Guys i'm doing the Eastern Front as a modelling theme. And I was wondering if any one has any information they could share on Night fighter units serving on the Eastern Front.

Hi Darren

One thing I picked up on when reviewing the Planet Models Letov Š.328 was that some of them flew as "nightfighters" chasing PO-2 harassment raiders - I haven't tried to track down the units though.

I'll get back to you if I have any luck on that...

All the best

Rowan

I know the Rumanians used some ME Bf. 110s for a night fighter unit. The unit should protect the oil fields against British night raids. However, the unit was not successful and did not score any kills.

Hi Darren,

I've got a small Luftwaffe web site at http://members.aol.com/falkeeins

an extract

"..We set out to hunt and engage the small Russian aircraft - mostly U2 and R5 biplanes - that operated every night supplying mines and shells to partisan groups located behind the front lines. Our large and ponderous He 111 aircraft were hardly suited to this form of aerial interdiction but there were no other available aircraft that could be employed in this role. In terms of tactics our three machines were assigned to patrol in boxes designated after varieties of fruit - Apple - Pear - Plum - Peach - which extended from the front to deep into the rear areas with each aircraft deployed to cover a particular sector. We tended to operate at high altitude in order to be able to better discern the landing sites and drop zones. This was possible since the partisans would light bonfires on the ground in order to guide their small supply machines to their destinations. This tactic of course enabled our own crews to locate the landing zones and, if we were lucky, to shoot down the Russian machine either just as it was going into land or taking off. This was how I was able to achieve my first two victories. Naturally nights when the moon was full particularly favoured our operations and it was on such moonlit nights that I recorded these victories. My first victim had only just got airborne. Closing from astern, I swept alongside and past it, presenting my Bordfunker with the opportunity to unleash a long salvo from his MG. Given that the Russians only managed speeds of between 150-180 kph, while I had to maintain the speed of our cumbersome He 111 at 230 kph at least , achieving a downing was always very much down to good fortune.."

(35 victory ace Günther Bertram describing in a recent letter the first sorties undertaken by the fledgling crews of the Nachtjagdschwärme Ost - the first of the Eastern Front night fighter units)

NJG 100 was the only night fighter Geschwader to spend the war entirely on the Eastern Front.. over at the Luftwaffe Experten ( where I moderate) you can find an entire board devoted to night fighters and a thread dealing with units, personalities & aircraft deployed in the East on night fighting duties...you may have to register to see the material at this link ..
here

As far as books are concerned Vol III of the three volume Kagero JU 88 history covers NJG 100 in some detail - and is a great reference for Ju 88 nightfighters in general...tons of rare and rarely seen pics etc...