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WNr. 0122125, Oblt. Max Buchholz, CO of 5./JG 1, Katwijk,
the Netherlands, Summer 1942
WNr. 0125310, Hptm. Josef Priller, CO of III./JG 26, Wevelghem,
Belgium, June 1942
Max Bucholz was born on November 3, 1912, in
Zerbst and at the beginning of the war he served
with Jagdgeschwader 3. With this unit, he saw
combat over France and over Great Britain as well
as during Operation Barbarossa (the invasion of
the Soviet Union). At the beginning of October 1941,
I./JG 3 was sent for some R and R to Germany.
After that, it was moved to the Netherlands and
on January 6, 1942, the unit was redesignated
II./JG 1. Oblt. Bucholz was given command of its 6.
Staffel. On February 12, 1942, he gained his 28th
victory in a mission to cover the battle cruisers
Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, which, together
with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, sailed from
Brest to German harbors. From the middle of the
year up to the end of the war Bucholz served in
administrative duties. He died on July 19, 1996, in
Germany. The tip of the red spinner of Bucholz’s
aircraft carried a thin white spiral and otherwise
was camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76. The marking
of the Commander of the 5. Staffel in the form
of a black numeral was supplemented by the
II. Gruppe insignia (the horizontal bar in the Staffel
color), and also by the personal marking of the
gull in flight below the cockpit. The engine cowl
bears the red “Tatzelwurm” – the 5./JG 1 badge.
Josef “Pips” Priller was born on July 27, 1915, in
Ingolstadt, Bavaria. In 1935, he joined Wehrmacht
and as soon as a year later, in October 1936,
he started to attend the fighter pilot training.
He achieved his first aerial victory as
a commander of 6. Staffel JG 51 when he downed
a Spitfire above Dunkerque on May 28, 1940.
In November 1940, he was appointed a commander
of the 1./JG 26. On December 6, 1941, he became
commander of III./JG 26 and from January 11, 1943,
he lead the whole Jagdgeschwader 26. His number
of victories kept growing and on December 20,
1941, his success was rewarded and Priller was
decorated with Knights Cross of the Iron Cross
with Oak Leaves and Swords. On January 28, 1945,
he was appointed Inspekteur der Jagdflieger
Ost, where he remained till the end of WWII.
Priller’s total score was 101 victories over enemy
aircraft. All of them were achieved in the Western
Front. After the War Priller 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 20, 1961.
This aircraft was flown by Josef Priller in June
1942. It sported the standard camouflage scheme
for Luftwaffe fighters and had yellow rudder and
bottom part of the engine cowl. It also carried
the marking for the CO of the III. Gruppe. The tail
carried 73 kill markings, Priller’s tally to June 1,
1942.
KITS 06/2024
INFO Eduard52
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