BUILT

W. Nr. 0125310, Hptm. Josef Priller, CO of III./JG 26, Wevelghem, Belgium, June 1942

Josef ”Pips“ Priller was born on July 27th, 1915 in

Ingolstadt, Bavaria. In 1935, he joined Wehrmacht,

and as soon as one year later, in October 1936,

he started to attend the fighter pilot training. He

managed his first shot down as a commander of

6. Staffel JG 51 when he downed a Spitfire above

Dunkerque on May 28th, 1940. In November 1940,

he was appointed a commander of the 1./JG 26.

On December 6th, 1941, he became commander

of III./JG 26, from January 11th,1943 he lead the

whole Jagdgeschwader 26. His total number of

shot downs kept growing. On December 20th,

April 2023

1941, his successes were rewarded - Priller was

decorated with Knights Cross of the Iron Cross

with Oak Leaves and Swords. On January 28th,

1945, he was appointed a post of an Inspekteur der

Jagdflieger Ost, where he remained till the end of

WWII. Priller’s total score of shot downs was 101

enemy aircraft. All of the shot downs happened in

the Western Front. After war he married Johanna

Riegele, the proprietor of a brewery and became

general manager of Riegele brewery in Augsburg,

Germany. He died of heart attack on May 20th,

1961. The aircraft flown by Josef Priller in June

1942, in the standard camouflage scheme for

Luftwaffe fighters, had a yellow rudder and

bottom portion of the engine cowl. It also carried

the marking for the CO of the III. Gruppe. The tail

carried 73 kill markings, his tally to June 1st, 1942.

INFO Eduard

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