Jagdgeschwader 2 'Richtofen'

 

As a side line to the scenario research that I've been doing for No263 Squadron and it's mid-war 'Whirlibomber' operations, I've been looking for some decent dogfights as a basis for one or two separate scenarios. These are far and few between, as the Whirlwind was relegated to a fighter -bomber role very early in its operational history, being provided with extensive fighter escort cover by Spitfires from 1941 onwards.

 

However, there are one or two Whirlwind dogfights both before and after it became the 'Whirlibomber'. One in particular grabbed my attention, as it involved a flight of four No263 Squadron Whirlwind MkI's against no less than 12-20 Bf109E-7's of  the training wing of JG2 'Richtofen' in August 1941. I'll post more about that one later but it's a very interesting action, which supposedly proved the Whirlwind 'more than capable' against the 'Emil'.

 

Anyway, Jagdgeschwader 2 were the resident cross channel opposition for No263 Squadron, with an area of operations stretching all the way from Brest to Le Havre, so I thought I'd add some relevant reading material to the project in the form of the relevant Osprey. This should help me fill in some gaps and provide the colour profiles that I can use for painting up yet more Bf109's and FW190's. It has a whole chapter on operations c1941-43, so it should be pretty useful.