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1. Staffel I. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader 1- 1./ZG1
1. Staffel I. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader 1- 1./ZG1 Coded S9+
Messerschmitt Bf 110G2 Zerstörer I./ZG1 (S9+CH) Russia 1943
Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer 1./ZG1 (S9+DH) 01
Photo 01: A ground mechanic runs up the engines of S9+DH, a Bf 110F-2 of I./ZG1. Note the densely applied mottle camouflage on the top surfaces, and what appears to be solid camouflage on the engine cowling. The whole of the spinners apart from the backplate are in white, and fuselage and wing bomb racks can be seen. The individual aircraft letter '0' is white and appears to have no outline to it.
Messerschmitt Bf 110E-2 Trop Zerstörer 1./ZG1 (S9+EH) Russia 1942
This Bf 110E-2 Trop with dust filters and larger oil coolers, illustrates that such equipped aircraft saw service on the Eastern Front. It carries the usual yellow recognition markings typical of this theatre of operations. I./ZG 1 was formed out of 1./SKG 210, and the 1./SKG 210 emblem used from as far back as the Battle of Britain and formed of the shape of England in a gunsight, is carried on both sides of the fuselage. The blue spinners with white tips were traditional in this unit. I./ZG 1 served on the Eastern Front up to the summer of 1943.Amajor task of this unit was composed of attacks on the ground assets of the enemy.
Additional Information Eduard plastic models - http://www.eduard.com/
Messerschmitt Bf 110E 1./ZG1 Zerstorer (S9+FH) Russia 1942
Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer 1./ZG1 (S9+RH) 1942-43
Profile 00: Messerschmitt Bf 110F-2, S9+RH, of 1./ZG1 S9+RH, a Bf 110F-2 of 1./ZG1, seen during the Russian winter of 1942/43. Features common to aircraft of I. Gruppe of ZG1 are the theatre band around the forward fuselage, yellow undersurface wingtips and the lack of the central rear Bordfunker's panel. Note the straight demarcation line between the top surface camouflage colours and the fuselage side camouflage in the area of the 'R' and 'H' of the fuselage code.
Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer 1./ZG1 (S9+RH) 1942-43
Photo 01: Bf 110F-2, S9+RH, in mid-winter 1942/43. Bombs are in place beneath the fuselage and wings ready to be loaded for a mission. Note the wide placement of the characters in the fuselage code. The fuselage cross does not have any black outline to it, equally so the individual aircraft letter of 'R' in white. For an unknown reason, the letter under the wing, which in this case should b e 'R', is 'C'. Note the scissors link in the tailwheel, and a small piece of the starboard fin missing at its base. The yellow Russian front theatre band can be seen between the letter 'H' and the wing root.
3. Staffel I. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader 1- 3./ZG1 Coded S9+
Messerschmitt Bf 110E Zerstörer 3./ZG1 (S9+AL) 01
Photo 01: Ground crew relax on the port engine cowling of Bf 110E, S9+AL of 3./ZG1. Note the two different colours to the spinner tips. The starboard tip is in the Staffel colour of yellow. The three apertures on the engine cowling are for mechanics to view dials on the engine to observe how the engine is performing.
Messerschmitt Bf 110D Zerstorer 3./ZG1 (S9+CL) Russia 1942
Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer 3./ZG1 (S9+RL) pilot Wilhelm T�gel Belgorod 00
Profile 00: Messerschmitt Bf 110F-2, S9+RL, of 3./ZG1. It has a very dense pattern of mottle camouflage over the upper surfaces. Standard features for this Staffel include the yellow Russian theatre band placed immediately aft of the wing root, and the removal of the Bordfunker's central rear canopy.
Messerschmitt Bf 110F Zerstörer 3./ZG1 (S9+RL) pilot Wilhelm T�gel Belgorod 01-02
Photo's 01-02: Two views of Bf 110F-2, S9+RL, of Uffz. Wilhelm T�gel, which crashed on take-off from Belgorod. The port fin and rudder have been wrenched off during the landing. Note the two emblems on the nose, and the very dense mottle applied to the upper surfaces of the machine. Of particular interest is the fact that mottle camouflage has been applied over the upper wing surfaces, a very unusual occurrence.
Belgorod Airport, Belgorod, Russia Map
Invasion of Poland
Aircrew Luftwaffe Karl Hammes
Units: Legion Condor, Stfkpt 1/ZG-1 (Poland)
Awards: Spanish Cross, Destroyer Operational Clasp
Known Aircraft: Bf 110
Remarks: KIA 6 September, 1939, during aerial combat with a PZL P-11, piloted by Lt Wiktor Strzembosz, NW of Warsaw in the early days of the Polish Campaign. His R/O was Ofw Walter Steffen.
In the days following, the Bf 110s were regularly in action, with varying degrees of success I./ZG1 filed relatively few claims while I.(Z)/LG1 claimed 30 victories. As the Polish campaign ground to its inevitable conclusion with German forces advancing inexorably through Poland, the role of the Zerstorer units changed. From bomber escort, their duties moved to that of ground support. Seeking out and attacking elements of Polish ground forces in their headlong retreat, this type of action was not universally liked by the Bf 110 pilots, who at that time saw their task as air-to-air combat and protection of their flying comrades in other units rather than in ground-attack missions. Among the losses suffered during the Polish campaign was Major Karl Hammes, the 43 year-old Staffelkapitän of 1./ZG1. Hammes had had a somewhat chequered life. Born in March 1896, he enlisted at the outbreak of the First World War and served initially as an artillery officer. Obtaining a transfer to the air force, he flew initially with a reconnaissance unit before transferring to Jasta 35. With that unit he claimed four aerial victories before being badly wounded in combat on 9 September 1917.
By this time he had attained the rank of Obit. and been awarded the Iron Cross, First Class. His wounds were so severe that he undertook no further front line flying before the end of the war. His life then took a completely new course, as he embarked upon a career as an opera singer. He reached the top of that profession 'as a baritone, appearing at the Kroll Opera House in Berlin and the State Opera in Vienna among other top venues. The lure of the Luftwaffe proved too much, however, and he enlisted again in June 1937. Promotion to Hptm. followed in March 1938. By the outbreak of war in September 1939 he held the rank of Major and led 1./ZG1, part of I. Gruppe under the overall control of Gruppen Kommandeur, Major Joachim-Friedrich Huth, another First World War veteran.
So it was that while leading 1. Staffel on the morning of 6 September on an escort mission for Stuka's, the German fighters came under attack from Polish P.11c fighters. Major Hammes' Bf 110C-l, coded 2N+IH, received hits and was seen to go down in a shallow glide. Although effecting a relatively good belly-landing, Major Hammes died of his wounds. His Bordfunker, Oberfeldwebel(Ofw.) Walter Steffen, was wounded and taken into captivity, returning to Germany when the Polish campaign was concluded. Thus ended the colourful life of Major Karl Hammes, opera singer and fighter pilot. His place as Staffelkapitänof 1./ZG1 was taken by Oblt. Martin Lutz, who would feature prominently during the Battle of Britain with Erprobungsgruppe 210 (Erpr. Gr. 210).
Luftwaffe pilot Walter Nowotny 258 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Theodor Weissenberger 208 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Heinz Bar 175 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Franz Schall 133 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Rudolf Rademacher 126 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Adolf Galland 104 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Hermann Buchner 58 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hohagen 50 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Rudolf Sinner 39 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow 32 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Richard Altner 25 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Gunther Wegmann 21 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Wolfgang Schenck 18 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Franz Holzinger 10 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Helmut Lennartz 10 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Alfred 'Bubi' Schreiber 9 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Eduard Schallmoser 3 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Wilhelm Batel 1 kills
Luftwaffe pilot Joachim Fingerlos 1 kills
Bibliography: +
- Campbell, Jerry L. Messerschmitt BF 110 Zerstörer in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1977. ISBN 0-89747-029-X.
- Caldwell, Donald and Richard Muller. The Luftwaffe over Germany: Defence of the Reich. London: Greenhill Books, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85367-712-0.
- Ciampaglia, Giuseppe. 'Destroyers in Second World War'. Rome: IBN editore, 1996. ISBN 88-86815-47-6.
- Deighton, Len. Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain. London: Pimlico, 1996. ISBN 0-7126-7423-3.
- de Zeng, H. L., D. G. Stanket and E. J. Creek. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945: A Reference Source, Volume 2. London: Ian Allan Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-1-903223-87-1.
- Donald, David, ed. Warplanes of the Luftwaffe. London: Aerospace, 1994. ISBN 1-874023-56-5.
- Geust, Carl-Fredrik and Gennadiy Petrov. Red Stars Vol 2: German Aircraft in the Soviet Union. Tampere, Finland: Apali Oy, 1998. ISBN 952-5026-06-X.
- Hirsch, R.S. and Uwe Feist. Messerschmitt Bf 110 (Aero Series 16). Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, Inc., 1967.
- Hooton, E.R.Luftwaffe at War; Blitzkrieg in the West: Volume 2. London: Chervron/Ian Allan, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85780-272-6.
- Hooton, E.R. Luftwaffe at War; Gathering Storm 1933-39: Volume 1. London: Chervron/Ian Allan, 2007. ISBN 978-1-903223-71-0.
- Ledwoch, Janusz. Messerschmitt Bf 110 (Aircraft Monograph 3). Gdańsk, Poland: AJ-Press, 1994. ISBN 83-86208-12-0.
- Likso, T. and D. Canak. Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo u Drugome Svjetskom Ratu (The Croatian Airforce in the Second World War). Zagreb, 1998. ISBN 953-97698-0-9.
- Mankau, Heinz and Peter Petrick. Messerschmitt BF 110/Me 210/Me 410: An Illustrated History. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0-7643-1784-9.
- Murray, Willamson. Strategy for Defeat: The Luftwaffe 1935-1945. Maxwell AFB, Al: Air Power Research Institute, 1983. ISBN 0-16-002160-X.
- Mackay, Ron. Messerschmitt Bf 110. Wiltshire, UK: The Crowood Press, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-313-9
- Middlebrook, Martin. The Peenemunde Raid: The Night of 17-18 August 1943. Barnsely, UK: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2004. ISBN 1-84415-336-3.
- Munson, Kenneth. Fighters and Bombers. New York: Peerage Books, 1983. ISBN 0-907408-37-0.
- Price, Alfred. Messerschmitt Bf 110 Night Fighters (Aircraft in Profile No. 207). Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1971.
- Savic, Dragan and Boris Ciglic. Croatian Aces of World War II (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces - 49). London: Oxford, 2002. ISBN 978-1-84176-435-1.
- Treadwell, Terry C. Messerschmitt Bf 110(Classic WWII Aviation). Bristol, Avon, UK: Cerberus Publishing Ltd., 2005. ISBN 1-84145-107-X.
- Van Ishoven, Armand. Messerschmitt Bf 110 at War. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Ltd., 1985. ISBN 0-7110-1504-X.
- The Messerschmitt Bf 110 in Color Profile 1939-1945 John Vasco and Fernando Estanislau by Schieffer Publications. ISBN:0-7643-2254-0
- Wagner, Ray and Heinz J. Nowarra. German Combat Planes: A Comprehensive Survey and History of the Development of German Military Aircraft from 1914 to 1945. New York: Doubleday, 1971.
- Weal, John. Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer Aces World War Two. London: Osprey, 1999. ISBN 1-85532-753-8.
Magazine References: +
- Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
- Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
- FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
- Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
- Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
- Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
- Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
- Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
- Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
- Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/
Web References: +
- Wikipedia.org - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt
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