941 - May 1941 Larissa   Bf 110
May 1941 - May 1941 Athens-Tatoi   Bf 110
May 1941 - Jun 1941 Argos   Bf 110
Jun 1941 - 28 Jun 1941 Suwalki   Bf 110
28 Jun 1941 - 14 Jul 1941 Vilnius   Bf 110
14 Jul 1941 - 8 Aug 1941 Pleskau   Bf 110
8 Aug 1941 - 28 Sep 1941 Sarudinye   Bf 110
28 Sep 1941 - 18 Oct 1941 Smolensk   Bf 110
18 Oct 1941 - Mar 1942 Kitzingen   Bf 110
13 Oct 1943 - Dec 1943 Bad Lippspringe   Bf 110
Dec 1943 - 1 Apr 1944 Völkenrode   Bf 110
1 Apr 1944 - 29 Apr 1944 Fassberg   Me 410
29 Apr 1944 - 17 May 1944 Gabbert   Me 410
17 May 1944 - Aug 1944 Konigsberg-Devau   Me 410

II. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

  • Maj Friedrich Vollbracht, 1 May 1939 - Apr 1940
  • Hptm Ralph von Rettberg, Apr 1940 - Apr 1942
  • Hptm Eduard Tratt, 11 Oct 1943 - 22 Feb 1944

Formed 1 May 1939 in Werl from with:

Stab II./ZG26 from Stab II./ZG142
4./ZG26 from 4./ZG142
5./ZG26 from 5./ZG142
6./ZG26 from 6./ZG142

Disbanded Apr 1942, and was absorbed by and

Reformed 11 Oct 1943 in Hildesheim from with:

Stab II./ZG26 from Stab III./ZG1
4./ZG26 from 7./ZG1
5./ZG26 from 8./ZG1
6./ZG26 from 9./ZG1

In Jul 1944 redesignated with :

Stab II./ZG26 became Stab II./JG6
4./ZG26 became 5./JG6
 

5./ZG26 became 6./JG6
6./ZG26 became 7./JG6

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
1 May 1939 - 1 Oct 1939 Werl   Bf 109D
1 Oct 1939 - 30 Oct 1939 Störmede   Bf 109D, Bf 110
30 Oct 1939 - 3 Nov 1939 Wiesbaden-Erbenheim   Bf 109D, Bf 110
3 Nov 1939 - 7 Nov 1939 Gelnhausen   Bf 109D, Bf 110
7 Nov 1939 - 5 Jan 1940 Werl   Bf 109D, Bf 110
5 Jan 1940 - 9 May 1940 Gelnhausen   Bf 110
9 May 1940 - 18 May 1940 Kaarst/Neuss   Bf 110
18 May 1940 - 20 May 1940 Asch   Bf 110
20 May 1940 - Jun 1940 St. Trond   Bf 110
Jun 1940 - Nov 1940 Crecy-en-Ponthieu   Bf 110
Nov 1940 - 18 Feb 1941 Memmingen   Bf 110
18 Feb 1941 - Mar 1941 Popesti   Bf 110
Mar 1941 - Apr 1941 Krainici   Bf 110
Apr 1941 - May 1941 Larissa   Bf 110
May 1941 - May 1941 Athens-Tatoi   Bf 110
May 1941 - Jun 1941 Argos   Bf 110
Jun 1941 - 28 Jun 1941 Suwalki   Bf 110
28 Jun 1941 - Jul 1941 Vilnius-Süd   Bf 110
Jul 1941 - 15 Jul 1941 Sloboda   Bf 110
15 Jul 1941 - 8 Aug 1941 Pleskau   Bf 110
8 Aug 1941 - 12 Sep 1941 Sarudinye   Bf 110
12 Sep 1941 - 1 Oct 1941 Pärnu Fl.Fu. Ostsee Bf 110
1 Oct 1941 - 18 Oct 1941 Smolensk   Bf 110
18 Oct 1941 - Mar 1942 Dugino   Bf 110
Oct 1943 - Feb 1944 Hildesheim   Me 410
Feb 1944 - 24 Mar 1944 Pfaffenhofen*   Me 410
24 Mar 1944 - Aug 1944 Konigsberg-Devau   Me 410

* 6./ZG26 remained at Pfaffenhofen until 10 Apr 1944.

 

Gruppenkommandeure:

  • Hptm Johannes Schalk, 1 May 1939 - 1 Sep 1940
  • Maj Karl Kaschka, 1 Sep 1940 - 4 Dec 1941
  • Hptm Thomas Steinberger, 4 Dec 1941 - 24 Dec 1941
  • Hptm Georg Christl, 25 Dec 1941 - 12 Jul 1943
  • Maj Fritz Schulze-Dickow, 12 Jul 1943 - 11 Feb 1944
  • ?
  • Hptm Werner Thierfelder, 2 Jun 1944 - 18 Jul 1944
  • ?

Formed 1 May 1939 in Lippstadt from with:

Stab III./ZG26 from Stab III./ZG142


7./ZG26 from 7./ZG142


8./ZG26 from 8./ZG142


9./ZG26 from 9./ZG142

Known as JGr. 126 between 25 Sep 1939 and 4 Feb 1940.

On 26 Sep 1944 redesignated with :

Stab III./ZG26 became Stab/Kommando Nowotny
7./ZG26 was absorbed by
8./ZG26 became 2./Kommando Nowotny
9./ZG26 became 1./Kommando Nowotny

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
1 May 1939 - Aug 1939 Lippstadt   Bf 109D
Aug 1939 - Nov 1939 Neumünster   Bf 109D
Nov 1939 - Dec 1939 Bönninghardt   Bf 109D
Dec 1939 - 5 Jan 1940 Krefeld   Bf 109D
5 Jan 1940 - 4 Feb 1940 Lippstadt   Bf 109D
4 Feb 1940 - Mar 1940 Dortmund   Bf 109D, Bf 110
Mar 1940 - 9 May 1940 Lippstadt   Bf 110
9 May 1940 - 18 May 1940 Krefeld   Bf 110
18 May 1940 - Jun 1940 Rouen-Boos   Bf 110
Jun 1940 - Dec 1940 Barley-Arques   Bf 110
Nov 1940 - Dec 1940 Neubiberg   Bf 110
Dec 1940 - 14 Dec 1940 Treviso   Bf 110
14 Dec 1940 - Jan 1941 Palermo   Bf 110
Jan 1941 - 24 May 1942 Trapani*   Bf 110
24 May 1942 - 30 Jun 1942 Derna   Bf 110
30 Jun 1942 - 5 Aug 1942 Fuka**   Bf 110
5 Aug 1942 - Nov 1942 Kastelli**   Bf 110
Nov 1942 - Jun 1943 Trapani   Bf 110
Jun 1943 - 31 Jul 1943 Ciampino/Rome   Bf 110
31 Jul 1943 - Oct 1943 Plantlünne   Bf 110
Oct 1943 - 22 Mar 1944 Wunstorf   Bf 110
22 Mar 1944 - 11 May 1944 Konigsberg-Devau   Me 410
11 May 1944 - 23 May 1944 Leipheim***   Me 410
23 May 1944 - 27 Sep 1944 Lechfeld***   Me 410

* 7./ZG26 moved to Derna Dec 1941 (replacing 8./ZG26), 21 Dec 1941 to Sirte, Feb 1942 to Derna

* 8./ZG26 moved to Bir Dufan on 13 Feb 1941 (Fl.Fu. Afrika), 1May 193 to Sirte, 30.3 to En Nofilia, Apr 1941 to Derna, Dec 1941 to Germany, 22 Feb 1942 to Derna, 21 Mar 1942 to Trapani

* 9./ZG26 at Derna, Jun 1941 to Jun 1941; and again Nov 1941 - Nov 1941, Nov 1941 to Malemes (Crete), 21 Mar 1942 to Trapani

** 8./ZG26 at Derna, Aug 1942 - Nov 1942.

*** 7./ZG26 at Fels-am-Wagran (13 May 1944 - 12 Jun 1944) and at Seyring (12 Jun 1944 - 20 Jul 1944); 8./ZG26 remained at Leipheim until 18 Aug 1944, and moved to Rechlin-Lärz; 9./ZG26 was based at Schwabisch-Hall (12 Jul 1944 - 20 Sep 1944), and Erfurt-Bindersleben (20 Sep 1944 - 26 Sep 1944)

10./ZG26:

Formed 5 Sep 1939 in Jever as 10.(Nacht)/ZG26 (Olt. Bernhard Mielke). On 5 Jan 1940 redesignated 10.(N)/JG26.

Reformed Apr 1942 in Derna(?). Disbanded Nov 1943, and became

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
5 Sep 1939 - 16 Sep 1939 Jever   Ar 68F, Bf 109D
16 Sep 1939 - 3 Oct 1939 Wunstorf   Ar 68F, Bf 109D
3 Oct 1939 - 10 Dec 1939 Oldenburg   Ar 68F, Bf 109D
10 Dec 1939 - 5 Jan 1940 Jever   Ar 68F, Bf 109D
Apr 1942 - Aug 1942 Derna   Bf 110
Aug 1942 - Sep 1942 Barce   Bf 110
Sep 1942 - Nov 1942 Kastelli   Bf 110
Nov 1942 - Jun 1943 Trapani   Bf 110, Ju 88C
Jun 1943 - Aug 1943 Pratica de Mare   Bf 110, Ju 88C
Aug 1943 - Nov 1943 Germany   Bf 110, Ju 88C

11./ZG26:

Formed Jun 1943 in Eleusis. On 18 Jul 1944 became part of the new IV./ZG26.

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
Jun 1943 - Aug 1944 Eleusis   Bf 110, Ju 88C

IV. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

  • ?

Formed 18 Jul 1944 in Oerlandet (10. and 12./ZG26 only):

Stab IV./ZG26 formed 5 Sep 1944 in Oerlandet from (Bf 110G)
10./ZG26 in Herdla from (Bf 110G)
11./ZG26 existed already, but did not arrive in Oerlandet until Aug 1944 (Ju 88C)
12./ZG26 in Gossen from (Bf 110G)

Bases 25 Dec 1944:

Stab IV./ZG26 and 10./ZG26 at Trondheim-Lade
10./ZG26 is not mentioned after 27 Nov 1944, and might have been disbanded.
11./ZG26 at Gardermoen, now converting to Me 410A
12./ZG26 at Herdla

Disbanded 23 Feb 1945:

Stab IV./ZG26 became
10./ZG26 became
12./ZG26 was disbanded

Only 11./ZG26 remained until the end (based at Oerlandet, Feb 1945 - May 1945, with Me 410A).

Known bases:

Stab IV. Gruppe:

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
Sep 1944 - Nov 1944 Oerlandet   Bf 110G
Nov 1944 - Feb 1945 Trondheim-Lade   Bf 110G

10./ZG26:

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
Jul 1944 - Sep 1944 Herdla   Bf 110G
Sep 1944 - Oct 1944 Stavanger-Sola*   Bf 110G
Oct 1944 - Nov 1944 Lister   Bf 110G
Nov 1944 - Nov 1944 Trondheim-Lade   Bf 110G

* only half of 10./ZG26; the other half was based at Opstad (1st half of Sep 1944) and at Lister (2nd half of Sep 1944).

11./ZG26:

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
Aug 1944 - Oct 1944 Oerlandet   Ju 88G
Oct 1944 - Jan 1945 Gerdermoen   Ju 88G, Me 410A
Jan 1945 - May 1945 Oerlandet   Me 410A

12./ZG26:

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
Jul 1944 - Aug 1944 Gossen   Bf 110G
Aug 1944 - Oct 1944 Oerlandet   Bf 110G
Oct 1944 - Feb 1945 Herdla*   Bf 110G

* detachment at Stavanger-Sola, Feb 1945

Ergänzungsgruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

  • Maj Siebelt Reents, 10 Apr 1941 - Oct 1941

Erg.Staffel/ZG26 was formed 28 Mar 1941 in Ingolstadt-Manching from Ergänzungszerstörerstaffel 1.

In Apr 1941 increased to Gruppe, now as IV./ZG26, with:

Stab new
10. (Einsatz)/ZG26 from Erg.Sta./ZG26


11. (Ausb.)/ZG26 new (Jul 1941)
12. (Ausb.)/ZG26 new (Jul 1941)

In Oct 1941 became with:

Stab IV./ZG26 became Stab/Erg.Gruppe NJG1
10. and 11./ZG26 became 2./Erg.Gruppe NJG1
12./ZG26 became 3./Erg.Gruppe NJG1

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
28 Mar 1941 - 30 Mar 1941 Ingolstadt-Manching   Bf 110
30 Mar 1941 - 6 Jul 1941 Thorn   Bf 110
7 Jul 1941 - 23 Jul 1941 Düsseldorf-Lohausen   Bf 110
23 Jul 1941 - 27 Aug 1941 Neumünster   Bf 110
28 Aug 1941 - Oct 1941 Aalborg-Ost   Bf 110

* 10./ZG26 at Neumünster (Apr 1941 - 27 Jul 1941); 10., 11. and 12./ZG26 at Aalborg-Ost (Jul 1941 - Oct 1941) 

Erg.Staffel/ZG26:

Staffelkapitäne:

  • Olt Werner Glomb, 6 Apr 1944 - 11 May 1944
  • Olt Berhardt Paffrath, 12 May 1944 - 8 Jul 1944
  • Olt Willi Radel, 9 Jul 1944 - 31 Aug 1944

Formed 6 Apr 1944 in Illesheim from On 1 Sep 1944 became

Airfields and Air Base Locations
Date Location Gruppe Aircraft Used
6 Apr 1944 - Jul 1944 Illesheim   Bf 110, Me 410
Jul 1944 - Jul 1944 Brandis   Bf 110, Me 410
Jul 1944 - 31 Aug 1944 Sagan-Kupper   Bf 110, Me 410
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This webpage was updated 11th January 2022

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