Nachtjagdgeschwader 3
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Nachtjagdgeschwader 3}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=Nachtjagdgeschwader 3
|image=Nachtjagd badge.svg
|caption=
|dates=1941 – 1945
|country={{flag|Nazi Germany}}
|allegiance=
|branch=Luftwaffe
|type=Night Fighter
|role=Air superiority
|size=Air Force Wing
|command_structure=
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|identification_symbol=Geschwaderkennung of
L1 (inherited from LG 1), later D5
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=World War II
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}
Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3) was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 3 was formed on 29 September 1941 in Stade from Stab./Zerstörergeschwader 26. Pilots of NJG 3 claimed approximately 820 aerial victories by day and night.{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=239}}
{{TOC limit}}
Commanding officers
=''Geschwaderkommodore''=
- Major Johann Schalk, 29 March 1941 – 1 August 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Oberst Helmut Lent, 1 August 1943 – 7 October 1944{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Oberst Günther Radusch, 12 November 1944 – 8 May 1945{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
=''Gruppenkommandeur''=
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-659-6436-31, Flugzeuge Messerschmitt Me 110.jpg G-4 from 9./NJG 3]]
==I. Gruppe==
- Hauptmann Günther Radusch, 7 October 1940 – 2 October 1941{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Hans-Dietrich Knoetzsch, 3 October 1941 – 30 September 1942{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Major Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, 1 October 1942 – 31 May 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Erhard Peters, 1 June 1943 – 14 August 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Walter Mylius, 15 August 1943 – 13 December 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Paul Szameitat, 14 December 1943 – 2 January 1944{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Major Werner Husemann, 4 January 1944 – 8 May 1945{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
==II. Gruppe==
- Hauptmann Günther Radusch, 3 October 1941 – 1 August 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Major Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, 15 August 1943 – November 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Paul Szameitat, December 1943 – 14 December 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Major Klaus Havenstein, 15 December 1943 – September 1944{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Hüschens, September 1944 – February 1945{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
==III. Gruppe==
- Oberstleutnant Heinz Nacke, 1 November 1941 – 21 April 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Walter Mylius, 22 April 1943 – 14 August 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Rudolf Sigmund, 15 August 1943 – 4 October 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Major Walter Barthe, 15 October 1943 – 8 May 1945{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
==IV. Gruppe==
- Major Erich Simon, 1 November 1942 – 7 October 1943{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Albert Schulz, 8 October 1943 – January 1944{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Franz Buschmann, January 1944 – July 1944{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Heinz Ferger, July 1944 – November 1944{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Major Berthold Ney, November 1944 – 4 March 1945{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
- Hauptmann Freidrich Tober, 5 March 1945 – 8 May 1945{{sfn|Aders|1978|p=228}}
Surviving aircraft
File:ME-110G-2 at RAF Hendon.jpg in London.]]
File:Junkers Ju 88 RAF Hendon.jpg
Two aircraft that served with NJG 3 are displayed together at the Royal Air Force Museum London, one of the two sites of the Royal Air Force Museum. These are Messerschmitt Bf 110 G Werk Nr. 730301, which was surrendered to the British at the end of the war in 1945, and Junkers Ju 88 R-1, Werk Nr. 360043,{{cite web | url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/78-AF-954-Bf-110G.pdf | title=INDIVIDUAL HISTORY MESSERSCHMITT Bf110G - 4/R6 W/NR.730301 AIR MINISTRY 34; 8479M MUSEUM ACCESSION NUMBER 78/AF/954 | access-date=13 April 2015 | author=Simpson, Andrew}} which came into British hands in 1943. Both aircraft are almost unique - each is one of only two intact survivors of their type.
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
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{{refend}}
{{Nachtjagdgeschwader of the Luftwaffe}}
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