Qualla: Jagdgeschwader 72

Jagdgeschwader 72: Introduction

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On 20 December 2005, the last F-4F Phantom in regular flight operations at Hopsten Air Base rolled out of its shelter painted completely black, with an angular Westphalian horse on each side of the fuselage and the splintered coat of arms of the Westphalia Wing on its underside. Tail number 37+11 climbed away toward Wittmund and the squadron it would join, Jagdgeschwader 71 'Richthofen'. Forty-four years of jet aviation in this corner of Westphalia ended with that climb-out. The wing had begun as Jagdbombergeschwader 36 in 1961 and become Jagdgeschwader 72 'Westfalen' in 1991, and it had flown three Cold War fighters in succession. Now, just one painted aircraft was left to carry the badge home.

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Jagdgeschwader 72: Born in a Borrowed Hangar

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The wing's first day was 1 March 1961, and even its founding had a borrowed quality. Major Wilhelm Meyn officially established it at Nörvenich Air Base, where Jagdbombergeschwader 31 already lived, and about fifty Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks were peeled off from the existing 31...

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Jagdgeschwader 72: The Leaping Horse

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A second squadron was ordered up in January 1962, primarily to take German pilots trained in the United States and re-Europeanise them. Alongside the Thunderstreaks, the new squadron received six Lockheed T-33s and two Piaggio P.149 transports. On 13 March 1962 its coat of arms w...

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Jagdgeschwader 72: Phantoms, Goose Bay, and Reunification

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Conversion to the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II began on 4 February 1975, when the wing commander, Colonel Winfried Schwenke, flew the first aircraft in himself. Although the Phantom was designed as an air-defence fighter and was not nuclear-capable, the Ministry of Defence equipped t...

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Jagdgeschwader 72: Sealing the Hangar

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Air Force Structure 5 plan of 2001 spelled the end. The last alert mission flew on 7 January 2002; the first squadron stood down on 18 January, the second on 31 January. Yet the 2nd Squadron was immediately reactivated the following day, 1 February 2002, as the F-4F Flight Tr...

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