A bad day for the JG 2

[Al Schlageter]

For comparison:

Other dates beside below can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/calendar.html

Date: 24 July 1940

* Weather: Channel and Straits of Dover cloudy. Coastal and hill fog in western districts spreading east. Rain in most districts.
* Day: Convoys and shipping in the Channel attacked.
* Night: Nil.

Enemy action by day

The main activity was centred in the Channel. A combat involving approximately 90 aircraft took place at midday off Deal and North Foreland. Convoys and shipping were the main objectives. A few raids penetrated inland and dropped bombs without inflicting any serious damage except near Glasgow where a printing works was practically demolished.

North and North-East

At 0630 hours, hostile aircraft appeared over Glasgow and bombed the Hillingdon district where a printing works was seriously damaged. Some windows of the Rolls Royce factory were broken and a few minor casualties are reported. This aircraft was intercepted and it is reported that the rear gunner was killed and one engine put out of action. The enemy aircraft dived into clouds and was lost but it is doubtful if it will reach home. In the afternoon, several reconnaissances were plotted in the Aberdeen area.

East and South-East

Numerous hostile reconnaissances were carried out off the East and South-East coasts and in four cases were followed by attacks on shipping. One Do215 was shot down.

Just before midday, a large force of enemy aircraft assembled behind Calais and then approached two convoys off the North Foreland and the Downs. Three squadrons were up ready to intercept. A battle ensued in which approximately fifty enemy aircraft were involved with thirty-six of our fighters. The enemy aircraft were driven off after - it is reported - having sunk two trawlers and damaged two more. Enemy losses reported in this combat are reported as 10 confirmed (including one by AA) and sixteen unconfirmed against the loss of two of our Spitfires.

At 1503 hours, an enemy aircraft crossed the coast west of Shoreham and dropped bombs on the Vickers landing ground at Weybridge and on the gas works at Walton on Thames and at Byfleet. Little damage is reported and production has not been affected. There was no interception by our fighters.

At 1727 hours, three enemy aircraft bombed ships off Dover. No 74 Squadron report that one Do215 was shot down (unconfirmed) off Manston.

At 1950 hours, a hostile track appeared 20 miles south of Hastings and is reported to have machine-gunned inshore patrols. Weather conditions were too bad for fighter action to be taken.

At 2050 hours, one Spitfire of No 66 Squadron whilst on patrol, came down in the sea 30 miles north-east of Cromer but the pilot was rescued.

South and West

At 0730 hours, a Ju88 which approached Portcawl and bombed shipping was shot down by No 92 Squadron. Several raids approached Bournemouth and Portland but faded without and attack being made. Considerable enemy reconnaissance activity was plotted in the Channel.

Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 24 July 1940

* Blenheim - 56
* Spitfire - 238
* Hurricane - 294
* Defiant - 15
* Total - 603

Casualties:

* Enemy: Fighters - 9 confirmed, 13 unconfirmed; Bombers - 3 confirmed, 4 unconfirmed.
* Own: 2 Spitfires 1 Hurricane.

* AA claims one Do215 confirmed.

* In addition it is now reported that a further four Spitfires are unserviceable owing to enemy action.

Patrols:

* 191 patrols despatched involving 591 aircraft.

Balloons:

* Flying - 1211 Casualties - 30.

Aerodromes:

* All serviceable.

Organization:

* No. 607 Squadron is now operational by day only at Usworth.

[Danelov]

Coming back with the JG 52. After the short and disastrous deployment of the III./JG 52 , the Jagdgeschwader try a second time this time with the II./JG 52.
The unit was refitted at Nordholz and that move to Peuplingues in August 6. Fly his first mission the 12th and loss three Bf 109s and pilots. Two day after, the 14th, loss three more Bf 109s and his pilots. A second disaster for the JG 52 and the unit was pulled back to Germany the 18th, resting only at place the Stab and I./JG 52. The II./JG 52 flew defense missions out of Jever on the German Bight until the 30th, after transferred to Husum, then to Stade on September l9th. After so a poor perfomance his CO, Hptm. Kornatzki was replaced as Kommandeur on 26-08-40 by Hptm. Wilhelm Ensslen.Things apparently improved, specially confidence and the unit try again, returning to Peuplingles at Sept 25.
However the return to combat was again a new disaster, lossing five pilots and seven Bf 109 two days after, the 27th, including Oblt Karl Trieber from the Stab. The 30th two more Bf 109s and pilots were loss.

In October the 5.Staffel was converted to Jabo for loss very fast five more planes and four pilots during the month. On the 29th, future ace Lt. Gerhard Barkhorn, from 6./JG 52, was shot down and forced to ditch in the Channel, but was rescued by the Seenodienst.

The last major combat for the unit in 1940 took place on November 2th, and again another disaster, suffering the loss of its Gruppenkommandeur, Hptm. Ensslen, who, along with his wingman, was shot down off the Kent coast. A third Bf 109 damaged in combat was written off after crash landing at Peuplinges. The unit was retired of operations the Nov 5, 1940. Definitively the Battle of Britain was not a match for the JG 52. By the end of the battle, JG 52 was the only fighter unit of the Lufwaffe to have failed to produce a high-scoring pilot.

[Shado]

Thanks for that link Al Schlageter, brilliant reading.

[JG52Krupi]

Thanks Danelov very interesting, best thread on this forum atm

[Bewolf]

Originally Posted by Al Schlageter

For comparison:

Other dates beside below can be found at http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/calendar.html

Date: 24 July 1940

* Weather: Channel and Straits of Dover cloudy. Coastal and hill fog in western districts spreading east. Rain in most districts.
* Day: Convoys and shipping in the Channel attacked.
* Night: Nil.

Enemy action by day

The main activity was centred in the Channel. A combat involving approximately 90 aircraft took place at midday off Deal and North Foreland. Convoys and shipping were the main objectives. A few raids penetrated inland and dropped bombs without inflicting any serious damage except near Glasgow where a printing works was practically demolished.

North and North-East

At 0630 hours, hostile aircraft appeared over Glasgow and bombed the Hillingdon district where a printing works was seriously damaged. Some windows of the Rolls Royce factory were broken and a few minor casualties are reported. This aircraft was intercepted and it is reported that the rear gunner was killed and one engine put out of action. The enemy aircraft dived into clouds and was lost but it is doubtful if it will reach home. In the afternoon, several reconnaissances were plotted in the Aberdeen area.

East and South-East

Numerous hostile reconnaissances were carried out off the East and South-East coasts and in four cases were followed by attacks on shipping. One Do215 was shot down.

Just before midday, a large force of enemy aircraft assembled behind Calais and then approached two convoys off the North Foreland and the Downs. Three squadrons were up ready to intercept. A battle ensued in which approximately fifty enemy aircraft were involved with thirty-six of our fighters. The enemy aircraft were driven off after - it is reported - having sunk two trawlers and damaged two more. Enemy losses reported in this combat are reported as 10 confirmed (including one by AA) and sixteen unconfirmed against the loss of two of our Spitfires.

At 1503 hours, an enemy aircraft crossed the coast west of Shoreham and dropped bombs on the Vickers landing ground at Weybridge and on the gas works at Walton on Thames and at Byfleet. Little damage is reported and production has not been affected. There was no interception by our fighters.

At 1727 hours, three enemy aircraft bombed ships off Dover. No 74 Squadron report that one Do215 was shot down (unconfirmed) off Manston.

At 1950 hours, a hostile track appeared 20 miles south of Hastings and is reported to have machine-gunned inshore patrols. Weather conditions were too bad for fighter action to be taken.

At 2050 hours, one Spitfire of No 66 Squadron whilst on patrol, came down in the sea 30 miles north-east of Cromer but the pilot was rescued.

South and West

At 0730 hours, a Ju88 which approached Portcawl and bombed shipping was shot down by No 92 Squadron. Several raids approached Bournemouth and Portland but faded without and attack being made. Considerable enemy reconnaissance activity was plotted in the Channel.

Statistics
Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 24 July 1940

* Blenheim - 56
* Spitfire - 238
* Hurricane - 294
* Defiant - 15
* Total - 603

Casualties:

* Enemy: Fighters - 9 confirmed, 13 unconfirmed; Bombers - 3 confirmed, 4 unconfirmed.
* Own: 2 Spitfires 1 Hurricane.

* AA claims one Do215 confirmed.

* In addition it is now reported that a further four Spitfires are unserviceable owing to enemy action.

Patrols:

* 191 patrols despatched involving 591 aircraft.

Balloons:

* Flying - 1211 Casualties - 30.

Aerodromes:

* All serviceable.

Organization:

* No. 607 Squadron is now operational by day only at Usworth.

This is an interesting report. What particulary strikes me is that planes sometimes operated in groups of only 3 aircraft, or even single planes.

[Shado]

A couple of paragraphs which opened my eyes a bit.

Taken from the 11th of July 1940.

After 1100 hours considerable activity started with an attack on Portland and a convoy off the coast, some fifty enemy aircraft taking part. These aircraft were plotted from Cap Hague and Jersey. Five of our squadrons intercepted and succeeded in shooting down 8 Me110s for certain and 8 Me110s and 1 Ju87 probable. In addition, one Hurricane which attacked one of our sections and which bore red and blue checked markings on the wings was shot down.

Taken from the 14th of July 1940

At about 1500 hours, a number of raids were plotted, assembling behind Calais. In consequence, 3 fighter squadrons proceeded to investigate and intercepted an enemy force of 40 Ju87s, escorted by a number of Me109s over Dover and the Channel. Our aircraft shot down 3 Ju87s, 3 Me109s, and probably destroyed 1 Ju87 and 1 Me109. Our loss was one Hurricane. During this combat, a Hurricane which failed to answer a challenge was attacked by our fighters whereupon it dived towards sea level and flew off towards France., Two merchant vessels were attacked and a naval unit hit during this engagement.

[Al Schlageter]

Originally Posted by Shado

Thanks for that link Al Schlageter, brilliant reading.

Glad you liked it.

Here is another to look at, http://www.the-battle-of-britain.co....s/contents.htm

[SNAFU]

Reading through the diary on the webside I noticed the high number of casulties of the balloons. Are these figures personal of the home guard or just balloons, which were lost?

[csThor]

The losses suffered by III./JG 52 aren't particulary surprising to me. First the Gruppe itself was "brand-new", having been formed from scratch only in March 1940, secondly according to the literature I own it didn't see much combat before the fateful combats in late July 1940 and last but not least the Gruppe was pretty much exclusively engaged in close escort missions for Stukas. Which meant you had a very inexperienced Gruppe chained to abysmally slow Stukas ... a hideous tactical position. Of course losing the Gruppenkommandeur and two Staffelkapitäne within days was a particularly nasty string of bad luck but in itself the losses aren't surprising.

[Danelov]

Coming back to the combat the Aug 11, 1940. In detail:

Hour: Between 10.20 and 11.20 hours(11.20 and 12.20 for the Luftwaffe)
Weather: Fair in morning.
Area: Portland-Isle of Wight-Swanage-Weymouth.

Luftwaffe(Luftflotte III)Units:

JG 2(Stab I, Gruppe I, Gruppe II, Gruppe III)
JG 27(Gruppe I, Gruppe II, Gruppe III)
JG 53(Stab III, Gruppe I, Gruppe II, Gruppe III)
ZG 2(67 Bf 110)(Gruppe I and III)

KG 54(56 Ju 88A-1)(Gruppe I and III)
KG 27(20 He 111)

RAF units

152 Sqn(Spitfire)(Warmwell)
609 Sqn(Spitfire)(Middle Wallop)
1 Sqn (Hurricane)(Northolt)
87 Sqn (Hurricane)(Exeter)
145 Sqn(Hurricane)(Westhampnett)
213 Sqn(Hurricane)(Exeter)
238 Sqn(Hurricane)(Middle Wallop)
601 Sqn(Hurricane)(Tangmere)

Luftwaffe kill Claims

JG 2

11 Spitfires, 8 Hurricanes and 2 Curtiss

JG 27

3 Spitfires and 2 Hurricanes

JG 53

8 Spitfires

ZG 2

unknown

Total Spitfire claims: 22
Total Hurricane claims: 10

Lufwaffe losses

10 Bf 109(8 JG 2, 2 JG 27)
5 Bf 110(Including Maj Ott, Gruppekommandeur of I./ZG 2)
5 Ju 88
1 He 111

RAF Losses

14 Hurricanes(2x 145, 4 x 238, 2 x 213, 4 x 601, 1 x 1 and 1 x 87)
1 Spitfire(one Spitfire of the 152 Sqn)(eh yes sir)

The Spitfire kills overclaims by the Bf 109 pilots is near to be scandalous(And we dont know the number maybe claimed also by the ZG 2). Claimed 22 Spitfires for only one really shot down, is really a confirmation of the "Spitfire Syndrome" by the Luftwaffe. The Messerschmitts pilots see Spitfires also in the soup...The good old Hurricane in silence and few fanfarre accounted for a hugue number of Bf 109 destroyed, including aces like Hptm Horst Tietzen from 5./JG 51.

Curious also claims for Curtiss, and one was by Oblt Helmut Wick, not exactly a rookie.