Nachtjagdgeschwader 3

Geschwaderkommodoren:

Stab:

Formed 29.9.41 in Stade from Stab/ZG26. Served under 1. Nachtjagddivision, 5.42 2. Jagddivision. Initially equipped with Bf 110, from late 1943 Ju 88C and from mid 1944 with Ju 88G.

Bases:

I. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

Formed 1.10.40 at Vechta from V.(Z)/LG1 with:

Stab I./NJG3 from Stab V./LG1
1./NJG3 from 13./LG1
2./NJG3 from 14./LG1
3./NJG3 from 15./LG1

In 9.42 2./NJG3 was redesignated 2./NJG4, and a new 2./NJG3 was formed from 4./NJG2 on 1.10.42.

On 30.3.45 reduced to 1./NJG3, when Stab I., 2. and 3./NJG3 was disbanded.

Bases:

* 1./NJG3 operated in the Mediterranean area between 2.41 and 10.41 (2.41 - 5.41 Sicily, Argos [X. Fliegerkorps]; 5.41 - 8.41 Benghazi [Fl. Fü. Afrika], 8.41 - 10.41 Derna [Fl. Fü. Afrika]). 2./NJG3 operated in the Smolensk area from 2.42 - 3.42 (Luftwaffenkommando Ost), and was stationed at Wittmundhafen 3.42 to 4.44 (1. NJ-Div., from 5.42 2. JD). 3./NJG3 was detached at Kastrup/Copenhagen, at least between 8.43 and 3.44 (2. JD).

** detachment at Nordholz (2. JD).

II. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

Formed 1.9.41 at Schleswig from the Zerstörer-Ergänzungsgruppe with:

Stab II./NJG3 from Stab/Zerstörer-Ergänzungsgruppe
4./NJG3 from 4./ZG2
5./NJG3 from 1./Erg.ZGr.
6./NJG3 from 3./Erg.ZGr.

On 1.11.42 crews were transferred to 11./NJG3. On 25.2.45 the Gruppe was disbanded and was absorbed by NSGr.30.

A new 4./NJG3 was formed 1.3.45 at Kjevik from Nachtjagdstaffel Norwegen, and remained there until the end, under Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen (with Ju 88G and He 219).

Bases:

* 4./NJG3 was detached at Westerland from 9.41 to 21.1.44 (1. NJ-Div., from 5.42 2. JD). Another detachment operated from Mainz-Finthen in late 1941 (1. NJ-Div.).

** detachment at Tirstrup 9.44 - 10.44 (2. JD)

III. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

Formed 1.11.41 at Stade from II./ZG76 with:

Stab III./NJG3 from Stab II./ZG76
7./NJG3 from 4./ZG76
8./NJG3 from 5./ZG76
9./NJG3 from 6./ZG76

In 12.42 7./NJG3 became 4./NJG5. 7./NJG was reformed in 8.43.

On 30.3.45 reduced to 7./NJG3, when Stab III, 8. and 9./NJG3 was disbanded.

Bases:

* 7./NJG3 was detached at Lüneburg from 11.41 to 4.43, Kastrup/Copenhagen 4.43 to 11.43, and Nordholz 11.43 to 4.44. 8./NJG3 was detached at Lüneburg from 4.43 to 4.44. Other detachments were based at Ingolstadt and Wunstorf. (All under 1. NJ-Div., later 2. JD)

** detachment at Skrydstrup/Denmark (2. JD)

** detachments at Nordholz and Uetersen (2. JD)

IV. Gruppe:

Gruppenkommandeure:

Formed 11.42 at Grove from parts of Stab III./NJG2 with:

Stab IV./NJG3 new
10./NJG3 from 1./NJG2
11./NJG3 from 9./NJG2
12./NJG3 new

11./NJG3 was disbanded 4.44, but was reformed 8.44.

On 30.10.44 IV./NJG3 was redesignated III./NJG2 with:

Stab IV./NJG3 became Stab III./NJG2
10./NJG3 became 7./NJG2
11./NJG3 became 8./NJG2
12./NJG3 became 9./NJG2

and a new IV./NJG3 was formed from the old III./NJG2 with:

Stab IV./NJG3 from Stab III./NJG2
10./NJG3 from 7./NJG2
11./NJG3 from 8./NJG2
12./NJG3 from 9./NJG2

Reduced to 10./NJG3 on 30.3.45, when Stab IV., 11. and 12./NJG3 was disbanded.

Bases:

* 10./NJG3 was detached at Aalborg-West from 11.42 to 8.1.44, with a small kommando in Lister (Norway) during the Autumn 1943 (2. JD). Another detachment was based at Kastrup/Copenhagen in Autumn 1943 (all 2. JD)

** 10./NJG3 detached at Grove (Karup) from 8.1.44 to ?9.44 (2. JD)

*** detachment at Wittmundhafen (2. JD)

Erg.Staffel:

Formed 1941 in Vechta. Also called 1.(Erg.)/NJG3. Disbanded 12.42.

Bases:

Schulstaffel:

Formed 6.44 in Grove/Denmark (during 6.44 - 7.44 known as Ausb.Lehrgang NJG3). Absorbed 4./NJG7 in 11.44.

In 12.44 redesignated 16./NJG3, but on 1.1.45 became Stabsstaffel/NJG3.

Bases:

© 1997-2003 Michael Holm