Krzysztof Janowicz

(an extract from my text)

With German fighter units hemorrhaging over Normandy, IV./JG 3, recently re-equipped with the Fw 190, underwent significant changes. The unit was to develop von Kornatzki's assault concept following the perceived success of the Sturmstaffel experiment (some 62 heavy bomber claims for the loss of 15 pilots, eleven killed between January 11 and April 29 ). On 8 May 1944 Sturmstaffel 1 had been re-designated as the 11 Staffel of IV./JG3, as part of a general expansion of units using these methods. Under new Gruppenkommandeur Hptm Willi Moritz, IV./JG 3 was thus chosen to become the first of the specialised Sturmgruppen with ace pilots such as future Knight’s Cross winners Willi Unger and Hans Weik exchanging their Bf 109 G-6 for the heavy Sturmbock 190. Staffelkapitän of 10./JG3 from mid-February 1944, Hans Weik shot down 23 enemy aircraft in just several short weeks recording his 14 -through- 36 kills including 21 Viermotorige achieved in only 85 combat flights. IV./JG 3 was further strengthened. 2./JG 51 was brought back from Russia and incorporated into the Gruppe. Flying a heavily armed and thoroughly unmanoeuvrable Sturmbock in close formation was a world away from the low altitude turning dogfights or Kurbelein that characterised air combat over the Russian Steppes. Yet aces such as Klaus Neumann, Oskar Romm and Horst Haase were to become leading bomber killers and Knight’s Cross winners during the summer and autumn of 1944. Elsewhere, Major Walther Dahl had been appointed Kommodore of JG 300 at the end of June 1944 charged specifically with the task of converting this unit's II Gruppe to the Sturm mission and leading the war against the bombers as he relates in his book Rammjäger. Maj Kurd Peter's "heavy" Gruppe was re-equipped with the Sturm variant of the Focke Wulf 190 during July 1944, the former wilde Sau Geschwader receiving brand new, fully armoured Focke Wulf 190 A-8/R2 fighters produced by Fieseler the only factory building the MK 108 cannon equipped variant. II./JG 300 was to become one of the more successful Sturmgruppen under one of the most famous Viermot killers, Obstlt. Walter Dahl. Unusually courageous – even when facing Hermann Göring – Walter Dahl states in his memoirs that he shot down a total of 36 heavy bombers, actually ramming at least one of these (although there appears to be little firm evidence for these claims).
The German attack plan, called for the Sturmgruppen to deliver short sharp attacks en masse. The length of the bomber streams were an important factor since a Gefechtsverband (battle formation) comprising the Sturmgruppe and its two escorting Gruppen of 109 fighters would be directed against the bomber stream some way along its length. Upwards of one thousand B-17s might take part in a raid, divided into groups of 36 aircraft flying four miles apart. The thirty or so groups were thus strung out over 120 miles of sky - far too much for the escorts to cover effectively. It was the length of the stream, and the known weakness of escorts around the formation's mid-point, that was crucial for the success of this method and point of attack.
Then there was the commitment to ram. Walther Dahl was one of the advocates of ramming as sensationalised in his historically exaggerated post- war account entitled 'Rammjäger' (It was not until the end was in sight that calls for kamikaze style or Selbstopfer missions went out). All pilots volunteering to join a Sturmgruppe signed the Sturmgruppe affidavit, indicating an absolute moral commitment to bring down enemy bombers, by ramming if necessary. Over the four months or so of the existence of the Sturmstaffel there had been few rammings, although Fw. Hermann Wahlfedt’s ramming of a B-17 had been celebrated in print in an edition of the Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung. In fact Hptm Wilhelm Moritz considered the pilots signed declarations (Verpflichtungserklärungen) senseless and superfluous and would quietly drop the practise soon after Sturmstaffel 1 had been integrated into IV./JG3. In addition the Sturmgruppe pilots had received no instructions from High Command on how best to ram the enemy bombers though the matter was, of course, the subject of discussions in the Kasinos. Even so a Sturmbock pilot needed a special courage and his career was likely to be spectacular but short. The symbol of IV./JG 3 became the 'whites of their eyes insignia' that the pilots wore on their leather jackets which represented the close quarter nature of their combat.
On 7 July 1944 the Americans deployed 1129 bombers escorted by hundreds of fighters over targets located deep into Germany. When Bf 109s of JG 300 engaged the escorts near Oschersleben, IV(Sturm)./JG 3 launched into a Sturm attack. The Fw 190s in their broad arrow-head formation closed on a formation of Liberators of the 492nd BG. From distances as close as 100m, fusillades of cannon fire were hammered out, shredding the bomber’s box formations. The first victors were Oblt. Rachner, Lt. Müller, Uffz. Hoffmann and Uffz. Jerrowek. More Liberators plunged down, trailing banners of smoke and flames. Once through the bombers the Fw 190s re-assembled into a tight formation and bore in for a second strike. Overall, Moritz's pilots claimed 22 B-24s shot down, including a fortieth victory by the Kommandeur. The Americans lost 28 Liberators (including twelve of 492nd BG) on this day, whereas IV./JG 3 only nine machines and five pilots. Wahlter Dahl described the attack in his memoirs;

"... none of us who took part in the victory at Oschersleben will ever forget that day . With just ninety fighter aircraft we had taken on a bomber force of over 600. Wahnsinn....crazy ! The order to scramble had come through at 08.20 and taking off from Illesheim the formation had assembled over Ansbach (Nuremburg) before setting course to Leipzig (south-west of Berlin) . Flying with me in the Geschwaderstab or Staff Flight were the 'alte Hasen', Fw Loos, Obw Löfgen and Fw Bohnenkamp. I led the formation onto heading 270 before spotting the huge, steel snake approaching from the west ..Negus 1 an Koralle, habe Feindsichtung. I report in to Division. An incredible sight, 12 bomber Pulks. In my mind I am rehearsing our attack plan practised in the weeks following the Allied invasion of Normandy..... I wait for the signal from Division that must come through prior to launching an attack . Angriff frei !
..Hptm Moritz's Sturmgruppe is off to my left and Gruppenkommandeur Hptm Peters and his II./JG 300, former nightfighters and flying instructors, old experienced pilots, are behind me. The Bf 109 escorts of Hptm Stamp's first Gruppe JG 300 are top cover , 'Holz-auge'...

" Negus 1 an alle kleinen Brüder , wir greifen an ! dicht aufschliessen zum Sturmangriff . wir machen Pauke-Pauke !

The first flashes of fire appear from the bombers gun turrets. Only seconds now before all hell breaks loose. With hands clasped around the control column and throttle I concentrate on the approaching bomber in my gun sight. With engines screaming we pile into the formation......Twice we were able to form up for a Sturm attack as Stamp's escorts contine to hold off the enemy fighters.... flying back to Illesheim I know we have achieved a great success and we fly back over the field waggling our wings ! We have prevented huge loss of life among the civil population if not at some cost to ourselves. Both Gruppenkommandeure Peters and Stamp have been shot down and lightly wounded , baling out successfully .. "… (mais)