JG 52

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'Clock High!:

NickM
A Question RE: JG-52's viability...
Mon Jul 28 05:13:30 2026
64.85.229.223

Hi:
Don't know if there is an answer, but here goes: JG52 managed to avoid the severe attrition of experienced pilots that afflicted many other Jagdgeschwadern during the war...I've read enough to know that JG-52 suffered frequent losses of often quite experienced pilots(from reading Lipfert it seemed every other day an experienced, successful officer or NCO pilot failed to return), but it seemed to somehow stay viable & combat effective right up to the end of the war in the East...anyone have any idea how this particular unit managed this in the face of the daily attrition? Did 'some-one "up there" like them'? Or was it just plain luck?
thanks, ahead of time;

nickm

[Richard T Eger]

From TOCH!:

Bernd Barbas
JG 52 s viability
Mon Jul 28 09:54:38 2026
194.45.48.11

Hello NickM ,

I am working at the units history and did therefore a lot of research . JG 52 had no someone up and had serious losses . During BoB all groups had so high losses , that they nearly had to be replaced completely . This happened also winter 41 / 42 , may 44 at the crimean peninsula .
The pilots were replaced men by men continuously and also removed for home defence duty.
I didnt count all losses precisely , but if you got a list of over 300 pilots for one group ( 36 pilots nominal )you can imagine , how high the losses were .
JG 52 was not only Hartmann , Rarkhorn and Rall , also pilots who didnt return at there first mission . They were also JG 52 and I will show them too !

Does this help ?