I. Gruppe Nachtjagdgruppe 3- I./NJG3

IV. Gruppe Nachtjagdgruppe 3- IV./NJG3

10 Staffel IV. Gruppe Nachtjagdgruppe 3 - 10./NJG3

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 10./NJG3 Stammkennzeichen Stkz DS+XV Aalborg-West 1944 00

Profile 00: Focke Wulf Fw 190A-5 of 10./NJG3 coded DS+XV, Aalborg-West, early 1944. This machine had large areas of the fuselage and the entire uppersurfaces of the wings and tailplane oversprayed with grey 74, although an area oversprayed with 75 and mottled with 74 is visible on the vertical tail surfaces. The operational markings on the fuselage were entirely in black.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 10./NJG3 Stammkennzeichen Stkz DS+XV Aalborg-West 1944 01

Photo 01: In November 1943 there was some concern in certain Luftwaffe circles that the speed of the Ju-88C and Ju88R-1 was insufficient to combat the civil Mosquitoes which were flying between Scotland and Sweden. The Staffelkapitan of 10./NJG3, Oblt. Hans-Hermann Muller whose Staffel was then based at Aalborg-West, in Denmark, decided to employ the Fw 190, but an appeal for the loan of such an aircraft from a neighbouring unit, 10./JG11 at Aalborg-East, was refused. Muller then appealed to 2.Jagddivision and was provided with one Fw 190A-5 which was assigned the code D5+XV. In December, 10./JG11 was ordered to loan Muller two Fw 190A-4s which were subsequently coded D5+ YV and D5+zv, and while in the charge of 10./NJG3 the Fw 190 detachment was known as Nachtjagdkommando 190. However, trials with the single-seat Fw 190s did not result in the expected successes and the Fw 190A-4s were returned to JG11 in Febmary. The A-5 was also eventually returned to 2.Jagddivision in March.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 10./NJG3 Stammkennzeichen Stkz DS+XV Aalborg-West 1944 02

Photo 02: Less easy to explain are these Fw 190s which, to judge from the 'Englandblitz' badge on the machine in the foreground, clearly belonged to a night fighter unit and may have been one of the Fw 190A-4s from 10./JG11 assigned to 10./NJG3. The machine in the background with the tactical marking 'Red 5' and a II. Gruppe bar aft of the fuselage Balkenkreuz, also has a large white gull painted below the cockpit. Such a marking is known to have been applied to the Fw 190A-5 flown by Hptm. Dietrich Wickop of II./JG1 in May 1943 (see page 141 of 'Defenders of the Reich', Volume 2, published by Classic Publications). As there is a link back to JG1 via a number of redesignations, it is possible that Wickop's machine may have been the Fw 190A-5 later assigned to 10./NJG3 as D5+XY, and is shown here before being repainted in new camouflage and markings.

Nachtjagdgeschwader 10 - NJG10

Focke-Wulf Fw 190FA8 1./NJG10 White 14 Werneuchen Germany

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-6/R-11 1./NJGr.10 White 11 (W.Nr.550148) Oberleutnant Fritz Krause Germany

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A 1./NJG10 (White 9+) flown by Gunther Migge 1944 01

Photo 01: Fw. Gunther Migge, in the dark overalls, claimed his first four victories in the last three months of 1943 while flying the Bf-109G with 2./JG300. When NJGr 10 was established in early 1944, he transferred to 1. Staffel and, according to some sources, eventually accumulated a total of eight victories. This cannot be confirmed, however, and the only record of any further victories claimed by this pilot after he left 2./JG300 is a Lancaster shot down late on 12 September 1944 when he was with I./NJG11.

Focke Wulf Fw 190A 1./NJG10 (White 9+) flown by Gunther Migge Werneuchen Germany 1944 01

Photo's 02-04: Migge's Fw 190A-8 'White 9' of I./NJG10 showing the aerials for the FuG 217 radar mounted on the starboard wing and the anti-glare shield over the exhaust. The badge on the cowling originated with JG300 and symbolised the unit's 'Wilde Sau' tactics. It appeared in various forms and was also used by NJGr 10. The photograph above shows the particular variation of the badge carried on the engine cowling of Migge's 'White 9'.

Jagdgeschwader 300 to Nachtjagdgeschwader 11

Formed 30 Nov 1944 at Juterbog-Waldlager from 10./JG300 (25 aircraft). On 31 Mar 1945 reduced to 4./NJG11, while 5./NJG11 in Kothen was absorbed by 7./NJG11. Disbanded in late Apr 1945.

Focke-Wulf Focke Wulf Fw 190A JG300-NJG11 preparing for a night sortie

Photo’s 01-02: Fw 190s of JG300 preparing for a night sortie.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A II./JG 300 (Black 8+) with FuG 217 Neptune aerials 1943 01

Photo 01: An Fw 190A-6 coded 'Black 8' of II./NJG 300 in the autumn of 1943 showing the FuG 217 'Neptune' aerials mounted on the wings and in fiont and behind the canopy.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A II./JG300 (Black 8+) with FuG 217 Neptune aerials 1943 02

Photo 02: A close-up of another Fw 190 night fighter fitted with FuG 217 aerials. This example was equipped with underwing long-range tanks.