Zerstörergeschwader 26 Zerstörergeschwader 26 ( ZG 26 ) " Horst Wessel " was a Luftwaffe heavy / destroyer Fighter Aircraft - wing of World War II . History . Zerstörergeschwader 26 was formed in early 1936 from the Jagdgeschwader 134 " Horst Wessel " . The " Geschwaderstab " and I . " Gruppe " was located in Dortmund , II . " Gruppe " in Werl and III . " Gruppe " in Lippstadt . The Geschwader was subordinated to Luftflotte 2 . The Geschwader was re - equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 shortly before the outbreak of World War II . Early war years , 1940 – 41 . ZG 26 was tasked with Defense of the Reich duties during the Invasion of Poland . The II . " Gruppe " was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and was also known as Jagdgruppe 126 until 1 February 1940 . On 29 September 1939 ZG 26 achieved their first victories when 3 . " Staffel " shot down five Royal Air Force ( RAF ) Hampden twin - engine bombers of No . 144 Squadron , " Leutnant " Günther Specht claiming two . On 3 December 1939 , Specht shot down a No . 38 Squadron Wellington bomber over the North Sea . However , return fire seriously wounding him in the left eye and he ditched safely in the sea . Although Specht lost the sight in his left eye he continued operational flying . Battle of France 1940 . The unit took part in the Battle of France from May – June 1940 . 12 May saw III . / ZG 26 in action and the " Gruppe " claimed eight enemy aircraft shot down for no loss . On 14 May the Allied Air Forces launched a series of desperate attacks against the bridges around Sedan at a heavy cost . ZG 26 helped provide air cover . The next day conflicts with fighters caused two aircraft of 2 . / ZG 26 to be shot down and two more returned damaged with wounded on board . Among the ZG 26 losses was that of I . Gruppe " Gruppenadjutant " Oblt . Hans - Gunther Koch , who was killed in action . Both Hptm . Herbert Kaminski , the " Staffelkapitän " of 2 . / ZG 26 and his " Bordfunker " returned to base wounded . On 18 May further heavy combat resulted in losses for ZG 26 , among these being 5 Staffel CO Hptm . Eberhard d ' Elsa , who was taken prisoner and returned later from captivity , though such were his injuries that he did not return to flying duties . By 19 May 5 . / ZG 26 had only three serviceable Bf - 110 ’ s available . Led by their new " Staffelkapitän " , Oblt . Theodor Rossiwall , they were soon engaged in combat with Allied fighters , and III . / ZG 26 claimed some 19 victories for the day . Nine more victories followed the next day , although 7 . / ZG 26 had Staffelkapitän Oblt . Kurt - Wilhelm Heinrich wounded , dying of his injuries on 24 May . The Geschwader was now encountering more and more RAF fighters as the German advance moved towards the beleaguered B . E . F . around Dunkirk . On 23 May Lt . Günther Specht shot down three Spitfires of No . 92 Squadron ( two were lost , one of which was flown by S / L . Roger Bushell who was made prisoner ) . However , his aircraft was damaged in the dogfight , Specht forced - landing with serious wounds , which would keep him from combat duty for some time . Six more RAF fighter were claimed on 27 May , while on 31 May 5 . / ZG 26 ' bounced ' a formation of unsuspecting Spitfires and claimed five victories for no loss . Following the successful Dunkirk evacuation , the Luftwaffe turned to the drive south and west into France . ZG 26 claimed numerous more victories over RAF and French Air Force aircraft , with eight victories on 3 June , and nine more on 14 June . With the battle won ZG 26 moved into airfields based around Crecy - en - Ponthieu , Lille , and Yvrench . Battle of Britain 1940 . III . / ZG26 flew its first mission against the UK on 9 July , losing one Bf - 110 . ZG 26 was heavily engaged on 10 July when escorting Do 17s attacking the channel convoy codenamed ' Bread ' . The defending RAF fighters were drawn up to protect the merchantmen and the ZG 26 crews claimed 12 Spitfires and Hurricanes ( although RAF losses were 1 shot down , 1 crash - landed ) . III . / ZG26 in turn lost 3 Bf - 110 ’ s and another damaged . On 11 August convoy ' Booty ' was the target for fighter - bomber unit " Erpr . Gr . 210 " , with escort provided by I . / ZG 26 . 1 . Staffel lost 2 aircraft , with 2 Bf - 110 ’ s from 2 . Staffel , returning to France with heavy damage . 1 . / ZG 26 " Staffelkapitän " Hptm . Johann Kogler , spent several days adrift in the North Sea before being rescued by the German air - sea rescue service . ' Adlertag ' on 13 August , got off to the bad start when , due to poor weather all morning attacks were cancelled . However , although the recall order reached the Bf - 110 of ZG 26 , the Do 17s of KG 2 they were escorting did not receive the order . Frantic attempts by the Zerstörer crews to alert the Do - 17s to turn back proved fruitless and the Dorniers continued to their target . ZG 26 returned to base , leaving KG 2 to press on alone . Later in the day Erpr . Gr . 210 took off to attack on Rochford airfield , escorted by I . / ZG 26 . Weather conditions at this time of day were no better than in the morning and the mission was aborted , Erpr . Gr . 210 releasing its bombs over Canterbury and returning to base . I . / ZG 26 ran into the Hurricanes of No . 56 Squadron and , for the loss of one Bf - 110 , claimed 4 shot down . On 18 August the Bf - 110s of ZG 26 escorted bombers to the airfields of Biggin Hill and Kenley . ZG 26 took heavy losses from the RAF fighters , and 9 Bf - 110 ’ s were shot down , including those of I . Gruppe Adjutant , Oblt . Rudiger Proske ( taken prisoner ) , and the 3 . Staffel Staffelkapitän Oblt . Hans - Jurgen Kirchoff ( killed ) . In late afternoon ZG 26 escorted a force of bombers to attack Hornchurch and North Weald and again , the Zerstörer suffered losses . The Staffelkapitän of 2 . / ZG 26 Hptm . Herbert Kaminski ditched into the North Sea and , with his Bordfunker spent four days in a dinghy before being rescued . ZG 26 had 13 Bf - 110 ’ s shot down , 6 crash landing back in France , with 2 ' write - offs ' while claiming 25 RAF fighters shot down . ZG 26 lost another 3 on 26 August . On 2 September I . and II . Gruppen escorted a raid targeted at airfields near the Thames . The bomber force reached its objectives with only one bomber was shot down , and ZG 26 lost 2 shot down , with another returning with combat damage . On 6 September ZG 26 also lost Oblt . Friedrich Viertel , the Geschwader Technical Officer , who survived as a prisoner after being shot down into the Channel , with 3 . and 7 . Staffeln each losing a Bf - 110 . On 11 September , in further raids against London , the main Zerstörer escort force was ZG 26 , with elements of V . ( Z ) / LG 1 , and II . and III . / ZG 76 also taking part . ZG 26 took most losses , losing 5 aircraft . On 25 September ZG 26 provided fighter cover for KG 55 attacking the Bristol Aeroplane works at Filton . The bombers reached their objective while the ZG 26 tangled with defending fighters . III Gruppe lost 2 Bf - 110 ’ s , while " Staffelkapitain " 7 . Staffel , Oblt . Ernst Matthes force - landed . During an escort mission with " Erpr . Gr . 210 " , the next day ZG 26 suffered the loss of 2 more Bf - 110 ’ s . On 7 October III . / ZG 26 provided escort for the Ju - 88s of 11 . / KG 51 attacking the Westland aircraft works at Yeovil . Strong RAF resistance hit ZG 26 hard , with II Gruppe losing 3 aircraft shot down and III Gruppe losing 4 . Overall , operations against the UK during the Battle of Britain had showed up the vulnerability of the Bf 110 to a well organised , modern single - seat fighter force , ZG 26 losing some 95 aircraft during the July – December 1940 period , with over 118 aircrew killed or prisoner . Despite the heavy losses the unit did produce some successful " Experten " , with Fw . Walter Scherer of III Gruppe claiming 10 victories and Lt . Sophus Baagoe claiming 9 . Major Johann Schalk and Lt . Botho Sommer also reached ' ace ' status . In 7 . Staffel Lt . Kuno - Adalbert Konopka and Fw . Helmut Haugk both had over 5 claims , while 8 . Staffel ' s Lt . Siegfried Kuhrke scored 5 . Mediterranean and Africa 1941 – 42 . Following the Battle of Britain , the three Gruppen of ZG 26 remained intact and were withdrawn to Germany to rest and re - equip in November and December 1940 . The Geschwader would see service on all fronts in the years to come . Many of the " Zerstörergeschwadern " previously employed on day operations were now converted into the night fighter role for home defence . However , the proposed re - designation of I . and II . / ZG 26 as I . and II . / NJG 4 was suspended , and these two Gruppen formed part of the aerial support provided by the Luftwaffe for the forthcoming Balkans campaign . " VIII . Fliegerkorps " assembled the attacking force , including ZG 26 for the offensive to begin on 6 April , I . / ZG 26 escorting to bombers attacking Belgrade . Encountering Bf - 109Es of the Yugoslavian Air Force , 2 enemy machines were claimed shot down , but the Zerstörer lost 5 in return . In the south , II . / ZG 26 lost two Bf - 110s while III . / ZG 26 also claimed 2 Yugoslavian Air Force Bf - 109s . The end of the first day broke the resistance of the Yugoslavian air force and the Zerstörers switched to attacking ground targets in support of the advancing German troops . On 31 January , III . / ZG 26 became the first Luftwaffe unit to go to North Africa . Under Major Karl Kaschka , the unit transferred to Castel Benito , Sirte , and Arco Philaenorum . A Bf - 110 from the Gruppe which became the first German aircraft to be lost in North Africa when it forced - landed behind British lines on 14 February . III gruppe then took part in the successful invasion of Greece . On 20 April a force from II . / ZG 26 tangled with Hurricanes over Piraus . II . Gruppe lost two Bf - 110s , but made 5 victory claims over the Hurricanes , including Squadron Leader ' Pat ' Pattle of No . 33 Squadron , arguably the top scoring RAF pilot of the War , with a score of 40 – 50 . As the Luftwaffe gained air superiority , strafing attacks on airfields increased and losses increased to AA and small arms fire . On 27 April Bf - 110s of I . / ZG 26 caught a large body of troops in the open and were able to carry out a devastating attack in return for 2 Bf - 110s crash - landed . With the closing of the campaign in Greece , attention now turned in support of the invasion of Crete On 14 May 1941 , " Oberleutnant " Baagoe ( 14 kills ) was strafing the airfield at Heraklion when his Bf 110 D - 3 was shot down into the sea . He was to be awarded the " Ritterkreuz " posthumously a month later . On 21 May , another irreplaceable " experten " , the " Gruppenkommandeur " of I . / ZG 26 , Hptm . Wilhelm Makrocki was killed when his Bf 110 D - 3 was hit by exploding debris from a small ship he was attacking , and he crashed into the sea . Parallel to this activity 7 . / ZG 26 was posted to Sicily early 1941 in order to protect supply routes from Italy to North Africa , and to attack enemy shipping , reconnaissance missions and convoy patrols , in addition to supporting the ground forces in North Africa . The unit also participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia and flew missions over Malta . By June 1941 III . / ZG 26 were based at Derna in North Africa and part of " Fliegerfuhrer Afrika " , supporting the Axis ground forces . In December 1941 , 7 . / ZG 26 joined the rest of III gruppe at Derna to counter the Allied ground offensive codenamed " Operation Crusader " . Given its harbour facilities , the Axis siege of the Allied port of Tobruk was vital to the African theatre of operations as 1941 wore on . 7 . and 9 . Staffeln of ZG 26 were based in Sicily and Crete during the summer , and 8 . Staffel claimed the most air kills , with most of the aerial action over Sidi Barrani . Ofw . Richard Heller ( 8 . / ZG 26 ) was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 21 August with his tally at 11 , having claimed III . Gruppe ’ s 200th victory earlier in the month . The counter - attack from Allied ground forces took place in November under the code name " Operation Crusader " . Aerial combat was intense , and on 4 December " Gruppenkommandeur " Major Karl Kaschka was shot down . His successor Hptm . Thomas Steinberger lasted until 24 December he was lost on a ferry flight . Hptm . Georg Christl became the third " Gruppenkommandeur " of III . / ZG 26 in weeks . " Hauptmann " Georg Christl was awarded the Ritterkreuz for his leadership during the desert campaign on 18 March 1942 . on 23 October the Third Battle of El Alamein commenced a major Allied advances occurred into November . III . / ZG 26 carried out bombing and strafing attacks . A heavy loss occurred on 4 December when a Ju 52 carrying essential ground personnel was shot down . By late 1942 III . / ZG 26 was based in Sicily . Leutnant Paul Bley was posted to 8 . / ZG 26 , and was particularly successful against the United States Army Air Forces ' s ( USAAF ) P - 38 Lightning twin - engine fighters , claiming at least five of the type in early 1943 . Bley was appointed Staffelkapitän of 9 . / ZG 26 in 1943 . Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria in November 1942 saw American forces entering combat , for the first time . III . / ZG 26 , saw losses increase as modern Allied fighters in increasing numbers were encountered . Convoy cover and transport escort duties continued , with III gruppe where possible attacking American bombers seeking out the German convoys . On 3 February 4 Bf - 110s attacking a formation of B - 26s were bounced by the P - 38 escort . Only Fw . Wegmann managed to escape . On 5 April , a formation of Ju 52 / 3ms attempting to take supplies to the Afrika Korps was intercepted by P - 38s . The 18 Luftwaffe escort was overwhelmed when a further force of 26 P - 38s entered the fray . 2 Bf110s were lost in addition to 14 Ju52s . 18 April saw a Ju 52 / 3m force attacked by British and American fighters , resulting in a loss of 24 Ju52s and 10 escorts . The air war was being lost by the Luftwaffe , and the likes of the Bf - 110s of III . / ZG 26 were taking unsustainable losses . The gruppe moved to Rome before being transferred back to the Reich in July 1943 . Russia 1941 – 42 . On 22 May 1941 , Hauptmann Herbert Kaminski was appointed " Gruppenkommandeur " I . / ZG 26 . He led the Gruppe during the invasion of Russia , flying ground attack missions on North Russian airfields . I and II . Gruppen of ZG 26 were initially allocated to the central front , with an initial role of attacking Russian airfields to destroy enemy aircraft and render the airfields unserviceable . They would also carry out a multiplicity of tasks supporting ground forces . During this initial period the I . Gruppe claimed 51 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 11 aircraft shot down in aerial combat . Kaminski was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 6 August for 5 victories . ZG 26 were soon transferred North to support the drive towards Leningrad . By August I . and II . / ZG 26 were operating from Sarudinye , and later Smolensk . Their role was again multi - functional - to attack enemy forces , airfields , tank and artillery concentrations , communications networks , and the rail and river network bringing supplies to the beleaguered city . Through the winter of 1941 – 42 the two Gruppen were rotated between the Eastern Front and Germany , and on 27 January 1942 that 1 . / ZG 26 lost its commander Hptm . Wilhelm Spies , who was shot down on a low - level attack south - west of Suchinitschi . Another was Ritterkreuz holder Lt . Eduard Meyer , killed in a mid - air collision on 31 March 1942 . Shortly afterwards , both Gruppen returned to Germany where the Gruppen were disbanded . On the far northern Russian Front , in July 1944 13 . ( Z ) Jagdgeschwader 5 ( JG 5 ) was redesignated 10 . / ZG 26 , part of the new IV . Gruppe of ZG 26 , retaining its base as Herdla . The new 12 Staffel was also equipped with the Bf - 110 , being based at Oerlandet . By November , the Staffel was based at Trondheim . A further re - designation took place in February 1945 when the 10 and 12 Staffeln of ZG 26 were incorporated into 7 . / JG 5 , part of the new 11 . / JG 5 . Disbandment 1942 . The Geschwader was disbanded in April 1942 . The Geschwaderstab formed the Geschwaderstab of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 . III . " Gruppe " remained the sole autonomous " Gruppe " while the other " Gruppen " were integrated into Zerstörergeschwader 2 and Zerstörergeschwader 3 . Reformation and Reich defence 1943 . The " Geschwader " was reformed in 1943 from the old III . " Gruppe " and the I . " Gruppe " and III . " Gruppe " of Zerstörergeschwader 1 . The II . " Gruppe " was re - equipped with the Messerschmitt Me 410 " Hornisse " . In October 1943 , Hauptmann Eduard Tratt was appointed Gruppenkommandeur II . / ZG 26 . On 29 November , he shot down a USAAF B - 17 as his 30th victory . ZG 26 meanwhile was soon in action against the bombers of the USAAF Eight Air Force . ZG 26 claimed some 19 bombers downed on 8 October , while intercepting a raid against Münster on 10 October , II . and III . Gruppen suffered moderate losses but claimed 18 bombers in return . Four days later , ZG 26 took part in inflicting heavy losses on American bombers during the raid on Schweinfurt , claiming 10 victories . ZG 26 ' s conflict against the USAAF day bombers was infrequent , although on 29 November 1943 6 bombers of the 95th Bomb Group were downed over Bremen by a frontal Werfer - Granate 21 rocket attack by six Me 410 ' s ( 9 were claimed ) and on 16 March 1944 18 bombers were downed over Augsburg . III . / ZG 26 under " Major " Johann Kogler , was based in Wunstorf during early 1944 , with Bf 110 ' s armed with two 30mm and four 20mm cannon ( two in a ventral fuselage gun pod ) , and four " Werfer - Granate 21 " 210mm rocket launchers , designed to break up the massed bomber formations from long range . ZG 26 ' s Me 410s also gradually took on added weight with extra cannon and rockets , culminating in the fitting of a bomb - bay mount 50 mm " Bordkanone " BK 5 cannon ( with 21 rounds ) on the Me 410A - 1 / U4 aircraft on duty . Burdened by such equipment the " Zerstöreren " compromised high altitude performance and rendered the aircraft highly vulnerable when caught by the Allied fighter escorts . On 20 February , 16 Bf 110G ' s of III Gruppe were intercepted by the P - 47 Thunderbolt s of the 56th Fighter Group , losing 11 aircraft shot down . Two more were lost on 22 February in addition to Hauptmann Tratt , who was shot down and killed in combat over Nordhausen flying a Me 410 A - 1 . He was posthumously awarded the Eichenlaub on 26 March and promoted to Major . Tratt was the highest scoring Zerstörer pilot of the war . Berlin was the target of the American ' heavies ' for the first time on 6 March , and interception was made by ZG 26 who claimed 8 bombers destroyed . However , II . and III . / ZG 26 lost 11 out of the 17 aircraft deployed , a crippling loss rate ; I . and III . Gruppen of ZG 26 were withdrawn to Konigsberg , where they began conversion to the Me 410 . On 11 April II . / ZG 26 downed ten B - 17s without any losses , although their second sortie of the day ZG 26 was intercepted by strong formations of escorting P - 51s that shot down 8 Me 410s and 3 Bf 110s ; 16 crewman were killed , and 3 wounded . I and II . / ZG 26 claimed another 16 bombers down over the North Baltic coast on 29 May 1944 . By June 1944 the 35 operational Me 410B - 2s of Stab , I and II . / ZG 26 were based at Konigsburg - Neumark , while 7 . ZG 26 ( still flying Bf 110 - G ) were at Fels am Wagram . The Geschwader was disbanded in late July 1944 , with II . " Gruppe " and III . " Gruppe " remustered to II . " Gruppe " and III . " Gruppe " of Jagdgeschwader 6 during the summer of 1944 . The IV . " Gruppe " was created on 5 September 1944 in Norway . The pilots integrated into Jagdgeschwader 6 took heavy casualties through 1944 during operations against the Allied day bomber offensive . See also . Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II