Taktisches Luftwaffen Geschwader 74

Callsign :

Nato Tiger Association status : full member

The Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader 74 (Tactical Air Force Wing)) is stationed at Neuburg Air Base in Neuburg an der Donau, in Bayern (Bavaria) and provides the Quick Reaction Alert "Interceptor" (QRA "I"), to protect the southern airspace of the Federal Republic of Germany (Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen" in Wittmund does the same for the northern airspace).  Other tasks to be performed include air superiority (fighting enemy fighter aircraft to gain control of the airspace), escorting own aircraft (protecting aircraft in use against attacking fighter aircraft) and patrol flights (controlling the airspace through the presence of our own fighter aircraft)

One of the weapon systems Germany was to receive as part of the "Mutual Defense Assistance Program”, through which the USA tried to boost defence capabilities in europe during the eraly Cold War years, were 88 North American F-86K “Sabre Dog” aircraft.  These were manufactured in the USA in 1955 to 1956 and shipped to Genoa, Italy, as knocked down components without having ever been flown.  They were assembled by Fiat in Italy, test flown and ferried in pairs to Germany with only minimal instrumentation.  The first arrived Germany on 22 July 1957, the last on 23 June 1958.  Apart from the acceptance inspection by Dornier, nothing happened; slowly one after the other aircraft, they were mothballed.  In the summer of 1959, the first group of young pilots reported for F-86K training in Oldenburg.  Since no F-86Ks were available at that time, T-33As from Waffenschule der Luftwaffe 10 (Air Force Weapons School) had to be used.

In mid-1959, the order was received to take the first F-86Ks out of storage, make them airworthy and test fly them.  The aircraft still retained the USAF colour scheme and national markings.  Nothing was changed or installed.  In June 1959, about 120 airmen, mainly technicians, had been congregated at Oldenburg and on 16 July 1959 formed the 3rd Staffel (Squadron) of the WaSLw.10 to receive the aircraft destined for Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wing) 75, the first Luftwaffe Allwetterjagdverband (all-weather fighter unit).  After more than a year 3.  Staffel (Squadron) of WaSLw.10 grew into an experienced unit and was considered to be capable enough to become “independent” and thus was renamed Jagdgeschwader 75 on 1 October 1960, being equipped with two operational squadrons.

Jagdgeschwader 75 was disbanded on 1 May 1961 and four days later re-activated as Jagdgeschwader 74 after personnel shortages dictated that only one Luftwaffe F-86K wing would be formed.  They inherited all staff and aircraft, including a few natural metal finished F-86Ks, though the camouflage scheme was quickly standardized on all aircraft.

On 12 May 1964, the first Lockheed F-104G "Starfighter" aircraft of the Wing reached Neuburg.  Flight operations with the F-86K model gradually decreased over the next year and a half.  From 1 July 1964, the conversion took place and eight more Jagd-, Jagdbomber- and Aufklärungsgeschwader (Fighter, Fighter-Bomber and Reconnaissance Wings) were equipped by 1966.  Because of the existing NATO assignment, JG 74 operated two aircraft types in parallel for eighteen months.  The F-86K aircraft, which were decommissioned by the beginning of January 1966 were sold to Venezuela in 1966.

In 1974, the aging Starfighter, which was incapable of all-weather and night combat, was decommissioned in the Geschwader.  After the first four F-4F "Phantom II" aircraft landed in Neuburg on 26 September 1974, they were to receive a total of thirty aircraft, they started conversion in June 1975, being operational in April 1976.  With the new US aircraft model as an Attack/Air Superiority Fighter, i.e.  interceptor and multi-role fighter-bomber, the range of tasks of JG 74 was expanded.

By the end of 1992, JG 74 was scheduled to receive improved F-4F ICE [Improved Combat Effectiveness] Phantom IIs, the first of which arrived in Neuburg in April 1992. 

With the German reunification (1989/1990) and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the new federal states (1994), JG 71 in Wittmund and JG 74 in Neuburg independently took over air policing (alarm squadrons).

On 25 July 2006, flight operations with the Eurofighter Typhoon EF2000 began at JG 74.  The squadron was thus the Bundeswehr's first Eurofighter operational squadron.  On 12 June 2008 the last Phantom II was decommissioned.

With the dissolution of the Jagdbombergeschwader 32 (Fighter Bomber Wing) the 2 Staffeln of JG 74, 741 "Falcons" and 742 "Zapatas", took over the affiliation of the 1st Staffel of JaboG 32 to the NATO Tigers on 18 March 2013, under the name “Bavarian Tigers”.

As part of the reorientation of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces), Jagdgeschwader 74 was renamed Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader 74 on 1 October 2013.

32 years after the crash and death of the German World War II fighter ace Werner Mölders (18 March 1913-22 November 1941), JG 74 received the honorary name of JG 74 “Mölders", sometimes abbreviated to “M”, on 22 November 1973.  However, in 1988 the German parliament decided that it was not proper to name organizations after people who were active in the Legion Condor (a unit of military personnel from the air force and army of Germany’s Wehrmacht which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939).  The German Military History Institute researched Mölders conduct and concluded that his actions not opposed the 1933-1945 German government, nor any actions taken by them.  Therefore JG 74 had to drop the name "Mölders" on 11 June 2005.

(all aircraft are to scale)

Aircraft

North American F-86K Sabre Dog

North American/Fiat F-86K Sabre Dog

Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star or T-Bird

North American/Fiat F-86K Sabre Dog (May 1961- January 1966)

Lockheed F-104G Starfighter (12 May 1964- 1974)

McDonnell F-4F Phantom II (1974-June 2008)

Eurofighter Typhoon (25 July 2006-present)

Jagdgeschwader 74 Mölders

Jagdgeschwader 74

Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader 74

1.Staffel, Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader 74

2.Staffel, Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader 74

cuff titel with honorary name

Jagdgeschwader 75

Waffenschule der Luftwaffe 10

3.Staffel, Waffenschule der Luftwaffe 10

Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 "Richthofen"

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