[2] JG 11 trialled new tactics such as dropping 250 kg bombs on top of the bomber formations or using the heavy-calibre Werfer-Granate 21 unguided, underwing-launched rockets.

In spring of 1944 the introduction of P-51 Mustang made the job of units such as JG 11 very difficult as they fought through the escorts to reach the bombers.

Several measures were introduced to counter the bomber offensive such as the introduction of Bf 109–G high altitude aircraft with a pressurized cockpit.

Under the increasing threat of the Allied heavy bombers, the Luftwaffe decided to augment its fighter strength by creating a new wing (German: Geschwader) by splitting Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1).

He was replaced by Oberstleutnant Hermann Graf, an Eastern Front Bf 109 ace and the first pilot to claim 200 victories.

III./JG 11 was dispatched to Minsk in anticipation of the impending Soviet offensive, but its ten-week stay did little to effect the outcome of the land battle.

[11] In 1941, two short runways were built on neighboring sand dunes on Heligoland, an island in the middle of the German Bight.

[15] On 26 June 1943 a trial Wilde Sau unit was established to verify the night-fighting theories of Major Hajo Herrmann.

In order to make it easier to regroup after an engagement and aid unit identification both I./JG 1 and JG 11 followed the new Luftwaffe policy and painted their aircraft with special Defense of the Reich, aft fuselage bands.

[9] The Third Staffel of JG 11 (3./JG 11) was formed from 9./JG 1 and perpetuated that unit's distinctive logo of a flintlock pistol on a red heart surrounded by the German words, "Wer zuerst schiesst hat mehr vom Leben", which translates as "Who shoots first gets more out of life".

Oberleutnant Heinz Knoke (leading 5./JG 11) shot down one B–17 after missing the original target for his bomb dropped over the formation.

During the raid on 25 June 1943 cloud cover obscured both primary and secondary targets so the B-17s bombed two convoys off of the Frisian Islands.

[20] During the period of 24 to 30 July, the RAF and USAAF launched a combined series of attacks on German targets known as "Blitz Week".

Allied records attributed the loss of 42-30257 to a flak hit and other sources credit the bomber to underwing rockets of Erprobungskommando 25 attached to I./JG 1 at the time.

III./JG 11 shot down two bombers but in the first major fighter combat of the Defense of the Reich lost four aircraft, with one pilot wounded and one dead.

General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland flew a Fw 190 during the day's fighting and witnessed some of the attacks over the Frisian Islands.

Galland waited for the fighters to return to base before making his own interception, claiming a B-17 on his second pass, though he did not report the kill since he was not officially authorised to fly in combat.

Given the overwhelming superiority of the Allied fighter screens over the beach heads, the Luftwaffe units suffered heavily, JG 11 being no exception.

Fähnrich Kaluza and Oberleutnant Georg Ulrici of I./JG 11 failed to return from operations over Daun and Cochem while Unteroffizier Ehrke and Gefreiter were killed near Gillenfeld.

[31][34] Later the same day JG 11 scrambled to intercept some seventy B-26 Marauders of 387th and 394th Bombardment Groups heading for Marshalling yards at Mayen.

Over Prüm and St. Vith they ran into the fighter escort and several of the JG 11 pilots were killed, including Major Erich Putzka, of the Gruppenstab and Oberfeldwebel Holland, chased by thirty P-47s.

[37] On New Year's Day 1945, the Luftwaffe launched Operation Baseplate, a massed low-level fighter strike targeted at Allied airfields in France, Belgium and the Netherlands in support of the German offensive in the Ardennes.

[38] Over Aachen, liberated by the U.S. Army in October 1944, flak burst around them, hitting the Fw 190 of Oberleutnant Hans Fielder, adjutant of III./JG 11.

A lone P-47 shot at him and a result of both flak hits and P-47 fire Fielder was wounded in the head and forced to crash-land becoming a POW.

[39] At 9:10 AM Lieutenant Colonel John C. Meyer of 487th Fighter Squadron (352 FG) was preparing for takeoff in "Petie III" P-51 Mustang with 11 others.

As he lifted off he noticed flak bursts over Ophoven and one Fw 190 heading straight at him, piloted by Gefreiter Böhm intent on strafing a C-47 Skytrain transport.

"Yellow" flight included Lieutenants John Feeny, Robert V. Brulle, Currie Davis and Joe Lackey.

Unteroffizier Kurt Nüssle, 'Unteroffizier Hermann Barion and Feldwebel Peter Reschke were all shot down and killed, with Oberfeldwebel Franz Meindl listed as missing.

Paisley's wingman Johnson claimed two German fighters shot down but his aircraft was heavily damaged from return fire.

The most effective tactic were mass frontal assaults, while other methods trialed were the use of the aforementioned BR 21 heavy-calibre rocket ordnance.