RAF Schleswig during the war

Schleswig-Jagel
The War Years

Schleswig searchlights

With the outbreak of World War 2, Schleswig-Jagel soon became a major bomber base, providing home for Heinkel He-111 and Junkers Ju-88 medium bombers of Kampfgeschwader 26 "Loewengeschwader", KG 30 "Adlergeschwader" and the Lehrgeschwader. In April 1940 the units redeployed in support of the Battle of Britain and gave way for a fleet of Junkers Ju-52 transport aircraft. In the course of the war Schleswig-Jagel's role changed as it became a major night-fighter base and remained so until the end of the war. Operations started when in May 1941 II./NJG 1, and soon after Hptm. Streib's I./NJG 1 moved to Schleswig-Jagel. The airfield was now part of the so-called Kammhuber-Line - the defence line of the western shores.

Hitler 30th Jan 1939
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Herman Göering placed Generalleutnant Josef Kammhuber, formerly a bomber commander, in charge of night air defenses in July of 1940. He constructed an extensive network of searchlights, radar and night fighters based in occupied France, Belgium and Holland, covering the approaches that British bombers took to reach their targets. Searchlights illuminated each bomber as a Bf110 or Ju88 night fighter closed in for the kill.

A radar-controlled master searchlight introduced in 1941 made the Kammhuber Line even more effective by locking onto bombers automatically with a pale blue beam until other searchlights picked it up.
	Bf 110G-4, NJG 4 Schleswig, March 1945

Night Intruder forces consisting of Junkers-88s and Dornier-17s converted to night fighters proved very effective in disrupting bomber Command's operations. Specially trained radio operators working in Holland monitored RAF frequencies and identified the characteristic noises associated with preparations for take-off. On this warning the night intruders, initially numbering 30 aircraft, would head for airfields in England to shoot up bombers when they were most vulnerable - just after take-off heavily laden and struggling to gain altitude. Attacks were also made when bombers were coming back from their missions and setting up to land.

Junkers JU 88

On 8 October 1944 two Mosquitos flew ranger patrols over Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark, shooting down an Me109 in Schleswig-Holstein; 1 Wellington flew a signals patrol. No British aircraft were lost.

Messerschmitt Bf110 nightfighters at Schleswig In December parts of NJG 3 deployed to the Schleswig-Jagel airfield, with II./NJG 3 staying until the end of the war. It was by that time, that Schleswig-Jagel's Messerschmitt Bf110 night-fighters were equipped with onboard-radar. These aircraft were soon after complemented by specially modified Dornier Do-217 and Junkers Ju-88 night-fighters. During the following years the high-scoring night-fighter ace Hptm. Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein acted as commanding officer at Schleswig-Jagel.

The installations at Schleswig-See (Schleswig's sea base) were mainly used as a stopover chance for long-range observation flying boats and SAR units for both North Sea and the Baltic.

The last missions of the war were commenced by a group of NJG 1 equipped with the modern Heinkel He-219 UHU - an aircraft especially designed to fight British Mosquito bombers. Without doubt the best German night-fighter of the war, the He219 Uhu (Owl) possessed in abundance all three attributes essential for such combat: high speed, heavy gun armament and efficient radar. Pre-production He 219A-Os were delivered to NJG 1 at Venlo in April 1943, and on the first combat sortie Major Werner Streib destroyed five Lancasters within 30 minutes on 11 - 12 June.

The first version to be produced in quantity was the He219A-5 with two 30-mm and two 20-mm cannon. At the end of 1943 the He219 was officially abandoned on the grounds that the Ju88G was capable of catching the Lancaster and Halifax but, as the He219 was the only night-fighter able to deal with the Mosquito, production continued.

Of all RAF Mosquitoes lost during night operations more than 60 per cent ( estimated ) fell to He219s.

Heinkel He219 (unknown location)

Me 262B-1a/U1 Wk. Nr. 110306 "Red 6", NJG 11, 10. Staffel

Me 262B-1a/U1 at Schleswig-Jagel in April 1945

◄ Me 262B-1a/U1 Wk. Nr. 110306 "Red 6", NJG 11, 10. Staffel
Flown by: Fw. Karl-Heinz Becher, Schleswig-Jagel in April 1945.

Heavy bombing of the base at Burg forced the unit to roll their aircraft to the nearby Lubeck-Leck Autobahn from where they could operate before finally moving to Schleswig-Jagel. During May 1945 the advance of the allies soon resulted in the surrender of 10/NJG 11 and the handing over of the aircraft to the British. After examination, the aircraft were over-painted with RAF markings before being shipped for testing. Red 6 was then handed over to the Americans who gave it the designation FE-610.

On the 7th May l945 Germany surrendered and the 8th May was declared V-E day (Victory in Europe). The whole world seemed to go crazy. There was dancing and singing in the streets, partying and celebrating with drinks.

Although the dancing, singing, bonfires and kissing and hugging of complete strangers carried on, the pubs unfortunately ran out of beer! By 9.30 pm every pub was dry, cleared out of anything drinkable, but the celebrations continued regardless.

VE Day Searchlights