''Jagdgeschwader'' 20 (JG 20) was a

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

fighter

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...

during the early phase of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in Europe. JG 20 was founded on 15 July 1939 in Döberitz, composed of one ''Gruppe'' and two ''Staffeln''. A third ''Staffel'' was added on 5 November 1939 in

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...

Briest Havelsee () is a town in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Havel, 12 km northwest of Brandenburg. The Pritzerbe Ferry, a vehicular cable ferry, crosses the Havel between Havelsee and Kütz ...

. The sole ''Gruppe'' was redesignated as 3rd ''Gruppe'' of

Jagdgeschwader 51 ''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51) was a German fighter wing during World War II. JG 51's pilots won more awards than any other fighter wing of the Luftwaffe, and operated in all major theatres of war. Its members included Anton Hafner, Heinz Bär, ...

(III./JG 51) on 4 July 1940. During the

Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...

it was subordinated to

Luftflotte 2 __NOTOC__ ''Luftflotte'' 2For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation (Air Fleet 2) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed 1 February 1939 in Braunsch ...

. The unit's commanders included Hauptmann

Hannes Trautloft Johannes "Hannes" Trautloft (3 March 1912 – 11 January 1995) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, and general in the postwar German Air Force. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 58 enemy ai ...

, from 19 September 1939 to 4 July 1940.

References

Bibliography

* * {{Subject bar , portal1=Aviation , portal2=Military of Germany , portal3=World War II , commons=y , commons-search=Jagdgeschwader 20 Jagdgeschwader 020 Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1940