Flying Circus - Jagdgruppe 2

[Baeumer]

Official Communications  for Jagdgruppe 2 

Jagdgruppe 2 ("Gruja") Jasta 5, Jasta 34b, Jasta 46, and Schlasta 27b

Jagdstaffel ("Jasta") 5 - fighter operations Web https://www.jasta5.org
Jagdstaffel ("Jasta") 46 - pilot training operations
Jagdstaffel ("Jasta") 34b - associated player operations; come fly with us!  Just tag up as an affiliated pilot by adding the JGr2/J34b_ prefix before your player name and hit us up on our recruitment discord  https://www.discord.gg/nYcNv3SsG2

Schusta/Schlasta 27b - two-seater operations - "Come play with "the girls!"
https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/56948-introducing-schusta-27b-–-jasta-5s-two-seater-battle-squadron/  - 
  

Official Historical and Historically Based Fictional/Personal Skinpack

Jasta 5 and Schlasta 27b and skins for various other planes in Jagdgruppe 2 are now available in 4K via Haluters Skinpack Downloader (HSD).  See link below.

A special S! and thanks to J5_Rumey, J5_Hotwaffel, and J5 Adam for their hard but skilled work bringing the extensive collection of different historical and historically based default J5 paint schemes up to 4K standards for Flying Circus!  And now JGr2_Archon who brings the volume 4 planes as well as all the other liveries of our group to life (as shown in the picture below)!

8/6/25 Update:  Jagdgruppe 2 liveries available!

I am pleased to inform you officially that 18 Jagdgruppe 2 generic default liveries of 1917/1918 airframes for Jastas 34b and 46 are now available on HSD!   Simply use the filter function in HSD at the bottom of the screen to search for "Jagdgruppe 2" in the IL2 Group form field (see picture).     There is no change to Jasta 5 liveries at this time which remain available under the Jagdstaffel 5 IL2 Group filter. 

The entire set is based on historical or historically based liveries.  In cases where no records were available, the time frame of the war when the Jasta served or when certain planes would have been in service informed choices on camouflage and cross markings.   Additionally, to provide cohesive flight line appearance and consistent in game-identification, unit markings and styles were extended to airframes that otherwise would not have had any or are not known to have been assigned to a unit historically.  Prosit, and enjoy!

 

 

Other Communication Platforms and Resources

Jagdgruppe 2/J5 Recruitment Tent (Discord): https://www.discord.gg/nYcNv3SsG2

Flugpark Discord: https://discord.gg/sStewGJXPQ

Flugpark Parser http://stats.jasta5.org:8000/

Flugpark Server Announcements

 

Link to Rise of Flight Jasta 5 thread https://riseofflight.com/forum/topic/12075-jagdstaffel-5-green-tailed-devils/

Schusta/Schlasta 27b:
https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/56948-introducing-schlasta-27b-–-jasta-5s-two-seater-battle-squadron/

We Stay to Fight: A short history of the Schlachtflieger

 

The Schutzstaffeln or Schustas (Protection Squadrons) date back to December 1916 and the Battle of Verdun. It was decided by the German Fliegertruppen to provide light two-seater escort with Albatros C.III and Roland C.II squadrons to shield heavier two-seaters flying reconnaisance for the Artillerie-Flieger-Abteilungen Fl.Abt.(A.) from aerial attack. British combat reports noted that upon sight of enemy two-seaters, one would always immediately "fly East", while the others "stayed to fight".

 

Developed specifically for this purpose, the first and best known of the new "light C"-type would become the Halberstadt CL.II, which entered service in August 1917. As the role of the Schustas shifted from two-seater escort to close infantry support, they were renamed Schlachtstaffeln or Schlastas (Battle Squadrons) in April 1918.

 

The pilots and gunners of the Schlastas were sent low over enemy trenches (typically below 100 feet / 30 meters) to cause as much damage and disarray possible ahead of infantry pushes, all the while protecting themselves from enemy aircraft. They were known as Schlachtflieger (battle flyers) to the ground troops — a most welcome sight indeed — and in turn precursors to later close support types, such as the eponymous IL-2 Sturmovik. In spite of their apparent weakness, they proved extremely successful in their role thanks to their weaponry and maneuverability.

 

It is our pleasure to reintroduce into active service perhaps the most famous Battle Squadron of them all, the legendary Schlasta 27b.

 

 

Schusta/Schlasta 27b: the historical connection with Jasta 5

 

The link between Sch27b and J5 is also easily made: nearly all Schlasta operations drew the attention of Entente scouts, and numerous reports note the intervention of several Jagdstaffeln in the area occured on a regular basis. While Jasta 5 is not directly mentioned by name in the memoirs of Schlasta 27b pilots, both squadrons were stationed in each other's vicinity and were moved in unison together which would be necessary for combined operations.  Their cooperation goes without saying.

 

Here is the list of airfields both squadrons operated from, from 1917 until the summer of 1918:

 

J5

1. Boistrancourt: 11 Mar 1917 – 25 Mar 1918
2. Lieramont: 25 Mar 1918 – 23 Apr 1918
3. Cappy: 23 Apr 1918 – 27 Jul 1918

 

Sch27b

1. Villers-au-Tertre: 8 Dec 1917 — 19 Mar 1918 (as Schusta 27b)
2. Bouchain: 19 Mar 1918 — 24 Apr 1918 (as Schusta 27b)
3. Bancourt: 24 Apr 1918 — 15 Jul 1918 (as Schusta 27b / Schlasta 27b)

 

 

 

Schusta 27b: an NCO Squadron

 

Schustas were mainly NCO squadrons, with many gunners being Enlisted men. This created a unique environment in the brass-heavy world of the Fliegertruppen. Officers were present mainly for commanding purposes, even though some were indeed pilots from a Flieger Abteilung or Jagdstaffel and assisted in training. Schusta 27b itself was led by an Oberleutnant (Lieutenant) for most of its existence, with a small number of Leutnants (Second Lieutenant) in various administrative roles. The flyers themselves were typically Unteroffizier (Corporal as well as the general designation for Non-Commissioned Officer), with various ranks of Feldwebel (Sergeant) leading flights and serving as Offizierstellvertreter (Acting Officer) who ran the squadron on a day-to-day basis.

The virtual Sch27b aims to be much the same: a squadron that is welcoming to newcomer pilots who are interested in more than just the dog-eat-dog game of scout combat. It may even serve as a stepping stone between Single Player and Multiplayer. The reason for that is simple: the true strength of the Schusta lies in numbers, as both its effectiveness in ground attack and aerial defense goes up exponentially with more planes in the group. That is to say: more ordnance and more machine guns to be brought to bear on the enemy. Gunners are also welcome, of course, even though the AI is more than capable of handling itself, and excels at spotting light weapon emplacements. The fact remains that even a new battle pilot with his presence in the group alone is immediately useful, whereas an inexperienced scout pilot is often a liability until his skill improves.

 

Sch27b relies upon the existing well established command structure of J5 in accommodating new recruits and coordinating with scout pilots. 

Become a Schlachtflieger!

Inexperienced and experienced pilots interested in pursuing a career in Schusta 27b as a pilot or gunner should indicate their intent by posting here on this thread and look for personal message with next steps. In the meantime join us during Thursday and Sunday FC flying events on our Teamspeak server at jasta5.teamspeak3.com.  The "tag" for pilots going into two-seater service is  J5_pilotname-Sch27b as shown above.

Edited November 25, 2025 by Baeumer

[Steamtrainfi3nd]

Hello. I used to fly with JG2 some years ago. I have since started flying again. I saw an old FB post from one of the guys I used to fly with and reached out to him. I found my way here and to the Discord server in the hope I can fly again with a WWI German group. Cheers

[Baeumer]

Welcome back to the German Luftstritkraefte and the Western Front!  You are  just in time for winter.  You'll like it better than the Eastern Front though!