Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) – Fw190 Fighter wing

Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) – Fw190A Squadron and ACE

Featuring the German ACE ‘Pips’ Priller and FREE decals for Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26), a Luftwaffe FW190 Fighter wing.

First FW190 operations

JG 26 first flew operations in the new FW190 during the Allied raid on Dieppe 1942, claiming 21kills against 3 to 1 odds. 1943 saw the Gruppe move from special pin-prick raids, operating as specialist fighter-bombers (Jabbo). One such raid was over Canterbury at the end of October 1942, with over 60 FW190 taking part.

Change of tactics

By 1943 the allied bomber campaign was producing real results and the FW190 of JG26 were forced to change to a mass attack strategy against the US B17 & Liberator bombers. As the FW190s severely lost performance at the hight the bombers were flying, they would group up and go head to head with a formation of bombers so as to use their massed firepower to break up the formations.
Later in 1943 JG26 was carrying out a planned transfer to the eastern front. this was a brief stint as the transfer was postponed and all units were back in the west by June, having claimed 199 Soviet aircraft for the loss of just 8.

D-Day

Famously portrayed in the film “The longest day” Pips Priller with his wingman in FW190A-8’s were perhaps the first luftwaffe aircraft to make an attack on D-Day 6th June, strafing the British landing on Sword Beach.

JG26 would be the main Luftwaffe counter to the D-Day invasion flying the majority of the 172 sorties flown by the Luftwaffe that day (compared to the Allied 14,000 sorties on the same day).

1944

With experienced pilots being lost daily and replacements coming in with barely any experience, JG 26 would be at the forefront of aerial combat throughout the year. After fierce fighting over the Rhine bridges during the Allied Market Garden operation, the grouppe was retired for refitting to the latest FW190D “Dora”.