Jagdgeschwader 7

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Jagdgeschwader 7


caption=
dates=1944-1945
country=Germany
allegiance=
branch=Air Force
type=Fighter Aircraft
role=Air superiority
size=Air Force Wing
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname="Nowotny"
patron=
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=Johannes Steinhoff (1.12.44 - 26.12.44)
Theodor Weissenberger (1.1.45 - 8.5.45)
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7) "Nowotny" was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II and the first operational jet fighter wing in the world.

It was created late in 1944 and served until the end of the war in May 1945, and it operated the Me 262 jet fighter exclusively.

JG 7 was formed under the command of Oberst Johannes Steinhoff, with "Kommando Nowotny" (the initial Me 262 test wing ) renumbered III./JG 7. Under the command of Major Erich Hohagen III./JG 7 was the only element of JG 7 ready to operate against the Allies. Throughout its existence JG 7 suffered from an irregular supply of new aircraft, fuel and spares. With such a radically new aircraft, training accidents were also common, with 10 Me 262s being lost in six weeks.

The technical troubles and material shortages meant initial tentative sorties were only in flight strength, usually no more than 4 or 6 aircraft. Flying from Brandenburg-Briest, Oranienburg and Parchim, the Geschwader flew intermittently against the huge USAAF bomber streams.

By the end of February 1945 JG 7 had claimed around 45 four-engined bombers and 15 fighters, but at this stage of war this success rate had no effect whatsoever on the Allied air offensive.During March JG 7 finally began to deliver larger scale attacks against the heavy bomber streams. 3 March saw 29 sorties for 8 kills claimed (one jet was lost). On 18 March III./JG 7 finally managed their biggest attack numerically thus far, some 37 Me 262s engaging a force of 1,200 American bombers and 600 fighters. This action also marked the first use of the new R4M rockets. 12 bombers and 1 fighter were claimed for the loss of 3 Me 262s.

The total numbers of aircraft shot down by JG 7 is difficult to quantify due to the loss of Luftwaffe records, but at least 136 aircraft were claimed, and research indicates as many as 420 Allied aircraft may have been claimed shot down.

Wartime service

March 1945

23 March 1945

Heavy bombers of the USAAF 15th Air Force attacked refineries at Ruhland, where fuel production ceased completely after the attack. The Luftwaffe countered this attack with 14 jet fighters claiming two confirmed and one probable victories during the course of 11 aerial combat over Chemnitz. "Major" Heinrich Ehrler was credited with two B-24s destroyed and "Oberfeldwebel" Reinhold a B-17 probably destroyed. American sources confirm these claims to attacking Me 262s in the area of operations. [Boehme 1992, p. 129.]

31 March 1945

19 four-engined bombers and two fighters and the probable destruction of another bomber recorded a level of success which was never to be exceeded. [Boehme 1992, p. 137.] About 20 Me 262s of I. "Gruppe" and seven machines of III. "Gruppe" took off during the early morning hours of the day to intercept British and Canadian bomber formations of No. 419 Squadron (Moose), No. 434 Squadron (Bluenose), No. 408 Squadron (Goose), No. 415 Squadron (Swordfish) and No. 425 Squadron (Alouette). "Oberleutnant" Sturm, "Oberleutnant" Hans Grünberg (2), "Leutnant" Todt (2), "Leutnant" Schenk (2), "Oberleutnant" Franz Schall (2), "Fähnrich" Ehrig (2), "Leutnant" Hans-Dieter Weihs (1 probable) and "Flieger" Reiher had achieved 13 aerial victories without loss. [Boehme 1992, p. 138.]

The days victory total was raised by at least six during the afternoon when "Oberleutnant" Stehle led a formation against one of the numerous Lancaster formations. The "Staffelkapitän" of 2./JG 7 Fritz Stehle shot down a Lancaster near Osnabrück. 11. "Staffel" and the "Stabsschwarm" engaged the 8th Air Force in the Zeitz, Brandenburg and Braunschweig areas. American records show the loss of 3 B-17s, 2 B-24s and 4 P-51s mostly to Me 262s. It is believed that "Major" Weissenberger, "Oberfähnrich" Windisch and "Oberfeldwebel" Pritzl each destroyed a B-17. "Major" Ehrler and "Leutnant" Rudolf Rademacher probably accounted for a Mustang each. [Boehme 1992, p. 139.]

May 1945

At 16:00 on 8 May 1945 fighters of the JG 7 fought the last aerial battle of World War II in Europe. At about 15:20 "Oberleutnant" Fritz Stehle and his wingman took off to intercept Russian Yak-9 fighters and came upon the surprised enemy over Freiburg. Stehle's victory may very well be the last aerial victory by a German fighter pilot in World War II. [Boehme 1992, p. 176.]

Commanding Officers

Geschwaderkommodore

*Oberstleutnant Johannes Steinhoff, 1 January 1944
*Major Theodor Weissenberger, 1 January 1945
*Major Rudolf Sinner (acting), 19 February 1945

Gruppenkommandeure

I./JG 7

*Hauptmann Gerhard Baeker, August 1944
*Major Theodor Weissenberger, 25 November 1944
*Major Erich Rudorffer, 14 January 1945
*Oberleutnant Fritz Stehle (acting), April 1945
*Major Wolfgang Späte, April 1945

II./JG 7

*Major Hermann Staiger, 12 January 1945
*Hauptmann Burkhard, February 1945
*Major Hans Klemm, 15 April 1945 - 8 May 1945

III./JG 7

*Major Erich Hohagen, 19 November 1944
*Major Rudolf Sinner, 1 January 1945
*Hauptmann Johannes Naumann, 5 April 1945

IV./JG 7

*Oberstleutnant Heinrich Bär, 3 May 1945

Pilots attached to JG 7

*Heinrich Ehrler
*Karl Schnörrer
*Walter Schuck
*Johannes Steinhoff
*Hans Waldmann
*Theodor Weissenberger
*Rudi Glockner

ee also

Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II

References

;Citations;Bibliography
*. ISBN 0-88740-395-6.

;External links
* [http://www.feldgrau.com/JG7.htm A list of commanders and the organisation of JG 7]