Sturm JG 4 on September 12, 1944

[dachshund]

Hello.

I was wondering if anybody has the story of what happened with JG4 on 12 September, 1944? I believe they clashed with USAAF B-17s near Magdeburg, but can't find much other info about the battle apart from Gunther von Kornatzki being KIA.

Any input is recieved with great interest!

Dachshund

 

[Erich]

the info was to be released on the old Sturmgruppen website we had up with aolo.com till they got funny and cancelled all their web accounts some 10 eyars ago. had been chatting with the US 493rd bg reps and a couple of JG 4 vets about the insuing SturFw attacks for the fall of 44 that were so viscious.

first check out U.S. Army Air Forces of World War II > Home

go to databases and find the macr's and the dates to type in this will give you the bombers lost for the most cases.

II.Sturm/JG 4 was escorted by the Bf 109G-6's of III./Jg 4 that were at first engaged by P-51's, the Fw's attacked first and claimed some 8 B-17's shot down and ahother 5 HSS -shot out of formation, what was left of the the 109's claimed some3 B-17's and 4 B-17's HSS. as the Fw's seemd to have made only one rear attack on the 493rd they also attacked the B-17 groups ahead of them incurring more victories.

JG 4 also got a shot in the butt with some 12 dead and 3 wounded, III. gruppe was the hardest hit with 8 KIA.

I have pilot names, fighter types and numerals.

 

[Njaco]

Wasn't there more losses by JG 4 on 11 Sept.? "Strumgruppen" by John Weal has about 14 pilots killed the day before. And von Kornatzki crashed while trying to land his shot-up FW, his 'Green 3' hit some cables and cartwheeled - is that right Eric?

 

[Erich]

think the mentioned total losses fills 15 actually, but on the low side > 12 September // ................. // 35 losses for the whole of JG 4 ~ II. and III. gruppe for > September 11th. not sure where Weal got some of his info except from us in some respects when he did the Osprey title one of the worst for details I have ever read.

looked in the JG 4 diary and the claims came up to be 22 US fighters/bombers for > September 12th.

19 total losses for JG 4 pilots. von Kornatzki was flying green 3 an A-8/R2, werke nummer : 681424, KIA over Zilly by Halberstadt.

both missions of September 11 and 12, 1944 nearly broke the Sturmgruppe of JG 4's back. they had to consolidate and look at future tactics. this was also when the canopy armor - side armor/plexiglas screens were removed like II.Sturm/JG 300's SturmFw's.