Schnellkampfgeschwader 10

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Schnellkampfgeschwader 10 (SKG 10) was a Luftwaffe fast bomber wing in World War II. It started in December 1942 with three groups at Saint-André-de-l’Eure airfield and added a fourth group on 10 April 1943. The wing’s headquarters moved on 18 October 1943 and became the core of Schlachtgeschwader 10. SKG 10 also absorbed units from 10.(Jabo)/JG 2 and 10.(Jabo)/JG 26 and began night bombing raids over southern England, operating under the England attack command led by Dietrich Peltz. The unit suffered heavy losses from RAF night fighters.

On the night of 16/17 April 1943, four Fw 190s trying to attack London got lost over Kent. Three tried to land at RAF West Malling: Yellow H of 7./SKG 10, flown by Feldwebel Otto Bechtold, landed and was captured (his aircraft was later studied in Britain); another Fw 190 from 5./SKG 10 piloted by Lt. Fritz Sezter landed a few minutes later. Setzer, realizing his mistake, attempted to take off but his aircraft was destroyed by an armored car. A third Fw 190 undershot the runway and was destroyed, the injured pilot becoming a POW. A fourth Fw 190 crashed at Staplehurst, killing the pilot.

From October 1943, II. and III. Groups were transferred to Schlachtgeschwader 4, while IV. Group went to Schlachtgeschwader 10. In December 1942 III./ZG 2 was redesignated III./SKG 10. The unit moved to Italy in July 1943 to attack Allied shipping between Sicily and North Africa, though it also conducted raids on Allied airfields. The I. Gruppe stayed in France under II Fliegerkorps. With few regular night fighters in France, I./SKG 10 carried out Wilde Sau missions over northwestern France and Belgium during full-moon periods.

The group’s most successful night raid was on 3/4 May, when Fw 190s of I./SKG-10 claimed six aerial victories during a raid on the panzer training center at Mailly-le-Camp. In 1944 I. Gruppe came under IX. Fliegerkorps and attacked Allied troops during the Normandy Invasion in June. Two I./SKG 10 pilots over the landings at dawn on a reconnaissance mission claimed four Avro Lancasters shot down. I. Gruppe later transferred to Kampfgeschwader 51 and served as its III. Gruppe after being redesignated on 20 October 1944.