Trägerjagd-Gr. II./186

Trägerjagd-Gr. II./186

Trägerjagdgruppe II./186

also as: II.(J)/186 (T)

Formation and Organization. (Oct 39)

Formed 1 November 1938 at Kiel-Holtenau as a fighter (Jagd-) Gruppe for the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin, then under construction at Kiel. An earlier attempt to form this Gruppe had occurred on 1 August 1938 at Bug auf Rügen in the Baltic but was abandoned on 22 October. As formed, it consisted of 4.(Stuka)/186 (T) with Ju 87s followed on 15 November by 6.(Jagd) Staffel with Bf 109Bs and finally on 15 July 1939 a 5.(Jagd) Staffel came into existence. The Gruppenstab was not formed until 10 September 1939 and on the same date the Stuka Staffel was handed over to I.(St.)/186 (T). A new 4.(Jagd)/186 (T) was eventually set up on 29 February 1940 by renaming 2./Jagdgruppe 101.

Poland, North Germany, Belgium and Norway. (Sep 39 - Jul 40)

22-24 Aug 39: 5. and 6. Staffel transferred from Kiel-Holtenau to Brüsterort/NW of Königsberg in preparation for the attack on Poland.

1 Sep 39: operating under 1. Fliegerdiv. on the opening day of the campaign in Poland, flew cover for Stuka attacks on the Polish naval base at Hela. These escort missions continued around Danzig Bay until 3 September and then encounters with enemy aircraft rapidly diminished.

6 Sep 39: transferred to Hage/Ostfriesland in NW Germany and began re-equipping with the new Bf 109E.

21 Sep 39: moved to Jever/15 km WNW of Wilhelmshaven to train and occasionally scramble after RAF reconnaissance aircraft.

8 Nov 39: transferred to Nordholz/S of Cuxhaven.

27 Feb 40: after nearly 6 months on standby with little or no action, the Gruppe intercepted and claimed an RAF Blenheim over Heligoland Bight.

Mar 40: moved from Nordholz to Westerland/Sylt during the first week of March with 39(31) Bf 109Es.

15 Mar 40: ordered to Wangerooge in the East Frisian Islands north of Wilhelmshaven.

16 Mar 40: Bf 109E crashed near Borkum due to engine failure while attacking a Bristol Blenheim, 80%.

19 Mar 40: Bf 109 E-2 force landed at Fp. Wangerooge, 30%.

5 May 40: 5. Staffel claimed 2 Blenheims flying reconnaissance north of Terschelling Is. During a routine patrol along the coast, and the next day shot down a Wellington and another Blenheim in the same general area.

10 May 40: Wangerooge with 48 Bf 109Es under Jagdfliegerführer Deutsche Bucht/Luftflotte 2. Opening day of the attack on France, Belgium and Holland - the Gruppe flew low-level attacks from Wangerooge on Dutch airfields in the Den Helder – Texel Island area, claiming 8 Fokker D-XXIs while losing 2 Bf 109Es.

12 May 40: attacked ships off Texel, claiming a Fokker CV and a Hudson, but 3 Bf 109s were shot down by Dutch AA fire north of Den Helder.

24 May 40: transferred to Antwerpen and attached to JG 51 for operations - flew fighter escort in the Dunkirk-Oostende area, these missions continuing until 31 May.

1 Jun 40: ordered back to Jever near Wilhelmshaven for immediate movement to Norway.

2 Jun 40: transferred from Jever to Aalborg (Ålborg) in northern Denmark then to Gardemoen north of Oslo on 4 June.

11 Jun 40: continued north to Trondheim-Vaernes with 39 Bf 109Es on strength.

21 Jun 40: claimed a Sunderland flying boat off the Norwegian coast, the Gruppe’s first victory since moving to Norway.

27 Jun 40: 4. Staffel left Norway and transferred to Köln-Ostheim where it was renamed 3./Erprobungsgruppe 210 on 1 July while being transformed from a fighter to a fighter-bomber Staffel.

5 Jul 40: since the Gruppe’s eventual use aboard the Graf Zeppelin was no longer seen as imminent, II.(J)/186 (T) was re-designated Stab III., 8. and 9. Staffel/JG 77 at Trondheim-Vaernes.

FpNs:Gruppenstab (L 24187)

Stabsstaffel (L 38299)

4. Staffel (L 33858)

5. Staffel (L 30508)

6. Staffel (L 18152)

Kommandeur:

Maj. Heinrich Seeliger (10 Sep 39 - 5 Jul 40)

© H.L. deZeng IV, 2024

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