9 4 1 , ▁Sch n au fer ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁the ▁II . ▁Gruppe ▁of ▁Nach t j ag d gesch w ader ▁ 1 ▁( II ./ N J G   1 — 2 nd ▁group ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Night ▁F ighter ▁Wing ) ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁based ▁at ▁St ade ▁near ▁Hamburg . ▁Here , ▁Sch n au fer ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 . ▁Staff el ▁( 5 ./ N J G   1 — 5 th ▁squad ron ▁of ▁ 1 st ▁Night ▁F ighter ▁Wing ). ▁The ▁B f   1 1 0 ' s ▁of ▁II ./ N J G   1 ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁were ▁not ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁air bor ne ▁rad ar ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁L ichten stein ▁rad ar . ▁Night ▁f ighter ▁intercept ▁tact ics ▁had ▁m ature d ▁since ▁their ▁early ▁beg inn ings ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁and ▁II . ▁Gruppe ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁cred ited ▁with ▁ 3 9 7 ▁vict ories . ▁Miss ions ▁against ▁enemy ▁bom bers ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁were ▁usually ▁flow n ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁ground - control led ▁inter ception , ▁although ▁the ▁Luft wa ffe ▁was ▁already ▁experiment ing ▁with ▁air bor ne ▁rad ar . ▁This ▁air ▁defence ▁system , ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁rad ar ▁stations ▁with ▁over la pping ▁coverage , ▁layer ed ▁three ▁deep , ▁was ▁conce ived ▁by ▁Gener alle ut nant ▁( lit . ▁Lieutenant ▁General ; ▁equivalent