Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) "Afrika" was a fighter wing of the Luftwaffe during World War II. The wing was given the name "Africa" for serving in the North African Campaign predominantly alone in the period from April 1941 to September 1942. Elements of JG 27 fought in every major theatre of operations in which the Wehrmacht operated.
Stab JG 27 was created in October 1939 and assigned two gruppen (groups) in the Phoney War. The wing's first campaign was Fall Gelb, the battles of the Low Countries and France. In the second half of 1940 JG 27 received a third gruppe and fought in the Battle of Britain. In 1941 it returned to Germany then fought in the German invasion of Yugoslavia and Battle of Greece in April 1941. The wing was then separated with two gruppen sent to support Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. I. Gruppe was sent to Italian Libya beginning JG 27s North African Campaign from mid-April 1941. It was joined by II. Gruppe which was withdrawn from the Eastern Front after less than two weeks and transferred to Africa. III. Gruppe joined the other gruppen in North Africa in late 1941. JG 27 fought as a complete wing in Africa and Battle of the Mediterranean, supporting the Siege of Malta, until December 1942. I. Gruppe returned to France and spent the rest of the war serving in the Defence of the Reich, Channel Front, and Western Front theatres. III. and the newly created IV. Gruppe remained operating in Yugoslavia and Greece until March 1944.
In the final year of the war JG 27 fought the Normandy landings in June 1944 and supported the last major German offensive in the West in December. As the Ardennes Offensive failed, it took part in the disastrous Operation Bodenplatte on 1 January 1945. For the remaining months of the war it separated again, with elements surrendering to the British in northern Germany while the bulk surrendered to the Americans in Austria, on 8 May 1945.
Current supporter of Jagdgeschwader 27 is Czech politician Filip Turek showing it publicly. Journalists have uncovered photos of Turek, in which he was wearing a white racing helmet with a symbol used by the aerial-warfare branch of the Wehrmacht Luftwaffe and a fighter wing of the Luftwaffe during World War II Jagdgeschwader 27.
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 (hunting squadron) 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) supported 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 27, while staffeln were described with their number (1./JG 27). 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 Geschwaderstab of JG 27 (command unit) was formed on 1 October 1939 by dividing the Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). Oberstleutnant Max Ibel was appointed Geschwaderkommodore. Initially, Ibel was supported by his adjutant Hauptmann Joachim Schlichting until he was replaced by Hauptmann Adolf Galland on 15 February 1940. Hauptmann Helmut Riegel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur to command I. Gruppe at Münster-Handorf Airfield. The command staffel and I. Gruppe remained the only combat units in existence prior to World War II. JG 27s situation was typical of the Luftwaffe's unpreparedness for war in that few of the combat wings had three groups operating in September 1939. Other Jagdgeschwader had no command staffel at all, and were subordinated to those that did. JG 27 was an example, and was infused with other gruppen from differing fighter wings. I./JG 1 was merged with JG 27, and formally became III./JG 27 in 1940.
II. Gruppe was formed on 3 January 1940 at Magdeburg-Ost and commanded by Erich von Selle. I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing) arrived at Carquebut on 2 July. Joachim Schlichting founded III. Gruppe at Carquebut on 5 July 1940. 7., 8. and 9./JG 27 were formed from 1., 2. and 3./JG 1 respectively. IV. Gruppe was formed late in the war at Kalamaki, Attica from 25 May 1943, until September 1943. Hauptmann Rudolf Sinner was given command. 10. and 11. Staffel were new, but 12./JG 27 was formed from 8. Staffel. Bernhard Woldenga designed the I. Gruppe badge. 15. Staffel was added to III./JG 27 and staffed by Spanish volunteers. Angel Salas Larrazábal led the unit and claimed 17 aerial victories.
World War II
JG 27 was located in western Germany during the Phoney War period. A single action with Bristol Blenheim light bombers of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) on 30 September 1939 was their only success. I./JG 21, which was subordinated to Stab/JG 27, claimed four of the British bombers. Among the claimants was Leutnant Heinz Lange, future commanding officer of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). The Blenheims were brought down in the Quakenbück region and belonged to No. 18 Squadron RAF. During the "Phoney War", JG 27 and two attached gruppen from JG 21 and JG 1 were allocated to Generalmajor Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen's VIII. Fliegerkorps. Stab and I./JG 27 were based at Mönchengladbach with I./JG 27. I./JG 1 was based at Gymnich; all were equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E. The air corps were under the command of Albert Kesselring's Luftflotte 2. The VIII was a specialist ground attack corps which was to support Army Group A, predominantly, and also Army Group B during the Fall Gelb phase of the Battle of the Netherlands, Battle of Belgium and Battle of France. Army Group B was ordered to invade the Low Countries drawing in the powerful French Army and supporting British Army. Once the Allied armies were ensconced in the Low Countries, Army Group A planned to strike northwest, across Luxembourg and lower Belgium across north-eastern France and to the English Channel; or alternately strike towards Paris. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht chose the former encirclement option, and Richthofen's airmen supported the advance. For the offensive, Stab/JG 27 could muster four Bf 109s (all operational). I./JG 27 under Riegel could field 28 operational Bf 109s from 39. I./JG 1, under Schlichting, had only 24 from 46 Bf 109s combat ready. I./JG 21 commanded by Fritz Werner Ultsch commanded 46 Bf 109s, with 34 serviceable on 10 May 1940.
France and the Low Countries
Richthofen's air corps supported the attack on Belgian Army positions along the Albert Canal on 10 May to allow the 3rd Panzer Division to cross. JG 27 and its gruppen began combat operations at 05:05 that morning. The wing was primarily engaged in fighter escort duties for Junkers Ju 52 transports dropping Fallschirmjäger units at the Albert Canal from their bases around Cologne. Five fighters from the Aviation Militaire had been claimed; one by an emerging pilot Hans-Ekkehard Bob, who served with I./JG 21. von Selle's II. Gruppe operated further north against the Royal Netherlands Air Force, claiming two Fokker C.X south of Rotterdam. 5. Staffel came into contact with Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft for the first time when a reconnaissance Blenheim from No. 40 Squadron RAF was shot down. The AASF requested RAF Bomber Command send more airstrikes against German transport airfields during the Battle of the Hague. 40 Squadron, No. 110 Squadron RAF and No. 604 Squadron RAF struck at Ypenburg, which was covered by 6./JG 27. The first British wave were intercepted and lost three bombers, the second accounted for at least four Ju 52s and bombs fell on the abandoned transports at The Hague. I./JG 1, I./JG 21 and 3./JG 27 inflicted heavy losses on the 1st and 3rd Belgian Fighter Regiments. Over Sint-Truiden, I./JG 1 claimed a first victory, while three fell to I./JG 21 and two to 3./JG 27. It cost the Germans one fighter badly damaged. I./JG 21 accounted for two more Gloster Gladiators in the Tirlemont while two more reconnaissance Blenheims from 18 Squadron failed to return; one certainly fell to II./JG 27. The 10 May cost the Luftwaffe 10 aircraft over Belgium while German pilots claimed 30 Belgian destroyed on the ground, 14 in the air, plus two RAF aircraft.
The following day, 4./JG 27 were operating in the far north at Buiksloot, near Amsterdam. The Bf 109s claimed one Fokker D.XXI for one loss. Operating at the far north of the German offensive, JG 27 came into contact with RAF Fighter Command for the first time. North-west of Rotterdam, 5./JG 27 claimed one Supermarine Spitfire from No. 54 Squadron RAF; the pilot was killed. The Belgians made an effort to bomb the Albert Canal bridges on 11 May. Nine Fairey Battles from 5/III/3, escorted by six Gladiators from 1/I/2. Only three badly damaged bombers returned, the rest having been shot down by 1./JG 1 and 1./JG 27. German pilots claimed seven. Two Fairey Fox bombers were claimed trying to attack Maastricht the same day. 110 Squadron joined the attempt but one fell to 3./JG 27 in the process. By 14 May the Aviation Militaire had ceased to exist.
Ibel's airmen were involved in fighting the first French Air Force bombing raid of the war. Over Maastricht, 12 Lioré et Olivier LeO 45 from GBI/12 and GBII/12 (Groupe de Bombardment), escorted by 18 Morane-Saulnier M.S.406s of GCIII/3 and CGII/6 (Groupe de Chasse) appeared. Four Moranes fell in combat with I./JG 1. I./JG 27 were responsible for at least one of the seven Battles lost by No. 88 Squadron RAF and No. 218 Squadron RAF sent to bomb Wiltz, beyond Sedan. Only one Battle returned. No. 139 Squadron RAF attacked the bridges at Maastricht at first light on 12 May. Seven of the nine unescorted were shot down in flames by 2./JG 1 and 3./JG 27. Six more from No. 12 Squadron RAF followed up the raid and were provided with Hawker Hurricane escorts from No. 1 Squadron RAF. 16 2./JG 27 Bf 109s intercepted. In the ensuing battles, four Hurricanes were claimed and two Battles. One Bf 109 was 45 percent damaged in a forced-landings. II./JG 27 was still active over the Netherlands, and claimed two Fokker C.X light bombers. JG 27 and its subordinated JG 21 group put nearly 100 fighters over the bridges on 12 May. As many as three Bf 109s may have been lost in the action. RAF records state three Hurricane losses and two damaged in combat with JG 27. During the course of the day, Adolf Galland led the Stab/JG 27 into action with No. 87 Squadron RAF which accounted for two British aircraft. 2./JG 27 shot down two No. 107 Squadron RAF bombers. The logistics strain on the Luftwaffe was already showing. From 10 to 12 May, the number of serviceable machines in JG 27 fell from 90 to 85.