Jagdgeschwader 26

"Schlageter"

"The Abbeville Boys/Kids"

Version_2006_08_22 : 98 pics

Named after Albert Leo Schlageter, officer of the artillery and Rhineland local hero,
who fought against the French during the Occupation after WW2.

Schlageter was captured after blowing up a section of the Duisburg to Düsseldorf rail track.
He received a sentence of death by firing squad, and was executed on 26th May 1923.

In 1938 the Geschwader, then JG 132, were based at Cologne and Düsseldorf airports.
The local people felt a great pride in them and adopted them as their own with Invitations to civil ceremonies and parades became frequent occurrences.
The Geschwader responded by holding air shows, which were very popular with the local people who attended in large numbers.

With pride and honor restored, it was suggested that the Geschwader take the name of a local hero.
The name "Schlageter" was accepted by the Luftwaffe High Command, and the honor title,
Jagdgeschwader 132 "Schlageter", awarded at a ceremony on 11th December 1938.
A suitable emblem was adopted, a gothic S in a shield, and was displayed on all the units aircraft from 1939-1941.

Reichsverteidigung

Late in the war, units which had the order to protect the Homeland ("Reich"), received a fuselage band.
Other than before, these were now not a marking for a special place or theatre,
but a recognizing help for each unit, and each had its own colors for the band.

The Reichsverteidigungsband of Jagdgeschwader 26 was black-white:

Some Staffelkapitaens of JG 26 decided to paint their planes tail yellow, just for easier recognition by their comrades.
Of course the enemy would easily recon this plane as the chiefs one, but it seems the advantage beats the disadvantege here.

Geschwaderstab

1939, May 1 - Formed in Düsseldorf

Geschwaderkommodore

Major beim Stab
Ia (Operational questions)
Ic (Enemy activity).

Geschwader-Adjutant
IIa (Personnel, officers)
IIb (Personnel, other ranks)

Nachrichten Offizier (NO) (Intelligence/Signals Officer),

Technischer Offizier (TO)
(Equipment: Aircraft)

1939, May 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Düsseldorf, Germany

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Oberst Eduard
Ritter von Schleich
(1. May 1939 =>)

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1939, September - Polish September Campaign

1939, August 26 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Odendorf, Germany

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Oberst Eduard
Ritter von Schleich
(1. May 1939 =>)

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1939, end September - Moved to the West (Luftflotte 2)

1939, November 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Dortmund, Germany

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)
April 40

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1940, May 13 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Mönchengladbach, Germany

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)

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1940, May - Battle of France (Luftflotte 2)

1940, May 18 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 - Neerhespen/Landen

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)

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1940, May 25 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 - Quevaucamps, France

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)

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1940, June 4 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 - Le Touquet, France

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)

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1940, June 5 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 - Bois Jean/Ecuires, France

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)

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1940, June 13 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 - Morgny Bezue la Foret, France

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)

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1940, June 17 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 - Villacoublay, France

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OTL. Hans Hugo Witt
(14. December 1939 =>)

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1940, June 23 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 - Dortmund, Germany

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Major Gotthardt Handrick
(24. June 1940 =>)

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1940, August - Battle of Britain from area Calais (Jagdfliegerführer 2)

1940, July 30 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/N - Audembert, France

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Major Adolf Galland
(22. August 1940 =>)
(23. Sep.1940, 40th Kill)

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1940, November - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/N - St.Omer, France

(<-+-) (W.Nr.5819)
OTL. Adolf Galland
(22. August 1940 =>)
(01. Nov.1940, 50th Kill & promoted to Oberstleutnant)

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1940, December 12 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/N - Abbeville-Drucat, France

(<-+-) (W.Nr.5819)
Oberst Adolf Galland
(22. August 1940 =>)
(55th Kills)

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1941, February 9 - Back to Germany, getting the new Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2

1941, February 9 - Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 - Düsseldorf, Germany

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Oberst Adolf Galland
(22. August 1940 =>)

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1941, April - Guarding the Channel/Atlantic Coast (Luftflotte 3)

1941, April 4 - Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 - Brest-Guipavas, France

(<-+-) (Wk.Nr.6714)
Oberst Adolf Galland
(22. August 1940 =>)
(60 kills)

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1941, June - Start Operation Barbarossa
(JG 26 stayed in France, guarding the Channel/Atlantic Coast - Luftflotte 3)

1941, June 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2, later FW 190A-2 - Audembert, France (JaFü 2)

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Oberst Adolf Galland
(22. August 1940 =>)
He was shot down by a Spitfire in this A/C
november 41

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1942, summer - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-2 - Audembert, France

(S-+-)
Major Gerhard Schoepfel
(6. December 1941 =>)

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1942, June 1 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-2 - St.Omer-Wizernes, France (JaFü 2)

(S-+-)
Major Gerhard Schoepfel
(6. December 1941 =>)

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1942, summer - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-3 - Coquelles, France

(S-+-)
Major
Gerhard Schoepfel
(6. December 1941 =>)

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(<He-+-)(Wk.Nr.20202)
Hauptmann
Rolf-Guenther Hermichen
(probably Adjutant)

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1943, January 1 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-5 - Lille-Vendeville, France

(13o+-) (Wk.Nr.7298)
Major Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)
may

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1943, August 2 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-7 - Amsterdam-Schiphol, Netherlands

(13-+-)
Major Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1943, September 8 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-7 - Lille-North, France

(13-+-)
Major Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, June 6 - Allied Invasion in Normandy (D-Day)

1944, June 6 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 - Poix-North, France

(13-+-) (Wk.Nr.170348)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, June 20 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 - Chaumont-en-Vexin, France

(13-+-)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, July 29 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 - Rambuillet, Normandy, France

(13-+-)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, August 16 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 - Chaumont-en-Vexin, France

(13-+-)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, August 22 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 - Valenciennes, France

(13-+-)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, August 29 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 - Brussel-North, Belgium

(13-+-)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, Autumn - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 & D-9 - Reichsverteidigung of Ruhr-Area, Western Germany

1944, September 3 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 - Krefeld, Western Germany

(13-+-)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, October 29 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 & D-9 - Greven, Western Germany

(13-+-)
Oberstleutnant Josef Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1944, November 24 - Focke-Wulf FW 190A-8 & D-9 - Fürstenau, Western Germany

(14-+-) (Wk.Nr. 210016)
Geschwaderkommodore
Major Josef ''Pips'' Priller
(11. Januar 1943 =>)

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1945, spring - Focke-Wulf FW 190D-9 - Reichsverteidigung, Northern Germany

1945, March 25   -   Drope (near Nordhorn)
1945, April 3   -   Delmenhorst
1945, April 5   -   Hustedt
1945, April 7   -   Uetersen
1945, April 28   -   Klein-Kummersfeld(e) (near Neumünster)

(10-+-)
Geschwaderkommodore
Major Franz Goetz
(28. Januar 1945 =>)

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(<5+ )(Wk.Nr.401392)

1945, May - Focke-Wulf FW 190D-13/R-11 - Flensburg, Northern Germany

(10-+-)
Geschwaderkommodore
Major Franz Goetz
(28. Januar 1945 =>)

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1945, May 7 - Disbanded

I. Gruppe

1939, May 1 - Formed from I./JG132 in Köln - Köln-Ostheim, Germany

Gruppenstab

1. Staffel

2. Staffel

3. Staffel

Stab I./JG132

from 1./JG132

from 2./JG132

from 3./JG132

1939, May 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 - Köln-Ostheim, Germany

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Major Gotthardt Handrick
(1. May 1939 =>)

1939, September - Polish September Campaign

1939, August 26 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 - Bonn-Odendorf, Germany

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Major Gotthardt Handrick
(1. May 1939 =>)

(1+ )
Lt Josef 'Jupp' Burschgens

Gruppenstab

1. Staffel

2. Staffel

3. Staffel

1939, November 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 - Dortmund, Germany

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Major Gotthardt Handrick
(1. May 1939 =>)

(1+ )
Staffelkapitaen
Oberleutnant Franz Hörnung

1940, February 12 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 - Bönninghardt, Germany

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Major Gotthardt Handrick
(1. May 1939 =>)

(1+ )
Staffelkapitaen
Oberleutnant Franz Hörnung

(1+ )
Staffelkapitaen
Oberleutnant Fritz Losigkeit

1940, May - Battle of France (Luftflotte 2)

1940, May 15 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 - Eindhoven, Netherlands

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Major Gotthardt Handrick
(1. May 1939 =>)

1940, May 23 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 - Antwerp,Belgium

1940, June 2 - Chièvres, France

1940, June 4 - Etaples, France

1940, June 5 - Hesdin, France

June 11 - Samoussy-Laon, France

June 16 - St. Rèmy, France

June 23 - Nevers, France

June 23 - Lyon, France

June 26 - Bönninghardt, Germany

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Major Gotthardt Handrick
(1. May 1939 =>)

1940, July 15 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 - Audembert, France

(13+ )

1940, August - Battle of Britain from area Calais (Jagdfliegerführer 2)

1940, August - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Audembert, France

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Hauptmann Kurt Fischer
(24. June 1940 =>)

(5+ )

1940, September - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Audembert, France

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Hauptmann Rolf Pingel
(22. August 1940 =>)

(1+ )
Staffelkapitaen
Oberleutnant Fritz Losigkeit

(2+ )
Unteroffizier Heinz Wolf

1940, December 7 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Abbeville-Drucat, France

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Hauptmann Rolf Pingel
(22. August 1940 =>)

1941, February 9 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Dortmund, Germany

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Hauptmann Rolf Pingel
(22. August 1940 =>)

1941, April - Guarding the Channel/Atlantic Coast (Luftflotte 3)

1941, April 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 - Brest-Guipavas, France

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Hauptmann Walter Adolph
(4. Oktober 1940 =>)

1941, June - Start Operation Barbarossa
(JG 26 stayed in France, guarding the Channel/Atlantic Coast - Luftflotte 3)

1941, June 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 - St.Omer-Clairmarais, France

(<<+ )
Gruppenkommandeur
Hauptmann Rolf Pingel
(22. August 1940 =>)

(8+ )
Oberleutnant Josef Priller
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-

1941, July 10 - Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 &F-2 - St.Omer-Clairmarais, France