luftwaffe fighter units in ww2 Focke Wulf Fw 190 D-11 Sq. JV 44 1:48

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Focke Wulf Fw 190 D-11

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luftwaffe fighter units in ww2

Focke Wulf Fw 190 D-11 - 1:48

This FW 190-D11 is a fighter of the protection squadron of JV 44, the Me 262 unit of General Adolf Galland in Munich-Riem. Because of the greater length of runway it required, and the slow acceleration it had at low speeds, the Me 262 was especially vulnerable during takeoff and landing. Marauding Allied pilots knew this and lurked around the bases in hope of an easy kill. Adolf Galland established his own protection squadron, the Platzschutzstaffel (Protection squadron), headed by Lieutenant Heinz Sachsenberg, to provide air cover for takeoffs and landings. Their mission was simple. Take off, climb to 1500 ft. Protect the jets. Land once the jets were safely away. They were forbidden to chase Allied planes. "Sachsenberg was a good pilot... We felt safer when his aircraft were in the air" Adolf Galland. The Platzschutzstaffel flew the long-nosed Doras, Fw-190 D9, or Fw-190 D11 variant of the well-known Fw 190.

These aircraft were painted bright red on their underbelly with contrasting white stripes so anti-aircraft batteries could distinguish them from Allied piston-engined aircraft. The Staffel was nicknamed "Die Würger-Staffel", a play on the common nickname for the FW 190, which was Würger or Butcher-bird. After the war it also become known as the Papagei Staffel (Parrot squadron) due to aircraft being painted in various bright colors.

There have been four pilots in the protection squadron:

- Heinz Sachsenberg: Fw 190 D-9 "red 1", with the inscription : Verkaaft's mei Gwand 'I foahr in Himmel! (Sell my clothes I'm going to heaven)

- Waldemar Wübke: FW 190 D-9 "red 3", with the inscription: Im Auftrage der Reichsbahn (By order of the State Railway) A sarcastic comment originating when Wübke was ordered to fly fighter-bomber missions during the Battle of Britain. The inscription was found on the sides of boxcars carrying bombs. Wübke felt bombs should be delivered by rail cars and bombers and not by fighters.

Wübke used this inscription throughout the war.

- Klaus Faber: FW 190 D-9 "red 13" with the inscription: "Rein muß er" und wenn wir beide weinen! (In he goes even though both of us will cry!)

- Karl-Heinz Hoffmann: FW 190 D-11 "red 4" with the inscription: Der nächste Herr die selbe Dame! (the next guy, the same lady!)

There was also Fw (Sgt) Bodo Dirschauer, but it´s not known, which FW 190 he had.

Historical note written by: Bernd H. Borchert.