Josef “Pips” Priller and his Focke-Wulf WNr. 310
Josef “Pips” Priller ranks among the best-known airmen of the Second World War. He gained public awareness thanks to Cornelius Ryan’s book The Longest Day and the portrayal of his character in the film of the same name. Priller even served as an adviser during its production. Among other things, he assisted in reconstructing the scene in which, together with his wingman, he attacked the Allied landing area in Normandy on 6 June 1944. Priller spent most of his wartime career in the ranks of JG 26 “Schlageter,” and through outstanding leadership of this Geschwader, both in combat and on the ground, he helped keep his men at the forefront of German fighter units. After the war, he wrote the history of this unit under the title J.G. 26 Geschichte eines Jagdgeschwaders.
Nine years in the ranks
of the Luftwaffe
Josef Priller was born on 27 July 1915 in
Ingolstadt, Bavaria. In 1935 he entered armed
forces as a Fahnenjunker with Infanterieregiment
19. Holding the rank of Oberfähnrich, he transferred
to the Luftwaffe and began flight training at
Salzwedel in October 1936. As a Leutnant, he
was assigned to the Stab I./JG 135 on 1 April 1937.
In November 1938 the unit was redesignated
I./JG 233, and on 1 May 1939 its designation was finally
standardized as I./JG 51. From July 1939 he served
with I./JG 71, which in October 1939 was redesignated
II./JG 51. On 1 October 1939, he was appointed
commander (Staffelkapitän) of 6./JG 51, which formed
part of II./JG 51.
Priller achieved his first two victories on 28 May
1940, over Dunkirk in air combat with RAF fighters.
During the French campaign he recorded six kills. His
20th victory was claimed on
17 October, for which Priller
was awarded the prestigious
Ritterkreuz on 19 October.
Priller was transferred to a
new unit on 20 November 1940,
becoming Staffelkapitän of
1./JG 26 “Schlageter.” After
his unit’s winter rest and
its return to operations in
spring 1941, Priller recorded
an extraordinary run of
success between 16 June and
11 July 1941, when he shot
down nineteen RAF aircraft,
including 17 Spitfires, raising
his score to 39 victories.
For his 41st victory, achieved
on 19 July 1941, he was awarded the Eichenlaub
(Nr. 28) the following day.
His next promotion came on 6 December 1941,
when Priller, now holding the rank of Hauptmann,
became Kommandeur of III./JG 26. By the end of
1941, his score had reached 58 confirmed victories.
He was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on
20 December 1941. This decoration usually preceded
the award of the Ritterkreuz, but it had only been
introduced in 1941.
From December 1941, Priller’s unit was re-
equipped from the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F to the
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A. By the end of 1942, Priller
had a total of 81 confirmed kills to his credit. Priller
assumed command of the entire JG 26 on 11 January
1943, as its Geschwaderkommodore, replacing
the previous commander, Major Gerhard Schöpfel
(45 victories, holder of the Ritterkreuz). At the end of
December 1943, he was at the same time temporarily
entrusted with command of the air operations of
4. Jagddivision, and served as Jagdfliegerführer
4 until March 1944.
He achieved his 100th victory on 15 June 1944, over
France by shooting down a four-engined B-24 bomber
of the 492nd BG. For this feat he was awarded the
Schwerter (Nr. 73) to the Ritterkreuz on 2 July 1944,
and at the same time was ordered to cease combat
flying, since the Nazi regime did not wish to lose
such an outstanding air officer in combat against
the omnipresent numerical superiority of the Allied
air forces. Priller later, however, returned to combat
operations.
His final, 101st victim was a Mustang on
12 October 1944, flown by Captain Hershel
T. Pascoe of the 357th FG. During a raid on Bremen,
Priller shot him down near Wunstorf, and Pascoe ended
The Kommandeur of III./JG 26, Hptm. Priller, stands by the tail unit of his
personal aircraft, Fw 190 A-2 WNr. 310, together with his wingman
Lt. Johann Aistleitner (killed on 14 January 1944). Photo: PK Foto
Josef Priller in a photograph from August 1942 beside
his new personal aircraft, Fw 190 A-3 WNr. 0552.
With this machine, Priller scored only a single victory,
when he shot down a Spitfire on 21 August 1942. This
Fw 190 was damaged several times while serving
with III./JG 26, then suffered further damage with the
operational training unit I./JG 105, and was finally
destroyed in a fatal crash with 2./JGr. Süd in May 1944.
Photo: Gordon Permann Collection SDASM
Josef “Pips” Priller ranks among the best-known airmen of the Second World War.
He gained public awareness thanks to Cornelius Ryan’s book The Longest Day and
the portrayal of his character in the film of the same name. Priller even served as
an adviser during its production. Among other things, he assisted in reconstructing
the scene in which, together with his wingman, he attacked the Allied landing area
in Normandy on 6 June 1944. Priller spent most of his wartime career in the ranks of
JG 26 “Schlageter,” and through outstanding leadership of this Geschwader, both in
combat and on the ground, he helped keep his men at the forefront of German fighter
units. After the war, he wrote the history of this unit under the title J.G. 26 Geschichte
eines Jagdgeschwaders.
Text: Jan Bobek
Model built: Jan Baranec
MODEL & STORY
Josef “Pips” Priller
and his Focke-Wulf WNr. 310
INFO Eduard22
April 2026