Page 63
Bf 109G-6, Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler, CO of 6./JG 5, Alakurtti,
Finland, July 1943
Bf 109G-6/R6, WNr. 15367, Oblt. Herwig Zuzic, CO of 8./JG 1,
Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, July 1943
Heinrich Ehrler began his military career in 1935
with the anti-aircraft artillery and fought in the
Spanish Civil War as a member of 3.F/88. He
completed fighter training in early 1940 and was
assigned to 4./JG 77, which was later redesignated
4./JG 5, based in Norway. In late May 1942, Ehrler
was transferred to 6./JG 5 at Petsamo and became
its commander in August. He achieved his 100th
victory on June 8, 1943. During this period, he flew
a Bf 109G-6 Yellow 12 in Erla factory camouflage,
with the symbols of his aerial victories painted on
the left side of the rudder. As the Kommodore of
JG 5, Ehrler was responsible for cover of the
Tirpitz battleship, which was anchored in Norway.
After its sinking, he was wrongly convicted,
but the sentence was commuted. On February
27, 1945, he joined JG 7, flying Me 262 jets.
In combat with Liberator bombers on April 4, 1945,
he managed to shoot down two B-24s and
rammed a third. According to witnesses who
heard Ehrler’s last words, he carried out
a suicide attack. His number of victories thus
stopped at 208, and for these achievements,
he was decorated with the Knight’s Cross with
Oak Leaves.
Herwig “Lauser” Zuzic was born on June 23, 1917,
in Oberweissburg, Austria. During Operation
Barbarossa, he flew with 4./JG 77. On September
24, 1941, flying his Bf 109E-4 he collided with
Ofw. Eugen Wintergest’s Bf 109E-7 to the north
of Perekop. Both pilots were captured by the
Soviets and used in propaganda efforts to
convert Luftwaffe pilots to the Soviet Air Force.
After a few months, they were dropped off in
Romania as agents. They immediately reported
to the German authorities, were reinstated
into Luftwaffe service, but withdrawn from
the Eastern Front. In early 1943, Zuzic served
at the rank of Oberleutnant with IV./JG 1 and in
March 1943 was appointed commander of 8./JG 1.
He had 13 kills from the Eastern Front painted on
the left side of the rudder of his Bf 109G-6 Black
1. His 14th and last victory came on July 27, 1943,
when he shot down a B-17. On August 19, 1943, he
collided mid-air with another Bf 109G-6 during an
air battle over Zuidzande and was killed.
KITS 07/2024
INFO Eduard
63
July 2024