Jagdgeschwader 50

Jagdgeschwader 50
Emblem of JG 50
Active	July–October 1943
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Type	Fighter Aircraft
Role	Air superiority
Size	Air Force Wing
Commanders
Notable commanders	Hermann Graf
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Bf 109

Jagdgeschwader 50 (JG 50), sometimes erroneously referred to as Jagdgruppe 50, was a special high-altitude fighter unit that was intended to be specialized in intercepting the Royal Air Force's de Havilland Mosquito light bombers during World War II.

On 21 July 1943, Jagdgruppe Süd der ObdL was formed as a high-altitude fighter unit to combat the RAF's Mosquito twin-engine bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. On 15 August 1943 the unit was redesignated Jagdgeschwader 50 and was commanded by Major Hermann Graf, the first pilot in history to achieve 200 aerial victories. Both JG 50 (and its sister unit Jagdgeschwader 25) were ultimately unsuccessful in effectively countering the Mosquito and were more successfully used for interception of the US heavy bomber formations during the daylight offensive over Europe in 1943-44. Only one Mosquito was taken down, and even that is subject to dispute.

JG 50 were initially equipped with eight Messerschmitt Bf 109G-5s and Bf 109G-6s polished to increase speed, and equipped with a special internal tank for liquefied nitrous oxide as part of the GM-1 engine power boosting system, which was injected directly into the supercharger intake. This allowed the pilot to boost the rated horsepower of the DB 605 engine. The unit was later also equipped with specially supercharged FW-190A-5.

Graf was allowed to pick any pilots he wished for the new unit, and he chose a further three aces ObLt. Alfred Grislawski, Obfw. Ernst Süß, and Fw. Heinrich Füllgrabe from his old Staffel - the 9. Staffel of JG 52, also known as Karaya-Staffel, after their emblem, a heart hit by an arrow underlined with the word Karaya (which was the title of their favourite song). Collectively they were known as the "Karaya Quartet".

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