People of the Nachtjagd: Werner Streib 9/11/02 5:14 pm

Werner Streib

«Vater der Nachtjagd»

Born in Baden in 1911. As a civilian he worked in a Bank before entering in the Wehrmacht in 1934. Later he asked to be transfered from the Heer to the . When his request was accepted he began his new pilot career as an observer in a recconnaissance unit.

In 1937 Streib was transferred to the Richthofen Geschwader in Jueterbog-Damm. In 1939 was pilot in Falck's I./ZG 1 Zerstörergeschwader. He was known as the "father of the nigh fighters" both because he was the first to score a night victory and he was the oldest among the other pilots. His first victory over an enemy plane was on a Blenheim bomber during day operations.

When in 1940 ZG/I was to undertake the development of night fighting techniques Streib felt very pessimistic about it all. During that period in which propaganda over the victories achieved by an attacking powerful German Luftwaffe shadowed the efforts of the few defending night fighter pilots. Falck refused Streib's deceptioined request of being transferred to a day fighting unit just some days before the latter achieved his first night victory. This success of Streib was morale encouraging for his collegues. These soldiers developed the night fighting techniques that were used for the rest of the conflict. These techniques found basis in those developed during WWI.

In 20 July 1940 Streib scored the first night fighting victory over German territory over a RAF Whitley bomber. Since then his career was always raising celebrity. In october 1940 he was already and Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 1. From that time till may 1941 he reached an amazing score of 26 night victories. In June 1943 he was with 50 night victories. He was regarded as a technical authority and appointed to Ernst Heinkel for the development of the He 219 night fighter, which indeed was a good weapon. When the first prototypes of the He 219 were available Streib had his own and was the first to combat test the type. It happened the night of 11.6.43 when British bombers were in mission against Berlin. Helped by his radio operator Fischer, Streib shot down -with short but powerful bursts of six 30-20 mm cannons- an amazing five victories in just half an hour! One of the victims threw oil from one engine before exploding. This oil covered the aeroplane's glass and when the blind approaching Streib touched down the impact was so strong that the plane broke into four pieces. Fortunately both Streib and Fischer survived the accident with minor injuries. He of course continued to promote the in spite of Milch's contrary opinion.

On 1.7.43 Streib became Kommodore of NJG 1. He formed part in 29.7.43 of the commission wich studied and approved the immediate use of Herrmanns "wilde Sau". By the end of war 65 was his final score of victories.

In 1947 he married and handled a successful food store till 1956. When the new Luftwaffe was formed he was called to put his experience in service for the Federal Republic.

Streib re-entered the Federal Luftwaffe (Bundes~) as Kommandeur in a flying school in Ladsberg. In 1966 he ended with a peaceful pension his very long military professional career. That was Streib of the new Bundesluftwaffe.

Flown a/c

Messerschmitt Bf 110C coded G9+HL. At the time, July 1940, Staffelkapitän 2./NJG 1, based at Gütersloh. The a/c was 70/71/65 splinter pattern black lettered, yellow "H" w/black outline. Englandblitz badge on the

Heinkel He 219-V9 /A0 coded G9+FB with FuG 202. At the time, 11/12.06.1943, Streib was Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG1.

Arado Ar 234B-2/N V15 WrkNr.140146 SM+FF flown with Ofw. Marchetti for Kommando Bonow, Oranienburg - Berlin 1945.

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