Luftwaffe Intruder Operations Over the United Kingdom

Fernnachtjagd Units, 1940 to 1944

Chris Goss

• Publisher: Air World
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781036111175
• Edition: 0
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Modern British History
• Index: History

On 17 July 1940, Oberst Josef Kammhuber took command of the Luftwaffe’s 1 Nachtjagddivision after his release from French captivity. He was tasked with combating RAF bombers, which were increasingly threatening Germany during the Battle of Britain. Kammhuber’s strategy, the Fernnachtjagd (long-range night fighter missions), focused on targeting bombers while they were vulnerable during takeoff and return to bases.

Kammhuber believed that converted German bombers like the Dornier Do 17Z and Junkers Ju 88, flown by experienced crews, would be ideal for these missions. The first claims from Fernnachtjagd occurred on 23 July 1940, when Luftwaffe pilots mistakenly shot down a Bristol Blenheim, thinking it was a Vickers Wellington. These night missions continued over the next few years, with varying success.

By 1942, the campaign shifted to a “stopgap” phase, and the introduction of the Messerschmitt Me 210 and Me 410 marked further changes in the tactics and aircraft used. While Fernnachtjagd operations had some impact in 1941, by 1944, their effectiveness had diminished. Notably, during the Allies' Berlin raid on 19 February 1944, the Luftwaffe claimed more RAF bombers than the entire Me 410 campaign achieved in 14 months.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Acknowledgements
• Glossary and Abbreviations
• Chapter 1 The First Fernnachtjagd 1940–1941
• Chapter 2 Stopgap Fernnachtjagd, 1940–1941
• Chapter 3 Interim Measure, 1942
• Chapter 4 Final Fernnachtjagd 1943–1944
• Epilogue
• Appendices
• Appendix I: Commanders II./NJG 1; I./NJG 2 (July 1940–October 1941)
• Appendix II: I./NJG 2 Leading Intruder Pilots, October 1940–November 1941
• Appendix III: Report on Night Fighting over Eastern England, 10–11 May 1941
• Appendix IV: Report on Night Operations, 28–29 June 1941
• Appendix V: Report on Night Operations Against England, by Fernnachtjäger, 23–24 July 1941
• Appendix VI: Report on Night Operations Against England, by Fernnachtjäger, 7–8 August 1941
• Appendix VII: Report on Night Operations Against England, by Fernnachtjäger, 1–2 September 1941
• Appendix VIII: Report on Night Operations Against Eastern England, by Fernnachtjäger, 12–13 October 1941
• Appendix IX: Intruder Claims, July 1940–October 1941
• Appendix X: II./NJG 1 and 1, 2, 3, 4./NJG 2 Combat Losses/Accidents on Operations, August 1940–October 1941
• Appendix XI: II./NJG 1 and 2./NJG 2 Dornier Do 17Z-10 Claims, September 1940–May 1941
• Appendix XII: V./KG 2, I./KG 51 and II./KG 51 Executives, June 1943–August 1944
• Appendix XIII: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold Winners Who Flew the Me 410 with V./KG2, and I and II./KG 51
• Appendix XIV: Known Messerschmitt Me 410 Operations Over The UK With V./KG 2 and I and II./KG 51
• Appendix XV: Messerschmitt Me 410 Claims, N.W. Europe, August 1943–August 1944
• Appendix XVI: Messerschmitt Me 410 Combat Losses, N.W. Europe, June 1943–August 1944
• Bibliography
• Index