Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) "Richthofen" was a German fighter wing during World War II. JG 2 operated the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 single-seat, single-engine interceptor aircraft.
Named after World War I flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, the origins of the wing can be traced to 1934. Following the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 which began World War II, JG 2 served protecting the German border with France during the Phoney War. On 10 May 1940 it served in the Battle of Belgium and Battle of France. Thereafter it fought in the Battle of Britain and then remained on the English Channel front until September 1944. Elements of JG 2 fought in the latter stages of the North African Campaign, notably in the Battle of Tunisia in 1942 and 1943.
After the expulsion of German forces from France and Belgium following the Normandy landings, JG 2 served in the Defence of the Reich and fought on the Western Front, most notably at the Battle of the Bulge in the winter, 1944/45. JG 2 surrendered in May 1945.
Only three of JG 2's ten wartime Geschwaderkommodore survived World War II—four were killed while serving with JG 2, the highest fatality rate of any German fighter wing. JG 2 claimed 2,700 Allied aircraft destroyed at the cost of 750+ pilots killed or missing.
Organisation
A Luftwaffe Geschwader (wing formation) was the largest homogenous flying formation. It typically was made up of three groups (Gruppen). Each group contained approximately 30 to 40 aircraft in three squadrons (Staffeln). A Jagdgeschwader could field 90 to 120 fighter aircraft. In some cases a wing could be given a fourth Gruppe. Each wing had a Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) supporting by three Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commanders). Each squadron was commanded by a Staffelkapitän (squadron leader). The Staffel contained approximately 12 to 15 aircraft. The identification in records were different depending on the type of formation. A Gruppe was referred to in roman numerals, for example I./JG 2, while Staffeln were described with their number (1./JG 2). The wing could be subordinated to a Fliegerkorps, Fliegerdivision or Jagddivision (Flying Corps, Division and Fighter Division) all of which were subordinated to Luftflotten (Air Fleets). The use of Fliegerdivision became redundant and the description Fliegerkorps supplanted it until the use of Jagddivision later in the war.
Formation
The seizure of power by the Nazi Party in January 1933 triggered an era of military rearmament in Germany. Hermann Göring, one of leader Adolf Hitler's closest paladins, was appointed commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, the aerial warfare branch of the Wehrmacht. The Nazi leadership wanted to forge a link with Germany's military past to ensure continuity between the German Empire and the Third Reich. The air base at Döberitz (Fliegerruppe Döberitz) was renamed Jagdgeschwader Richthofen. Hitler attended the formation ceremony and after a Swastika-laden parade declared the first group of the Luftwaffe's official existence. There was a propaganda purpose to Hitler's attendance. Foreign Secretary John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon was visiting Berlin at the time, and though the Richthofen group was the only such fighter unit in the Luftwaffe, the Nazis were sure to exaggerate the size of their air force to the press and British officials. Hitler told Simon personally that the Luftwaffe had reached numerical parity with the Royal Air Force. A flypast was arranged for 19 March and on 10 April 1936 the unit was used to celebrate Göring's marriage. Jagdgeschwader Richthofen consisted of two Gruppen, and was used in the Remilitarization of the Rhineland, Hitler's first aggressive foreign policy move. Thereafter, the Richthofen groups became Jagdgeschwader 132. The first digit denoted the first unit of its type to be activated, the second the code for fighter aircraft and the last referred to Luftkreiskommando II (Air Command II), of the Berlin district. The wing was granted two groups, I. Gruppe (I./JG 132) and II. Gruppe (II./JG 132) which contained 1-3 and 4-6 Staffeln respectively. Major Johann Raithel, the first recognised commander, relinquished command to Oberst Gerd von Massow, who remained in command as Geschwaderkommodore until World War II.
Through the interwar period JG 132 was equipped with Arado Ar 65s, Arado Ar 68s and Heinkel He 51 biplanes. In mid-1937, and by the end of the summer, II./JG 132 began equipping with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 after testing with the B-1 and B-2 variant at Jüterbog. The Bf 109 initially had weak armament but the introduction of the cannon-armed E model resolved the issue and the type possessed superior high-altitude performance over conservative designs at the time. Following the Anschluss in March 1938, the Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte officer corps was screened for politically reliable personnel and some of the Austrian JaGschw 1 (Jagdgeschwader 1—Fighter Wing 1) pilots were sent to JG 132. JG 132 remained favoured by Göring who regularly asked it to host important visiting dignitaries. The majority of Jagdgruppe had Bf 109s by August 1938, but most were under strength and could field 26 fighters but many lacked radios. IV. Gruppe of JG 132, recently formed, was equipped with the Heinkel He 112. To complicate matters, JG 132 was renamed Jagdgeschwader 131 "Richthofen". On 1 May 1939 the Luftwaffe experienced a further reorganisation, and JG 131 was formally redesignated JG 2, an identity it retained for the rest of its existence.
Gerd von Massow created the Stabstaffel (headquarters unit) on 1 May 1939 at Döberitz and Obstleutnant Carl Vieck formed I. Gruppe nearby. Wolfgang Schellmann formed II. Gruppe at Zerbst on 12 December 1939. Erich Mix formed III. Gruppe on 16 March 1940 at Magdeburg, the last Gruppe to form. IV.(N)/JG 2, a night fighter unit was formed on 1 September 1939 under Oberleutnant Müller, and later Blumensaat, but the formation was short-lived and merged into 10.(N)/JG 26, 10.(N)/LG 2 to form a single entity which was eventually subsumed into NJG 1. The night fighters were a mixed group of Bf 109 Ds and Arado biplanes, even in September 1939. Bf 109 Es equipped I., II. and III. Gruppen at the beginning of the war. On 1 September 1939, Stab and I. Gruppe of JG 2 had 52 operational fighters including all three Bf 109s from the Stabstaffel. This figure was one short of full establishment considering JG 2 consisted of one Gruppe at the time.
World War II On 1 September 1939 the Wehrmacht initiated the German invasion of Poland in agreement with the secret protocol, the Nazi-Soviet Pact. The Soviet invasion of Poland followed on 17 September. JG 2 was retained for the aerial defence of Germany ("Defence of the Reich") but the lack of any threat by the Polish Air Force to Berlin led to an order for 1. Staffel, I. Gruppe, to fly to Prostken, East Prussia to take part. No aerial confrontations took place, and from 9 to 15 September, strafing attacks against road and rail targets were the main actions. The Staffel returned to Döberitz. JG 2 suffered its first casualties of the war, when two of the night fighter unit pilots were killed on 16/17 September, presumably in a collision.
JG 2 were assigned I./JG 77 and I./JG 76 while waiting for two Gruppen to be formed to give the wing a fighting strength of three. Both of the Gruppen were sent to Frankfurt Rhine-Main as the build-up in western Germany began in the Phoney War period. JG 26 frequently flew combat patrols or "free hunts". On 22 November 1939 the wing scored what is believed to be the first aerial victory of the war against the Groupe de Chasse II/4 Armée de l’Air. The freezing winter temperatures prohibited frequent flying, and I. Gruppe would not claim again until March 1940. Operation Weserübung, the invasions of Norway and Denmark ended the Phoney War. JG 2 were not involved in either, the burden of fighter operations with Bf 109s being carried out by JG 77. Oberst Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp took command of JG 2 on 1 April. Massow was appointed Jagdfliegerführer 3; Stab, I. and III. Gruppe were allotted to his command at Wiesbaden and based at Frankfurt while II. Gruppe was assigned to Jagdfliegerführer 1 at Jever and based at Nordholz. The Stabstaffel, I. and III. Gruppe were placed under the command of Luftflotte 3 at Frankfurt, under the leadership of Hugo Sperrle. II. Gruppe, with IV. Gruppe (Nacht), which had been elevated to Gruppe status briefly, were placed under the command of Albert Kesselring, Luftflotte 2. The former was based at Nordholz and the night fighters were based at Hopsten. II. Gruppe mustered 47 Bf 109s with 35 combat ready. IV. Gruppe had 30 from 31 Bf 109s operational plus 13 from 36 Ar 68s operational. I. Gruppe had 33 of 45 Bf 109s available while III. Gruppe had only 11 from 42 available for operations. This was the condition of JG 2 on 10 May 1940.
Battle of France
On 10 May 1940 the Wehrmacht put Fall Gelb into effect, allowing for the German invasion of Luxembourg, Battle of the Netherlands, Battle of Belgium and the initial phase of the Battle of France. Jagdführerflieger 1 contained 147 Bf 109 Es (103 operational) for the invasion of the Netherlands. JG 2 moved forward to airfields from its jumping off points along the Moselle. I. Gruppe moved to Bastogne with III. Gruppe, II. Gruppe moved to Hamminkeln near the Dutch border on 11 May. Massow's Jagdfliegerführer 3, containing JG 2, JG 53 and ZG 2 claimed 66 aircraft as it covered southern Belgium and northeastern France, with JG 2 primarily covering the Ardennes from 11 to 13 May. II. Gruppe of JG 2 fought in the defence of the Meuse bridgeheads upon the capture of Sedan. On 14 May, known in the Luftwaffe as "the day of the fighters" 4./JG 2 proved the most successful unit with three victories attributed to them. The fighting shattered the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force bomber fleet leaving bombing operations to the England-based No. 2 Group RAF. JG 53, supporting JG 2 and JG 77 and ZG 76, were the most successful, claiming 39 bombers destroyed. Jagdfliegerführer 3, reinforced by JG 26 and JG 27, flew 90 missions (814 sorties). III. Gruppe lost one fighter in the battles. Erich Rudorffer and Erich Leie filed their first claims in the Sedan region on this day—both men went on to be successful fighter pilots. After the intense operations on 14 May, the following day I. Gruppe claimed only one French reconnaissance aircraft. As Army Group A advance dto the English Channel, JG 2 followed. I. Gruppe moved to Beaulieu-en-Argonne. II. Gruppe moved to Peer for 72 hours and then Tirlemont, east of Brussels, where they stayed for over a week from mid to late May. By 1 June, I. and III. Gruppen had moved to Signy-le-Petit in preparation for Fall Rot, the final phase of the Western offensive. II. Gruppe flew fighter escort missions with I./JG 27 for Heinkel He 111 bombers on 16 May as the bombed Lille airfields. The bombers suffered no loss and 85 and 87 Squadrons attempted interception cost them two fighters in combat with 5./JG 2.