In July 1941, Erprobungsstaffel 190, the unit responsible for operationally testing the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, moved from Rechin in Germany to Le Bourget near Paris and began converting II Gruppe/ Jagdgeschwader 26 (II./JG 26), commanded by Knight's Cross holder Hauptmann (Hptm) Walter Adolph, to the Fw 190A, starting with Oberleutnant (Oblt) Walter Schneider's 6 Staffel. By the start of September 1941, all of II Gruppe had converted, but it is believed that the first combat took place in the early morning of August 16,1941 when Hptm Adolph led a mixed Fw 190/Bf 109 formation and claimed to have shot down four Spitfires. The first Fw 190 to be lost was on August 21,1941 when Oberfeldwebel (Ofw) Walter Meyer of 6./JG 26 suffered engine failure and, on August 29, 1941, Leutnant (Lt) Heinz Schenk, also from 6 Staffel, was shot down and killed by German flak.
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