Information on this page drawn from the following sources; Freeman, Obermaier,
Prien/Rodeike. The second profile is part speculative ! The renowned historian
of JG 300, Monsieur Jean-Yves Lorant will publish his unique reference
work on Jagdgeschwader 300 next year ( 2002 ), a major event for the
Luftwaffe bibliophile !
Gerhard Stamp Gruppenkommandeur I./JG 300 July 1944
Based on loss data and the picture reproduced below, the lower profile image
shows how Hptm Stamp's Bf 109 G-6 /U2 may have looked on 29 June 1944. There
is no known photo that depicts with certainty the aircraft Stamp was shot
down in on this date. I./JG 300 was equipped with the "high-altitude"
Messerschmitt Bf 109 with the GM-1 methanol boost and later AS -engines..
We believe that Stamp's G-6 had the Erla-Haube (canopy) and tall tail plus
rote Rumpfband and the Doppelwinkel Gruppenkommandeur's
chevrons. Some of these details can be seen in the photo reproduced here..
Both photo and profile show a Bf 109 G-6 in overall hellblau or weiss-blau
scheme with a perhaps retro-fitted Erla hood ( note antenna mast on fuselage
) and tall tail surfaces. The Werknummer of the machine Stamp was shot down
in is given in the loss reports as 412382, schwarzer Doppelwinkel
… G-6s with the larger tail being found in the production batch 412000
( Prien/Rodeike ). Although not unusual for a Gruppenkommandeur to
fly an uprated machine loss records indicate that a number of Bf 109 G-6
machines in I./JG 300 were the U-2 sub-variant equipped with GM-1 boost.
With the setting up of the single seat night fighter 'Wilde Sau' Gerhard
Stamp was appointed Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 300 in August 1943. The
Wilde Sau used experienced bomber pilots or flying instructors trained in
blind flying techniques in 'uncontrolled' night fighting ……."
am November 1, 1943 Gruppenkommandeur I./JG 300, die in der Einmot-Nachtjagd,
Tagjagd und als Höhenschutz fur die Sturmgruppen eingesetzt wurde.."
Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 300 from November 1943 . This Gruppe was utilised
both in combating bombers by night and then through the day.
With most Jagdgruppen despatched to France following the Allied landings only some ten Gruppen were left defending the Reich. Of these the most potent force were the three Gruppen of JG 300. I. Gruppe JG 300 in June of 1944 was a "light" Gruppe having been assigned the top cover role for the heavy Focke Wulf 190 fighters of II./JG 300. Maj Kurd Peter's "heavy" Gruppe was re-equipped with the Sturm variant of the Focke Wulf 190 during July 1944. On the 29th June 1944 over 1,000 8th AF bombers escorted by over 600 fighters raided the synthetic oil plant at Böhlen . Directed to oppose this huge force in the region of Leipzig were just 23 Bf 109's from I./JG 300 which had been scrambled from Herzogenaurach near Erlangen with perhaps a similar number of Fw 190s of II./JG 300. Bounced by P-51s, Hptm Gerhard Stamp was shot down and wounded along with six other pilots from his Gruppe. The 109s had drawn off the escort and pilots of II./JG 300 carried out Sturm type attacks on a B-17 and a B-24 box . Oblt Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld of 6 Staffel claimed a B-24 near Eisleben for his 18 th victory.
Gerhard Stamp was born June 3, 1920 in Bamberg and died on May 21, 1998. More than 400 combat missions or Feindflüge, davon 300 als Kampfflieger. 4 air victories, 3 at night and 1 US bomber by day.
The following from Obermaier; " Im November 1944 stellte er ein Sonderkommando Me 262 zur Erpobung der Bekampfung von Viermots durch Bombenwurf, Spezialmunition und mit Spezialgeraten auf.." . Assigned to set up a special Me 262 weapons test detachment. "…Das Ritterkreuz wurde ihm fur seine hervorragenden Erfolge als Kampfflieger bei 1./KLG 1 im Mittelmeerraum verliehen"……awarded the Knights Cross for his outstanding success as bomber pilot with 1./KLG 1 in the Mediterranean theatre.