Davey Chris - Jagdgeschwader 53 Pik-As Bf 109 Aces of 1940

First published in Great Britain in 2017 by Osprey Publishing

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ISBN: 978-1-4728-1871-3 (PB)

ISBN: 978-1-4728-1873-7 (eBook)

ISBN: 978-1-4728-1872-0 (ePDF)

Edited by Tony Holmes and Philip Jarrett

Cover Artwork by Mark Postlethwaite

Aircraft Profiles by Chris Davey

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Front Cover

On 12 August 1940, JG 53 was tasked with carrying out a Freie Jagd off Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight in support of Ju 88s of KG 51 that were attacking Portsmouth harbour and Ventnor radar station on the Isle of Wight. Leading 1./JG 53 was Hauptmann Hans-Karl Mayer, who was flying a Bf 109E-4 coded White 8. His Rottenflieger was Unteroffizier Heinrich Rhl in a Bf 109E-1 coded White 10. Flying at 8500 m, Mayer spotted three Hurricanes below attacking a lone Bf 110 at 1220 hrs, and although he quickly engaged the enemy fighters the Bf 110 pilot bailed out. Mayer selected the right Hurricane and Rhl the left, the former firing a total of 20 20 mm shells and 80 7.92 mm machine gun rounds into the RAF fighter, which immediately burst into flames and dived into the sea for what would be Mayers tenth victory of the war. Having already exhausted his supply of cannon shells, Rhl fired 200 machine gun rounds at his Hurricane, which then hit the sea in a gentle curve.

Mayer now turned his attention to the remaining Hurricane, which had been engaged by the rest of his Staffel. This combat was not as one-sided, however, for his Bf 109E was hit six times. Mayers combat report noted;

After my first kill I flew back to the dogfight with the last remaining Hurricane against several aircraft of my Staffel. I immediately attacked and was able to open fire twice, and also received some hits myself. The damaged aircraft tried to escape in the direction of the coast but I stayed close to it, while my Staffel lost me in the haze. At first it made only slight evasive actions, and so I was able to get in several well-aimed bursts. The aircraft started emitting black smoke, went down in a shallow dive and disintegrated on impact.

Mayer had achieved his second victory of the mission, firing ten cannon and 250 machine gun rounds at the Hurricane, which, after hitting the sea, sank immediately.

Although it cannot be said for certain, it is believed that Mayer and Rhl accounted for Plt Off John Harrison, Acting Flt Lt Wilhelm Pankratz and Sgt Josef Kwiecinski of No 145 Sqn, all of whom were reported missing in action off the Isle of Wight at times that matched the three German claims (Cover artwork by Mark Postlethwaite)

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

O n 15 March 1937 Jagdgeschwader (JG) 334 was formed. Commanded by former World War 1 ace Oberst Bruno Loerzer, Stab./JG 334, I. Gruppe, commanded by Hauptmann Hubert Merhart von Bernegg, and II. Gruppe, led by Hauptmann Hans-Detlev Herhudt von Rohden, were initially based at Mannheim-Sandhofen. Stab and I./JG 334 soon moved to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim (formerly a trotting racetrack on the southeastern outskirts of Wiesbaden), via Frankfurt Rebstock, in May 1937, however. III./JG 334 was not formed until July of the following year. The Geschwader was originally equipped with Arado Ar 68E biplane fighters, but early in 1938 it began converting to the Messerschmitt Bf 109B.