Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) "Afrika" was a fighter wing of the Luftwaffe during World War II. The wing was given the name "Africa" for serving in the North African Campaign predominantly alone in the period from April 1941 to September 1942. Elements of JG 27 fought in every major theatre of operations in which the Wehrmacht operated.
Stab JG 27 was created in October 1939 and assigned two gruppen (groups) in the Phoney War. The wing's first campaign was Fall Gelb, the battles of the Low Countries and France. In the second half of 1940 JG 27 received a third gruppe and fought in the Battle of Britain. In 1941 it returned to Germany then fought in the German invasion of Yugoslavia and Battle of Greece in April 1941. The wing was then separated with two gruppen sent to support Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. I. Gruppe was sent to Italian Libya beginning JG 27s North African Campaign from mid-April 1941. It was joined by II. Gruppe which was withdrawn from the Eastern Front after less than two weeks and transferred to Africa. III. Gruppe joined the other gruppen in North Africa in late 1941. JG 27 fought as a complete wing in Africa and Battle of the Mediterranean, supporting the Siege of Malta, until December 1942. I. Gruppe returned to France and spent the rest of the war serving in the Defence of the Reich, Channel Front, and Western Front theatres. III. and the newly created IV. Gruppe remained operating in Yugoslavia and Greece until March 1944.
In the final year of the war JG 27 fought the Normandy landings in June 1944 and supported the last major German offensive in the West in December. As the Ardennes Offensive failed, it took part in the disastrous Operation Bodenplatte on 1 January 1945. For the remaining months of the war it separated again, with elements surrendering to the British in northern Germany while the bulk surrendered to the Americans in Austria, on 8 May 1945.
Organisation
A Luftwaffe Geschwader (wing formation) was the largest homogenous flying formation. It typically was made up of three groups (gruppen). Each group contained approximately 30 to 40 aircraft in three squadrons (staffeln). A Jagdgeschwader could field 90 to 120 fighter aircraft. In some cases a wing could be given a fourth gruppe. Each wing had a Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) supported by three Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commanders). Each squadron was commanded by a Staffelkapitän (squadron leader). The staffel contained approximately 12 to 15 aircraft. The identification in records were different depending on the type of formation. A gruppe was referred to in roman numerals, for example I./JG 27, while staffeln were described with their number (1./JG 27). The wing could be subordinated to a Fliegerkorps, Fliegerdivision or Jagddivision (Flying Corps, Division and Fighter Division) all of which were subordinated to Luftflotten (Air Fleets). The use of Fliegerdivision became redundant and the description Fliegerkorps supplanted it until the use of Jagddivision later in the war.
Formation
The Geschwaderstab of JG 27 (command unit) was formed on 1 October 1939 by dividing the Geschwaderstab of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). Oberstleutnant Max Ibel was appointed Geschwaderkommodore. Initially, Ibel was supported by his adjutant Hauptmann Joachim Schlichting until he was replaced by Hauptmann Adolf Galland on 15 February 1940. Hauptmann Helmut Riegel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur to command I. Gruppe at Münster-Handorf Airfield. The command staffel and I. Gruppe remained the only combat units in existence prior to World War II. JG 27s situation was typical of the Luftwaffe's unpreparedness for war in that few of the combat wings had three groups operating in September 1939. Other Jagdgeschwader had no command staffel at all, and were subordinated to those that did. JG 27 was an example, and was infused with other gruppen from differing fighter wings. I./JG 1 was merged with JG 27, and formally became III./JG 27 in 1940.
II. Gruppe was formed on 3 January 1940 at Magdeburg-Ost and commanded by Erich von Selle. I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing) arrived at Carquebut on 2 July. Joachim Schlichting founded III. Gruppe at Carquebut on 5 July 1940. 7., 8. and 9./JG 27 were formed from 1., 2. and 3./JG 1 respectively. IV. Gruppe was formed late in the war at Kalamaki, Attica from 25 May 1943, until September 1943. Hauptmann Rudolf Sinner was given command. 10. and 11. Staffel were new, but 12./JG 27 was formed from 8. Staffel. Bernhard Woldenga designed the I. Gruppe badge. 15. Staffel was added to III./JG 27 and staffed by Spanish volunteers. Angel Salas Larrazábal led the unit and claimed 17 aerial victories.