Tuesday 15 December 2015

JG 77 Jagdgruppe 101 Bf 109 Emil - defending the Reich







Marco at koelsch333 Ebay sales has a couple of what he describes as "JG 77" Emils currently on offer here. The images more likely depict aircraft of Jagdgruppe 101. In the image above note the cartoon 'running dog' emblem on the cowling of this, presumably, 3. Staffel machine. Kennziffer may be 'yellow 3' or 'yellow 5'. Note the outline form of the numeral - a markings characteristic of JGr. 101 and the small size fuselage Balkenkreuz.

Jagdgruppe 101 was another unit tasked with defending the northern borders of the Reich flying sorties over the Deutsche Bucht - German Bight- in the autumn of 1939. Subordinated to the Stab/ JG 77, a few machines from this unit participated in the 'Luftschlacht über der Deutschen Bucht' on 18 December 1939.

..  Jagdgruppe 101 was one of the lesser known Jagdwaffe units to operate over Poland in September and October 1939. The unit spent the winter of 1939/40 in northern Germany before its pilots were posted to other units during February 1940, many being incorporated into ZG 1. (cf. Prien, " Der Sitzkrieg" JfV Teil 2 page 507)

Among the pilots to have flown with JGr. 101 was Staffelkapitän Oblt. Dietrich Robitzsch. This may even be him in the photo below - note the inscription 'der Alte' - the old man below the cockpit. Note the outline form of the Kennziffer, in this instance 'yellow 4'. Robitzsch filed a claim for a Wellington on 18 December 1939 but his Emil was damaged in the encounter and was a 100% loss in the subsequent belly-landing. With the dissolution of JGr. 101 he was posted to 6. Staffel of Tr.Gr. 186, the fighter element formed to operate from the carrier Graf Zeppelin. Robitzsch was taken captive on the first day of the Westfeldzug, force-landing his Emil in Holland after clashing with Fokker D-XXI fighters