This was one the sources, roughly translated from the German on the Wings of History site, which appears no longer, to exist
Only in December 1939 the first night interception squadron IV(N)/JG2, with old Messerschmitt BF 109D, was set up which one had diminished the canopy in favor of better overview.
In the original Dunkirk some 18 years ago now, I wanted to get in the "night" abilities of EAW which we had then only newly opened up together with the ability to have lights. So I had the Wellington flying night bombing missions (which they actually did to the forces attacking the Dunkirk perimeter), added in the ability to drop marking flares. The Fairey Battle squadrons could also do that. Wanted therefore to put in any form of night interception that the Luftwaffe had. Found out about the very early nightfighting squadrons, IV(N)/JG2 which fought with old Bf 109Ds, and the NVS which used Bf 110s, later to become NJG 1.
Before the Spring of 1940, the RAF had no night time opposition as the Luftwaffe had no night fighter force. Wolfgang Falck set out to change this. He formed an experimental night fighter unit using their Me 110's not yet equipped with any radar. They met with success. On 26 June 1940 Reichsmarshall Goering appointed Falck to form and command a new unit, Night Fighter Wing 1 or Nachtjagdgeschwader l.
Wolf Falck's Me 110 bears the unit coding on the rear fuselage G9 + GA. The G9 is NJG 1 but his aircraft should be AA not GAS. When questioned about this, Falck said with a twinkle in his eye, "The G stood for a girl's name I was in love with and is also the seventh letter in the alphabet, Seven is my lucky number. "
During the fast conduct some operations to the Netherlands, in Belgium and in France, Falck achieves a connection or he describes his experimentations in matter of hunting by night that he had conducted with his Zerstöregruppe to the month of previous April. This one is well welcomed by the high command and, one soon designates his author like an eminence in matter of hunting by night. Falck meets Göring, the secretary of State to the aviation Ehrard Milch, Ernst Udet, (the director some manufactures of the Luftwaffe) and Albert Kesserling. He is placed the head of Nacht [und] Versuch Staffel (nocturnal experimental unit), June 26 1940 and is going to apply to his task with expertise and energy. Promoted regimental adjutant, Falck creates his Gescwaderstab NJG 1 July 20 to Düsseldorf.
Thanks for the read. I've got 2 books specifically about the Nachtjadger force. I will look through them tonight. The Bf110C's carried the 70/71/65 early camo. They didn't go to the black until later.
BTW, I worked with a fellow who's father was a rear gunner on a Lanc. He was the only survivor from his crew that was lost over Hanover. He said it was the upward firing cannon that got them. He didn't see the fighter until it opened up and by then it was too late.
Hi, I didn't mean to suggest that the 109* had Schrage Musik (Jazz or Stilted Music) modifications. I know that the 110, Ju88, He219 and perhaps the Do217 did. I just wanted to pass along a story I had heard back in the early 70's from a lone survivor of an encounter with the Nachtjagwaffe. The Curtis Hawk is coming along.
I've found one more photo of a 109D N, it is Oberleutnant Johannes Steinhoff, 10(NJ) JG26, December 1939 and the Greenhouse is one it.
The Hawk is done. It took a bit longer than I planned because of the non linear panel lines and the fun in making rivets for the counters who may (or may not) be out there...
Leo 451 is next up.
At least my Win 7 notebook is working, nothing else is at the moment. Don't lose faith.
Thanks Tony, I have all of my published skins on the FTP and I've multiple backups on several hard drives. (My father was a mathematician and master welder, "back up everything...save all work and receipts".) So, not to worry. I've got 4 gigs of memory on order and it should arrive around weeks end. And, I've got a new old computer in the works as a back up. Anyway, I can still paint while my flying is down.
Peter, here is the other 109D I have found. I've been through over a hundred books now and have only found these 3 photos so far. You would think more documentation would exist. I think I will try google.de and see what is there.
Note the 2 kills on the leading edge of the rudder.
M
Last edited by Iron Mike on Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
Iron Mike wrote:Peter, here is the other 109D I have found. I've been through over a hundred books now and have only found these 3 photos so far. You would thing more documentation would exist. I think I will try google.de and see what is there.
M
Hawk looks good. Many thanks Mike.
As to the 109D nighfighters. Certainly I remember from putting this together in 2000 that there was not a lot out there. Probabaly only specialist print stuff. I have Ader's History of the German Night Fighter Force. The text at p14 says that IV(N)/JG2 was formed in December 1939, that by June 1940 there were detachments at Aalborg Denmark, Munchengladbach and Cologne in Western Germany and that they were equipped with "Bf 109Ds from which the cockpit canopies had been removed to improve the general view and the prevent the pilots from being dazzled if they were caught in searchlight beams..." Aders adds "Little is known about their operations and sucesses but there is evidence of at least three night kills" and it is possible that the night fighting victories mentioned in OKW reports of 30 May, and 1, 3 and 6 June can be atributed to this Gruppe. On the other hand might simply have been propaganda. There are a couple of pictures, one showing N7, another showing N9, N5 and others of the squad (same as appears abovein this thread), mysteriously labelled as 109Cs.
