KITS 06/2023

Bf 109F-2, WNr. 9553, Oblt. Siegfried Schnell, CO of 9./JG 2, Théville, France, November 1941

Siegfried “Wumm” Schnell, a native of today’s

Polish Sulecin (then Zeilenzig in Germany) joined

the ranks of the Luftwaffe in 1936 and at the

beginning of the Second World War he served with

4./JG 2. His first kill was in combat over France

on May 14, 1940, others followed over Britain and

against English and American pilots over western

Europe. After being assigned to JG 54, he first

served with its III. Gruppe and on February 1, 1944,

he was appointed CO of IV. Gruppe. While serving

in this function, he was shot down over Narva on

February 25, 1944, by a Soviet fighter, this proving

to be a fateful encounter. For his combat results,

he was awarded on July 9, 1941, the Knight’s

Cross with Oak Leaves. He downed 93 enemy

aircraft in WWII. Siegfried Schnell’s aircraft was

camouflaged in the standard Luftwaffe fighter

scheme using RLM 74/75/76. Both sides of the fin

were decorated with the Knight’s Cross with Oak

Leaves and markings symbolizing his victories.

Bf 109F-2, 9./JG 54, Siverskaya, Soviet Union, December 1941

Oblt. Hans Ekkehard Bob was the commanding

officer of 9./JG 54 from November 1940 to July 1943.

He joined the Luftwaffe in 1936 and in July 1939 was

assigned to 3./JG 21 (later 9./JG 54). Bob achieved his

first victory on May 10, 1940, in combat with a Belgian

Gladiator. In August 1943 he was appointed CO of

IV./JG 51 on the Eastern Front and from May 1944 led

II./JG 3 in the Defense of the Reich and Normandy. From

August he led the operational training unit II./EJG 2

and he ended the war as a member of Jagdverband

44, unit equipped with the Me 262 Schwalbe. Over the

course of some 700 sorties, he shot down sixty enemy

aircraft, and was awarded the Knight’s Cross. After

the war, he first worked on a farm, later formed his

own transportation company and in 1956 he formed

the world-famous company BOMAG. The illustrated

aircraft was taken over from 6./JG 54 and it was

flown by Bob’s Staffel in the winter of 1941/42 in the

northern section of the Eastern Front, where in an

effort to better hide their aircraft when on the ground,

support personnel sprayed them in a washable white

paint on the upper surfaces. The aircraft carried

the typical identifiers carried on the Eastern Front

– a yellow fuselage band and yellow wingtips.

Bf 109F-4, WNr. 7205, Oblt. Josef Priller, CO of 1./JG 26, St. Omer-Arques, France, October 1941

This aircraft was produced in August 1941 by the

WNF and became the personal mount of Josef

“Pips” Priller, who was commander of 1./JG 26

“Schlageter” at that time. Rudder shows his

55th victory, which was achieved on October 21,

1941. On both sides of the fuselage, a heart card

symbol with the name of Priller’s wife Jutta

was painted under the cockpit. Priller began his

military career in the infantry in 1935 and joined

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INFO Eduard

the Luftwaffe a year later. After fighter training,

he was assigned to Stab I./JG 51 in November 1938

and transferred to I./JG 71 (later II./JG 51) in July

1939. In October 1939 he became CO of 6./JG 51

and recorded his first two aerial victories on May

28, 1940. By October he had increased his number

of victories to 20 and was awarded the Knight’s

Cross. In November 1940 he was transferred to

JG 26 and became CO of 1. Staffel, which he led

for a year. After achieving his 58th victory he

became CO of III./JG 26. During 1942 he achieved

a further 23 victories and in January 1943 became

commander of JG 26. His last victory, the 101st

one, came in October 1944 and in early 1945

Priller became Inspector of Day Fighter Units in

Western Europe. He attained the rank of Oberst

and was awarded the Oak Leaves and Swords in

addition to the Knight’s Cross.

June 2023