Thursday, May 9, 2013

Airfix Model World 06/2013

One of the lesser-known Luftwaffe units that flew later Fw 190 models in combat was JG 5. It was based throughout its existence in Norway and Finland, and fought the Russians on one side and the RAF over the North Sea on the other; JG 5 was effectively an air force within an air force. Formed in early 1942, partly from the re-numbering of elements of the already-existing JG 77, JG 5 was subordinate to the Norwegian-based Luftflotte 5 (Air Fleet 5), which controlled Luftwaffe air operations in the Scandinavian area until reorganised later in 1944. Appropriately named the'Eismeer' (ice sea) Geschwader, JG 5 flew a mixed bag of aircraft types.These were principally different marks of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, but JG 5 also featured a twin-engined element with Bf 110 heavy fighters.The Fw 190, initially in A-2 and A-3 fighter versions, started to reach JG 5 in 1942 but a small unit of fighter-bomber Fw 190s was also assigned. It was later in 1944 that the Fw 190A-8 was used by JG 5, but operational necessity resulted in elements of JG 5 being re-assigned to other war fronts where their presence was more pressingly needed. Nevertheless the Fw 190A-8 gave a good account of itself with JG 5 in this difficult and cold operational environment, where it was used as a day fighter at lower level, mainly against the RAF.

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