Zerstörergeschwader 76 was a Zerstörer geschwader (wing) of the German Luftwaffe during World War II.
The wing operated the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in the early phases of World War II, then the Messerschmitt Bf 110 for the duration of the war.
A ZG 76 Bf 110C with "sharks mouth" nose paint
Norwegian Gladiator 427 downed by Lent on 9 April 1940
Lent's Bf 110C ran out of fuel during the Battle of Fornebu and was forced to land. A troop-carrying Ju 52 flies over Lent's Bf 110.
Walter Grabmann, the first Geschwaderkommodore was shot down and captured on 18 May 1940
Battle of the Heligoland Bight (1939)
The Battle of the Heligoland Bight was the first "named" air battle of the Second World War, which began the longest air campaign of the war on 3 September 1939, the Defence of the Reich. After the declaration of war, RAF Bomber Command began operations against Nazi Germany but limited their attacks to those targets that were purely military and had little risk of civilian casualties. This largely limited their efforts to attacks on the Kriegsmarine warships in German ports to prevent their use in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The Heligoland Bight
The Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a formidable bomber destroyer.
Formation 1 Section 1: 1 Richard Kellett 2 Turner 3 Speirs Section 2: 4 Kelly 5 Duguid 6 Riddlesworth Formation 2 Section 1: 7 Harris 8 Briden 9 Bolloch Section 2: 10 Ramshaw 11 Grant 12 Purdy Formation 3 Section 1: 13 Guthrie 14 Petts 15 McRae Section 2: 16 Challes 17 Allison 18 Lines Formation 4 19 Hue-Williams 20 Lemon 21 Wimberley 22 Lewis 23 Thompson 24 Ruse
A Wellington Mk I of No. 149 Squadron as flown on this raid, seen in 1940
