Hi,
Looking for examples and info about JG1/JG 11 109 schemes from 1943 to late 1944 in the Defence of the Reich. With all the changes of unit numbers that occurred I'm confused as to which groups actually flew the 109, let alone what schemes they sported. I have found lots of great schemes from Cpt Farrel, Pha3e and Canon.
I'm not too sure WHEN they were actually in action, and sometimes which unit they were with. In particular I'm curious about the interesting all white/light grey scheme that Walter Oesau used. Anyone know about it?

Thanks in advance.

I have a Classic Publications' three volume series on JG1 by Eric Mombeek.
I'll do some homework and I'll be back to you ASAP.

JG11, I believe I gruppe flew 190s the others 109s.

I know that a number of 7./JG1 aircraft had the high alt scheme of all over RLM76 From April 44,
I have a few photos but elephants resource will show more no doubt.
At the same time JG11 190s were also experimenting in low contrasting High altitude schemes, even painting out the national markings.

Hello,

Some lines regarding:

JG 1 and the high altitude camouflage scheme.

A photo of “White 1” of III/JG 1 is published on p. 271 in ‘Defenders of the Reich. Jagdgeschwader 1. Volume 3. 1944-1945’ by Eric Mombeek.

The aircraft appears to be in overall RLM 76 with a red tail band displaying a black III. Gruppe bar superimposed on the band.

The photo is captioned as taken at Anklam airfield in the late autumn of 1944.

After the disastrous losses of aircraft and pilots in France after the invasion in June 1944, JG 1 was no longer fit for combat in September and was pulled out to be rebuilt again.
The first build up took place after transferring to Fels am Wagrand in Austria.
III./Gruppe moved again 8.10.1944 to Anklam in Vorpommern to be brought up to nominal strength as well as setting up a 4:th Staffel, receiving new aircraft and pilots.

III./JG 1 received Bf 109 G-14/AS and some G-10/AS -typical high-altitude fighters again for the III.Gruppe! They are also to have taken delivery of some of the first Bf 109 Ks during the build-up phase in the late autumn of 1944.

After being rebuilt and being busy with training and preparing to join the Reichsverteidigung, the III. Gruppe flew its first mission from Anklam on Dec 02, 1944, defending against a raid by the USAAF targeting Bingen and Koblenz in bad weather. The mission by JG 1 was called back before contact with the bombers was established.

In the next mission on 05 December 1944, the III.Gruppe was again in action battling a USAAF strike on Berlin-Tegel. The Gruppe was bounced by P-51s from above in bad weather and lost 5 pilots KIA, 1 WIA and 12 Bf 109s written off! In return only 2 claims over P-51s were filed by the Gruppe. JG 1 lost 25 KIA, 13 WIA and 43 Fw 190s and Bf 109s written off this day!
In the period 21.11 to 15.12.1944 JG 1 lost 93 aircraft written off, whereof 13 Bf 109s of III.Gruppe due to battle damage/loss.

On 5 December 1944, 9./JG 1 lost a Bf 109 G-14/AS “White 1” , W.Nr. 784154, flown by the Staffelführer Olt. Helmut Müller, being shot down by a P-51 near Buberow.
Perhaps the aircraft on the photo referred to above?

As the III./Gruppe received new aircraft I believe it is likely the aircraft pictured and seen on a profile in the same publication was a G-14/AS and not a G-6/AS.
G-6/AS aircraft are however known to have had a similar “High-altitude camouflage” earlier in 1944, why there can be a mix-up in the caption.

The high losses the Gruppe suffered in the Rechsverteidigung must have worn down the compliment of aircraft received and used in the rebuild and training phase in a short time. How replacement aircraft were painted, if given any high-altitude camouflage scheme at all, is not clear to me. I can imagine that the special light camouflage became a ‘luxury’ in the remaining months of 1945 – perhaps a reason to that photos are far in between.

From a flight-sim mission point of view it would be proper to use this camouflage scheme as from the early December missions with G-14/AS and G-10/AS, over Bodenplatte 01.01.1945 - but not very long after.

14.01.1945 JG 1 received the order to transfer to the east in the attempt of stemming the Russian advance towards Germany. The unit was, however, involved in a fight with P-47s that very day - claiming 2 'kills' for 2 KIA of their own.

Theoretically a few K-4s could also have been seen in this special camouflage!

Br
Goran
Ref :
‘Defenders of the Reich. Jagdgeschwader 1. Volume 3. 1944-1945’ by Eric Mombeek.

‘Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 Jagdgeschwader 1 in 11, Teil 3’ by JochenPrien & Peter Rodeike.
.

OK, There is too much info in these books for me to handle...
Here is a rough scetch of the Geschwader strenght and airfields from early '43 to mid '44:

9th March 1943
(Under control of General von Doring's 1.Jagddivision based at Deelen)

Stab Schiphol 2 FW 190 A-4
(1 servicable)
II. Gruppe Woensdrecht 35 FW 190 A-4
(29 servicable)
4. Staffel Schiphol
IV. Gruppe Munchen-Gladbach 30 FW 190 A-4
(20 servicable)

(Under control of General Schwbedissen's 2. Jagddivision at Stade)

I. Gruppe Jever/Wangerooge 37 Bf 109 G-1
(28 servicable)
III. Gruppe Husum 43 FW 190 A-4
(31 servicable)


1st April 1943

I./JG 1 became II./ JG11
III./JG 1 became I./JG 11
A new III./JG 1 was created at Leeuwarden.
(equipped with Bf 109 G-6 and G-6/R6 Kannonenboote)
IV./JG 1 became I./JG 1


17th August 1943

Geschwaderstab and I. Gruppe
(Deelen - FW190 A-4 and A-5)
Geschwaderkommodore Major Hans Phillip
Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann Emil-Rudolf Schnoor
1. Staffel Leutnant Georg Schott
2.Staffel Leutnant Hans Feustel
3. Staffel Oberleutnant Rolf Strohal

II. Gruppe
(Woensdrecht - FW 190 A-4 and A-6)
Gruppenkomandeur Hauptmann Walter Hoechner
4. Staffel Oberleutnant Eugen Kotiza
5.Staffel Leutnant Rudiger von Kirchmayr
6. Staffel Oberleutnant Harry Koch

III. Gruppe
(Leeuwarden - Bf 109 G-6)
Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann Robert Olejnik
7. Staffel Oberleutnant Heinz Klopper
8. Staffel Oberleutnant Herbert Zuzic
9.Staffel Leutnant Eugen Wintergerst

January 1944

Geschwaderstab
(Deelen - 4 FW 190 A - 1servicable)
Geschwaderkommodore Obstlt. Walter Oesau

I./ JG 1
(Dortmund - 29 FW 190 A - 27 servicable)
Gruppenkommandeur Major Emil-Rudolf Schnoor

II./JG 1
(Rheine - 21 FW 190 A - 17 servicable)
Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann Walter Hoechner

III./ JG 1
(Volkel - 42 Bf 109 G - 36 servicable)
Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann Friedrich Eberle

6th March 1944
Geschwaderstab
(Rheine - 3 Bf 109G)
Geschwaderkommodore Oberst Walter Oesau

I./ JG1
(Twente - 19 FW 190 A-7)
Gruppenkommandeur Major Emil-Rudolf Schnoor

II./JG 1
(Rheine - 21 FW 190 A-5 and A-7)
Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann Hermann Segatz

III./ JG1
(Munchen-Gladbach - 13 Bf 109 G-5 and G-6)
Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann Friedrich Eberle

24th May 1944

Geschwaderstab
(Bad Lippspringe - no aircraft available)
Geschwaderkommodore Obstlt. Herbert Ihlefield

I./ JG1
(Bad Lippspringe - 11 servicable a/c)

II./JG 1
(Stormede - 16 servicable a/c)

III./ JG1
(Paderborn - 21 servicable a/c)

to be continued with more references on Bf 109 paint schemes...
Could you be more sprecific about the plot of your Capaign, (isn't it?), so I can aim to certain points?

Thank you very much for doing this research for me guys I don't have much time now but I will post again with some specific questions. Much appreciated as ever.

Hi again,
What I'm looking for is info that would help me choose skins for a campaign. The campaign is a Defence of the Reich one, starting in 1943 and going through to D-Day , or possibly after.
I have a fair collection of JG1 and JG11 skins now from the various skinners but lack info on the times the skins were in use.

The light air-superiority scheme. Was it used just on a few planes in '44 or entire Staffeln? No worries if you don't know.

Were the colourful bands added in Jan 44 and then discontinued in mid-44? I read this somewhere but don't trust my memory. As in a previous post, this may have been to the huge casualty rate suffered in 44/45.

Would the main scheme have been the standard two-tone grey splinter pattern?

Finally, with all the myriad re-organising of Gruppen and Staffeln and the forming of a new Geschwader I'm thinking about making the campaign just for a generic JGI. Not ideal but it would give me some flexibility in mission building.
What do you think?

Thanks very much for taking the time and trouble to find the info you have already posted above. It's much appreciated.