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JG4 Founded : Country : Germany Fate : withdrawn after heavy losses back to the Reich in September 1944. and was disbanded on March 19, 1945. agdgeschwader 4 (JG 4) was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. JG 4 was formed as a full Geschwader on 15 June 1944 in Ansbach from Stab/Jagdgeschwader z.b.V. and its first Geschwaderkommodore was Major Gerhard Schöpfel. I./JG 4 was formed earlier on 7 August 1942 in Mizil, Romania from the Ölschutzstaffel/Jagdgeschwader 77, with 2./JG 4 formed 1 December 1942. Stab I, 3. and 4./JG 4 were formed on 10 January 1943 at Mizil, and the I Gruppe was now complete. II. Gruppe was formed in July 1944 at Salzwedel from I./Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1) and partially from Sturmstaffel 1. III. Gruppe was formed in July 1944 at Rotenburg from III./ZG 1. IV./JG 4 was formed on 20 October 1944 at Finsterwalde from II./Jagdgeschwader 5. I./JG 4 was assigned in early 1943 as defensive protection of the Mizil and Ploiești oil complexes in Romania. I./JG 4 first saw action in combat against the force of B-24 Liberators dispatched on the low-level attack against Ploiești on 1 August 1943, code-named Operation "Tidal Wave", claiming 12 Consolidated B-24 bombers downed. The unit saw further action over the Balkans against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 15th Air Force heavy bombers flying from bases in North Africa and Italy. The unit was later deployed to the defence of Rome and northern Italy. I./JG 4 first saw action in combat against a strike force of B-24 Liberators dispatched on the celebrated low level attack against Ploiești on 1 August 1943 as Operation "Tidal Wave". Stab and I./JG 4 claimed twelve B-24 bombers shot down. JG 4 was then deployed in the German defensive campaign in Italy during the first half of 1944, prior to being shifted to the France for the Normandy invasion. Over the Lake Bracciano area on 7 May 1944, I./JG 4 encountered Spitfires of No. 72 Squadron RAF, who claimed nine Bf 109's shot down; I Gruppe lost 4 killed and 2 wounded in the action.[1] During their Italian campaign, I./JG 4 lost 40 men killed or missing, 26 wounded, and 7 taken prisoner.[2] JG 4 were then withdrawn after heavy losses back to the Reich in September 1944. and was disbanded on March 19, 1945.

JG4

JG4 Artwork Collection Click the images below to view the fantastic artwork we have available to purchase!

Loire Rendezvous by Philip West.

The Last Eagle, Innsbruck, Austria, May 1945 by David Pentland.