This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. Please clean it up to conform to a higher standard of quality, and to make it neutral in tone. (April 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Zerstörergeschwader 26" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel"
Active	1936–1944
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Type	Heavy fighter Bomber destroyer
Role	Air superiority
Size	Air Force Wing
Patron	Horst Wessel
Fighter Aircraft	Messerschmitt Bf 110 Messerschmitt Me 410
Engagements	World War II Defense of the Reich Battle of France Battle of Belgium Battle of Britain Battle of the Mediterranean North African Campaign Eastern Front
Commanders
Notable commanders	Joachim-Friedrich Huth
Insignia
Identification symbol	Geschwaderkennung of 3U[1]
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Bf 109, Bf 110, Me 410

Zerstörergeschwader 26 (ZG 26) "Horst Wessel" was a Luftwaffe heavy/destroyer Fighter Aircraft-wing of World War II.

Operational history[edit]

Zerstörergeschwader 26 was formed in early 1936 from the Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel". The Geschwaderstab and I. Gruppe was located in Dortmund, II. Gruppe in Werl and III. Gruppe in Lippstadt. The Geschwader was subordinated to Luftflotte 2. The Geschwader was re-equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 shortly before the outbreak of World War II.

Battle of Britain[edit]

The unit took part in the Battle of France from May–June 1940. After the fall of France, ZG 26 moved into airfields based around Crecy-en-Ponthieu, Lille, and Yvrench. III./ZG26 flew its first mission against the UK on 9 July, losing one Bf 110. ZG 26 was heavily engaged on 10 July when escorting Do 17s attacking the channel convoy codenamed 'Bread'. The defending RAF fighters were drawn up to protect the merchantmen and the ZG 26 crews claimed 12 Spitfires and Hurricanes (although RAF losses were 1 shot down,1 crash-landed). III./ZG26 in turn lost 3 Bf 110’s and another damaged.

'Adlertag' on 13 August, got off to the bad start when, due to poor weather all morning attacks were cancelled. However, although the recall order reached the Bf 110 of ZG 26, the Do 17s of KG 2 they were escorting did not receive the order. Frantic attempts by the Zerstörer crews to alert the Do-17s to turn back proved fruitless and the Dorniers continued to their target. ZG 26 returned to base, leaving KG 2 to press on alone. Later in the day Erpr.Gr.210 took off to attack on Rochford airfield, escorted by I./ZG 26. Weather conditions at this time of day were no better than in the morning and the mission was aborted, Erpr.Gr.210 releasing its bombs over Canterbury and returning to base. I./ZG 26 ran into the Hurricanes of No. 56 Squadron and, for the loss of one Bf 110, claimed 4 shot down.

On 18 August the Bf 110s of ZG 26 escorted bombers to the airfields of Biggin Hill and Kenley. ZG 26 took heavy losses from the RAF fighters, and 9 Bf 110’s were shot down, including those of I.Gruppe Adjutant, Oblt. Rudiger Proske (taken prisoner), and the 3.Staffel Staffelkapitän Oblt. Hans-Jurgen Kirchoff (killed). In late afternoon ZG 26 escorted a force of bombers to attack Hornchurch and North Weald and suffered further losses. The Staffelkapitän of 2./ZG 26 Hptm. Herbert Kaminski ditched into the North Sea and, with his radio operator spent four days in a dinghy before being rescued. ZG 26 had 13 Bf 110’s shot down, 6 crash landing back in France, with 2 'write-offs' while claiming 25 RAF fighters shot down. ZG 26 lost another 3 on 26 August.

Fueling a Bf 110 of ZG 26, October 1940

On 2 September I. and II. Gruppen escorted a raid targeted at airfields near the Thames. The bomber force reached its objectives with only one bomber was shot down, and ZG 26 lost 2 shot down, with another returning with combat damage. On 11 September, in further raids against London, the main Zerstörer escort force was ZG 26, with elements of V.(Z)/LG 1, and II. and III./ZG 76 also taking part. ZG 26 took most losses, losing 5 aircraft.^{[citation needed]} Operations against the UK during the Battle of Britain had showed up the vulnerability of the Bf 110 to a well organised, modern single-seat fighter force, ZG 26 losing some 95 aircraft during the July–December 1940 period, with over 118 aircrew killed or prisoner.^[2]

Mediterranean theatre[edit]

Following the Battle of Britain, the three Gruppen of ZG 26 remained intact and were withdrawn to Germany to rest and re-equip in November and December 1940. Many of the Zerstörergeschwadern previously employed on day operations were now converted into the night fighter role for home defence. However, the proposed re-designation of I. and II./ZG 26 as I. and II./NJG 4 was suspended, and these two Gruppen formed part of the aerial support provided by the Luftwaffe for the forthcoming Balkans campaign.

VIII. Fliegerkorps assembled the attacking force, including ZG 26 for the offensive to begin on 6 April, I./ZG 26 escorting to bombers attacking Belgrade. Encountering Bf-109Es of the Yugoslavian Air Force, 2 enemy machines were claimed shot down, but the Zerstörer lost 5 in return. In the south, II./ZG 26 lost two Bf 110s while III./ZG 26 also claimed 2 Yugoslavian Air Force Bf-109s. The end of the first day broke the resistance of the Yugoslavian air force and the Zerstörers switched to attacking ground targets in support of the advancing German troops. On 31 January, III./ZG 26 became the first Luftwaffe unit to go to North Africa. The unit transferred to Castel Benito, Sirte, and Arco Philaenorum. A Bf 110 from the Gruppe which became the first German aircraft to be lost in North Africa when it forced-landed behind British lines on 14 February.

III gruppe then took part in the successful invasion of Greece. On 20 April a force from II./ZG 26 tangled with Hurricanes over Piraus. II. Gruppe lost two Bf 110s, but made 5 victory claims over the Hurricanes, including Squadron Leader 'Pat' Pattle of No. 33 Squadron, arguably the top scoring RAF pilot of the War, with a score of 40–50. As the Luftwaffe gained air superiority, strafing attacks on airfields increased and losses increased to AA and small arms fire. On 27 April Bf 110s of I./ZG 26 caught a large body of troops in the open and were able to carry out a devastating attack in return for 2 Bf 110s crash-landed. With the closing of the campaign in Greece, attention now turned in support of the invasion of Crete.

Over North Africa, an Italian Fiat G.50 and a German Bf 110 of Zerstörergeschwader 26 in flight

Parallel to this activity 7./ZG 26 was posted to Sicily early 1941 in order to protect supply routes from Italy to North Africa, and to attack enemy shipping, reconnaissance missions and convoy patrols, in addition to supporting the ground forces in North Africa. The unit also participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia and flew missions over Malta.

By June 1941 III./ZG 26 were based at Derna in North Africa and part of Fliegerführer Afrika, supporting the Axis ground forces. In December 1941, 7./ZG 26 joined the rest of III gruppe at Derna to counter the Allied ground offensive codenamed "Operation Crusader". Given its harbour facilities, the Axis siege of the Allied port of Tobruk was vital to the African theatre of operations as 1941 wore on. 7. and 9. Staffeln of ZG 26 were based in Sicily and Crete during the summer, and 8. Staffel claimed the most air kills, with most of the aerial action over Sidi Barrani.

On 23 October the Third Battle of El Alamein commenced a major Allied advances occurred into November. III./ZG 26 carried out bombing and strafing attacks. A heavy loss occurred on 4 December when a Ju 52 carrying essential ground personnel was shot down. By late 1942 III./ZG 26 was based in Sicily.

Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria in November 1942 saw American forces entering combat, for the first time. III./ZG 26, saw losses increase as modern Allied fighters in increasing numbers were encountered. Convoy cover and transport escort duties continued, with III Gruppe where possible attacking American bombers seeking out the German convoys. On 3 February 4 Bf 110s attacking a formation of B-26s were bounced by the P-38 escort. Only Fw. Wegmann managed to escape. On 5 April, a formation of Ju 52/3ms attempting to take supplies to the Afrika Korps was intercepted by P-38s. The 18 Luftwaffe escort was overwhelmed when a further force of 26 P-38s entered the fray. 2 Bf110s were lost in addition to 14 Ju52s . 18 April saw a Ju 52/3m force attacked by British and American fighters, resulting in a loss of 24 Ju52s and 10 escorts. The air war was being lost by the Luftwaffe, and the likes of the Bf 110s of III./ZG 26 were taking unsustainable losses. The Gruppe moved to Rome before being transferred back to Germany in July 1943.

Invasion of the Soviet Union[edit]

During this initial period the I. Gruppe claimed 51 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 11 aircraft shot down in aerial combat. ZG 26 were soon transferred North to support the drive towards Leningrad. By August I. and II./ZG 26 were operating from Sarudinye, and later Smolensk. Their role was again multi-functional- to attack enemy forces, airfields, tank and artillery concentrations, communications networks, and the rail and river network bringing supplies to the beleaguered city. Through the winter of 1941–42 the two Gruppen were rotated between the Eastern Front and Germany. Shortly afterwards, both Gruppen returned to Germany where the Gruppen were disbanded.

On the far northern Russian Front, in July 1944 13.(Z) Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) was redesignated 10./ZG 26, part of the new IV. Gruppe of ZG 26, retaining its base as Herdla. The new 12 Staffel was also equipped with the Bf 110, being based at Oerlandet. By November, the Staffel was based at Trondheim. A further re-designation took place in February 1945 when the 10 and 12 Staffeln of ZG 26 were incorporated into 7./JG 5, part of the new 11./ JG 5.

The Geschwader was disbanded in April 1942. The Geschwaderstab formed the Geschwaderstab of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3. III. Gruppe remained the sole autonomous Gruppe while the other Gruppen were integrated into Zerstörergeschwader 2 and Zerstörergeschwader 3.

1943[edit]

The Geschwader was reformed in 1943 from the old III. Gruppe and the I. Gruppe and III. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 1.

The II. Gruppe was re-equipped with the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse. ZG 26 meanwhile was soon in action against the bombers of the USAAF Eighth Air Force. ZG 26 claimed some 19 bombers downed on 8 October, while intercepting a raid against Münster on 10 October, II. and III. Gruppen suffered moderate losses but claimed 18 bombers in return, on the day that the American 100th Bomb Group only had one bomber return intact to Thorpe Abbotts from their unit on the Münster raid. Four days later, ZG 26 took part in inflicting heavy losses on American bombers during the raid on Schweinfurt, claiming 10 victories. ZG 26's conflict against the USAAF day bombers was infrequent, although on 29 November 1943 6 bombers of the 95th Bomb Group were downed over Bremen by a frontal Werfer-Granate 21 rocket attack by six Me 410's (9 were claimed) and on 16 March 1944 18 bombers were downed over Augsburg.

III./ZG 26 was based in Wunstorf during early 1944, with Bf 110's armed with two 30mm and four 20mm cannon ( two in a ventral fuselage gun pod), and four underwing-mount Werfer-Granate 21 210mm rocket launchers, designed to break up the massed bomber formations from long range. ZG 26's Me 410s also gradually took on added weight with extra cannon and rockets, culminating in the fitting of a bomb-bay mount 50 mm Bordkanone BK 5 cannon ( with 21 rounds) on the Me 410A-1/U4 aircraft on duty.

Burdened by so much heavy ordnance on each aircraft, the over-arming of Zerstörer heavy fighters to operate better as diurnal bomber destroyers compromised high altitude performance and rendered the aircraft highly vulnerable when caught by the Allied fighter escorts. On 20 February, 16 Bf 110G's of III Gruppe were intercepted by the P-47 Thunderbolts of the 56th Fighter Group, losing 11 aircraft shot down. Two more were lost on 22 February in addition to Hauptmann Tratt, who was shot down and killed in combat over Nordhausen flying a Me 410 A-1. He was posthumously awarded the Eichenlaub on 26 March and promoted to Major. Tratt was the highest scoring Zerstörer pilot of the war.

Berlin was the target of the American 'heavies' for the first time on 6 March, and interception was made by ZG 26 who claimed 8 bombers destroyed. However, II. and III./ZG 26 lost 11 out of the 17 aircraft deployed, a crippling loss rate; I. and III.Gruppen of ZG 26 were withdrawn to Königsberg, where they began conversion to the Me 410. On 11 April II./ZG 26 downed ten B-17s without any losses, although their second sortie of the day ZG 26 was intercepted by strong formations of escorting P-51s, flying well ahead of the USAAF bombers' combat boxes, that shot down 8 Me 410s and 3 Bf 110s; 16 crewman were killed, and 3 wounded. I and II./ZG 26 claimed another 16 bombers down over the North Baltic coast on 29 May 1944.

By June 1944 the 35 operational Me 410B-2s of Stab, I and II./ZG 26 were based at Königsburg-Neumark, while 7. ZG 26 (still flying Bf 110-G) were at Fels am Wagram. The Geschwader was disbanded in late July 1944, with II. Gruppe and III. Gruppe remustered to II. Gruppe and III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 6 during the summer of 1944. The IV. Gruppe was created on 5 September 1944 in Norway. The pilots integrated into Jagdgeschwader 6 took heavy casualties through 1944 during operations against the Allied day bomber offensive.

Commanding officers[edit]

• Oberst Kurt-Bertram von Döring, 1 May 1939 – 14 December 1939


• Oberstleutnant Joachim-Friedrich Huth, 14 December 1939 – 1 November 1940


• Oberst Johann Schalk, 1 November 1940 – 29 September 1941


• Oberstleutnant Karl Boehm-Tettelbach, October 1943 – June 1944


• Oberstleutnant Johann Kogler, June 1944 – July 1944

References[edit]