Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2), known as Demonstration Wing 2, was a multi-role experimental and demonstration unit of the Luftwaffe formed on 1 November 1938 as part of the Luftwaffen-Lehrdivision to test and showcase new aircraft, tactics, and combined-arms operations across fighter, ground-attack, reconnaissance, and night-fighting roles, with its Geschwaderstab and I.(J)/LG 2 fighter Gruppe established at Garz equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft under Geschwaderkommodore Oberstleutnant Eberhard Baier, II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 ground-attack Gruppe at Tutow initially flying Henschel Hs 123 biplanes under Major Georg Spielvogel, and III.(Aufkl.)/LG 2 reconnaissance elements at Jüterbog along with directly subordinated Staffeln such as the seaplane-equipped 10.(See)/LG 2 with Dornier Do 18s and the night-fighter 11.(Nacht)/LG 2 initially commanded by Oberleutnant Johannes Steinhoff; although the Geschwader headquarters was redesignated Stab/Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 on 18 November 1939 shortly after the Polish campaign, its Gruppen continued to operate independently with the Geschwaderkennung L2, seeing action in the Invasion of Poland where I.(J)/LG 2 claimed six victories and II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 suffered heavy losses including the death of its commander, the Battle of France in which the Schlachtgruppe delivered vital close air support to VIII. Fliegerkorps including the assault on Eben-Emael and repulsing armored attacks near Cambrai while I.(J)/LG 2 provided fighter cover, the Battle of Britain where I.(J)/LG 2 achieved notable successes under Gruppenkommandeure such as Herbert Ihlefeld but incurred significant attrition, the 1941 Balkans campaign and Battle of Crete with fighter-bomber and ground-support missions, and Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front where I.(J)/LG 2 operated in the southern sector and II.(Schlacht)/LG 2, now under Major Otto Weiß and transitioning to Bf 109 E-4/B fighter-bombers, fought in the central sector around Kalinin; by early 1942 the cohesive Geschwader structure had effectively ended as I.(J)/LG 2 was absorbed into Jagdgeschwader 77 on 6 January 1942 while II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 was redesignated I./Schlachtgeschwader 1 on 13 January 1942, with most reconnaissance components having been reassigned or disbanded earlier, leaving LG 2’s legacy primarily in the doctrinal development of Schlachtflieger tactics and versatile mixed-unit employment across multiple theaters.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Oberst Otto Weiß (1907-1955) was a German Luftwaffe ground-attack aircraft pilot who became the first Schlachtflieger to be awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes with Eichenlaub; after beginning his military career in the police in 1926 and transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1934, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 in September 1939 and, during the Battle of France as Hauptmann, personally directed his unit’s ground-attack operations with Henschel Hs 123 aircraft to repel a major French armored flanking attack near Cambrai, destroying 40 tanks along with numerous trucks and mounted infantry, for which he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 May 1940 together with a mention in the Wehrmachtbericht. His continued exceptional leadership and combat successes during the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa on the central Eastern Front, where II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 fought under VIII. Fliegerkorps and he earned the nickname "Der Löwe von Kalinin" for his actions around Kalinin, resulted in the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941 as Major and Kommandeur of the same unit after 430 sorties, the first such decoration given to a ground-attack pilot. Shortly thereafter he briefly served as the first Geschwaderkommodore of the newly formed Schlachtgeschwader 1 before later commanding experimental anti-tank units and holding higher staff appointments, reaching the rank of Oberst on 1 November 1943 and completing approximately 520 operational sorties by the end of the war.
Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2013/11/album-foto-lehrgeschwader-2-lg-2.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehrgeschwader_2
https://www.ww2.dk/air/lehr/lg2.htm
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