Jagdgeschwader 1 (World War II)
JG 1 Unit Date Original unit Location Aircraft type
Stab I./JG 1 1 September 1941 Parts of Führer der Jagdkräfte Katwijk Bf 109F-2
1./JG 1 7 December 1940 Jasta Holland Vlissingen Bf 109E-4 , later Bf 109F-2
2./JG 1 5 July 1941 Jasta Münster-Loddenheide Katwijk Bf 109F-2
3./JG 1 1 March 1941 parts of Erg . Gruppe./ JG 52 De Kooy Bf 109E-4 , later Bf 109F-2
4./JG 1 15 August 1944 9./ JG 77 Aulnay-aux-Planches Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8
Organization structure -- Group I./JG 1
I./JG 1 consisted of one Headquarters Flight ( Gruppenstab ) and 1. , 2. and 3 Staffels . When the Battle of France commenced on 10 May 1940 , I./JG 1 was put under the administrative control of JG 27 . After seeing extensive service , the group was re-designated III./JG 27 on 5 July 1940 . [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 16 ] 1./JG 1 was reformed on 7 December 1940 in Vlissingen from the `` Holland '' Squadron ( Jasta Holland ) . 2./JG 1 was formed on 5 July 1941 in Katwijk , Netherlands , from the Münster-Loddenheide Squadron ( Jasta Münster-Loddenheide ) of Luftflotte 2 while 3./JG 1 was formed on 1 March 1941 in De Kooy from parts of the Training/Supplement squadron of JG 52 ( Ergänzungsstaffel Gruppe/JG 52 ) . These three units operated independently until September 1941 when they were grouped into I./JG 1 under Major Erich Mix . [ 6 ] [ 17 ] 3./JG 1 was ordered to Sicily and later Africa , and re-designated as 6./JG 51 on 30 November 1941 . Another 3./JG 1 was formed in Wangerooge on the same day . In January 1944 , the 18 Staffel unit was transferred to Dortmund where they were located next to I./JG 1 . Here they were subordinated to Major Rudolf-Emil Schnoor , the commander of I./JG 1 . On 15 August 1944 , 9./JG 77 was transferred to reinforce I./JG 1 , becoming 4./JG 1 . [ 15 ] [ 18 ]
Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1) was a German World War II fighter unit or wing which used the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft, between 1940 and 1944. The name of the unit derives from Jagd, meaning hunt and Geschwader, meaning wing. First formed in May 1939 in eastern Prussia, I./JG 1 was one of the original groups created by the Luftwaffe as part of its expansion plans. Between 1940 and 1942, JG 1 operated primarily over the Western Front and northern occupied Europe. During the initial days of the war, JG 1 faced little resistance, apart from occasional Royal Air Force (RAF) excursions. The unit was rarely engaged in large-scale confrontations during this time. From late 1942 onwards it was tasked with defence of the Reich. After D-Day, elements of JG 1 were moved to France and were tasked with air support to the German Army (Heer) along with their air defence role. Operation Bodenplatte severely reduced the strength of JG 1, which was also the first unit to attempt aerial bombing techniques against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) heavy bomber formations. It was the only unit to be equipped with the Heinkel He 162 jet fighter.