A Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader (EJG) were Luftwaffe replacement training units which were part of a larger operational

Jagdgeschwader Jagdgeschwader were the series of fighter wings of initially, the German Empire's ''Luftstreitkräfte'' air arm of the ''Deutsches Heer'', then the successor fighter wings of the Third Reich's original ''Luftwaffe'' air arm of its combined Wehrmach ...

. The Germans were sometimes forced to undertake operations and training simultaneously. In 1944, the Luftwaffe formed two of these units, EJG 1 and EJG 2, by combining various training and experimental units. Its commanders included Viktor Bauer and Werner Andres.

Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 1

The ''

Geschwader This is a list of words, terms, concepts, and slogans that have been or are used by the German military. Ranks and translations of nicknames for vehicles are included. Also included are some general terms from the German language found frequently i ...

'' EJG 1 was formed in early 1944 from '' Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe West'', ''Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Nord'' and ''

Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost ''Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost'' (EJGr Ost)For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization (Supplementary Fighter Group, East) was a fighter pilot training unit of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It w ...

''. The '' Geschwaderstab'' (headquarters unit) was based in Märkisch Friedland, present-day Mirosławiec in Poland, while the '' Staffeln'' (squadrons) were based on airfields in Pomerania, Brandenburg,

Lausitz Lusatia (german: Lausitz, pl, Łużyce, hsb, Łužica, dsb, Łužyca, cs, Lužice, la, Lusatia, rarely also referred to as Sorbia) is a historical region in Central Europe, split between Germany and Poland. Lusatia stretches from the Bóbr ...

, present-day Lusatia, and Silesia. Initially, the unit was conceived as a training unit for fighter pilots. The deteriorating war situation forced Luftwaffe training units into combat operations. In January 1945, an ''Einsatzgruppe'', an operational combat group, was created and deployed on the

Oder The Oder ( , ; Czech, Lower Sorbian and ; ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river in total length and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows thr ...

where they fought in the Vistula–Oder offensive. In March/April 1945, the unit was disbanded and its pilots were assigned to other ''Jagdgeschwader''.

Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 2

In late 1944, EJG 2 was formed from various '' Erprobungskommandos'', experimental test units, primarily for conversion training to the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter, the Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket fighter and Heinkel He 162 jet fighter. The ''Geschwaderstab'' was based at

Sprottau Szprotawa (german: Sprottau) is a town in western Poland, in Żagań County, Lubusz Voivodeship. It has 11,820 inhabitants (2019). History The region was part of Poland after the emergence of the Piast monarchy in the 10th century. The first me ...

, present-day Szprotawa in western Poland. The unit had been formed with three '' Gruppen'' (groups). I. ''Group'' was equipped with the

Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...

and

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' (" Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, ...

piston engine A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is typically a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common featu ...

fighters and based at airfields northwest of Berlin. II. ''Gruppe'', a "blind" or bad weather flying unit, was located at Ludwigslust. III. ''Gruppe'' was equipped with the Me 262 jet aircraft and was based at

Lechfeld Airfield Lechfeld Air Base is a German Air Force (''Luftwaffe'') base located 1 km east of Lagerlechfeld in Bavaria, about 20 km south of Augsburg on the Bundestrasse 17. It was the home of Training Division A of the School of Management Assista ...

. The ''Geschwader'' was led by ''Major'' Werner Andres. On 13 February 1945, ''Oberstleutnant''

Heinrich Bär Heinz "Pritzl" Bär (; 25 May 1913 – 28 April 1957) was a German Luftwaffe flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. Bär flew more than one thousand combat missions, and fought in the Western, Eastern and Mediterranean th ...

was given command of III. ''Gruppe''. On 23 April, Bär relocated III. ''Gruppe'' of EJG 2 to Munich-Riem Airfield where ''Jagdverband'' 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment), led by the former ''General der Jagdflieger''

Adolf Galland Adolf Josef Ferdinand Galland (19 March 1912 – 9 February 1996) was a German Luftwaffe general and flying ace who served throughout the Second World War in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western Front and in the Defen ...

, was based. There, III./EJG 2 was disbanded and its pilots assigned to JV 44.

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* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Erganzungs-Jagdgeschwader Fighter wings of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945