11/2024

INFO Eduard is a monthly scale model-historical magazine published in Czech and English by Eduard Model Accessories since 2010. The magazine is available for free on the Triobo platform and can be downloaded in PDF format. Eduard is a manufacturer of plastic models and accessories with over 30 years of tradition. Throughout its history in the plastic modeling industry, Eduard has become one of the world's leaders. Further details about the company and its product range can be found at www.eduard.com. You can subscribe to the INFO magazine and receive product information for free at: https://www.eduard.com/cs/info-eduard/

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  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 November 2024

  # 177

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  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 November 2024

  # 177

  © Eduard - Model Accessories, 2024

  FREE FOR DOWNLOAD, FREE FOR DISTRIBUTION!

  This material may only be used for personal use. No part of the text

  or graphic presentations can be used in another publication in any other media

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  eduard

  eduard

  NOVEMBER 2024

  CONTENTS

  Published by Eduard-Model Accessories, spol. s.r.o.

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  How to Work with Plastic? Part.II

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  SPACE

  BUILT

  ON APPROACH

  –

  December 2024

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  ARTICLES

  BOXART STORY

  GUSTAV pt.3 Limited 1/72

  Mustang Mk.III ProfiPACK 1/48

  P-51D-5 ProfiPACK 1/72

  Bf 109G-4 Weekend 1/48

  F6F-3 ProfiPACK 1/48 Re-Release

  DH-2 ProfiPACK 1/48 Re-Release

  WILDER CAT 1/48

  OVERLORD 1/48

  ADLERANGRIFF 1/32

  P-38F/G left engine PRINT 1/48

  Return through the Kuban Bridgehead

  Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin

  Installation of the GM-1 System in the Bf 109

  Air War in Ukraine

  -

  Russian Ammunition Depots Explode,

  Sarmat Missile Lost

  Touche over Tillières

  Bloody Merseburg

  The First Wave

  Attack everything!

  4

  6

  36

  40

  74

  66

  86

  94

  104

  116

  128

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  Good evening, dear Friends,

  Welcome to this, our penultimate newsletter

  of this year. November is traditionally one of the

  busier months for us, and this one is shaping up

  to be the busiest month for the year, bar none.

  There will be a lot going on, although not all

  of our activity will be readily apparent at first

  glance. High visibility activities will undoubtedly

  include our participation in exhibitions and

  related events. Next weekend we will be at

  Telford for Scale Model Word. We only have

  a small square footage table setup at the show,

  but considering its size, it's also damn expensive.

  Our trip to Telford will be accompanied by

  a short, four-day Afterparty, sales events that we

  traditionally put on for people who can’t attend

  a specific event. We’ll be well stocked at Telford,

  bringing along not only the first Profipack of the

  72nd scale P-51D-5 Mustang, but, as with E-day,

  we also have a theme-relevant item ready, a 48th

  scale Mustang Mk.III. Originally, it was supposed

  to be just a simple Limited Edition show piece

  in a white box, but in the end we decided that

  British Mustangs are worth more effort than that

  and promoted the item to a standard Profipack

  boxing. I have no doubt it will appeal to all fans

  of the RAF and British aviation in general, as will

  the Profipack DH-2 reissue.

  For an older item, the DH-2 is still holding

  up very well. The masters were made honestly,

  by hand, and the molds are galvanized metal.

  As I say, they’ve held up well, more than a quarter

  of a century after their creation. You might think

  that this kit would be a good candidate for

  our ‘Heavy Retro’ line, but due to its execution,

  cleanliness of work and type of form, this kit is

  still too ‘current standard’ to really belong in that

  category conceptually. True, in terms of current

  standard kits, the DH-2 hails from the beginnings

  of what we see as this type of product, but it is

  in a style of work that forms a direct line of

  development to today's modern kits. And it’s

  not just about the plastic. The boxart was also

  created by hand by Martin Novotny. Nevertheless,

  it has a lot in common with contemporary

  boxarts, as indicated by Honza Bobek's Box Art

  Story on the subject of the plot depicted in this

  painting.

  The last Saturday of November ends this year's

  show season in Bratislava, with the resurrected

  Plastic Winter event. We are curious to see how

  the exhibition and competition will look like at its

  new venue. I will be in Bratislava personally, and

  I promised to conduct a Slovak version of ‘the Pot’

  Q and A session. If I understood the preliminary

  agreement with the organizers correctly,

  it will be a stand-up discussion. Plastic Winter

  coincides with the traditional date of the global

  Black Friday event, in which we also regularly

  participate. This year will be no different, which

  means that the Plastic Winter Afterparty and

  Black Friday will be one event, lasting in this

  case from Friday to Monday. This is not because

  we want to drag out Black Friday to some point

  of endlessness, as is the custom for many stores,

  but rather because there are some behind-the-

  scenes technical considerations that come into

  play with activating and ending such a sale.

  I recommend being alert with respect to this

  event, do not hesitate and do not postpone any

  purchases until Monday. You might not make it.

  In November we will also finish making the

  molds for the P-40E in1:48th and preparing

  the Royal Class boxing, which will be new

  for February, 2025. This means that whatever

  components are going into the kit must be ready

  by Christmas….in about seven weeks. As of

  today, we have all twelve color options selected

  and are working on the decals, tweaking the

  color schemes, instructions and accessory

  sets, especially those produced by the Brassin

  department. As of today, none of the six molds

  are ready, but we will change that quickly

  during November. All forms are at a high stage

  of development, every day more parts, plates

  and electrodes are added. We are conducting

  final milling, sparking, cleaning and assembling

  of the forms, doing some fine tuning and are

  getting ready to pop out the first test shots.

  You can follow the progress of the work on our

  Facebook and Instagram pages. Pre-orders of

  the Royal Class P-40E will start on our e-shop

  www.eduard.cz on November 15th and will last

  until November 26th. Test shots will be available

  for actual viewing for the first time in Bratislava

  on November 30th. As part of the pre-order offer,

  it will be possible to include accessory sets

  for the kit as well. Together with the base kit,

  a number of these will be made available.

  We are working on a printed cockpit, engine,

  landing gear struts, wheels and other sets.

  The pre-order method on our e-shop will not

  be your only chance to buy this kit, and it will

  be on sale at retailers from the end of January

  who order in time. As with previous Royal Class

  releases this year, we will only produce the

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard4

  November 2024

• Page 5

  total number of kits ordered from our pre-order

  e-shop and those pre-ordered by retailers.

  We then round the total number up to an even

  hundred, and produce that quantity. By definition,

  this will give us a few dozen kits left over at the

  end of January. We will then either sell them

  to one of the retailers, or we will sell them

  ourselves at model shows.

  We made the return to pre-orders after

  a few years, as well as to Royal Class boxings.

  It is our response to changing market conditions

  and also to repeated requests from modelers.

  I confess that I was against the idea for a long

  time and if it weren't for the complications in the

  market brought on by the Russian war, I would

  probably continue to be against it. However, the

  sales figures of this renewed series of kits show

  that it was the right reaction. It confirms the

  old truism that an extraordinary situation calls

  for extraordinary decisions. We've done quite

  a bit of that over the past two years, and I'm sure

  we're not done yet. By the way, a few weeks ago

  while sorting through old documents I came

  across a list of Avia B.534 subscribers. That list

  is eighteen years old now. I'd post a photo here,

  but I'm afraid that would be a GDPR violation.

  Don’t want that. This also shows where our world

  has moved to in those eighteen years and what

  a different one it is today. I'm not complaining,

  I'm perfectly happy with the progress made

  in those eighteen years and I'm not calling for

  a return to the old days in any way. Honestly,

  I wouldn’t change a thing. Social and age

  factors aside, at least technologically, we are

  in a completely different world today. From the

  perspective of 2006, we are in a science fiction

  world not easily imagined back then. The fact

  that we still haven't landed on Mars and Martians

  haven't landed here doesn't play a major role

  in this.

  We have another milestone coming up in

  November that has many people at Eduard

  working their butts off right now. We are about

  to publish the first issue of the paid subscription

  version of the Eduard newsletter we call the

  Modelers’ Den. It took us a long time, admittedly,

  but I think that most will easily agree that with

  us, good things come to those who wait. This

  endeavor will be similar, but not identical, to

  our classic newsletter. For example, it will

  contain only a minimum of information about

  Eduard releases, as it is not primarily intended

  as a vehicle to promote our own products, but

  will bring additional information in the form of

  historical articles, reports from modeling events

  and museums, interviews with interesting

  personalities and information coming from other

  companies. It won't be completely ad-free, we

  expect it to feature ads from other manufacturers,

  magazines and modeling events. In this sense,

  it will be a commercial product and will earn

  money to sustain itself through paid advertising.

  Another source of income is expected from

  paying readers. The price will be 120 CZK, which

  amounts to something like five bucks US, and

  there will be a little perk that comes with it.

  With your purchase, you will receive a discount

  coupon to be used for purchases through our

  e-shop, which can also be used in combination

  with other offers. Combined with a purchase of

  regular value from our e-shop, the purchase

  of the magazine is more than worth it. The first

  issue will be free so you can give a test drive

  with no obligation. However, I need to mention

  that at the moment, we are still dealing with one

  technical issue that could delay the release of

  the first issue of the Modelers’ Den by a month

  or, worst case, two. The issue stems from the fact

  that originally, the Den was not supposed to be

  a downloadable pdf, it was only supposed to be

  readable in the Triobo browser. However, based

  on discussions with modelers, we came to the

  conclusion that this would not be appropriate

  and decided to allow the download in pdf form

  for readers. It’s only a matter of time before we

  iron out the last remaining bugs.

  Happy Modelling!

  Vladimir Sulc

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard

  5

  November 2024

• Return through the Kuban Bridgehead

  Fighter pilot Viktor Petermann stands out as a fascinating figure in the history of the Luftwaffe. During his service on the Eastern Front in 1942, he served as a Kaczmarek (wingman) to several JG 52 Kommodores. He displayed his flying and combat skills on numerous occasions, and, despite losing his left arm toward the war's end, he returned to combat, even briefly piloting Me 262 jets with JG 7 before ending the war on the Eastern Front with JG 52. His name appeared frequently in the German press during the war, several times even in detailed articles, one of which recounted his remarkable return across the front lines from enemy territory at the Kuban in June 1943.

  HISTORY

  The Fighting at Kuban

  The Kuban bridgehead, also known as

  Gotenkopf, was a German defensive position on

  the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia, held

  from January to October 1943. After German

  troops retreated from the Caucasus, this line

  was established along the lower Kuban River

  to enable another push toward the Caucasus

  oil fields.

  A significant operation in the area was the

  Soviet landing at “Malaya Zemlya” (literally

  “Small Land”, a Soviet uphill outpost on Cape

  Myskhako ) near Novorossiysk in February

  1943, which the Soviets successfully held until

  September. Another key event was the battle

  around Krymskaya station, liberated in early

  May.

  The ground operations at Kuban were

  accompanied by the most extensive air battles

  on the Eastern Front up to that point. In April

  1943, the Luftwaffe concentrated a quarter

  of its forces on this part of the eastern front,

  operating under Fliegerkorps I. On the Soviet

  side, the main air units consisted of the 4th and

  5th Air Armies. The Germans aimed to destroy

  the Soviet bridgehead at Malaya Zemlya

  as part of Operation Neptun in April 1943.

  Luftwaffe fighter units concentrated in this

  area included Stab, II., and III./JG 3, along with

  Stab, I., II., and III./JG 52, supported by Slovak

  13./JG 52 and Croatian 15./JG 52. All these units

  were equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2

  and G-4 aircraft.

  Although the Germans initially held

  numerical, technical, and tactical advantages

  in Operation Neptun, the Soviets quickly

  reinforced their air forces in the region and

  defended the bridgehead at Malaya Zemlya

  by mid-April. This created considerable

  tension within the German command, and with

  Operation Zitadelle approaching, III./JG 3 and

  I./JG 52 were withdrawn from the area at the

  end of April.

  The deployment of Soviet airmen to Kuban

  in April 1943 led to higher losses on the Soviet

  side than for the Luftwaffe. At the same time,

  Soviet air units were working to quickly adapt

  to enemy tactics. Additional reinforcements

  and new types of aircraft, including Spitfires,

  were also arriving at the Kuban front.

  During the Soviet offensive in May in

  the Krymskaya area, although the Soviets

  had achieved numerical air superiority, the

  weakened German fighter units managed

  to defend their ground forces in grueling

  battles. The Soviets ultimately failed to break

  through the German defensive line at Kuban,

  Fighter pilot Viktor Petermann stands out as a fascinating figure in the history of the

  Luftwaffe. During his service on the Eastern Front in 1942, he served as a Kaczmarek

  (wingman) to several JG 52 Kommodores. He displayed his flying and combat skills on

  numerous occasions, and, despite losing his left arm toward the war's end, he returned

  to combat, even briefly piloting Me 262 jets with JG 7 before ending the war on the

  Eastern Front with JG 52. His name appeared frequently in the German press during

  the war, several times even in detailed articles, one of which recounted his remarkable

  return across the front lines from enemy territory at the Kuban in June 1943.

  Jan Bobek

  Return through the Kuban Bridgehead

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  INFO Eduard6

  November 2024

• Page 7

  HISTORY

  the offensive was halted in early June, and

  the Luftwaffe relocated most of its units from

  Kuban to the Kursk area.

  Viktor Petermann

  One of the German pilots who fought in this

  region was Viktor Petermann, born during

  the Great War on May 26, 1916, in the town of

  Weipert (Czech: Vejprty) in the Ore Mountains

  (German: Erzgebirge, Czech: Krušné hory).

  At that time, the town was part of the Kingdom

  of Bohemia within the Austro-Hungarian

  Monarchy. Most of the town’s residents were

  German-speaking, and by the war’s end, over

  400 men were missing from their families,

  either fallen, fatally wounded, or missing. Many

  had served in the k.u.k. Infanterieregiment

  "Edler von Hortstein" Nr. 92, based in Komotau

  (Chomutov).

  Petermann completed his primary and

  secondary education in Vejprty after the

  founding of Czechoslovakia. In his youth, he

  became an active member of various technical

  and sports clubs, focusing especially on skiing,

  glider flying, and rowing. He joined the Sudeten

  German rowing association Carolus in Děčín

  (German: Tetschen) and, as part of a coxed

  four team, successfully competed in several

  races in both Czechoslovakia and Germany.

  His physical fitness would later save his life

  on multiple occasions.

  Following the cession of the Czech and

  Moravian borderlands (Sudetenland) to

  Germany in autumn 1938 and the subsequent

  occupation of the rest of Bohemia and Moravia

  in March 1939, Petermann joined the German

  armed forces. From July 1939 to April 1942,

  he trained with Flg. Ausb. Regt. 53 and 52,

  Jagdfliegerschule 3, Jagdgruppe Drontheim,

  and 2./Erg. Jagdgruppe Ost. In early May 1942,

  he was assigned as an Unteroffizier to the

  Stab of JG 52 on the Eastern Front, where he

  served until early 1943. For most of this time,

  the unit Kommodores were Maj. Gordon Gollob

  and Obstlt. Dieter Hrabak. Petermann achieved

  nine aerial victories during this period and

  became known for flying about 100 km with

  a severely damaged wing after a collision with

  an I-153. He continued correspondence with

  Gollob later in the war.

  After being promoted to Feldwebel,

  Petermann fought in February 1943 with

  4./JG 52 in the Kuban area and was reassigned

  to 5./JG 52 in mid-April. By June 4, he had

  recorded 38 victories on this battlefield. His

  fellow pilots in the 5th Staffel included future

  Luftwaffe aces such as Fw. Otto Fönnekold,

  Uffz. Peter Düttmann, and Lt. Walter Wolfrum.

  Fateful Sunday in June

  Near the end of the Soviet offensive, on

  Sunday, June 6, 1943, Viktor Petermann took

  Viktor Petermann in a photo from 1944 after receiving the Knight's Cross. He now has a prosthetic arm

  in place of his left hand. Photo: Viktor Petermann

  Anapa airfield in spring 1943 during the battles in Kuban. The photo captures members of the Slovak 13./JG 52,

  which operated under the command of II./JG 52, as did 5./JG 52, where Viktor Petermann served.

  Photo: Bundesarchiv via Wikimedia Commons

  INFO Eduard

  7

  November 2024

• Page 8

  off from Anapa airfield early in the morning to

  engage Soviet gunboats. He successfully sank

  one and damaged another so severely that its

  crew was forced to run it aground.

  Later, at 17:40, he took off again, paired

  with Uffz. Peter Düttmann. Their mission

  was a free hunt along the Varenikovskaya-

  Krymskaya-Slavyanskaya route. Shortly

  after takeoff, they received a report of an

  enemy formation near Varenikovskaya and

  pursued it to Slavyanskaya. There, Petermann

  observed thirteen Il-2s, escorted by ten Yak-

  1s and LaGG-3s, attacking German positions.

  He radioed the situation and engaged the

  fighter escorts. During the ensuing aerial

  combat near Petrovska, Petermann’s aircraft

  was hit in the oil tank by a Yak-1 pilot.

  Oil immediately began leaking and clogging

  the front of Petermann’s cockpit canopy,

  leaving him with visibility only through the side

  windows. He attempted to climb, then reduced

  engine power, switching the ignition on and off,

  but within two to three minutes, the engine

  failed entirely. At 18:00, he executed a belly

  landing west of the village of Anastasievskaya,

  about 10 to 15 km northeast of Krasny Oktyabr.

  Before landing, he fired his cannons and

  machine guns at the Soviet infantry positions

  he was flying over. Once he touched down

  smoothly, he abandoned the plane and sprinted

  through a reedy area, zigzagging to avoid

  machine gun and carbine fire.

  After about eighty meters, Petermann

  went to ground. Familiar with the area from

  previous months, he knew approximately the

  direction of the German lines and the location

  of Temryuk. Uffz. Peter Düttmann covered

  him from above, shielding him from Soviet

  infantry while also avoiding any ambush by

  enemy fighters. However, with only about

  40 combat sorties to his credit, Düttmann

  couldn’t precisely pinpoint Petermann’s

  location upon his return to base at 18:10.

  Surprisingly, about an hour later, another

  German pilot, Otto Fönnekold, spotted the

  HISTORY

  The wreck of Petermann's Bf 109 G-4 WNr 19527 on Soviet territory on June 6, 1943. About an hour after the emergency landing, Petermann's colleague Fw. Otto Fönnekold

  from 5./JG 52 attempted to destroy the aircraft. The emblem of JG 52 is painted on the front under the cockpit, and the 5./JG 52 insignia, featuring the devilish figure Rabbatz

  with a bow and arrow, is visible on the side of the fuselage. Jochen Prien and co-authors express doubt in the publication JFV 12/II regarding this photo was taken on Soviet

  territory. They believe this is a different aircraft photographed by German personnel during the spring of 1943. However, according to Viktor Petermann, he received this

  photograph in the Soviet Union during one of his foreign work trips while living in East Germany. Photo: Archive of the Museum of the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains

  An excerpt from a page of the Luftwaffe equipment loss overview, located in the Bundesarchiv under designation RL 2 III/1190. The document provides details about the loss

  of Petermann's aircraft, including its production number. Photo: Bundesarchiv

  In the Eduard kit, cat. no. 84203, Petermann's aircraft is depicted with

  several changes compared to previous kits that featured the same

  aircraft. The reconstruction now includes cannons in gondolas under

  the wings. The new reconstruction discards the yellow band on the

  fuselage and the factory letters on the underside of the wing.

  These were derived from earlier information regarding this

  aircraft's serial number.

  INFO Eduard8

  November 2024

• Page 9

  downed aircraft and fired upon it to prevent it

  from falling into enemy hands undamaged.

  Petermann and Düttmann were over the

  battlefield at a time when Soviet forces were

  conducting air raids on Kurchanskaya between

  18:32 and 19:15 (Moscow time, one hour ahead

  of German time). These raids involved a total

  of eleven groups of Il-2s with fighter escorts.

  According to researcher Andrey Kuznetsov,

  during this period, Soviet airmen reported

  eight aerial victories, all claimed to be Bf 109s.

  The Il-2 gunner, Ml. Lt. S. F. Samarskiy

  of the 130th ShAP, claimed a Bf 109 that

  reportedly crashed into a garden 2 km west of

  Kurchanskaya. Another crew from the 805th

  ShAP, comprising pilot Ml. Lt. V. S. Rybchenko

  and gunner St. V. I. Kosuchin, was credited with

  downing a Bf 109, which crashed at 18:33 on

  a high point of 115.9.

  Meanwhile, the fighters of the 236th IAP,

  flying Yak-1s, scored two kills. Ml. Lt. V. A.

  Rogozhin claimed a Bf 109 that fell into a swamp

  7 km northeast of Kurchanskaya, and his

  colleague Ml. Lt. N. P. Morozov forced a Bf 109

  into an emergency landing on the German side

  of the front, approximately 3-4 km southwest

  of Kurchanskaya. This opponent may have been

  Fw. Klaus Dadd of 7./JG 52, who crash-landed

  his Bf 109 G-4 (WNr. 19451) "White 9" around

  10 km northwest of Varenikovskaya following

  an air battle. He succumbed to his injuries on

  June 19, 1943, in a field infirmary.

  Petermann’s opponents were likely airmen

  from the 267th IAP, flying LaGG-3 aircraft.

  One Bf 109 was credited to Ml. Lt. S. F. Frolov,

  who reportedly shot down an opponent over

  Kurchansky Liman around 19:00 (some sources

  list 19:05-19:15). Between 19:05 and 19:15,

  Lt. N. P. Petrov and Lt. A. P. Popov also claimed

  one Bf 109 each.

  Interesting details emerge regarding

  the victory awarded to St. Lt. Yu. T. Antipov.

  At approximately 19:05 (some records indicate

  19:05-19:15), he shot down a Bf 109 northeast

  of Kurchansky Liman, which landed near

  a pig farm (about 1 km south of village “otrub”

  No. 7).. The pilot reportedly hid in the reeds,

  and a guard was posted at the aircraft—

  circumstances that closely resemble Viktor

  Petermann’s emergency landing.

  The Soviet claims during this hour suggest

  intense and chaotic fighting within a limited

  area. Although this article cannot cover all air

  operations in Kuban on June 6, records indicate

  that Luftwaffe fighter units documented only

  four Bf 109s destroyed throughout the day.

  Around the time of Petermann’s combat and

  emergency landing, the Luftwaffe had claimed

  just one victory: Fw. Alfred Lehmann of 6./JG 52

  scored his 19th victory at 18:05 (19:05 Moscow

  time), downing a LaGG-3 in map square

  34 Ost/76644, near Kurchansky Liman.

  The Way to the Front Line

  After stopping a short distance from his

  plane, Petermann dug a shallow ditch with his

  hands and hid in it. Enemy soldiers searched

  the reed field twice, firing blindly, but failed

  to locate the German airman. Petermann

  understood that he could move toward his

  own lines only under the cover of night.

  As evening approached, he removed all light-

  colored elements from his overalls and tied

  a dirty handkerchief around his head. At nearly

  thirty years old, he was almost hairless and

  wanted to avoid drawing attention if any light

  source was directed at him. He buried all his

  excess belongings in the ground and set off on

  HISTORY

  Bombing of Soviet positions in residential

  areas of Kuban in spring 1943.

  Photo: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

  INFO Eduard

  9

  November 2024

• Page 10

  his journey, equipped with a compass, watch,

  and pistol. He constantly berated himself for

  losing his aircraft, and despite having over 300

  combat sorties to his credit, he retrospectively

  considered his actions during the fight to be

  reckless.

  During the first night, he encountered a main

  road along which Soviet troops were heading

  west. After observing the traffic for a moment,

  he positioned himself in the gap between

  two groups of marching soldiers in the dark.

  Later, he also managed to hitch a ride on

  a horse-drawn cart. Upon reaching a village,

  he separated from the stream of soldiers and

  continued on through meadows and fields.

  He spent the second day hidden beneath a layer

  of cut grass and set out again at half past eight

  in the evening. However, he soon encountered

  a large network of trenches, forcing him to

  spend the next day observing the situation.

  German fire directed at Soviet positions

  helped him determine the correct direction but

  also complicated matters, as he found himself

  under fire from his own comrades!

  During the following night, he barely

  managed to cover one kilometer due to the

  numerous flares and the dense network of

  Soviet positions. Growing increasingly hungry,

  he resorted to chewing on herbs to stave off

  hunger. At six in the morning, an enemy patrol

  spotted him, and he came under mortar fire.

  Fortunately, he was able to hide in a crater

  created by an artillery shell. Throughout the

  day, he observed dogfights between fighters

  overhead and later regarded the experience

  as valuable instruction.

  In the early evening, around six o’clock,

  he cautiously emerged from the bushes to

  make his way toward the front line, which

  was about a kilometer ahead. He successfully

  avoided three Soviet machine-gun positions

  and found a new direction of advance thanks to

  a German loudspeaker urging enemy soldiers

  to desert. He had to move very carefully, as

  this area was not a uniform front line, and it

  was also riddled with wetlands and river arms.

  He successively crossed three lines of

  barbed wire and a former German minefield,

  then navigated a road that was under German

  machine-gun fire. When he attempted to cross

  one of the arms of the Kuban River, he came

  under direct fire for the first time and was

  forced to move further east. After a detour

  through more barbed wire, mud, and reeds, he

  successfully crossed the river on his second

  attempt.

  Next, he encountered a large Soviet position

  with several bunkers. He observed it for some

  time and noted that the guns were manned by

  only one soldier, who walked between the posts,

  firing them briefly. Eventually, Petermann

  crossed the trenches and descended the slope

  back into the river, where the last of the Soviet

  barbed wire awaited him.

  Rescued!

  Petermann crossed the final river obstacle

  at 2:30 in the morning on June 10, the fifth

  day of his journey. Suddenly, a hand grenade

  exploded about eight meters in front of him,

  followed by two bursts of machine-gun fire

  aimed in his direction, fortunately tearing up

  the ground before him. He realized that the fire

  was coming from the direction of the Germans,

  so he shouted, "Comrades, don’t shoot—I’m one

  of your own!"

  "What's going on? Where are you stuck?"

  came the response from the darkness.

  Summoning the last of his strength, he

  maneuvered through the new barbed wire, and

  the hands of the infantrymen pulled him into

  the trench. The soldier who had attempted

  to hit him with a grenade and machine gun

  was very apologetic, and everyone showered

  Petermann with food and drink. Only then did

  he realize he had sustained several wounds,

  the worst of which was in his thigh from an

  enemy grenade. After the war, Petermann

  recalled being rescued by soldiers from an

  outpost under the command of Fw. Lehmann

  HISTORY

  A photo from spring 1943 at a German position in Kuban. In addition to the 88 mm Flak 36 anti-aircraft gun,

  a covered field kitchen is also visible. Photo: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

  German officers at a forward observation post by the Kurchansky Liman in Kuban in spring 1943. It was in this

  area that Viktor Petermann was shot down on June 6, 1943. The officer in the center of the photo is Major der

  Reserve Willy Marienfeld, commander of Grenadier-Regiment 123. Foto: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

  INFO Eduard10

  November 2024

• Page 11

  near Krasny Oktyabr. According to the field

  post number provided by Petermann in

  Klinnert's book, this unit was Grenadier-

  Regiment Nr. 666.

  When JG 52 headquarters received a report

  that Petermann was alive, this information was

  relayed to the airmen who were currently in

  action. Although Petermann's and Düttmann's

  memoirs differ slightly in the wording of the

  message, the result was the same: a joyful

  roar erupted from the pilots in their Bf 109s.

  The soldiers then led the rescued airman

  through the trench system to the ambulance

  station. One of them took him to the main

  dressing station, where he received a tetanus

  shot. He was subsequently taken to Temryuk,

  where he was paraded in his dirty and

  tattered overalls before a general of mountain

  troops. Since Petermann had traversed about

  15 kilometers through enemy territory, the

  general was interested in many details. This

  general was likely Rudolf Konrad, under whose

  command the XXXXIXth Gebirgskorps defended

  the western part of the Kuban salient. In this

  section of the front, the 370th Infanterie-

  Division, of which the aforementioned

  Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 666 was a part, also

  fell under his command.

  Kommodore of JG 52 accompanied by

  his Adjutant arrived in a Storch to pick up

  Petermann. Upon returning to the unit, he was

  welcomed at the officers' mess, by a music

  platoon, then returned to his quarters with his

  comrades from the 5th Staffel and received a

  hot meal—the first he had enjoyed in four days.

  WNr 19257 or 19527?

  In connection with Petermann's downing

  on June 6, 1943, I would like to address

  a mistake that has long been associated with

  his aircraft. It was a Bf 109 G-4, designated

  "Black 8," with WNr. 19527. I am attaching the

  original loss report, which lists the area east

  of Kalabatka as the location of the emergency

  landing (Düttmann must have really lost

  track of where he was during the fight). This

  production number has been cited in more

  recent publications by Bernd Barbas or Jochen

  Prien and his co-authors.

  However, the very first overview of JG 52's

  losses was published more than thirty years

  ago by a former intelligence officer of the unit,

  Mr. Niko Fast. In that report, he provided the

  WNr. 19257 for this loss. I mistakenly used

  this information in my 1996 article, and other

  authors have done the same.

  Interestingly, a group of researchers in

  Russia discovered the wreckage of an aircraft

  that they believe belonged to Petermann and

  bore the WNr. 19257. This aircraft was restored

  by the German firm Meier Motors GmbH

  and is now flying in the USA at the Military

  Aviation Museum in Virginia. On its website,

  the museum incorrectly states that Petermann

  made an emergency landing after combat on

  May 5, 1943, instead of June 6. Mistakes happen.

  Perhaps the Russian researchers and the

  museum are correct, and Petermann's "Black

  8" was indeed 19257, with a Luftwaffe official

  simply making a typo.

  I don’t think so. The actual aircraft with the

  WNr. 19257, also marked "Black 8," was indeed

  in service with 2. Staffel in I./JG 52. It was only

  a quarter of a year after Petermann’s shoot-

  down, on October 4, 1943, that it sustained 20%

  damage due to a tire puncture at the Nikolaev

  base. Moreover, it was a G-6 version aircraft

  (likely converted from a G-4 version). So, I've

  no idea where the team who sold the recovered

  wreckage to the US did get the WNr. 19257.

  Further Aviation Career

  Viktor Petermann was treated for four

  weeks in a field hospital starting in mid-June

  1943 and then returned to 5./JG 52, which was

  then engaged in combat in Ukraine. In July, he

  was promoted to the rank of Leutnant, and

  HISTORY

  The general of the mountain troops to whom

  Petermann reported after his rescue was likely

  Rudolf Konrad, under whose command the XXXXIXth

  Gebirgskorps defended the western part of the Kuban

  salient.

  The Soviet pilot believed to have shot down Petermann was Captain Yuri Tikhonovich Antipov of the 267th IAP.

  This was the second of his eight solo victories. In the photo, he is awarding Ml. lt. Maria Ivanovna Kulkina,

  a female fighter pilot who served in his regiment and later became his wife. Kulkina joined the VVS following

  the death of her first husband, who had also been a pilot. Initially serving as a liaison pilot in the 267th IAP,

  she later retrained to fly fighter aircraft. Kulkina occasionally flew combat missions with her husband,

  but tragically, on May 20, 1944, she was killed in a dogfight. Photo: sovietmedals.ucoz.com

  INFO Eduard

  11

  November 2024

• Page 12

  in August, he received the Deutsches Kreuz

  in Gold. By mid-September, he had been

  transferred to 6./JG 52, and by the end of the

  month, his victory tally had reached 60.

  However, a sudden change in his career

  occurred on October 1, 1943, during a routine

  escort mission for Heinkel He 111 bombers.

  On his return, his aircraft was hit by German

  flak at 5,500 meters, resulting in a severe

  injury to Petermann. He managed to execute

  a smooth emergency landing, but subsequently,

  he had to have his left arm amputated above

  the elbow, along with one toe on his left foot.

  In February 1944, he was awarded the Knight's

  Cross for his service to date. The proposal for

  this award was made by the commander of

  II./JG 52, Oblt. Wilhelm Batz, and seconded by

  Kommodore Dieter Hrabak due to his personal

  experience with Petermann.

  For Viktor Petermann, this serious injury

  should have meant the end of his fighting

  career. From May 1944, Viktor Petermann

  worked in the Luftwaffe's historical research

  department. According to his own account,

  however, "desk work" was not for him.

  He therefore made use of his former contacts

  with fellow airmen from JG 52, who were now

  in high positions in the Luftwaffe's fighter

  command, and asked to return to the combat

  unit. In July 1944, he achieved a transfer to

  JG 52 headquarters, which at that time was still

  headed by Kommodore Hrabak. In November

  1944, Petermann was assigned to the Stab of

  III./JG 52, and in January 1945, with a prosthetic

  left arm, he returned to combat flying on the

  Bf 109. His new duty station became 10. Staffel

  within III./JG 52. During January-March 1945,

  Petermann, despite the prosthesis, managed

  to achieve four more victories over Soviet

  fighters, then was retrained to the Me 262

  in JG 7 in late March and early April 1945.

  He again took part in some combat flights, and

  on 30 March scored a probable kill of a B-17,

  although he himself disputed this achievement.

  However, flying the Me 262 did not suit him.

  The aircraft required careful handling of the

  throttles of both jet engines, which was very

  difficult when the throttles were coupled and

  controlled by the prosthesis. At the same

  time, Pettermann did not like what he called

  the "cocky atmosphere" of the experts from

  JG 7. In mid-April, he returned to III./JG 52,

  which was then fighting in Silesia, and became

  commander of 10. Staffel. On May 1, he was

  promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant and

  completed his last combat flight four days

  later. He was taken captive by the Soviets and

  was repatriated due to his injuries in July 1945.

  In addition to his 64 confirmed aerial victories,

  he claimed at least seven other victories that

  were not confirmed. Before he was wounded,

  he also severely damaged 56 other aircraft in

  aerial combat, although he did not report any

  kills in these instances.

  After the war, like most Sudeten Germans,

  he was expelled from Czechoslovakia and

  managed to settle in Saxony, where he worked

  in the manufacture of agricultural equipment

  and in agricultural trade. In 1995, he came

  HISTORY

  A portion of a Luftwaffe map from 1940 showing most of the locations mentioned in the article.

  INFO Eduard12

  November 2024

• Page 13

  into contact with Czech researchers living in

  his former homeland. He subsequently visited

  his native town of Vejprty and the nearby

  Kovářská several times, especially the local

  air battle museum, which commemorates him

  in its exhibition. Viktor Petermann died in 2001

  in Freiberg.

  In the preparation of this article, I received

  assistance from Mr. Ota Jírovec, Andrey

  Kuznetsov, Ivan Lavrinenko, Mansur Mustafin,

  and Jan Zdiarský. After I published an article

  about "Black 8" and Viktor Petermann in the

  magazine REVI in 1996, I connected with the

  now-deceased Mr. Petermann through my

  friend Jaroslav Hradec.

  I would like to express my gratitude to all

  of them.

  Sources:

  BARBAS, Bernd: Die Geschichte der II. Gruppe des

  Jagdgeschwaders 52

  BERGSTRÖM, Christer: Black Cross Red Star,

  Volume 5 The Great Air Battles, Kuban and Kursk

  April – July 1943

  BOBEK, Jan: Lt. Viktor Petermann, REVI 12/1996

  DÜTTMANN, Peter: Wir kämpften in einsamen

  Höhen

  FAST, Niko: Das Jagdgeschwader 52; Band IV

  KLINNERT, Falk: Der Jagdflieger Viktor Petermann,

  Luftkrieg 1939 – 1945

  OBERMAIER, Ernst: Die Ritterkrzeuzträger der

  Luftwaffe 1939 – 1945; Band I Jagdgflieger

  PETERMANN, Viktor: dopis autorovi, 29. 8. 2000

  PRIEN, Jochen, STEMMER, Gerhard, RODEIKE,

  Peter, BOCK, Winfried: Die Jagdfliegerverbände der

  Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945; Teil 12/I, 12/II

  a 12/III; Einsatz im Osten 4.2 bis 31. 12. 1943

  www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/aircraft/

  messerschmitt-bf-109-g-4/

  HISTORY

  Bf 109G-4 1/48

  Weekend edition

  Cat. No. 84203

  November 2024

  Release

  INFO Eduard

  13

  November 2024

• Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin

  I recently managed to visit the Berlin Technical Museum, which has managed to amass a remarkable collection of exhibits over several decades of its existence. The museum is located in the Kreuzberg district, near the Möckernbrücke and Gleichsdreieck metro stations, and it is interesting to note that some of its displays are located in the buildings of the former train station. Opening days are Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays. The museum's exhibits are extensive and cover a wide range of fields of technical history. For example, the transportation section is very impressive, including many types of locomotives and rail cars, including a mining railway; other departments cover textile manufacturing, automobiles, telecommunications, luggage production, shipbuilding and transportation. In the area in front of the museum, a giant propeller blade of a wind turbine can be admired, as German industry is a pioneer in alternative energy sources.

  REPORT

  Petr Uzsák

  Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin

  Aviation Displays in the Collection of the Berlin Technical Museum

  I recently managed to visit the Berlin Technical Museum,

  which has managed to amass a remarkable collection

  of exhibits over several decades of its existence.

  The museum is located in the Kreuzberg district, near

  the Möckernbrücke and Gleichsdreieck metro stations,

  and it is interesting to note that some of its displays

  are located in the buildings of the former train station.

  Opening days are Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays.

  The museum's exhibits are extensive and cover a wide

  range of fields of technical history. For example, the

  transportation section is very impressive, including many

  types of locomotives and rail cars, including a mining

  railway; other departments cover textile manufacturing,

  automobiles, telecommunications, luggage production,

  shipbuilding and transportation. In the area in front of the

  museum, a giant propeller blade of a wind turbine can be

  admired, as German industry is a pioneer in alternative

  energy sources.

  Trebbiner Strasse 9

  10963 Berlin

  Getting here

  By underground U

  -

  Bahn

  Möckernbrücke: U1, U3, U7

  Gleisdreieck: U1, U2, U3

  By metro train S

  -

  Bahn

  Anhalter Bahnhof: S1, S2, S25, S26

  Opening Hours

  Monday: closed

  Tuesday to Friday: 9 - 17:30

  Saturday, Sunday and on public holidays: 10 - 18

  Media:

  https://technikmuseum.berlin/en/

  https://www.instagram.com/deutschestechnikmuseum

  https://www.facebook.com/deutschestechnikmuseum

  INFO Eduard14

  November 2024

• Page 15

  REPORT

  However, the primary subject of this article

  are collections focused on mapping the

  development of aviation. They are arranged

  chronologically, from amateur beginnings to

  the present. Among the persons who shaped

  the introduction of German aviation, the names

  of Otto Lilienthal and Hans Grade are well

  represented. The first ever Czech (and Austro-

  Hungarian) female pilot Bozena Laglerova is

  connected to the latter. This lady went through

  her training at Grade's pilot school in Bork near

  Berlin in 1911 and then flew several times in

  Germany. It is through her example that we can

  realize the interconnectedness of Czech and

  German aviation, as will be reminded several

  times. The museum has a unique Jeannin

  Stahltaube Type 11 airplane from that era,

  which was interesting for that time due to its

  advanced metal construction. This is exhibited

  as it appeared serving with the Imperial Air

  Force during the Great War.

  German aviation experienced rapid

  development during World War I, and this

  period is also included in the exhibition. One

  of the unique items is the tail section of a 1918

  LVG C VI aircraft, with its original Lozenge

  camouflage pattern covering. And by the way,

  the museum staff also installed a display of

  a tailor's workshop, where the lozenge covers

  of the planes were sewn. Another First World

  War aircraft is the Halberstadt Cl IV ground

  attack aircraft, which is suspended from the

  ceiling of the hall. Even the German footprint

  in the construction and operation of airships

  is not neglected and is primarily associated

  with the name of Ferdinand von Zeppelin.

  His impact on this facet of aviation needs no

  reinforcement; he was already a legend during

  his lifetime. Here, there is another connection

  to Czech aviation, because one of the air

  mechanics for the Count was Kamil Eduard

  Laburda, a native of Sobeslav in southern

  Bohemia. The collections are devoted to both

  the war and post-war use of these air assets.

  One of the three-dimensional exhibits consists

  of several pieces of the structure and other

  items from the transport airship Graf Zeppelin.

  Part of LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, dishes and menus from

  German airships. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  Jeannin Stahltaube Type 11, front view. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  Jeannine Stahltaube Type 11 from the rear. [Photo: Petr Uzsák] LVG C VI with Serial Number 4418 visible. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  INFO Eduard

  15

  November 2024

• Page 16

  PS 1: Ju 87 D Stuka

  The museum houses the wreckage of a Ju

  87D, imported from Russia, as evidenced by

  a cyrillic inscription on the left side of the

  rear fuselage. In January 2023, we (Eduard's

  technical team) scanned parts of the airframe

  of this exhibit for the purpose of accumulating

  technical documentation and obtaining

  additional data for the planned reconstruction

  of another example of the Ju 87 D. It is

  owned by The American Heritage Museum in

  Massachusetts, but restoration work on it is

  ongoing in the Czech Republic and Hungary.

  The American Stuka is planned to be brought

  up to an airworthy condition.

  (VS)

  REPORT

  The condition of the airframe allows access to the internal parts of the structure, which is very useful in view

  of the assignment to create technical documentation as a basis for the restoration of the aircraft to an airworthy

  condition. The wing of the reconstructed aircraft has essentially a complete covering, so the combination of scans

  of the wings of both aircraft, supplemented with scans from another example, the well-preserved and maintained

  Ju 87D at Hendon, will allow the accumulation of technical documentation to a very usable standard.

  The airframe in the museum is more or less in the condition in which it was brought in from Russia.

  For the purposes of scanning, it was necessary to carefully clean the relevant surfaces, especially

  the internal structures, because deposits of dust and other debris can significantly distort the scans.

  INFO Eduard16

  November 2024

• Page 17

  REPORT

  Small areas of the original paint remained on the surface of the fuselage, along with an inscription

  in cyrillic documenting the origin of the example - Muzej Severnogo Flota.

  When scanning, dozens of registration marks must be applied to the scanned surface.

  These are either magnetic or electrostatic, and do not disturb the surface of the exhibit in any way.

  INFO Eduard

  17

  November 2024

• Page 18

  The dominant feature of the exhibition is

  a Junkers Ju 52 transport in a pre-war livery of

  the domestic carrier Lufthansa. An interesting

  collection of sports aircraft, such as the Bücker

  131 or the Klemm 35, also originates from this

  period. One of the more remarkable exhibits is

  the Ho II L monoplane of the Horten brothers

  from 1937, with which the designers tested the

  flight characteristics of an unusually configured

  single pusher engined aircraft. An era that saw

  the use of catapult ships as a stopover for mail

  planes heading across the Atlantic is depicted in

  model form. Germany had a total of three such

  vessels and deployed the Dornier Do 18 and

  Blohm-Voss Ha 139 types with them.

  The development of aviation during the Third

  Reich also has its place within the walls of

  the museum, however controversial it may

  be, having served the expansion of the Hitler

  regime as effectively as it did. The backbone of

  the fighter air force at that time were types from

  the Messerschmitt design bureau, notably the

  Bf 109E and Bf 110F, which are also in the

  museum’s collection. A rarely seen piece in

  museums is one of the first jets to see service,

  the Heinkel He 162A, and it is only when you are

  close to it that you realize how small a machine

  it really was. The desperation of the last months

  of the war is conveyed by the Bü 181, originally

  a training and liaison aircraft, with improvised

  placement of panzerfaust on the wing spars that

  were intended to turn it into an anti-tank platform.

  The destructive power of war is indicated by the

  wreckage of a Junkers Ju 87R dive bomber, which

  was used in northern Norway. After its loss and

  later recovery, it was preserved and placed on

  display at the museum.

  Air launched missiles, such as the Henschel

  Hs 293, Hs 117 Schmetterling and the X-4 air-

  to-air weapon, as well as the Rheintochter and

  Enzian ground-based anti-aircraft missiles are

  on display as well. This section even boasts the

  Fiesler Fi 103 early cruise missile, better known

  as the V1 retaliatory weapon. The V2 ballistic

  missile is on exhibit, though not complete, with

  only the engine section on display. The collection

  also includes a separate section where the slave

  labor of prisoners at the Dora concentration

  camp in Nordhausen, who were forced to

  produce these rockets under difficult conditions

  in the underground complex, is paid tribute to.

  Another unique item among the museum

  objects is the training and liason type, the Arado

  Ar 96B-1, production of which was originally in

  Germany, but later, was switched to the then

  Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia at Letov

  and Avia. The currently exhibited aircraft with

  production number 425462 was produced by Avia

  and was abandoned in 1944. In Czechoslovakia,

  its production continued after the war and for

  a long time, this type, designated the C-2, was

  used for the training of military pilots and was

  REPORT

  Cutaway of a Jumo 205 diesel engine with counter-rotating pistons. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  Arado Ar 96B-1 from Protectorate production. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  Junkers Ju 52/3m with civil registration D

  -

  AZAW. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  INFO Eduard18

  November 2024

• Page 19

  also exported. Similarly rare is the museum’s

  Junkers Ju 88G night fighter, which was the main

  German night defender through the terminal

  phase of the war. This particular piece underwent

  restoration after being pulled from Hungary's

  Lake Balaton, where it came to rest after being

  shot down by Red Army fighters in 1944.

  Post war aviation is represented by fighters

  such as the F-86K and the MiG-15bis. French

  aviation is present in the form of the transport

  aircraft Nord NC-702 Martinet, which is

  a derivative of the German Siebel 204. It was

  produced in the protectorate during the war and

  also in France, and in both countries, production

  continued after the war. From the field of modern

  transport aviation, the Rolls-Royce BR710 engine

  is on exhibit.

  An important part of the air exhibition is

  a reminder of the Berlin Airlift from 1948 and 1949,

  when the Soviet dictator Stalin arrogantly thought

  that he would isolate and starve the western

  sectors of the city. However, a large-scale allied

  humanitarian operation to support the civilian

  population convincingly demonstrated the

  superiority of Western economic and technical

  capabilities, so he had no choice but to end the

  blockade. A Douglas C-47 transport aircraft in

  the colors of the US Air Force is dedicated to

  this chapter of German history, which is located

  above the viewing terrace and serves as an

  advertising banner for the museum as well as

  a three-dimensional reminder of Western aid to

  the residents of Berlin. The objects on display

  also include aircraft engines, propellers, landing

  gear, instruments and radars, anti-aircraft

  weapons, as well as examples of passenger

  aircraft equipment and crew uniforms from

  different periods. Another interesting feature

  is the exposed leg of the main landing gear of

  a Junkers Ju 290A transport aircraft, which is

  on loan from the National Technical Museum in

  Prague. The museum also offers the possibility

  of making available its library and archives to

  researchers and interested parties. The museum

  is definitely worth a visit, the exhibits are nice,

  well maintained and inside there is also

  entertainment for smaller children, so that

  it is possible to organize a family trip to the

  museum.

  REPORT

  The leg of the main landing gear of the Junkers

  Ju 290 aircraft, which is on long-term loan from

  the collections of the National Technical Museum

  in Prague.[Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  The Ar 96B-1 is partially stripped of its skin, revealing the details of its internal construction.

  [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  The Douglas C-47 transport is displayed in its post-war US Air Force scheme

  as a reminder of the Berlin Airlift during the Soviet blockade and is located

  on the museum terrace with a beautiful view of the city.

  [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  INFO Eduard

  19

  November 2024

• Page 20

  REPORT

  The fuselage of the Ju 88G fighter was renovated after being extracted

  from Lake Balaton. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  The Heinkel He 162A fighter is missing its pitot tube removed from the nose. In the

  background is the skeleton of the Gotha Go 242B cargo glider. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  Ju 88G nose with FuG 220 radar antenna dipoles. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  Originally a training Bücker Bu 181, it was transformed into an anti-tank aircraft

  by installing ardpoints for panzerfaust rounds. [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  Rocket technology

  of the Third Reich.

  A Rheintochter anti-

  aircraft missile on the left,

  a V1 early cruise missile

  on the right, a smaller

  X-4 air-air missile next

  to it and an Hs 293 on the

  far right. A Smetterling

  missile hangs in the

  background and a yellow-

  painted Enzian missile

  sits on the floor.

  [Photo: Petr Uzsák]

  INFO Eduard20

  November 2024

• Page 21

  PS 2: Bf 110 F

  Many of the high-quality and carefully

  restored aircraft displayed in the exhibition

  bear Hungarian footprints, being restored

  by Ali Storiche 57. One of the exhibits, also

  restored in Hungary, is the Messerschmitt

  Bf 110F, which in turn left its mark on the

  creation of the Eduard kit in 1:48th scale

  in 2007.

  (VS)

  PS 3: PLAQUE HONORING

  GERMAN FIRST WORLD

  WAR PILOTS

  One of the more fascinating exhibits, but

  somewhat hidden from visitors' eyes, is

  a panel with a collection of decorations of

  German WWI airmen. This panel was donated

  to the museum by the American historian and

  collector Neil O'Connor.

  (VS)

  REPORT

  A plaque with the awards of Leutnant zur See Theo Osterkamp and photographs dedicated

  to the pilots of the Marine Jagdgeschwader Flanders.

  A panel dedicated to the Prussian princes, Fririedrich-Karl and Friedrich-Zikmund,

  and Lieutenant General Walther von Eberhardt, the first inspector of the German Imperial Air Force.

  INFO Eduard

  21

  November 2024

• Page 22

  PS 4: BIBER AND THE GERMAN FLOTILLA SINKING AT SCAPA FLOW

  REPORT

  Plaque with decorations and photos

  of Sea Captain Friedrich Christiansen.

  The naval section includes, among other things, the German midget sub Biber. In front of it, in glass cases, there are models of all the ships of the Imperial German fleet,

  which were handed over to the British after the defeat of Germany in World War I and subsequently sunk in Scapa Flow Bay. (VS)

  INFO Eduard22

  November 2024

• Page 23

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• Installation of the GM-1 System in the Bf 109

  It is widely known that the GM-1 was a system devised to increase engine power at high altitude by injecting liquid nitrous oxide into the engine's intake compressor. Here, I will explain how the system was installed in the Bf 109 and the principle on which it was based.

  HISTORY

  Installation of the

  GM-1 System in the Bf 109

  Pavel Raška

  It is widely known that the GM-1 was a system devised to increase engine

  power at high altitude by injecting liquid nitrous oxide into the engine's

  intake compressor. Here, I will explain how the system was installed

  in the Bf 109 and the principle on which it was based.

  Nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as laughing

  gas, can be stored in liquid state in two ways:

  1. at room temperature in special bottles under

  a pressure of 80 bar or about 1160psi.

  2. at normal atmospheric pressure at

  a temperature of -90°C.

  Both of these methods were used in the following

  versions of the Bf 109:

  1. Bf 109 E-7/Z. The first ever GM-1 installation in

  the Bf 109 employed the first method using three

  pressure cylinders installed in the fuselage

  behind the pilot. It was called ‘MONA’, but it is

  not clear what the acronym stood for. I can only

  assume that this is a typical German abbreviation,

  and may stand for ‘MOtorleistungsNAchschub’.

  Externally, the aircraft differed from the

  standard E version by the presence of two filler

  caps for filling the pressure bottles on the left

  side of the fuselage behind the cockpit.

  2. Bf 109 F-4/Z. Here, the pressure bottles were

  moved from the fuselage to the wing. It should

  be mentioned that the Bf 109 from the F version

  on had newly designed wings that had two

  free spaces for the installation of additional

  equipment, one just behind the landing gear

  bays and the other further towards the wing

  tip. Four nitrous oxide pressure bottles were

  installed just behind the wheel wells with access

  to filling these from within them. The F-4/Z

  carried a total of eight pressure bottles. It was

  distinguished from the outside by a deeper oil

  cooler, and apparently most of these aircraft

  had wider propeller blades. It must be noted

  that this installation eliminated the possibility of

  underwing cannon pods.

  3. Bf 109G/U2. Because the pressurized nitrous

  oxide cylinders were vulnerable to enemy

  fire and tended to explode when hit, the GM-1

  system was redesigned for the Bf 109 G version.

  INFO Eduard24

  November 2024

• Page 25

  Installation of the

  GM-1 System in the Bf 109

  HISTORY

  A thermally insulated tank was installed in the

  fuselage behind the cockpit, filled at normal

  pressure with liquefied nitrous oxide cooled to

  a temperature of -90°C. Compressed air, stored

  in pressure bottles in the outer part of the right

  wing, was used to expel nitrous oxide from the

  tank into the engine intake. To maintain the

  aircraft's balance, pressurized oxygen bottles

  for the pilot's breathing apparatus were moved

  to the outer part of the left wing. Below the

  right wing, a cap for filling compressed air (not

  nitrous oxide!) was added, and on the right side

  of the fuselage a cap for filling the cooled nitrous

  oxide (in the same place as the cap for the

  MW-50 system) was added. The cap for the GM-1

  system was marked with a white triangle with

  two blue stripes, possibly with the inscription

  ‘Sonderstoff’. Because the space in behind the

  wheel wells remained vacant, it was possible to

  mount cannon pods under the wings. This system

  was not as vulnerable to hits from enemy fire and

  at the same time had the advantage of even better

  efficiency (increased engine power) than the

  pressurized method, since the low temperature

  of nitrous oxide cooled the fuel mixture further

  before entering the engine cylinders. This

  installation was designated U2 and was installed

  in the Bf 109 G-5 and Bf 109 G-6. It is likely that

  it was not used on earlier versions of the Bf 109

  G, as it was not yet available at the time of their

  production. Unfortunately, I have not been able

  to find out if the early versions of the Bf 109 G

  were equipped with the same GM-1 system as

  the F-4/Z. I believe it wasn’t, which would mean

  that the Bf 109 G equipped with the GM-1 did not

  appear until after considerable delay. Douglas

  E. Calum states that universal installation of the

  INFO Eduard

  25

  November 2024

• Page 26

  HISTORIE

  GM-1/MW-50 system was considered, however,

  the GM-1 system required a thermally insulated

  tank unlike the MW-50. This idea was probably

  abandoned due to technical complications. If the

  Bf 109 was equipped with the MW-50 system,

  the GM-1 installation of this third version was

  impossible.

  The GM-1 installation was nicknamed the ‘Ha-Ha

  Prozess’, which is quite fitting given the effects

  of nitrous oxide.

  There are a quite a lot of inaccuracies, myths

  and misconceptions on this topic in published

  references. I will try to put the main ones in

  perspective, which some may find contradictory

  to what they have already read:

  1. H.H.Vogt states in several places that the

  installation of the GM-1 made it impossible to

  mount the guns under the wings of the Bf 109.

  However, this statement does not apply to the

  G version, but only to the F-4/Z.

  2. Robert Michulec (AJ

  -

  Press) reports that the

  F-4/Z version had either pressure bottles or

  a cylindrical tank for compressed nitrous oxide

  in the wing. I believe that the cylindrical tank for

  the GM-1 system was not present in the wing and

  there was a visual confusion with this item and

  the circular ammunition drum for the underwing

  cannon.

  3. Prien/Rodeike states, without any context, that

  the Bf 109 G-5/U2's GM-1 pressure bottles were

  located in the right wing, unlike the Bf 109 G-6/U2,

  which had these installed in the fuselage. This

  claim is not supported by any drawing or detailed

  description and can therefore be considered

  unproven. I find it highly unlikely that the GM-1

  system compressed air bottles in the Bf 109 G-6

  could be installed in the fuselage where the

  nitrous oxide tank was already fitted because

  the bottles simply wouldn’t fit.

  Sources:

  Photos used: Valiant Wings Publishing Ltd.

  - Douglas, Calum E. , Mortons Media Group :

  The Secret Horsepower Race

  - Vogt, H. H. , VDM Verlag: Messerschmitt Bf 109 Ein-

  satzmaschinen - Das Nachschlagwerk

  - Robert Michulec, AJ Press: Messerschmitt Bf 109 1. ,2.

  a 4. díl

  - Richard A. Franks, Valiant Wings: The Messerschmitt

  Bf 109 Late Series

  - Prien, Jochen / Rodeike, Peter: Messerschmitt

  Bf 109 F, G, & K Series - An Illustrated Study

  - http://kurfurst. org/Performance_tests/109G_GM1_

  instructions/kBetrA_GM1_109G. html

  - E`Stelle Rechlin - Kurz-Betriebsanleitung für Flug-

  zeugführer und Bodenpersonal für GM 1-Anlagen in

  Bf 109 G.

  - https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=stL8eSyieSU-

  &t=139s

  Přednáška Douglas E. Calum: The secret Behind

  German Engine Performance

  INFO Eduard26

  November 2024

• Page 27

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  WWAARRPPAAIINNTT BBOOOOKKSS

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  MMIIRRAAGGEE FF11

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  A French Air Force Mirage F1 returns to its mission

  after receiving fuel from a US Air Force KC-10

  Extender while flying over Afghanistan in support of

  Operation ‘Enduri ng Freedom’, on 25 November

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  WARPAINT SERIES No.142

  Master 19/03/2024 20:24 Page 58

  Boeing

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  By Kev Darling

  B-29 Superfortress 44-70072 X-55 named Limber Richard of the 5th

  Bombardment Squadron, 9th Bombardment Group, flying toward Japan

  with other squadron bombers in 1945. The bombing missions against

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  with black and yellow rear fuselage and fin bands. (USAF via DRJ)

  WARPAINT SERIES No.143

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• Air War in Ukraine - Russian Ammunition Depots Explode, Sarmat Missile Lost

  Another month has passed, and here is a summary of the events in Ukraine from September 1 to September 30. This period was remarkable for Ukraine’s air force, as it did not lose a single aircraft or helicopter in the air or on the ground. The same cannot be said for the Russian side, which lost several ammunition depots to Ukrainian airstrikes—and even its latest intercontinental ballistic missile during a test.

  Miro Barič

  Russian Ammunition Depots Explode, Sarmat Missile Lost

  On the ground front, Russian forces continued

  their offensive in the Donetsk region. Toward

  Pokrovsk, their advance stalled completely for

  a few days, seemingly due to exhaustion after

  their earlier human-wave attacks, which came

  at a cost of high casualties. However, Russia

  made some gains towards Vuhledar, where

  Ukrainians had successfully repelled numerous

  assaults since the war's beginning. Over two

  years, Russian forces had lost substantial

  armored equipment in that area. Now, Russia is

  attacking the flanks of Vuhledar using the same

  human-wave strategy, gradually encircling the

  city. At the end of September, Ukrainian troops

  were forced to withdraw from Vuhledar, partly

  because the high command failed to replace the

  exhausted defenders in time.

  Meanwhile, Russia struggled on its home turf

  in the Kursk region. Putin had ordered his forces

  to push Ukrainian troops out by early October,

  and a Russian counteroffensive was expected.

  It began mid-month, with Russian media initially

  celebrating progress. However, the offensive

  unfolded exactly as Ukraine had anticipated.

  Ukrainian reserves attacked the flanks of the

  advancing Russian units, completely disrupting

  the counteroffensive. By the end of the month,

  the situation in the Kursk region had returned

  to its starting point, forcing Putin to set a new

  deadline for the expulsion of Ukrainian forces—

  now February 25.

  If the purpose of the Kursk offensive was

  to divert Russian troops from the critically

  threatened Donetsk region, it failed. Russia

  continues to send reinforcements to Donetsk

  from across the country, but not from the

  eastern front in Ukraine. Russian armed forces

  are even forming motorized rifle units using

  personnel from various branches—air force

  members, strategic missile operators, and

  even crew from the aircraft carrier Admiral

  Kuznetsov, which has been rusting in port for

  over six years. These personnel are being sent

  to fight—and die—as ordinary infantry.

  "They Killed His Entire Family"

  Airstrikes from both sides have continued

  with little change. Ukraine targets military

  installations on Russian territory, while Russia

  retaliates by striking civilian targets deep inside

  Ukraine. One example occurred on September 1,

  when Russia launched a major missile strike on

  Kharkiv during rush hour. The attack hit shops,

  a post office, and a metro entrance, injuring

  Another month has passed, and here is a summary of the events in Ukraine from

  September 1 to September 30. This period was remarkable for Ukraine’s air force,

  as it did not lose a single aircraft or helicopter in the air or on the ground. The same

  cannot be said for the Russian side, which lost several ammunition depots to Ukrainian

  airstrikes—and even its latest intercontinental ballistic missile during a test.

  Air War in Ukraine

  Ground preparation of a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard28

  November 2024

• Page 29

  41 people. That same day, reports emerged

  that Russian Iskander missiles targeted grain

  trucks in the Sumy region, killing one driver.

  Russia claimed it had hit a military convoy.

  On September 4, Russia delivered a harsh

  message to those claiming that the conflict was

  limited to eastern Ukraine. Thirteen missiles

  and dozens of drones targeted Lviv in western

  Ukraine, killing seven people. Russia asserted

  that the attack struck military production

  and repair facilities. However, the missiles hit

  approximately 50 residential buildings in the

  city’s historic center.

  The Bazylevych family’s tragedy stands out.

  They had prepared for emergencies, keeping

  evacuation bags by the door. When the air raid

  siren sounded early in the morning, the mother,

  Yevheniya, and her daughters, Daria, Yaryna,

  and six-year-old Emilia, rushed toward the

  shelter. However, a Kinzhal missile struck their

  building before they could reach safety. All four

  perished on the staircase. The father, Yaroslav,

  who had stayed behind in the apartment, was

  the sole survivor. Three other victims, including

  two children, also died in the same building.

  Ukraine faced another massive assault on

  September 20 and 21. Residential buildings in

  Kharkiv were heavily shelled, a nursing home

  in Sumy was hit, and in Kryvyi Rih, Russian

  missiles killed a 12-year-old boy and two elderly

  women, aged 75 and 79.

  On September 27, Sumy became the target of

  a brutal double strike, a tactic Russia

  increasingly uses to kill first responders.

  A missile hit a hospital, and when firefighters

  arrived to clear debris and search for survivors,

  a second missile struck the same location

  minutes later. The attack killed 10 people,

  injured 22, and forced the evacuation of 113

  patients from the hospital. That same day,

  Russian propaganda was in full force, claiming

  that a Kinzhal missile had hit a Ukrainian

  airbase, destroying four F-16 jets along with

  American instructors. As "proof," Russia shared

  a photo of a wrecked F-16, but the image was

  of a plane that had crashed in the U.S. during

  a 2019 training exercise, with Ukrainian insignia

  digitally added.

  On the Ukrainian side, both the military and

  state propaganda faltered after a Russian

  attack on Poltava on September 3. The military

  failed by allowing a large number of personnel

  to gather within range of Russian missiles, and

  propaganda efforts stumbled when officials

  initially tried to downplay the attack's impact.

  Russia launched two Iskander missiles at

  a military training institute, also hitting a nearby

  hospital and other buildings. The warning

  time between the alert and the missile strike

  was too short for people to reach shelters.

  The result was a massacre: at least 59 dead

  and 329 injured.

  Trucks loaded with grain hit by Russian missiles in the Sumy region.

  Only the father from the Bazylevich family survived. His wife and

  three daughters were killed in a Russian missile strike targeting

  “military” objectives in the city of Lviv.

  A “military” target, according to the Russian armed

  forces. Three Red Cross workers were killed

  in this attack on September 12.

  A military educational

  institute hit by Iskander

  missiles on September

  3 in Poltava.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

  29

  November 2024

• Page 30

  Only Belarus Shoots Down Drones

  Russians rarely use missiles, but almost

  every night they send dozens of Shahed drones

  into Ukraine. Since the beginning of the year,

  they have used more than 6,000. Although

  Ukrainians manage to shoot down most of

  them, it exhausts their defenses. Recently,

  however, the number of drones neutralized

  by electronic warfare has increased. These

  drones either crash or deviate from their

  course due to jamming.

  As a result, the number of Russian drones

  ending up in other countries—mainly Romania

  and Poland—has also grown. One even

  flew as far as Latvia on Sunday, September

  8. However, NATO countries have not engaged

  them. For example, Romania sent two fighter

  jets to escort two Shahed drones, one of which

  crashed in Romania while the other returned

  to Ukrainian territory and hit a port on the

  Danube. Ironically, the only one intercepting

  Russian drones on its territory is Belarus,

  Russia’s ally. It scrambled fighter jets to shoot

  down several lost drones.

  Even the old Soviet ZSU-23-4 Shilka proves effective in countering Shahed drones.

  Black Shahed drone shot down. Ukrainian air defense with a captured trophy.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard30

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• Page 31

  Ammunition Depots Under Fire

  It seems Ukraine targets specific types

  of facilities during its attacks on Russia.

  Previously, it was fuel depots and refineries,

  followed by a wave of attacks on air bases.

  During this period, Ukrainian drones

  concentrated on Russian ammunition depots.

  Thefirst one caught fire on Friday, September

  7, in the village of Soldatskoye in the Voronezh

  region and continued exploding the next day.

  It reportedly housed North Korean ballistic

  missiles. Another ammunition depot in

  occupied Mariupol was hit on Friday, September

  13, containing missiles for air defense systems.

  The largest strike occurred on Wednesday,

  September 18, in the town of Toropets near

  Tver. Although Russians claimed that only

  debris from intercepted drones caused minor

  damage, videos from locals showed a massive

  explosion. It triggered a 2.8 magnitude

  earthquake. The depot, recently constructed

  and supposedly resistant to such attacks, was

  overfilled with ammunition, possibly from

  North Korea. The explosions followed one after

  another. It is estimated that the depot held up

  to 30,000 tons of ammunition, with 90% of its

  structures destroyed, according to satellite

  images.

  A similar scenario unfolded during Friday,

  September 20, and Saturday, September

  21. Ukrainian drones (or their debris, according

  to Russian sources) hit two more ammunition

  depots: one in Tikhoretsk, Krasnodar, and

  another near Tver, in the village of Oktyabrsky.

  Both depots were leveled, and at Oktyabrsky,

  trains carrying ammunition parked at a nearby

  station were also struck.

  This is how the “debris of Ukrainian drones” explodes after falling on Russian ammunition depots. Videos recorded by locals contradict Russian authorities' claims.

  A satellite image from Maxar shows details of the ammunition

  depot in Toropets before and after the Ukrainian drone strike.

  Maxar also captured destroyed trains carrying ammunition near the depot

  in Oktyabrsky. This is one of them.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

  31

  November 2024

• Page 32

  Crater from a Missile

  At the same time, an RS-28 Sarmat

  intercontinental ballistic missile exploded

  without Ukrainian involvement. Satellite

  images revealed that on Friday, September

  20, or Saturday, September 21, it failed during

  a test at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The failure—

  however catastrophic for Russia—was a relief

  for the rest of the world. The missile never left

  its silo, leaving behind a massive crater over

  60 meters (196 feet) in diameter.

  The explosion might have occurred upon

  engine ignition or as the missile started to lift

  off and then fell back. Another possibility is

  that the test was aborted, causing the missile

  to explode during fuel unloading.

  The RS-28 is one of the "wonder weapons"

  Putin announced in 2018. Its first and only

  successful test took place in April 2022.

  Afterwards, a contract for production was

  signed, and the missile received operational

  status in September 2023, even though all

  subsequent tests—including the most recent

  one—failed.

  Zero Ukrainian Losses

  During this period, the Ukrainian Air Force

  reported no confirmed losses of aircraft,

  neither in the air nor on the ground during

  Russian attacks on the air bases. Only photos

  that surfaced were those of an older incident

  from April 30, when a Ukrainian MiG-29MU1

  made an emergency landing near the village of

  Maryina Roshcha in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

  The aircraft, identified as "White 22" and

  belonging to the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade,

  was flown by a Lieutenant Colonel whose

  name was not disclosed. The plane landed

  in a field about 200 meters (656 feet) from

  a road, leaving a 500-meter (1,640-foot)

  braking trail. The pilot was unharmed, and

  the aircraft suffered only minor damage.

  Investigators found an auxiliary fuel tank

  detached from the fuselage and split into

  two pieces, approximately 320 meters (1,050

  feet) from the plane. Photos were released on

  Sunday, September 8.

  A silo at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome before and after the RS-28 Sarmat missile test. A crater,

  over 60 meters (196 feet) in diameter, was captured by Maxar's satellite.

  A Ukrainian

  MiG-29MU1, "White

  22," that landed

  in a field back

  in April. These

  photos were only

  released recently.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard32

  November 2024

• Page 33

  Saboteurs in Action

  The only confirmed Russian aircraft loss

  during this period occurred on Tuesday,

  September 10. Ukrainian special forces carried

  out a daring raid on drilling platforms in the

  Black Sea, used by Russia as radar stations.

  The mission was risky, as the Ukrainian troops

  reached the platforms in boats without air

  support.

  Russian patrol planes engaged the boats,

  and Russia claimed to have destroyed several.

  However, what can be confirmed is that

  a Russian Su-30SM fighter crashed into the

  sea after being hit by a man-portable missile.

  Russia dispatched two rescue helicopters to

  the crash site but found only a few wreckage

  pieces on the surface. The crew—Captain

  Yegor Stepanishin and Captain D. Fomin—did

  not survive. The incident took place about 50

  kilometers (31 miles) south of the Ukrainian-

  controlled Kherson region.

  Other Russian losses involved helicopters.

  Two helicopters were damaged, and two were

  destroyed by saboteurs. One Mi-8AMTSh was

  hit by shrapnel from anti-aircraft missiles but

  managed to return to base.

  In a separate incident on September 24,

  a Mi-8MTV-5 helicopter on an advanced base

  in Russian-controlled territory was struck by

  cluster munitions, suffering shrapnel damage.

  Saboteurs destroyed other helicopters.

  On September 11, a civilian Mi-8T helicopter,

  operated by UTair, was burned to the ground

  at the Nojabrsk airport in western Siberia.

  Two local teenage boys set it on fire, reportedly

  recruited via Telegram and promised five

  million rubles.

  Another Mi-8AMTSh helicopter, identified as

  "Yellow 05," was destroyed on September 21 at

  the Omsk-Severny airbase. The fire completely

  ruined the cockpit, rendering the aircraft

  irreparable. Russian authorities captured the

  saboteurs, two 16-year-old boys allegedly

  recruited through social networks.

  Ukrainian special forces in action at drilling platforms

  in the Black Sea. A Russian Su-30SM was shot down

  during this operation.

  The cockpit of a Mi-8AMTSh, with the fuselage

  number “Yellow 05,” was entirely destroyed

  at the Omsk-Severny airbase.

  A Mi-8T with

  the registration

  RA-24519 burned

  completely at the

  Nojabrsk airport.

  A Russian Mi-8AMTSh helicopter damaged by shrapnel from an air-defense missile.

  A Russian Mi-8MTV-5 helicopter damaged by a cluster ammunition while on the ground.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

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  November 2024

• Page 34

  Training of the new Ukrainian paratroopers.

  Training of the new Ukrainian paratroopers. A guard keeping watch over a Ukrainian Mi-17 helicopter.

  A Ukrainian Mi-24P helicopter adorned with folkloric motifs. Evacuation of the wounded.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard34

  November 2024

• Page 35

• Page 36

  BOXART STORY #82109

  Stanisław Skalski was one of few pilots who

  successfully engaged Luftwaffe on the first day

  of World War II. Within the first four days of the

  conflict he was credited with four individual

  and one shared victories, thus becoming the

  first fighter ace of the war. When W/C Skalski

  was appointed Wing Commander Flying of

  No 133 (Polish) Wing in April 1944 he was already

  a seasoned veteran, and one of the leading

  Polish fighter aces. His new Wing consisted

  of British No 129 Mysore Squadron and Polish

  Nos 306 Toruń and 315 Dęblin Sqns.

  The Wing took part in Normandy Invasion

  from the very first day. Just on the second day,

  the Wing set a record by destroying 16 German

  aircraft. In the following days, more victories

  were earned, but Skalski’s score remained

  unchanged. A misfortune of a war, no enemy

  aircraft were encountered during the missions

  he took part in. It was only on 24 June that

  fortune smiled to him at last, during a mission to

  bomb the railway station at Tillières-sur-Avre,

  when finally he saw German aircraft. On return

  Skalski reported:

  I was leading Wing with 12 a/c as bombers

  & 8 a/c as escort to bomb railway station at

  Tilliers. During the bombing I called escort to stay

  at 10000 feet over the target area. After bombing

  I pulled out on a left hand circuit & climbed

  above clouds to 6000 feet. On about a half circuit

  2 a/c were reported on the deck. I gave orders

  to identify by section of 4 aircraft following them

  behind. Then the leader called that they have

  climbed above clouds. I pulled out & chased

  1 a/c on left-hand circuit, then I recognised it as

  a Mustang. Being at about 6000 feet in the sun

  I called 30-40 a/c climbing above clouds to NW

  & another formation of about 20 a/c below

  clouds following them approx 6 miles behind

  and below. I called escort to stay above. Then

  we turned to the right attacking first formation.

  I gave the order not to fire until we recognised

  them as foes. Before we took off I was informed

  that in this area 4 Squadrons of Typhoons would

  be operating. Being dead astern, I recognised

  them as ME 109Fs & FW 190s flying in no

  formation at all. I called pilots to attack, taking

  first 2 ME 109Fs flying in very close formation

  & slightly behind about 400 yards. I tried to close

  to 100 yards, we were not seen by E/A. When

  I was about 200–150 yards, 2 E/A in making

  a quick half roll collided by touching each others

  wings. One immediately caught fire. Both were

  seen spinning to the ground where they crashed.

  This was witnessed by F/O Swistun, who was my

  No. 2, and F/Lt Sporny. Following this incident,

  I made a sharp turn to the right, endeavouring

  to catch the larger formation mentioned above.

  We closed to approx. 400 yards when the

  E/A made a sharp climbing turn to port. I gave

  two short bursts, but owing to the angle being

  about 90 degrees I did not see any strikes.

  We did not follow as a further enemy formation

  of approx. 20 a/c were chasing us, at a range of

  some 1000 yards. At this time we were flying just

  above 5/10 clouds, & I instructed Wing to go into

  clouds for coverage, fly on a vector 336 degrees.

  After about two minutes flying we again went

  above clouds having lost the enemy. We made

  circuit and sighted five Mustangs flying singly

  & in pairs. I called them to join formation and

  made for base. I claim 2 ME 109Fs as destroyed.

  In the ensuing dog fight Polish airmen of Nos

  306 and 315 Squadrons added further 3-0-3

  Bf 109F and 1-0-2 Fw 190s for one 315 Sqn

  Mustang lost with its pilot, P/O Jan Adamiak.

  The German formation encountered consisted

  a mixed bag of Fw 190s of I/JG 2 and Bf 109s of

  II/JG 2 and III/JG 3. Only a single Bf 109G-6 of

  II/JG 2 was reported missing that day, obviously

  not making a good match for Polish victories.

  Nonetheless each of the three aforementioned

  units reported heavy losses on the following

  days in the general area of combat, so possibly

  in the chaos some of them were reported on

  a wrong date or not reported at all. Unfortunately,

  for the time being it is not possible to verify

  actual score of No 133 Wing.

  This was the last fight of Skalski. Within

  few weeks No 133 Wing was withdrawn from

  offensive operations to counter V1 Doodlebugs.

  Skalski, due to reorganisation of 2 TAF bid

  farewell to his Wing, which, with 36 destroyed

  enemy aircraft, was officially recognised as

  the most successful unit of the 2 TAF during

  June 1944. Despite attempts, Skalski never

  flew operationally again. Nonetheless these

  victories over Normandy secured his position

  as the highest scoring Polish fighter pilot, with

  18 individual and 2 shared destroyed, 2 probables,

  and 4 individual and 1 shared damaged.

  Text: Franek Grabowski

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Touche over Tillières

  INFO Eduard36

  November 2024

• Page 37

  #70171

  BOXART STORY

  Mustang serial number 44-13321 was the third,

  but not last, of George H. Preddy's ‘Cripes A' Mighty’

  Mustangs. By the time depicted in the boxart of our

  Profipack P-51D-5, the aircraft had partially modified

  invasion stripes. During their removal from the upper

  surfaces of the wing, the black ETO quick identification

  bands also disappeared, leaving only the stripes on the

  underside of the wing and the lower part of the fuselage.

  ‘Cripes A' Mighty 3rd’ was flown by Maj. Preddy from mid-

  June, 1944 to the end of August of the same year. This

  period includes a mission from July 29th, 1944, when his

  group escorted formations of B-17s. I.G. Farben in Leuna,

  Germany, a chemical plant producing synthetic gasoline,

  was raided by more than five hundred B-17s with the

  352nd FG tasked with keeping intercepting German

  fighters off the bombers.

  George H. Preddy reported that day: ‘

  The Group

  was assigned to cover the 2nd Task Force of B-17s

  consisting of ten combat wings bombing Merseburg. We

  rendezvoused with the last combat wing and swept up to

  the lead box. We were southwest of the target covering

  bombers going in and coming out. After one box came

  off the target, I saw 20 Me 109s in formation come in

  behind and high to them. I led the Squadron in astern

  of the enemy aircraft and came in range just as they

  began firing on this box of B-17s from astern. I saw one

  B-17 get hit and start burning so led the flight right into

  the middle of the 109s. I came up astern of one enemy

  aircraft on the right side of the formation and opened

  fire from 300 yards, five degrees angle-off, and got hits.

  I continued firing as I closed to 100 yards and the enemy

  aircraft began smoking badly and went down falling

  apart. The whole formation began splitting up and diving

  for the deck. I followed one down but lost him in the

  clouds. I picked up Lt. Sears and we climbed back up

  towards a box of bombers. While still several thousand

  feet below them I saw a B-17 peel out of formation and

  explode. There were enemy fighters above the B-17s but

  other P-51s chased them away before we got up to them.

  CLAIM: One (1) Me 109 Destroyed’.

  The B-17 formation in the background is also

  worth noting in Piotr Forkasiewicz's painting. Bloody

  Merseburg was considered one of the most difficult

  targets the 8th AF flew over. The 100th BG lost eight

  B-17s that day. The aircraft on the boxart form the front

  of this unit's combat box, led by a radar pathfinder on

  loan from the 95th BG. Pathfinders issued to other units

  usually lacked the letter-in-a-square markings we see

  on other machines. The formation, depicted according to

  surviving records, shows, among other things, a large

  collection of olive drab B-17s, which were still flying in

  large numbers during this period.

  In compiling air and ground victories recorded by the

  USAAF, the Messerschmitt of July 29th was Preddy’s

  fifteenth kill. More were yet to come. Chief among

  them are the six Bf 109s he sent to the ground during

  a single mission, that on August 6th, 1944, when he

  led the 352nd FG on another escort run. After this

  extraordinary success, his commander, Lt.Col. John

  C. Meyer, proposed the Congressional Medal of Honor.

  However, the High Command awarded Preddy ‘only’

  the Distinguished Service Cross. These kills were also

  gained by Preddy in ‘Cripes A' Mighty 3rd’, and also the

  last flying this aircraft. Shortly thereafter, he was sent

  on leave and upon his return assumed command of the

  328th FS.

  By the end of 1944 he had increased his score to

  a final 26.83 aerial victories, three probable and six

  damaged, plus five aircraft destroyed on the ground.

  The string of successes, along with a rivalry with his

  friend, Lt. Col. John Meyer, came to an end on December

  25th, 1944, when Preddy's Mustang was accidentally

  shot down by Allied air defenses in the frontline area

  during a dogfight with an Fw 190, killing George H. Preddy.

  No other pilot managed to surpass his score, and his

  total of 26.83 aerial victories in the P-51 made him the

  most successful Mustang pilot.

  A few months earlier, when George Preddy went on

  leave to the USA, other pilots took turns flying his ‘Cripes

  A' Mighty 3rd’, including Lt.Col. Meyer, who destroyed four

  German planes on the ground with it on September 10th,

  1944. Later, this Mustang was assigned to Capt. Henry

  Stewart, who renamed it ‘The Margarets’. After a few

  weeks, the Mustang got a new pilot. Lt. Marion Nutter,

  who renamed it ‘Sexshunate’. Like George H. Preddy,

  his Mustang 44-13321 became a record holder. Various

  pilots achieved a total of 18.5 air to air kills and nine

  ground victories with it. ‘Sexshunate’, Preddy's original

  ‘Cripes A' Mighty 3rd’ was shot down by German flak on

  April 16th, 1945, and its pilot, Lt. Warren Padden, perished.

  The very next day was over České Budějovice in

  Czechoslovakia, while pursuit of an Me 262, shot down

  George's younger brother William, a pilot of the 503rd

  FS, 339th Fighter Group. Both Preddy brothers, both

  Mustang pilots, are buried next to each other in a

  military cemetery in St. Avold in France.

  Sources:

  NARA, 100th BG, planesinprofile.com, crazyhorseap.be,

  wikipedia.org, O.Henry Magazine, Peter Randall - little

  -

  friends.co.uk, acesofww2.com, Troy White – Stardust-

  studios, USAAF Operations Chronology

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Bloody Merseburg

  Text: Jan Zdiarský

  INFO Eduard

  37

  November 2024

• Page 38

  BOXART STORY #8227

  The Battle of the Philippine Sea, which took

  place on June 19 and 20, 1944, during the American

  landings on Saipan in the Mariana Islands,

  was the largest carrier engagement in history.

  The Japanese fleet fielded nine carriers, including

  the Shōkaku and Zuikaku, while the American side

  deployed fifteen. The Japanese also utilized naval

  aircraft from bases in the Marianas. Since the last

  carrier engagements in late 1942, the Americans

  had significantly improved the organization of

  their task forces and enhanced their defenses

  with radar, anti-aircraft fire and, most importantly,

  the early deployment of carrier-based fighter

  units. The new F6F Hellcat, developed with insights

  from testing captured Zero fighters, proved to be

  a deadly adversary for Japanese pilots.

  As the battle unfolded on the morning of June

  19, the first wave of Japanese aircraft took off

  before 9 a.m. from the carriers Chitose, Chiyoda,

  and Zuihō. This initial group consisted of eight B6N

  Jill bombers, sixteen A6M5 Zero Type 52 escort

  fighters, and forty-five A6M2 Zero Type 21 fighter-

  bombers. Two B5N Kate bombers led the Japanese

  formation toward the enemy as pathfinders.

  The aircraft from these three carriers were part

  of the newly organized Kōkūtai 653, with carrier

  air groups designated as Hikōkitai 331 (Chitose),

  Hikōkitai 332 (Chiyoda), and Hikōkitai 333 (Zuihō).

  Before the launch, the mood among the

  airmen was optimistic, with one even remarking

  that retribution for Midway was imminent. Their

  confidence, however, was far removed from the

  harsh reality that awaited them.

  Thanks to radar and a well-organized air

  defense line formed by Hellcat pilots and their

  controllers , the Japanese formation was

  intercepted long before reaching the U.S. Navy

  task force. Over the next thirty minutes, it became

  the target of relentless attacks. VF-15 was the

  first to engage, followed by VF-2, VF-27 - known

  for the shark-mouth designs on their Hellcats -

  and other squadrons. Controllers directed about

  fifty Hellcats against the attackers, and the

  American pilots claimed around one hundred

  victories. Although this number was roughly twice

  the actual Japanese losses, the key achievement

  was preventing a successful strike on the carriers.

  Despite their efforts, the pilots from the first

  Japanese attack wave did manage to hit only the

  battleship USS South Dakota and only one of their

  nine formation leaders survived and returned

  from the mission.

  U.S. fighter pilots were surprised to find they

  couldn’t catch up with the B6N Jill bombers

  once these had started their continuous descent

  approach to launch their torpedoes. They were

  also puzzled by the fact that a significant number

  of Zeros did not engage in combat and continued

  flying straight ahead. It became apparent that

  these were A6M2 fighter-bombers, whose pilots,

  showing strict discipline, remained focused on

  their mission. However, some that managed to

  reach the American fleet made bold attacks on

  enemy vessels.

  Antonis Karydis’ box art depicts the moment

  when Ensign Gordon A. Stanley, flying a Hellcat,

  shoots down a fighter-bomber from the carrier

  Chiyoda. Stanley claimed four fighter planes

  destroyed and two more as probably destroyed

  during this engagement. On June 19, 1944, Stanley

  achieved the highest number of kills among

  VF-27 (USS Princeton) pilots.

  The Japanese lost more than 600 aircraft from

  both carrier and land-based units during the battle,

  along with three aircraft carriers. The inexperience

  of their newly trained airmen became painfully

  clear. Another factor contributing to their defeat

  was the seniority gap: compared to the carrier

  engagements of 1942, many of the Japanese senior

  officers in 1944 were about ten years younger and

  lacked the same level of experience, with many

  having no background in air operations at all.

  The Achilles' heel of Japanese carriers remained

  their inadequate passive protection and damage

  control systems.

  Although U.S. airstrikes on Japanese carriers

  caused less damage than in previous battles,

  American submarines compensated by sinking

  two of the three carriers lost, leaving the Zuikaku

  as the only operational fleet carrier in the Imperial

  Navy. Barrett Tillman vividly recounts this battle

  in his book Clash of the Carriers.

  Following the defeat, the Japanese command

  began searching intensively for a way to overcome

  the sophisticated defences of the American task

  force, which was difficult to penetrate due to

  a combination of radar, fighter cover, and strong

  anti-aircraft defences. This led to the development

  of the kamikaze tactics.

  Additionally, the U.S. occupation of Saipan

  paved the way for the establishment of an airbase

  for B-29 strategic bombers, which, thanks to this

  new airfield, were now within range of Japan.

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  The First Wave

  INFO Eduard38

  November 2024

• Page 39

  #8094

  BOXART STORY

  On September 20, 1915, the legendary Lanoe

  G. Hawker left No. 6 Squadron of the RFC, already

  an aviation icon. He had been awarded the Victoria

  Cross for his exploits with the unit, proving

  himself not only an exceptionally courageous

  aviator but also a technically innovative officer.

  By the time he departed, he had seven aerial

  combat victories to his credit but showed signs

  of fatigue from a year-long combat deployment

  in France. However, command did not allow him

  much rest. By September 28, he was appointed

  commander of No. 24 RFC Squadron, which in

  early 1916 became the RFC's first fighter unit,

  equipped with the new DH.2 single-seat aircraft.

  Hawker approached his new role with

  his characteristic technical knowledge and

  strategic mindset. He worked tirelessly to

  ensure his pilots achieved optimal results

  with the DH.2, demonstrating techniques and

  instilling confidence in his squadron. When

  his pilots worried about handling the aircraft's

  spin, Hawker personally showed them how.

  He was an officer focused on maximizing the

  combat capabilities of the new machine rather

  than dwelling on its limitations. He praised its

  excellent cockpit visibility and believed the

  engine was sufficiently powerful. However, as

  it became evident over time, the engine often

  became coated with castor oil mid-flight,

  diminishing its performance—a factor that later

  likely contributed to Hawker's death.

  The DH.2 aircraft and its operational history

  are thoroughly detailed by B. Gray, T. Henshaw,

  M. Davis, and M. Kelsey in their recently

  published book De Havilland DH2 and the Men

  Who Flew Them, which I highly recommend.

  The book includes a comprehensive briefing

  by Hawker from August 7, 1916, covering the

  DH.2’s flight characteristics, training, combat

  deployment, and gunnery techniques. Novice

  pilots were cautioned against flying solo

  in combat. The chapter on combat tactics

  elaborates on strategies against different

  categories of enemy aircraft. The Germans

  regarded Hawker as the British counterpart of

  Max Immelmann, a comparison I believe to be

  well-founded. Hawker's main command was to

  always attack—ideally with surprise and from

  a superior altitude.

  A historic day for No. 24 Squadron was June

  22, 1916, when Hawker’s order of the day was

  simply, “Attack everything!” The unit launched its

  largest single-day sortie with five DH.2s and one

  Bristol Scout. The formation encountered several

  Fokker monoplanes over Bapaume, engaging

  in a skirmish with neither victory nor loss.

  The Fokker pilots demonstrated their planes'

  durability in dive maneuvers—moves DH.2 pilots

  typically avoided.

  Later that day, Lt. C. M. B. Chapman and

  Lt. A. G. Knight clashed with a formation of six

  German aircraft near Bapaume, identifying

  the enemy as one large AGO C and five LVG C

  planes. Despite being outnumbered, Chapman

  was credited with downing the AGO, and Knight

  claimed his first victory over one of the LVG

  Cs. This scene is captured in the box art by

  Martin Novotný. Knight’s aircraft, serial number

  6011, was relatively new, having been delivered

  on June 18.

  Aircraft 6011 had spent less than a month

  on the front, accumulating 47 hours and

  40 minutes of flight time, but its service with

  No. 24 Squadron ended on July 11, 1916, during the

  Battle of the Somme. The aircraft was reported

  missing, piloted by novice Lt. C. Kerr, during

  an Army patrol in the Longeval-Puisieux area.

  It was later discovered that he had crashed

  behind German lines between Péronne and

  St. Quentin. During a battle with a German C-type

  aircraft from Kagohl 1, Kerr's plane’s controls

  and engine were struck. The victorious German

  observer, Oblt. Hermann Maurer, was later

  awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Württemberg

  Military Merit Order on July 29, having already

  received the Württemberg Gold Military Medal

  for his previous aviation service.

  Twenty-one-year-old “Gerry” Knight, an

  Englishman who spent most of his life in Canada,

  went on to achieve seven more victories with

  other DH.2 aircraft. He was awarded the Military

  Cross and the Distinguished Service Order for his

  service. He was one of two aviators responsible

  for the collision between Oswald Boelcke and

  Erwin Böhme of Jasta 2 on October 28, 1916,

  resulting in Boelcke’s fatal crash. Tragically,

  Knight’s career ended when he became Manfred

  von Richthofen’s thirteenth victim on December

  20, 1916, while serving with No. 29 Squadron RFC.

  Illustration: Martin Novotný

  Attack everything!

  Text: Jan Bobek

  INFO Eduard

  39

  November 2024

• Page 40

  #2150

  Gustav pt.3

  1/72

  The Limited edition kit of the famous German WWII fighter aircraft Bf 109G

  in 1/72 scale. The kit offers aircraft of G-6/AS and G-14/AS versions.

  Marking selection covers all fronts of WWII where these “Gustavs” were fighting.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 10

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 11/2024

  Dual Combo

  INFO Eduard40

  November 2024

• Page 41

  Bf 109G-6/AS/U2, WNr. 412807, Uffz. Heinz Zimmermann, 6./JG 27,

  Fels am Wagram, Austria, July 1944

  Bf 109G-6/AS, Hptm. Friedrich-Karl Müller, CO of 1./NJGr. 10, Werneuchen,

  Germany, July 1944

  In the beginning of April 1944, first Bf 109G-6/AS

  aircraft were delivered to JG 1, JG 5 and JG 11

  units, the following month several aircraft were

  delivered to JG 3 and also to JG 27, at that time

  based at the Fels am Wagram airport in Austria.

  Yellow 2 was camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76

  colors sporting the Reich Defense marking of the

  aircraft serving with JG 27, i.e., green band around

  the rear fuselage. Irregular stripes of RLM 74

  were applied on the engine cowling sides at the

  unit. There is a FuG 16 system antenna mounted

  at the bottom of the fuselage. The aircraft had red

  undercarriage legs, which indicated it was using

  the 96octane fuel.

  Friedrich-Karl Müller, the future Knight’s

  Cross recipient and the ace with thirty night

  victories over the enemy aircraft, was born on

  December 4, 1912, in Sulzbach, Saarland. In 1934

  he completed his pilot training and got the job

  with Lufthansa. After the outbreak of World War

  II, he was transferred to the Luftwaffe. Initially,

  he was flying as a transport pilot, later as an

  instrument flying instructor. In December 1942,

  he was assigned to KG 50 flying with He 177s

  and in the summer of the following year he

  responded to Hajo Hermann call and requested

  the reassignment to JG 300 famous for its Wilde

  Sau (single-engine fighter night interception

  without airborne radar guidance) tactics. While

  serving with this unit, Müller was credited with

  19 victories and in January 1944 he was ordered to

  form 1./NJGr. 10. In August 1944, he was promoted

  to command I./NJG 11 and was leading this unit

  until the end of World War II. He passed away on

  November 2, 1987. The bottom surfaces and part

  of sides were painted black to better suit night

  conditions. The red band around rear fuselage

  indicated the original operator of this aircraft

  within the Reich Defense system was JG 300.

  The kill marks were painted on left side of

  the rudder in the form of the twenty-three

  stripes with cockades appropriate to the victim

  nationality and date of the victory.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  41

  November 2024

• Page 42

  Bf 109G-6/AS, WNr. 110087, Hptm. Horst Carganico, CO of I./JG 5,

  Herzogenaurach, Germany, May 1944

  Bf 109G-6/AS, MT-463, ylik. Tapio Järvi, 2/HLeLv 24, Lappeenranta,

  Finland, July/August 1944

  The first unit in which the then twenty-two-year-

  old Lt. Carganico served after completing flight

  training was JG 1 at the beginning of the war. This

  was followed by service with JG 77 with which he

  saw combat in Norway and then in the Battle of

  Britain. On January 1, 1941, he returned to Norway

  where he led 1./JG 77. On September 25, 1941,

  Carganico achieved his 27th kill and was awarded

  the Knight’s Cross. In March 1942, Carganico’s

  unit was redesignated 6./JG 5 and he was given

  command of the entire II. Gruppe in April 1942.

  On March 26, 1944, he took over I./JG 5 as CO and

  the unit saw combat against Allied forces within

  the Defense of the Reich. On April 27 of the same

  year, Carganico took off for the last time. In an

  attack on a group of B-17s, his Bf 109G-5 was

  heavily damaged and during his attempt to belly-

  land, he struck some high power lines and died in

  the resulting crash near the French town of Chevry.

  His final tally consisted of sixty kills over the

  course of 600 sorties. Bf 109G-6/AS aircraft were

  assigned to the high altitude interception units

  therefore they were camouflaged in the overall

  coat of RLM 76. Hptm. Carganico had Mickey

  Mouse painted on the fuselage port side, marking

  carried by his previous airplanes. Starboard side

  is not photographically documented, it may have

  carried the Gruppe Commander’s double chevron

  marking.

  Among the deliveries of Bf 109G-2 and G-6

  fighters to Germany’s ally Finland were two

  G-6/AS version aircraft. In the Finnish Air

  Force, these were coded MT-463 and MT-471.

  MT-463 was delivered on June 28, 1944, and

  was assigned to HLeLv 24, where it was flown

  by, among other pilots, ylikersantti (Technical

  Sergeant) Järvi, who used it to shoot down two

  of his total 27 victims. A further five kills with

  this aircraft were claimed by another four pilots.

  The Bf 109G-6/AS did not represent any major

  advantage for the Finnish Air Force, because

  the majority of air combat with the Soviets took

  place at altitudes below 3,000 m. The DB 605AS,

  which powered the type, was designed to offer

  advantages at high altitudes. The camouflage

  scheme of this aircraft consisted of sprayed RLM

  74/75/76 with the blue swastikas on white discs

  on the fuselage and wing positions. The code

  MT-463 appeared on the fuselage ahead of the

  tail surfaces. The yellow number of the aircraft

  within the unit was applied between the fuselage

  code and the cockpit. There are no available

  photographs of this aircraft during its combat

  career with HLeLv 24, but from other period

  photographs of other such aircraft, the list of

  aircraft numbers for this specific plane has been

  reduced to 2, 4 or 6.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard42

  November 2024

• Page 43

  Bf 109G-14/AS, Fw. Eberhard Gzik, 2./JG 300, Borkheide,

  Germany, October 1944

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 784986, Ofw. Paul Schwerdtfeger, 11./JG 6 Bissel,

  Germany, January, 1945

  This Bf 109G-14/AS belonging to I./JG 300 was

  a Series 780 machine produced by the Erla

  factory in Leipzig. During the fall of the 1944, the

  I./JG 300 led by Hptm. Gerhard Stamp conducted

  fighter cover for the Fw 190A-8/R2 Sturmbock

  heavy fighters. The unit suffered serious losses

  during tough combats with USAAF fighters

  in September and October. On October 2,

  I./JG 300 lost 19 aircraft destroyed and

  13 damaged by Mustangs of the 355th FG which

  strafed the Borkheide airfield. Fw. Eberhard Gzik

  was posted to 9./EJG 2 in November 1944 and flew

  the Me 262 in Kommando Stamp. He achieved

  three aerial victories during the war.

  Since 1944 Ofw. Paul Schwerdtfeger logged many

  sorties as a reconnaissance pilot. In the summer

  1944 he volunteered to the fighter air corps

  and on January 1, 1945 took off as a member of

  III./JG 6 staff flight for his first combat sortie in the

  fighter role. JG 6 target was supposed to be Volkel

  airport however the unit commander led his unit

  much further to the south. Ofw. Schwerdtfeger’s

  aircraft was hit by an anti-aircraft artillery fire

  nearby Helmond. The pilot tried to reach German

  lines however he crash-landed and was killed

  nearby Groesbeek. Ofw. Schwerdtfeger aircraft

  flew camouflaged in typical camouflage from the

  Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, in RLM

  74/75/76 colors. Vertical tail surface and rudder

  were manufactured by the sub-contractor and

  painted in the same colors with sharp-edged

  blotches of RLM 74, overpainted slightly by RLM

  76 blotches, 900 mm red-white-red stripe was

  spray-painted on the rear of the fuselage. This

  was Jagdegeschwader 6 recognition marking for

  its Reich Defense role.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  43

  November 2024

• Page 44

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 785185, Lt. Heinz Schüler, 16./JG 5, Stavanger-Forus,

  Norway, March 1945

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 783906, 3./JG 4, Ensfeld,

  Austria, April 1945

  In November 1944 in Stavanger 16. Staffel

  Jagdgeschwader 5 was established in order to

  boost the IV. Gruppe inventory to four Staffels.

  The IV./JG 5 equipment was unified to Bf 109G-14

  even though couple of Fw 190 continued flying

  with the unit till the end of 1944. Bf 109G-14/AS

  marked blue 17 was flown by Lt. Heinz Schüler

  who painted Berlin’s coat of arms under the

  windshield. It is apparent in the photographs that

  at that time the aircraft did not carry the Defense

  of the Reich markings, however when Lt. Schüler

  landed it on March 27, 1945, at Stavanger-

  Sola airport it sported black and yellow bands

  (JG 5 aircraft marking) behind the fuselage

  national insignia. The upper sides were

  camouflaged in RLM 74/75 colors in standard

  camouflage pattern from the Messerschmitt

  factory in Regensburg.

  Elements of I./JG 4 were gradually established

  in Romania during 1942 and 1943, where they

  participated in the defense of local oil fields

  and petrochemical plants. From late 1943 until

  the summer of 1944, the unit was deployed in

  Italy before fighting in the defense of the Reich.

  Its final mission was to oppose Soviet forces along

  the Oder river, which included escorting Heinkels

  He 111 from I./KG 200 equipped with Hs 293 guided

  missiles for attacks on pontoon bridges. In mid-

  March 1945, I./JG 4 was disbanded, and its pilots

  were transferred to II.(Sturm)/JG 4, III./JG 4,

  or began training on the Me 262s. The Yellow 8

  aircraft, with its upper surfaces painted in RLM

  74/75 colors, may have been reassigned to

  III./JG 4 after I./JG 4 was disbanded. While most

  of its aircraft remained in northern Germany

  shortly before the surrender, some pilots were

  permitted to fly home independently. This could

  explain why the original I./JG 4 aircraft was found

  in Austria at the war’s end.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard44

  November 2024

• Page 45

  Bf 109G-14/AS (Mtt Reg), WNr. 784993, Uffz. Herbert Maxis, 13./JG 53,

  Stuttgart-Echterdingen, Germany, January, 1945

  WNr. 785083, Sgt. Magg. Aldo Burei, 1

  a

  Squadriglia, 1

  o

  Gruppo, Caccia ANR,

  Malpensa, Italy, April 1945

  In the ranks of IV./JG 53, Uffz. Maxis was to

  participate in the raid on Metz-Frescaty airport

  captured by the US troops. During the flight to the

  target, together with the other pilots, he attacked

  the 455th AAA Battalion post located nearby

  Ittersdorf. He was shot down however, force-

  landed and after getting out of the cockpit he was

  shot to death by the member of the Battery A of the

  field artillery 739th Batalion. Maxis’ burial place

  remains unknown. Uffz. Maxis’ Bf 109G-14/AS

  flew camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76, in typical

  camouflage pattern from the Messerschmitt

  factory in Regensburg. Vertical tail surface and

  rudder were manufactured by the sub-contractor

  and painted in the same colors with sharp-edged

  blotches of RLM 74. 900 mm wide black stripe

  around the rear fuselage indicated JG 53 aircraft

  deployed in the Reich Defense role.

  After declaration of the Italian Social Republic on

  September 18, 1943, a puppet state on the German

  armed forces occupied territory, and under the

  leadership of Benito Mussolini, Germany allowed

  this state to form the army in the strength of

  four divisions. Its aviation component, named

  Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, consisted

  of two fighter groups (Gruppo Caccia), a group

  of torpedo bombers (Gruppo Aerosiluranti

  Buscaglia) and several transport flights.

  1

  o

  Gruppo Caccia (Asso di Bastoni) initially

  flew Macchi C.205 but from November 1944 till

  February 1945 went through the transition training

  on Messerschmitt 109 in Holzkirchen, Germany.

  In February the unit received Messerschmitts

  109 of the versions G-10 (manufactured by Erla

  factory in Leipzig), G-14 and G-14/AS and several

  K-4s. The original German markings were

  oversprayed in Italian colors and the aircraft

  received the Italian markings. The German iron

  crosses were left on the wing underside surfaces.

  The upper sides were most probably painted in

  RLM 74/75 shades.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  45

  November 2024

• Page 46

  674006 Bf 109G-6 LööK (Brassin)

  672338 Bf 109G undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  672344 Bf 109G radio compartment PRINT (Brassin)

  672346 Bf 109G propeller PRINT (Brassin)

  672383 Bf 109G-10/K-4 propeller (Brassin)

  672385 Bf 109G-10 wheels (Brassin)

  672388 Bf 109G-10 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  D72048 Bf 109G stencils (3D Decal Set)

  D72049 Bf 109G Balkenkreuze (3D Decal Set)

  Recommended for

  Bf 109G-6/AS and G-14/AS 1/72

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  Product page

  #674006

  #672344

  #672388

  #672338

  #672383

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard46

  November 2024

• Page 47

  #82109

  Mustang Mk.III

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of US WWII fighter aircraft P-51B/C Mustang

  in 1/48 scale.The kit offers to build Mustang version B and C

  serving in the RAF.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 7

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/48

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  47

  November 2024

• Page 48

  FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing, Holmsley South,

  United Kingdom, June 1944

  FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing, Coolham,

  United Kingdom, April-May 1944

  Stanislaw Skalski was the commander of

  No. 133 Wing in the period from April 4, 1944, to

  August 3, 1944. During this period, he used the

  Mustang serial number FZ152 as his personal

  aircraft. Originally, the P-51B s/n 43-6533 carried

  a camouflage scheme in an unusual B scheme,

  which had the camouflage colors swapped.

  On the fuselage of his Mustang, Skalski had his

  initials SS painted by ground personnel, and on

  the left side of the fuselage below the cockpit

  was the wing commander’s emblem, behind

  which there were 17 black crosses with white

  borders and four crosses without the borders

  painted. During the Allied landings in Normandy,

  Skalski’s aircraft was painted with black and

  white invasion stripes on the wing and fuselage.

  W/Cdr Skalski scored the last two confirmed

  victories of his wartime career with his Mustang

  on June 24, 1944, without opening fire on his

  victims. In fact, on approach to 150 yards, the

  enemy Bf 109s made contact with their wings

  during an evasive maneuver and both crashed.

  Stanislaw Skalski was the most successful Polish

  ace of World War II with a record of 23 confirmed

  kills, one probable kill and five damage to enemy

  aircraft. He was decorated three times by the

  British DFC and received numerous other awards.

  Stanislaw Skalski was born on November 27, 1915,

  in Lambushna near Kodymy (now in Ukraine).

  After the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany,

  he became one of the two most successful

  Polish fighters who took part in the battles

  against the German forces. He fled to the UK

  via France, joined the RAF in January 1940 and

  took part in the Battle of Britain with No. 501 Sqn.

  In early March 1942 he was transferred to

  No. 306 Sqn as Flight B Commander. In May 1942 he

  was promoted and took command of No. 317 Sqn.

  In early 1943 he led a special group called the

  Polish Flying Team operating as part of No. 145

  Sqn on Mk.IXc Spitfires in North Africa. In July

  1943 he became commander of the British No. 601

  Sqn. Late in the year he returned to the UK, flying

  as commander of No. 131 Wing at Northolt, but in

  April 1944 he moved to No. 133 Wing, which was

  rearmed with Mk.III Mustangs. He remained there

  until mid-August 1944. After the war he served

  at the headquarters of the British Occupation

  Air Force in Germany. On his return to Poland in

  1949 he was imprisoned by the Communists on

  charges of spying for the West. He spent six years

  in prison awaiting execution. In 1956 was Skalski

  released and rehabilitated. In 1957 he rejoined

  the Polish Air Force. Later he was active in sport

  aviation, becoming secretary general and vice-

  president of the Polish Aero Club. In October 1988

  he was promoted to the rank of General (retired).

  He died on November 12, 2004.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard48

  November 2024

• Page 49

  FB387, PK

  -

  G, S/Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, CO of No. 315 Squadron,

  Brenzett, Kent, August 1944

  FZ181, F/Sgt A. J. Fellows, No. 19 Squadron, Funtington,

  United Kingdom, April-May 1944

  Mustang Mk.III serial number FB387 was

  manufactured as P-51C-10-NT (NA-103)

  42-103537 and spent some time in storage before

  being shipped to No. 315 Squadron on July 28,

  1944. Here it was selected by S/Ldr Eugeniusz

  Horbaczewski as a replacement for his original

  personal FB382. Like the previous Mustang, his

  new FB387 was codenamed PK

  -

  G, with yellow

  bomb symbols representing attacks on ground

  targets and scores of German aircraft destroyed

  (black crosses) and V-1s shot down (swastikas

  with superimposed V-1 silhouettes). Eugeniusz

  Horbaczewski was born on September 28, 1917,

  in Kyiv, educated in Brest-Litovsk and joined

  the Polish Air Force in 1937. In September 1939

  he fled to France via Romania and from there

  he went to Great Britain. After completing his

  training with the RAF, he was assigned to No. 303

  Sqn in late 1940. In early 1943 he was selected

  for a special Polish Flying Team, formed by

  S. Skalski and operating as part of No. 145 Sqn

  on Mk.IXc Spitfires. Over Tunisia, Horbaczewski

  became the most successful pilot of this group

  with five victories in less than a month. After

  the disbandment of the Polish Flying Team,

  he was assigned to No. 601 Sqn operating in

  the Mediterranean area and in early July to

  No. 43 Sqn, which he led from August.

  On his return to the UK in February 1944 he took

  command of No. 315 Sqn, flying Mk.III Mustangs.

  On August 18, 1944, he was shot down in the

  Beauvais area and killed, having previously shot

  down three Fw 190s himself.

  The Mk.III Mustangs of No. 19 Squadron, like

  all Mustangs operating in 2TAF, had the white

  identification markings adopted in February

  1944 and applied shortly after entering service.

  A month later, and after Allied crews had become

  sufficiently familiar with the new type, the white

  identification stripe on the rudder was repainted

  with camouflage color. The serial number

  FZ181 Mustang was most often flown by F/Sgt.

  A. J. Fellows of No. 19 Squadron, who had

  “MITZIE I” painted under the cockpit.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  49

  November 2024

• Page 50

  FB260, G/Cpt Brian A. Eaton, CO of No. 329 Wing, Italy, Autumn 1944

  HB900, F/Lt Reginald A. Wild DFC, No. 112 Squadron, Creti LG, Italy, July 1944

  Australian Brian Alexander Eaton enlisted in

  the RAAF in January 1936. He served as a flying

  instructor until the outbreak of war and in

  Australia until October 1942 when he sailed to

  North Africa and joined the Australians operating

  on that front. In early 1943 he was assigned to

  No. 3 Sqn in North Africa, where he flew P-40

  Kittyhawks. Despite being shot down three times

  in ten days shortly after his arrival, Eaton quickly

  rose to become the unit’s commanding officer

  and by the end of the year was awarded the

  Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). In August 1944

  he returned to operational flying and assumed

  command of No. 239 Wing, replacing W/Cdr

  Larry Wilmot. He took over Wilmot’s Mustang

  serial number FB260, to which he subsequently

  applied his BE initials and Wing emblem. Eaton

  led No. 239 Wing until the end of the war. He was

  awarded the DFC and DSO plus Bar. After the war

  he stayed in the RAAF and commanded No. 81

  Squadron in Japan and No. 78 Squadron in Malta.

  From 1957 to 1959 he commanded the RAAF base

  at Williamtown, after which he held a number of

  senior command positions. He retired from the

  RAAF in December 1973 and became Managing

  Director of Rolls-Royce in Canberra. He died in

  1992 at the age of 75.

  Reginald Albert Wild was born on June 16,

  1922, in Laura, South Australia and worked as

  a plumber before joining the RAAF. On February

  1, 1941, he was posted to the Middle East where

  he completed two tours with No. 112 Squadron.

  F/Lt Reginald Wild joined his second tour of

  duty on June 1, 1944, with No. 112 Sqn as Flight

  A leader. The Squadron was freshly armed

  with new Mk.III Mustangs. Wild chose the serial

  number HB900 (s/n 42-103869) as his personal

  Mustang and flew it regularly until the end of his

  tour on October 14, 1944. In addition to the shark’s

  mouth, the traditional identifying feature of all

  No. 112 Squadron aircraft, his Mustang featured

  a caricature of the character Wimpy painted on

  the left side of the nose, as well as the unusual

  “?” code marking previously worn by Kittyhawks

  of S/Ldr Billy Drake. Following S/Ldr Drake’s

  departure from No. 112 Squadron, F/Lt Wild also

  took a liking to the question mark code and

  used it on his Kittyhawks. During World War II

  he achieved three confirmed kills, one probable

  kill and damaged one aircraft, for which he

  was awarded the DFC on July 23, 1943. All of his

  achievements were in Kittyhawks. After the war

  he joined the Royal Australian Navy and flew with

  No. 808 Squadron from HMAS Sydney in 1951-

  52 aboard Hawker Sea Fury aircraft during the

  Korean War. He commanded this unit from mid-

  1953 until its disbandment in 1954.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard50

  November 2024

• Page 51

  FE1449 P-51B/C seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644268 P-51B/C LööK (Brassin)

  644278 P-51B/C framed canopy LööKplus (Brassin)

  644279 P-51B/C Malcolm Hood canopy LööKplus (Brassin)

  648986 P-51B/C wheels diamond tread (Brassin)

  648987 P-51B/C wheels oval tread (Brassin)

  648988 P-51B/C wheels cross tread (Brassin)

  648989 P-51B/C wheels block tread (Brassin)

  648990 P-51B/C wheels diamond tread 2 (Brassin)

  648991 P-51B/C wheels block tread 2 (Brassin)

  648992 P-51B/C exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648993 P-51B/C exhaust stacks w/fairing (Brassin)

  648994 P-51B/C undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648997 P-51B/C gun bays PRINT (Brassin)

  6481001 P-51B/C 108gal drop tanks PRINT (Brassin)

  6481002 P-51B/C seat Type 1 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481003 P-51B/C seat Type 2 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481004 P-51B/C engine (Brassin)

  6481005 P-51B/C 75gal drop tank early PRINT (Brassin)

  6481006 P-51B/C Hamilton Standard propeller (Brassin)

  6481007 P-51B/C Hamilton Standard propeller uncuffed (Brassin)

  6481008 P-51B/C bazooka rocket launcher (Brassin)

  6481009 P-51B/C/D seat Type 3 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481010 P-51B/C wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  6481031 P-51B/C gun sights PRINT (Brassin)

  6481032 P-51B Malcolm Hood canopy cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  6481039 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 1 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481040 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 2 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481041 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 3 PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48177 P-51B/C SPACE (3D Decal)

  EX1036 P-51B/C framed canopy TFace (Mask)

  EX1037 P-51B/C Malcolm Hood canopy TFace (Mask)

  EX1038 P-51B/C US national insignia (Mask)

  EX1051 P-51B/C framed canopy (Mask)

  EX1052 P-51B/C Malcolm Hood canopy (Mask)

  Recommended for

  Mustang Mk.III 1/48

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  canopy 1/48

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  FB254, W/O J. S. Duncan, No. 260 Squadron, Cutella LG, Italy, April-May 1944

  Mustang serial number FB254 (s/n 42-103148)

  was part of the first delivery of Series III

  Mustangs shipped to Italy. He was assigned

  to No. 260 Squadron with the codes HS

  -

  J, with

  which he carried the nickname Jovial Judge.

  Subsequently, FB254 was transferred to No. 112

  Squadron, where it flew with code letters GA

  -

  Y

  until January 11, 1945, when it was damaged by

  flak and Canadian pilot W/O J. S. Duncan was

  forced to make an emergency landing with the

  burning Mustang. Severely burned, Duncan was

  rescued by an old Italian peasant and taken to

  a hospital in Ravenna.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  51

  November 2024

• Page 52

  #70171

  P-51D-5

  1/72

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of US WWII fighter aircraft P-51D-5

  in 1/72 scale.The kit is focused on aircraft without the

  dorsal fin assembly.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard52

  November 2024

• Page 53

  s/n 44-13321, Lt. George E. Preddy, 487th FS, 352nd FG, 8th AF,

  Bodney, United Kingdom, July 1944

  s/n 44-13318, Lt. Col. Thomas L. Hayes Jr., CO of 364th FS, 357th FG,

  8th AF, Leiston, United Kingdom, August 1944

  George Earl Preddy, the future fighter ace with

  the highest score achieved on Mustang, was born

  on February 5, 1919, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

  He had completed the pilot training before the

  War and tried three times to enlist in the US Navy

  in 1940 unsuccessfully. Fourth time he tried to

  enlist in the USAAC and was accepted in 1940.

  He was assigned to 49th PS and dispatched to

  Australia after training. Flying P-40Es in the

  defense of Darwin he was credited with two

  Japanese airplanes damaged. He was wounded in

  a mid-air collision in July 1942 and sent back to

  the United States. As of September 1943, his next

  combat assignment awaited him in Europe with

  352nd FG, where he was flying P-47s. In April,

  the unit converted to P-51 Mustangs. This aircraft

  lacked any camouflage and sported the blue-

  painted nose, same as other 352nd FG aircraft.

  In the photography taken at the end of July, there

  are already 23 kill marks painted on Preddy’s

  aircraft nose. The plane was already missing

  invasion stripes on the upper side of the wing,

  they remained on the bottom of the wing and

  fuselage. In August 1944, Maj. Preddy was sent

  back to United States for a rest. After his return

  in October the same year he took command of

  328th FS, part of 352nd FG. On December 25,

  in vee hours when chasing Fw 190 over the front

  line was Preddy’s Mustang hit by the American

  anti-aircraft fire. He attempted the emergency

  landing nearby the anti-aircraft battery, but he

  was fatally wounded and crashed.

  Thomas Lloyd Hayes was born on March 31, 1917,

  in Portland, Oregon and after his studies at the

  Oregon State College he enlisted in the USAAF.

  After the training he was assigned to 35th PG

  where he was flying P-40s defending Java

  against Japanese forces. After being wounded

  in combat with Zeros of 3 Kōkūtai on February

  20, 1942, he was dispatched to New Guinea. There,

  he was assigned to 41st PS flying Airacobras.

  In the fall of 1942, Thomas Hayes was sent back to

  the USA where, in May 1943, he was assigned to

  357th FG with which he completed the advanced

  training. Already in command of 364th FS, he

  was sent to Great Britain where he flew combat

  missions until August 11, 1944, when he was sent

  back to the United States. During the World War

  II he was credited with 8.5 aerial kills. After the

  World War II he remained in the service with the

  USAF and retired in February 1970 in the rank of

  Brigadier General. Lt. Col. Hayes’ aircraft carried

  inscription Frenesi on the nose port side after

  the then popular song Free ’n Easy. Number of

  missions was depicted in form of 85 little bombs

  painted above the exhaust stacks. It remains

  unclear which camouflage paint were used on

  the 357th FG aircraft. Some veterans speak of the

  British colors Dark Green and Medium Sea Gray,

  surviving color photographs indicate American

  Olive Drab and Neutral Grey colors theory. Noses

  of the 357th FG aircraft were decorated with

  yellow-red checkerboard, propeller spinner was

  painted in the same colors.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  53

  November 2024

• Page 54

  s/n 44-13606, Capt. Claude J. Crenshaw, 369th FS, 359th FG, 8th AF,

  East Wretham, United Kingdom, September 1944

  s/n 44-13859, Lt. Walter Mullins, 55th FS, 20th FG, 8th AF, Kings Cliffe,

  United Kingdom, September 1944

  Twenty-four years old native of Monroe in

  Louisiana, Claude James Crenshaw, joined the

  ranks of the Army Air Corps in December 1942.

  After his training he was assigned to 359th

  FG based on East Wretham in Great Britain.

  He completed nine-months long tour of duty

  there, during which he shot down seven enemies.

  After that, he was ordered back to the United

  States where he was serving as flight instructor.

  He also flew combat in Korea and Vietnam,

  retiring in 1965 with the rank of Lieutenant

  Colonel. The aircraft flew in its original factory

  finish. The green-painted nose was 359th FG

  marking the plane’s so-called invasion stripes on

  the fuselage and wings were already removed as

  well as the black stripe painted on the vertical

  tail surface and the rudder.

  Besides decorating the aircraft with girlfriend’s,

  children’s or wife’s names, drawings of the

  sparsely clad ladies decorated some aircraft

  noses as well. Its artistic appearance depended

  on the ground personnel skills, if any could be

  found at the unit level. One of the Mustangs that

  sported the “pin up girl” artwork was the aircraft

  belonging to 55th FS flown by Lt. Mullins. Factory

  finish was supplemented with the olive color

  coat on the fuselage and wings upper surfaces.

  55th FS affiliation is further confirmed by the

  fuselage code KI as well as the black triangle on

  the vertical tail surface and the rudder carrying

  the plane’s individual letter in white color.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard54

  November 2024

• Page 55

  OVERTREES

  #70171X

  P-51D-5

  1/72

  OVERLEPT

  #70171-LEPT1

  P-51D-5

  1/72

  Product page

  Product page

  SS826 P-51D seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  674012 P-51D-5 LööK (Brassin)

  672358 P-51D exhaust stacks PRINT (Brassin)

  672359 P-51D exhaust stacks w/ fairing PRINT (Brassin)

  672360 P-51D wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  672361 P-51D Hamilton Standard propeller PRINT (Brassin)

  672362 P-51D Hamilton Standard propeller uncuffed PRINT (Brassin)

  672363 P-51D-5 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  672366 P-51D wheels diamond tread (Brassin)

  672367 P-51D wheels oval tread (Brassin)

  672368 P-51D wheels cross tread (Brassin)

  672369 P-51D wheels block tread (Brassin)

  672370 P-51D wheels diamond tread 2 (Brassin)

  672371 P-51D wheels block tread 2 (Brassin)

  672372 P-51D seat PRINT (Brassin)

  672373 P-51D 75gal drop tanks PRINT (Brassin)

  672375 P-51D 110gal fuel tanks PRINT (Brassin)

  672377 P-51D gun sights PRINT (Brassin)

  672378 P-51D bazooka rocket launcher (Brassin)

  672379 P-51D gun bays PRINT (Brassin)

  672384 P-51D undercarriage legs PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL72035 P-51D-5 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D72050 P-51D stencils (Decal Set)

  D72051 P-51D US national insignia (Decal Set)

  CX664 P-51D US national insignia (Mask)

  CX665 P-51D surface panels (Mask)

  CX673 P-51D (Mask)

  Recommended for

  P-51D-5 Mustang 1/72

  s/n 44-13321, Capt. John M. Simmons Jr., 317th FS, 325th FG,

  15th AF, Lesina, Italy, September 1944

  John Mack Simmons, native of Gadsden in

  Alabama, joined army reserves in June 1942 and

  in January 1943 started his pilot’s training. After

  the graduation he was dispatched to 317th FS

  in the Italian theater. From the second half of

  April, he flew P-47s with this unit, in May, the

  whole 325th FG was re-equipped with superior

  Mustangs. While flying combats during the

  World War II, John Simmons shot down seven

  enemy aircraft and after it he remained in the

  USAF service. On January 18, 1961, he perished in

  the T-33 crash during the final approach. Since

  their African assignment the 325th FG aircraft

  were marked with yellow-black checkerboard

  painted on the tail surfaces to distinguish them

  from the bombers they covered, and which gave

  them the nickname Checkertails. The checkers’

  dimensions were 10 by 10 inches. The plane

  marked with number 27 carried the inscription

  Devastating Dottie on the port side of the nose,

  the starboard side sported the name Lady Janie

  VIII as all the aircraft of crew chief Ebert.

  #672363

  #672373

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  55

  November 2024

• Page 56

  #84203

  Bf 109G-4

  1/48

  The Weekend edition kit of German WWII fighter

  aircraft Bf 109G-4 in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard56

  November 2024

• Page 57

  Bf 109G-4, WNr. 19527, Fw. Viktor Petermann, 5./JG 52,

  Anapa, the Soviet Union, June 1943

  Bf 109G-4/R6, Obfw. Rainer Pöttgen, 3./JG 27, Fels am Wagram,

  Austria, February 1944

  Viktor Petermann was shot down with this aircraft

  by a Soviet fighter on June 6, 1943. The combat

  took place over the village of Petrowskaya in the

  Kuban region of the Soviet Union. The JG 52 badge

  was painted below the canopy, with a small devil

  symbolizing the 5. Staffel. Previously, the serial

  number 19257 was mistakenly attributed to this

  aircraft. Petermann, a native of Weipert (Vejprty),

  Czechoslovakia, began his combat career in

  1942 as a wingman to JG 52 Kommodore Gordon

  Gollob. He achieved 64 aerial victories and was

  awarded the Knight’s Cross on February 29, 1944.

  On October 1, 1943, his Bf 109G was hit by friendly

  anti-aircraft fire. Petermann was wounded

  and had to belly land. The incident resulted in

  the amputation of his left forearm. Despite this

  handicap, he continued flying combat missions,

  shooting down four more enemy aircraft. He also

  undergo conversion training on the Me 262.

  Rainer Pöttgen was the most famous wingman

  of the legendary fighter pilot Hans-Joachim

  Marseille. He served in Africa with I./JG 27 from

  December 1941 and fulfilled the role of a reliable

  wingman who covered his leader’s back, allowing

  him to concentrate on the target. Pöttgen gained

  his first victory on June 1, 1942, after 100 combat

  missions flown with Marseille. Because of

  his leader’s high number of victories, Pöttgen

  was nicknamed the Flying Counter (fliegendes

  Zählwerk). He also flew with Marseille during the

  fateful day in which the famous pilot died. Pöttgen

  served with I./JG 27 in 1943, first in France, where

  he achieved four victories during the spring and

  summer. At the end of July 1943, his unit moved

  to Austria and was integrated into the Defence

  of strengthen the Reich. The armament of the

  unit’s aircraft was complemented by MG 151/20

  underwing cannons for heavier bursts in the

  combats with Allied four-engine bombers. Pöttgen

  survived the war during which he achieved seven

  victories. He was a valued member of the JG 27

  veterans organization.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  57

  November 2024

• Page 58

  Bf 109G-4/Trop, WNr. 10795, Oblt Wolfgang Tonne,

  CO of 3./JG 53, Bizerta, Tunis, February 1943

  Bf 109G-4/R6, Hptm. Waldemar Wübke, CO of 7./JG 54,

  Lille-Vendeville, France, March 1943

  Wolfgang Tonne was born on February 28, 1918,

  in Moosbach and joined the Luftwaffe in 1937.

  In May 1940 he took part in the Battle of France

  in the ranks of JG 53, then fought in the

  Battle of Britain and consecutively took part

  in Operation Barbarossa with the same unit.

  At the end of 1941, JG 53 moved to Sicily to support

  Luftwaffe attacks on Malta. There, in January

  1942, Wolfgang Tonne was given command of the

  3. Staffel. In May 1942, 3./JG 53 was again sent to

  the Eastern Front, here Wolfgang Tonne achieved

  his 101st kill and was awarded the Knight’s Cross

  with Oak Leaves. In October 1942, 3./JG 53 was

  sent to North Africa. Tonne’s Yellow 7 with the

  number 6 painted underneath after the previous

  user had his awards and kills painted on the left

  side of the rudder. In April 1943, Tonne’s unit was

  based at Protville airfield in Tunisia. He scored

  his 122nd kill on April 20, 1943. On return to the

  home airfield he performed a victory roll with his

  Bf 109G-6/R1 WNr. 16523. He apparently misjudged

  the altitude, lost control of his aircraft and the

  risky maneuver cost him life.

  Waldemar Wübke was one of the few Luftwaffe

  fighter pilots to survive combat duty over the

  entire course of the war. He was credited

  with a total of 15 victories over Allied aircraft.

  He started the war as a Leutnant with 9. Staffel,

  III./JG 54 during the Battle of Britain and ended

  it as a Hauptmann, flying Fw 109D-9s of the

  „Papagai Staffel“, which was flying defensive

  missions for Me 262 of Galland’s JV 44. The JG 52

  started the war on the western front but was

  assigned to Army Group North during Operation

  Barbarossa as part of the Luftflotte 1. In February

  1943 III./JG 54 was transferred back to the west.

  There it was to replace one of the Gruppe JG 26.

  On February 1, 1943, it was sent from Heiligenbeil

  to Lille-Vendeville, where it was handed new

  Messerschmitts Bf 109G-4. By March 25, 1943,

  the III./JG 54 received orders to relocate to

  Oldenburg and to serve within the Defense

  of the Reich system. Bf 109G-4s came to the

  7. Staffel JG 54 mostly from other units. Aircraft of

  III. Gruppe carried fuselage markings consisting

  of a wave bar in the Staffel color. The lower

  engine cowling was in yellow as was the rudder.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard58

  November 2024

• Page 59

  #8227

  F6F-3

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of US WWII fighter aircraft

  F6F-3 in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/48

  Re-Release

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  59

  November 2024

• Page 60

  Lt. Oscar I. Chenoweth, VF-38, Segi Point airstrip, New Georgia Island,

  September 1943

  Ens. Gordon A. Stanley, VF-27, USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944

  Oscar Ivan Chenoweth was born on July 16,

  1917, in Salem, Oregon. Having graduated from

  the High School he continued his studies at the

  Oregon State University however he interrupted

  his education and in October of the same year

  enlisted in the US Navy. Having completed the

  fighter training Ens. Chenoweth flew as an

  instructor at a training unit. In the middle of 1943,

  he was assigned to VF-38 operating in the Pacific.

  Here he achieved his fist kill on September

  15, 1943, when he shot down a Japanese Zero

  nearby Ballale island. Since January 1944

  he flew Corsairs with VF-17 achieving another

  7.5 victories over Japanese aircraft. Since June

  1944 he was in command of the dive bomber

  squadron. In 1954 he retired from the US Navy

  and worked for Chance Vought. He passed away

  on May 9, 1968, due to a heart attack. Red outline

  of the national markings was discontinued as of

  August 14, 1943, because of possible confusion

  with the Japanese Hinomaru. There is no

  photographic proof that Chenoweth’s aircraft

  carried the red outlines at the time of his first

  kill. It is possible, that in this time it sported blue-

  outlined markings.

  Gordon Arthur Stanley, born on July 13, 1921, in

  Seattle, Washington state, shot down eight enemy

  airplanes in the course of World War Two. All of

  them he achieved flying with VF-27. This unit

  became famous thanks to its unique marking

  – cat mouth and eyes painted by Robert Burnell

  on all noses of the Hellcats belonging to this unit.

  Most of the Hellcats sporting the cat mouth with

  eyes were lost on October 24, 1944, during the

  Battle of Leyte Gulf. The aircraft ended up on the

  ocean bottom together with Light Aircraft Carrier

  Princeton, which was sunk by the single bomb

  launched from the D4Y Suisei (Judy) dive-bomber.

  Afterwards VF-27 operated from the board

  of CVL-22 Independence, however without the

  cat-mouth and eyes markings.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard60

  November 2024

• Page 61

  VF-8, USS Intrepid (CV-11), Summer 1943

  Lt. J. E. Lochridge, VF-34, Nissan Island, 1944

  Second unit marked as VF-8 was established

  on June 1, 1943, under the command of LCdr.

  William M. Collins Jr. and was dispatched for the

  operational training aboard USS Intrepid which

  was sailing in the Caribbean Sea at that time.

  Tri-color camouflage, introduced as of January 5,

  1943, for the application on the aircraft deployed

  to Pacific, composed of Non-specular Sea

  Blue, Semi-gloss Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue

  and Non-specular White. Here, it was applied

  slightly differently than on the other aircraft.

  National markings featuring the red outline were

  introduced as of June 28, 1943.

  The very unusual marking consisting of a white

  spine and part of the tail was typical for VF-34

  Hellcats. Even more rare were pin-up girls on

  U.S. Navy fighter aircraft. Registration number

  was spray-painted on the engine cowling,

  used obviously during the deliveries from the

  manufacturer to the units.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  61

  November 2024

• Page 62

  OTU VF-2, NAS Melbourne, United States of America, October 1944

  Naval Air Station Melbourne was established

  on October 20, 1942 and the first training course

  commenced on January 18, 1943 on F4F Wildcat

  aircraft. Hellcats started to arrive at the unit as

  of June 1, 1943, fully replaced originally operated

  Wildcats as of October 1, 1944, and their inventory

  varied between 75 and 150 machines. During 1944,

  546 pilots completed their pilot training at this

  base, another 916 pilots from January to October

  1944. Hellcats belonging to this unit sported

  a prominent marking carried on the front part of

  the engine cowling consisting of stripes or other

  geometrical shapes.

  OVERTREES

  #8221X

  F6F-3

  1/48

  OVERLEPT

  #8227-LEPT1

  F6F-3

  1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  48585 F6F undercarriage (PE

  -

  Set)

  48588 F6F gun bay (PE

  -

  Set)

  491346 F6F-3 (PE

  -

  Set)

  644011 F6F-3 LööK (Brassin)

  648102 F6F wheels (Brassin)

  648683 F6F exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648747 F6F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648798 F6F wheel bays PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48068 F6F-3 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48055 F6F-3 part 1 (Decal Set)

  D48058 F6F-3 stencils (Decal Set)

  EX865 F6F-3 TFace (Mask)

  EX996 F6F-3 US national insignia (Mask)

  EX1003 F6F-3 US national insignia w/ red outline (Mask)

  Recommended for

  F6F-3 1/48

  #648798

  #648747

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard62

  November 2024

• Page 63

  #8227

  F6F-3

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of British WWI fighter

  aircraft DH-2 in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/48

  Re-Release

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  63

  November 2024

• Page 64

  No. 5967, Robert H. M. S. Saundby, No. 24 Squadron RFC, Flight A, France, July 1916

  No. 5998, Capt. John O. Andrews, No. 24 Squadron, RFC, France, 1916

  This pilot of No. 24 Sqn, whose full name was

  Robert Henry Magnus Spencer Saundby, gained

  a total of five kills over the First World War,

  three of which were flown from the cockpit of

  a DH-2 and his first victory was acquired

  with this aircraft. On July 31, 1916, he claimed

  a German Fokker Eindecker, which was credited

  as OOC (Out of Control). During the course of the

  same combat, which reportedly took place east

  of Roisel, he was wounded. Evidently, this was

  not overly serious, as by August 6, he shared

  another kill with John O. Andrews. Later, he was

  transferred to No. 41 Sqn. His last victim was the

  Zeppelin L48 airship. During the Second World

  War, as a staff member of Bomber Command,

  RAF, he took part in the planning phases of carpet

  bombing plans of German cities. He received

  a list of British and foreign awards, was knighted,

  and left the service in 1946 as Air Vice Marshall.

  The DH-2 5998 was flown by twelve-kill ace

  Capt. John Oliver Andrews. He started his flying

  career as an observer and gunner in an Avro

  504 with No.5 Sqn RFC. He received his pilot

  rating on October 14, 1915, and was assigned to

  No. 24 Sqn equipped with DH-2s. He flew combat

  against German aces and on April 27, 1916,

  damaged the Eindecker flown by Max Immelmann.

  On November 22, 1916, he gained his seventh

  and last kill with No. 24 Sqn. It looks like Stefan

  Kirmaier, CO of Jasta 2 and an eleven kill ace was

  his victim. The following day, Andrews took part

  in combat that claimed the life of seven kill ace

  and No. 24 Sqn CO Lanoe Hawker, at the hands

  of Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen. Andrews

  was transferred to No. 66 Sqn thereafter and

  flew the Sopwith Pup. In all, he gained nine kills

  confirmed, and two listed as OOC (Out of Control).

  The second ace that flew this aircraft was Sidney

  Edward Cowan. Flying this airplane, he shot down

  a German two-seat LVG at Le Sars, thus gaining

  his fifth of seven kills. He died on November 17,

  1916.

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard64

  November 2024

• Page 65

  No. 6011, Capt. Arthur G. Knight, No. 24 Squadron RFC, 1916

  No. 7851, Capt. William G. S. Curphey, No. 32 Squadron RFC, Flight C, France, 1916

  Arthur Gerald Knight gained his first aerial

  victory on this aircraft on June 22, 1916. His

  victim was identified as a two-seat German LVG,

  destroyed in the vicinity of Courcelette in France.

  Knight shot down eight enemy aircraft up to the

  time of his death, all of which were achieved

  with DH-2. On October 28, 1916, he participated

  in combat where a fatal collision between Jasta

  2 CO Oswald Boelcke and his colleague Erwin

  Boehme occurred. On December 20, 1916, Knight

  died, as he became the thirteenth victim of

  German legend Manfred von Richthofen.

  William George Sellar Curphey gained a kill

  identified as a two-seat LVG on August 22, 1916,

  flying this airplane and he shot down six enemy

  aircraft altogether prior to his death on May 15,

  1917. All his victories were achieved with DH-2

  and No. 32 Sqn. The service career of this aircraft

  ended on January 7, 1917, at 1230 when it was shot

  down by Lt. d. R. Erwin Boehme of Jasta 2. At that

  time, E. G. S. Wagner of No. 32 Sqn, member was

  flying it. He did not survive and became Boehme’s

  ninth victim. Boehme reached a total of 24 kills

  by the end of the war. The black wheel discs

  with white centers and the C 1 code identify this

  aircraft as a part of No. 32 Sqn C Flight.

  OVERTREES

  #8094X

  DH-2 1/48

  OVERLEPT

  #8094-LEPT1

  DH-2 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  KITS 11/2024

  INFO Eduard

  65

  November 2024

• How to Work with Plastic? Part II

  Many less experienced modelers often feel apprehensive about cutting into plastic or thinning parts to accommodate additional detailing or conversion sets. In this section, I want to reassure readers that these more advanced modeling techniques are not difficult and that, with the right tools, achieving the necessary modifications is quite manageable. Most larger Brassin sets require modelers to make similar adjustments to their builds. For those hesitant to purchase aftermarket sets due to this process, I aim to show that, with a bit of practice, anyone can master it. In this article, I will demonstrate how to prepare a 1/48 P-51B/C wing for the Brassin gun bay set. I will present two methods: one using only basic modeling tools, and the other employing a motorized Proxxon tool.

  How to Work with Plastic?

  STAVEBNICE

  Jakub Nademlejnský

  Many less experienced modelers often feel

  apprehensive about cutting into plastic or

  thinning parts to accommodate additional

  detailing or conversion sets. In this section,

  I want to reassure readers that these

  more advanced modeling techniques are

  not difficult and that, with the right tools,

  achieving the necessary modifications is

  quite manageable. Most larger Brassin

  sets require modelers to make similar

  adjustments to their builds. For those

  hesitant to purchase aftermarket sets due to

  this process, I aim to show that, with a bit of

  practice, anyone can master it. In this article,

  I will demonstrate how to prepare

  a 1/48 P-51B/C wing for the Brassin gun bay

  set. I will present two methods: one using

  only basic modeling tools, and the other

  employing a motorized Proxxon tool.

  Part II - preparation

  of plastics for installation

  of aftermarket sets

  The title photo showcases the tools

  I use for cutting plastic and major sanding.

  At the beginning of this article, I’d like to recap the basics from

  the last one—using single-blade pliers to remove parts from

  the wing halves. I detach the bottom sprues by laying the blade

  face of the pliers flush with the wing surface.

  INFO Eduard66

  November 2024

• Page 67

  STAVEBNICE

  I cut off the classic sprues by positioning the pliers perpendicular

  to the wing's surface.

  ...or by cutting them away with a sharp scalpel.

  Next, I sand the sprue burrs using sandpaper or a file...

  The Mustang's wing features marks on the inside that indicate where

  to cut. These marks help us to define the areas to be cut or sanded.

  The covers can be removed with basic modeling tools. First, I take

  a sharp chisel and make several cuts around the paneling of the manhole

  covers to deepen the engraving where I’ll be cutting the material.

  INFO Eduard

  67

  November 2024

• Page 68

  STAVEBNICE

  Next, I use a pin vise fitted with a drill bit.

  I’ll use the drill bit to create several holes in the area I want to remove.

  It’s advisable to space the holes closely together, as this makes the

  job easier.

  I can then use conventional pliers to connect the multiple holes into one larger hole.

  This density of holes is ideal.

  INFO Eduard68

  November 2024

• Page 69

  STAVEBNICE

  With such a large hole created, I can use a scalpel to gradually cut

  away the remaining material, getting closer to the engraved lines

  I made earlier with the chisel.

  Finally, I use the scalpel to refine the corners, ensuring the hole is ready.

  When I’m close to the engraving, I switch to a thin file instead

  of the scalpel.

  I then smooth out any traces of plastic dust or uneven cuts using Mr.

  Cement S glue from Gunz Sangyo.

  The alternative method, faster and more convenient, for cutting

  the hole is to use a motorized fine grinder and drill. I used a drill from

  Proxxon for this procedure, though many manufacturers offer similar tools.

  INFO Eduard

  69

  November 2024

• Page 70

  STAVEBNICE

  I attach a dental grinder to the chuck of

  the motorized tool and thin the plastic on

  the inside, which is marked with heavy

  engravings where I’ll cut off the gun shaft

  covers.

  Next, I drill holes in the wing again with the motorized tool. The machine drill is very efficient.

  INFO Eduard70

  November 2024

• Page 71

  STAVEBNICE

  I can then grind the area using a wide file.

  The covers are now completely drilled and ready to be removed.

  I’ll connect the small holes to form a larger one using pliers. This creates a sizable hole that can comfortably accommodate

  additional tools.

  INFO Eduard

  71

  November 2024

• Page 72

  STAVEBNICE

  I then clean the entire hole with Mr. Cement S glue.

  Now the wing is ready for the gun

  shaft. The entire operation took me

  approximately 15 minutes.

  I cut away remains with a scalpel. And sand the necessary areas with a finer file.

  (we will continue with

  more techniques in the next issues...)

  INFO Eduard72

  November 2024

• Page 73

  DUAL COMBO

  BM592, W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing,

  RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, June 1942

  EN765, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing,

  RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, June -July 1942

  EP461, W/Cdr František Doležal, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak)

  Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, April-July 1943

  AD325, F/Lt Emil Foit, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Perranporth,

  Cornwall, United Kingdom, December 1941-February 1942

  AR423, F/Lt František Trejtnar, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Ibsley,

  Hampshire, United Kingdom, September 1943-February 1944

  AD572, F/O František Peřina, No. 312 Squadron,

  RAF Harrowbeer, Devon, United Kingdom, February-June 1942

  EP785, P/O Ladislav Světlík, No. 312 Squadron, RAF Churchstanton,

  Somerset, United Kingdom, January-April 1943

  AD380, F/O Alois Hochmal, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch,

  Devon, United Kingdom, October 1941-April 1942

  AR435, Sgt. František Loucký, No. 65 Squadron,

  RAF Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom, July 1942

  BM210, S/Ldr František Fajtl, CO of No. 122 Squadron,

  RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom, May 1942

  R7192, P/O Josef Příhoda, No. 111 Squadron, RAF Debden,

  Essex, United Kingdom, February 1942

  EP110, F/Lt Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hawkinge,

  Kent, United Kingdom, August-September 1943

  11180

  ITEM

  1/48

  Spitfire Mk.Vb

  British fighter aircraft Spitfire Mk.Vb flown

  by Czechoslovak pilots serving in the RAF

  during the defense of Great Britain and

  attacks on targets in occupied Europe.

  www.eduard.com

  BONUS: poster 355 x 215 mm

• Page 74

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seat belts for P-39Q in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Collection of 3 sets for Bf 109G-10 in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - propeller

  - undercarriage wheels

  644287

  P-39Q LööK

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  674020

  Bf 109G-10 LööKplus

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard74

  November 2024

• Page 75

  674021

  B-24H LööKplus

  1/72 Airfix

  Collection of 3 sets for B-24H in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for Bf 109G-14/AS in 1/72 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  674022

  Bf 109G-14/AS LööK

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  75

  November 2024

• Page 76

  BRASSIN

  6481036

  P-38F/G left engine PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  Set built gallery on page 88.

  Brassin set - fully detailed left engine for P-38F

  or P-38G in 1/48 scale. Set contanins the cowling

  as well. Made by 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 43 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - cockpit for P-51B with bubble so-called

  Malcolm Hood canopy in 1/48 scale. Made by direct

  3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 43 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  6481032

  P-51B Malcolm Hood canopy cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  INFO Eduard76

  November 2024

• Page 77

  BRASSIN

  6481039

  P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 1 PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-51B or P-51C

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - gun barrels for Bulldog

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  6481044

  Bulldog gun barrels PRINT

  1/48 Airfix

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  77

  November 2024

• Page 78

  6481046

  Bulldog seat PRINT

  1/48 Airfix

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - pilot seat for Bulldog in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bulldog

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Product page

  6481045

  Bulldog wheels

  1/48 Airfix

  INFO Eduard78

  November 2024

• Page 79

  6481047

  F4U-1A seat w/ integral belts PRINT

  1/48 Magic Factory

  Brassin set - pilot seat for F4U-1A in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Magic factory

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no,

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - pilot seat for F4U-2 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Magic factory

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  6481048

  F4U-2 seat w/ integral belts PRINT

  1/48 Magic Factory

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  79

  November 2024

• Page 80

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for P-39

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  6481050

  P-39 exhaust stacks rounded PRINT

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Product page

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for P-39

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  6481049

  P-39 exhaust stacks fishtail PRINT

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Product page

  INFO Eduard80

  November 2024

• Page 81

  Brassin set - gun barrels for P-39 in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  6481053

  P-39 gun barrels

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-39 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  6481054

  P-39 seat PRINT

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  81

  November 2024

• Page 82

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for F-35B

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672390

  F-35B wheels

  1/72 Tamiya

  Product page

  Brassin set - cockpit for Bf 109G-10

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 11 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  672388

  Bf 109G-10 cockpit PRIN T

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard82

  November 2024

• Page 83

  Brassin set - ejection seat for F-35B

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 3 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  672391

  F-35B ejection seat PRINT

  1/72 Tamiya

  Product page

  BRASSIN

• Page 84

  Collection of 4 sets for F-35C in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Italeri

  - AIM-120C AMRAAM

  - GBU-12

  - GBU-31(V)3/B JDAM

  - AIM-9X

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN67225

  F-35C armament

  1/72 Italeri

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard84

  November 2024

• Page 85

  www.eduard.com/bfc

  BUNNY BUNNY FIGHTERFIGHTER

  CLUB

  Eduard's special membership club for all modeling enthusiasts!

  15% Permanent Club discount at Eduard Store – you will receive permanent 15% discount on all Eduard

  products and also discount on various other non-Eduard products. Fixed, permanent, forever!

  Unique valuable Club kits and accessories – you will gain access to unique and nowhere else to be sold

  products, specially made for BFC members.

  Even better prices at Eduard events stand – do you know that Eduard usually has huge discounts on

  their products at fairs and events all over the world? BFC members will have even higher discount at

  these events.

  Club T-shirt – you will receive fancy BFC T-shirt with unique design and special barcode

  (used for event discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only available

  to the members of BFC.

  Free entry fee on E-day – you will not have to pay a penny to visit Eduard's E-day.

  That means lot of fun at E-day for two days and entry kit, absolutely free!

  * E-day - INTERNATIONAL SCALE KIT EXHIBITION - IPMS Czech Republic Championship

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 6, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (two different types of wheels, landing flaps, dust filter with

  eyelid, intake ring and RP-3 60lb rockets), 3D decals for main and si

  -

  dewalk instrument and control panels with photo-etched details and

  seat belts.

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 4, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (undercarriage wheels, cockpit, exhaust nozzle, FOD).

  How to become a member of BFC?How to become a member of BFC?

  Simply by purchasing the Activation product. You will be given 15% discount on (almost) every Eduard

  product in your shopping cart. To apply this discount, the Activation product has to be in your shopping

  cart. Activation product is excluded from this calculation.

  Activation products:Activation products:

  Tempest Mk. V + T-shirt 1/48MiG-21MF + T-shirt 1/72

• Page 86

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  NOVEMBER 2024

  Studebaker US6-UC

  1/35 ICM

  #36525

  INFO Eduard86

  November 2024

• Page 87

  Mi-24P cargo interior

  1/48 Trumpeter

  #481151

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  Mi-24P

  1/48 Trumpeter

  #491482

  #FE1482

  #FE1483

  INFO Eduard

  87

  November 2024

• Page 88

  INFO Eduard88

  November 2024

• Page 89

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  89

  November 2024

• Page 90

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard90

  November 2024

• Page 91

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  91

  November 2024

• Page 92

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard92

  November 2024

• Page 93

  1/48

  Plastic parts Eduard

  6 markings options

  PE parts

  Painting mask

  #82107 @ eduard.com

  P-51B Mustang

  Birdcage canopy

  P-51B-15-NA, 43-24857, Capt. Robert M. Barkey, 318th FS,

  325th FG, 15th AF, Lesina, Italy, June 1944

  P-51B-5-NA, 43-6787,

  Capt. Gilbert O‘Brien, 362nd FS,

  357th FG, 8th AF, Leiston,

  United Kingdom, June 1944

  P-51B-10-NA, 42-106730,

  Capt. John T. Godfrey, 336th FS,

  4th FG, 8th AF, Debden,

  United Kingdom, April 1944

  P-51B-10-NA, 42-106501,

  Col. Charles McCorckle,

  CO of 31st FG, 15th AF, San Severo,

  Italy, July 1944

  P-51B-1, 43-12405, Col. David L. Hill, CO of 23rd FG, 14th AF, China, 1944

  P-51B-5-NA, 43-6461,

  1/Lt Wilson K. Baker Jr, 370th FS,

  359th FG, 8th AF, East Waltham,

  United Kingdom, August 1944

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of US fighter

  aircraft P-51B Mustang in 1/48 scale.

  It allows to build the aircraft with

  standard Birdcage canopy in one

  of six USAAF markings.

  P-51B Mustang

  Birdcage canopy

  RELATED PRODUCTS:

  FE1449 P-51B/C seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644268 P-51B/C LööK (Brassin)

  648986 P-51B/C wheels diamond tread (Brassin)

  648987 P-51B/C wheels oval tread (Brassin)

  648988 P-51B/C wheels cross tread (Brassin)

  648989 P-51B/C wheels block tread (Brassin)

  648990 P-51B/C wheels diamond tread 2 (Brassin)

  648991 P-51B/C wheels block tread 2 (Brassin)

  648992 P-51B/C exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648993 P-51B/C exhaust stacks w/fairing (Brassin)

  648994 P-51B/C undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648997 P-51B/C gun bays PRINT (Brassin)

  6481001 P-51B/C 108gal drop tanks PRINT (Brassin)

  6481002 P-51B/C seat Type 1 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481003 P-51B/C seat Type 2 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481004 P-51B/C engine (Brassin)

  6481005 P-51B/C 75gal drop tank early PRINT (Brassin)

  6481006 P-51B/C Hamilton Standard propeller (Brassin)

  6481007 P-51B/C Hamilton Standard propeller uncuffed (Brassin)

  6481008 P-51B/C bazooka rocket launcher (Brassin)

  6481009 P-51B/C/D seat Type 3 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481010 P-51B/C wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48177 P-51B/C SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  EX1036 P-51B/C framed canopy TFace (Mask)

  EX1037 P-51B/C Malcolm Hood canopy TFace (Mask)

  EX1038 P-51B/C US national insignia (Mask)

• Page 94

  3DL48199 Mi-24P SPACE 1/48 Trumpeter

  3DL48200

  Mustang Mk.III SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  easy

  application

  INFO Eduard94

  November 2024

• Page 95

  SPACE

  3DL48201 P-39N SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48202

  F-4C SPACE 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  95

  November 2024

• Page 96

  3DL72048 F-15D SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  Product page

  SPACE

  3DL72047 F-15C SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  Product page

  INFO Eduard96

  November 2024

• Page 97

  SPACE

  3DL72049 F-35C SPACE 1/72 Italeri

  SPACE

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  97

  November 2024

• Page 98

  BIG ED

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30 %.

  BIG5374 USS Ranger CV-4 1/350 Trumpeter

  BIG49425

  A-10C 1/48 Great Wall Hobb

  BIG49426

  B-17F regular nose PART I 1/48 Eduard

  53311 USS Ranger CV-4 part 1 1/350

  53312 USS Ranger CV-4 part 2 1/350

  53313 USS Ranger CV-4 part 3 1/350

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491458 A-10C 1/48

  FE1459 A-10C seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX1049 A-10C 1/48

  491460 B-17F cockpit 1/48

  491462 B-17F nose interior (alternate nose, sprue X) 1/48

  491463 B-17F radio compartment 1/48

  491464 B-17F waist section 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard98

  November 2024

• Page 99

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30 %.

  BIG ED

  BIG49427 B-17F alternate nose (frame X) PART I 1/48 Eduard

  BIG49428

  B-17F PART II 1/48 Eduard

  BIG72183

  B-24H 1/72 Airfix

  491460 B-17F cockpit 1/48

  491461 B-17F nose interior 1/48

  491463 B-17F radio compartment 1/48

  491464 B-17F waist section 1/48

  481147 B-17F undercarriage & exterior 1/48

  481148 B-17F ammo feed chutes 1/48

  491465 B-17F bomb bay 1/48

  491466 B-17F wooden floors & ammo boxes 1/48

  72739 B-24H undercarriage 1/72

  72740 B-24H bomb bay 1/72

  73829 B-24H cockpit & engines 1/72

  73830 B-24H nose & radio compartment 1/72

  CX667 B-24H 1/72

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  99

  November 2024

• Page 100

  MASKS

  IT FITS!

  EX1071 Mi-24P

  1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace

  1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1073 P-39N

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1074 P-39N TFace

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1075 F-4C TFace

  1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  CX674 F-15C

  1/72 Fine Molds

  CX675 F-15D

  1/72 Fine Molds

  CX676 Bf 109G wings leading

  edge wavy lines

  1/72

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace

  EX1074 P-39N TFace

  EX1074 P-39N TFace

  EX1074 P-39N TFace

  EX1074 P-39N TFace

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace

  EX1071 Mi-24P

  EX1071 Mi-24P

  EX1073 P-39N

  EX1073 P-39N

  INFO Eduard100

  November 2024

• Page 101

  MASKS

  EX1075 F-4C TFace

  CX674 F-15C

  CX675 F-15D

  CX674 F-15C

  CX675 F-15D

  EX1075 F-4C TFace

  EX1075 F-4C TFace EX1075 F-4C TFace

  INFO Eduard

  101

  November 2024

• Page 102

  RELEASES

  NOVEMBER 2024

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  2150 Gustav pt.3 Dual Combo 1/72 Limited

  82109 Mustang Mk.III 1/48 ProfiPACK

  70171 P-51D-5 1/72 ProfiPACK

  84203 Bf 109G-4 1/48 Weekend

  8227 F6F-3 Re-Release 1/48 ProfiPACK

  8094 DH-2 Re-Release 1/48 ProfiPACK

  53316 USS Midway CV-41 part 3 1/350 Trumpeter

  36525 Studebaker US6-U3 1/35 ICM

  481151 Mi-24P cargo interior 1/48 Trumpeter

  481152 P-39N landing flaps 1/48 Arma Hobby

  481153 F-4C exterior 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Academy

  481154 F-4C air brakes 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  491482 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  491484 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491486 F-4C 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Academy

  73835 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  73836 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  73837 F-35C 1/72 Italeri

  FE1482 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1483 Mi-24P seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1484 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1485 P-39N seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1486 F-4C 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Academy

  FE1487 F-4C seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  SS835 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  SS836 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  SS837 F-35C 1/72 Italeri

  EX1071 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1073 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1074 P-39N TFace 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1075 F-4C TFace 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Academy

  CX674 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  CX675 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  CX676 Bf 109G wings leading edge wavy lines 1/72

  BIG-EDBIG-ED

  BIG ED

  BIG5374 USS Ranger CV-4 1/350 Trumpeter

  BIG49425 A-10C 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  BIG49426 B-17F regular nose PART I 1/48 Eduard

  BIG49427 B-17F alternate nose (frame X) PART I 1/48 Eduard

  BIG49428 B-17F PART II 1/48 Eduard

  BIG72183 B-24H 1/72 Airfix

  INFO Eduard102

  November 2024

• Page 103

  RELEASES

  BRASSIN

  LöökPLUS

  BIG SIN

  SPACE

  644287 P-39Q LööK 1/48 Arma Hobby

  674022 Bf 109G-14/AS LööK 1/72 Eduard

  6481032 P-51B Malcolm Hood

  canopy cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481036 P-38F/G left engine PRINT 1/48 Tamiya

  6481039 P-51B/C seat

  w/ integral belts Type 1 PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481044 Bulldog gun barrels PRINT 1/48 Airfix

  6481045 Bulldog wheels 1/48 Airfix

  6481046 Bulldog seat PRINT 1/48 Airfix

  6481047 F4U-1A seat w/ integral belts PRINT 1/48 Magic Factory

  6481048 F4U-2 seat w/ integral belts PRINT 1/48 Magic Factory

  6481049 P-39 exhaust stacks fishtail PRINT 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481050 P-39 exhaust stacks rounded PRINT 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481053 P-39 gun barrels 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481054 P-39 seat PRINT 1/48 Arma Hobby

  672388 Bf 109G-10 cockpit PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672390 F-35B wheels 1/72 Tamiya

  672391 F-35B ejection seat PRINT 1/72 Tamiya

  674020 Bf 109G-10 LööKplus 1/72 Eduard

  674021 B-24H LööKplus 1/72 Airfix

  SIN67225 F-35C armament 1/72 Italeri

  3DL48199 Mi-24P SPACE 1/48 Trumpeter

  3DL48200 Mustang Mk.III SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48201 P-39N SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48202 F-4C SPACE 1/48

  Hobby 2000/Academy

  3DL72047 F-15C SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  3DL72048 F-15D SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  3DL72049 F-35C SPACE 1/72 Italeri

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  103

  November 2024

• Page 104

  BUILT

  built by Jan Baranec

  #11175

  MARKING G

  Product page

  1/48

  Accessories used:

  648061 HVAR rockets (Brassin)

  648887 FM-2 wheels (Brassin)

  648890 FM-2 gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  648896 FM-2 cockpit w/ armoured

  headrest PRINT (Brassin)

  648901 FM-2 exhausts PRINT (Brassin)

  648956 FM-2 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648960 FM-2 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  Follow me there: https://www.instagram.com/48_scale_hangar/

  INFO Eduard104

  November 2024

• Page 105

  #648896

  Product page

  BUILT

  FM-2 cockpit

  w/ armoured

  headrest PRINT

  INFO Eduard

  105

  November 2024

• Page 106

  BUILT

  FM-2 wheel bay PRINT

  #648956

  Product page

  INFO Eduard106

  November 2024

• Page 107

  BUILT

  FM-2 engine PRINT

  #648960

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  107

  November 2024

• Page 108

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard108

  November 2024

• Page 109

  VC-93, Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan, USS Petrof Bay, Okinawa, April–May 1945

  VC-93 was established on February 23, 1944 and

  its personnel was first to be trained aboard the

  USS Matanikau (from October 14, 1944). During its

  cruises off the Californian coast, this ship trained

  1,332 pilots in the following months until June

  1945. VC-93 replaced VC-76 aboard USS Petrof

  Bay on March 10, 1945 and sailed from Guam on

  March 21 to prepare for the Battle of Okinawa as

  part of Task Unit 52.1.2. VC-93 pilots supported

  the Marines first in the capture of the Kerama

  and Keise Shima archipelagos and then in the

  main operation on Okinawa. Beginning on April 13,

  the pilots then focused on neutralizing Japanese

  airfields on the Sakashima Archipelago, from

  which the Kamikaze pilots were taking off. By the

  end of their mission on May 26, VC-93 pilots had

  destroyed many enemy aircraft on the ground

  and shot down 17. Two of these kills were credited

  to Lt.(jg) Robert Sullivan. For her next mission,

  VC-93 sailed aboard USS Steamer Bay on June

  10, 1945 and, as part of the 3rd Fleet, assisted

  in the neutralization of Japanese airfields in

  the Sakishima Gunto Archipelago beginning

  June 14. This was followed by a return to San

  Diego and the end of the war. VC-93 aircraft

  operating from aboard USS Perof Bay bore the

  distinguishing symbol of a four-leaf clover on the

  vertical tail surfaces and on the upper right and

  bottom left wing halves. The all-blue livery was

  complemented by a photographically documented

  symbol of Sullivan’s first kill on the right side

  below the cockpit. It is uncertain whether it was

  also on the port side.

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  109

  November 2024

• Page 110

  Product page

  1/48

  built by Matthias Becker

  #11181

  MARKING D

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard110

  November 2024

• Page 111

  P-51C-1-NT, s/n 42-103309, Lt. William B. Overstreet, 363rd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, Leiston,

  Great Britain, June 1944

  “Bill” Overstreet became particularly famous for

  his story of chasing a German Bf 109 through

  the arches of the Eiffel Tower. The dogfight was

  supposed to have taken place sometime in the

  spring of 1944, but it is questionable whether the

  passage through the Eiffel Tower actually took

  place. Nor is the exact date of the duel known,

  and there is no mention in German records

  of such a strange event as a fighter plane

  crashing into the streets of Paris ... Overstreet

  was, however, an aggressive and capable pilot,

  and on September 3, 1944, for example, he took

  part in a top-secret mission in which a remote-

  controlled four-engine bomber attacked a heavily

  defended German heavily protected submarine

  base hidden in the cliffs. He subsequently flew

  other secret missions in support of the French

  Resistance, often landing behind enemy lines. His

  Berlin Express, with which he was to fly under

  and through the Eiffel Tower, bore a partial coat of

  olive drab paint on the upper surfaces, while the

  sides and undersides were left in a natural metal

  and aluminum paint.

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  111

  November 2024

• Page 112

  built by Paolo Portuesi

  #11107

  MARKING A

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard112

  November 2024

• Page 113

  Bf 109E-3, WNr. 5102, Lt. Herbert Kunze, Stab I./JG 77, Döberitz, Germany, June 1940

  This aircraft was manufactured by WNF in early

  autumn 1939 and assigned to I./JG 77 led by

  Hptm. Johannes Janke. This unit was frequently

  relocated prior to World War II outbreak so it was

  no wonder the members of I./JG 77 ironically

  dubbed themselves “Wanderzirkus Janke”

  (Janke’s Wandering Circus) and expressed their

  feelings about the constant relocation with

  a scuffed boot as the unit's emblem. Janke's

  adjutant Lt. Kunze was born in Berlin in 1918.

  He achieved two victories in September 1940

  and lived to see his promotion to the rank of

  Oberleutnant. He was killed in combat with

  Spitfires of No. 603 Squadron on September

  14, 1940 while at the controls of Bf 109E-4 WNr.

  3759. He crashed near Lympne and was buried

  two days later in Hawkinge Cemetery. Kunze

  originally used a Bf 109E-1 with the name “Sepp”

  under the cockpit, but for this Bf 109E-3 he chose

  to paint a small rabbit with a spear between its

  ears and the inscription “Kieki”.

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  113

  November 2024

• Page 114

  1/48

  P-38F/G

  left engine

  PRINT

  Product page

  built by Jan Baranec

  #6481036

  Follow me there: https://www.instagram.com/48_scale_hangar/

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard114

  November 2024

• Page 115

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  115

  November 2024

• Page 116

  ON APPROACH

  DECEMBER 2024

  644290

  P-39N LööK

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  644291

  A-4M mod. 1970 LööK

  1/48 Magic Factory

  BIG33164 AH-64A early 1/35 Trumpeter

  BIG49429 Fulmar Mk.II 1/48 Trumpeter

  BIG49430 U-2S 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG49431 A-4B 1/48 Hobby 2000 / Hasegawa

  BIG49432 A-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000 / Hasegawa

  644290 P-39N LööK 1/48 Arma Hobby

  644291 A-4M mod. 1970 LööK 1/48 MAGIC FATORY

  644292 A-4M mod. 1975 LööK 1/48 MAGIC FATORY

  624005 Spitfire Mk.VIII exhaust fishtail PRINT 1/24 Airfix

  624006 Spitfire Mk.VIII wheels 4spoke 1/24 Airfix

  635037 Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. D

  radio equipment dark yellow PRINT 1/35 Border Model

  648813 Python 5 PRINT 1/48

  6481037 P-38F/G right engine PRINT 1/48 Tamiya

  6481055 MG 15 magazines & case catchers PRINT 1/48

  672389 P-51D engine PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672392 F-35B cockpit PRINT 1/72 Tamiya

  672393 Chinook HC.1 wheels 1/72 Airfix

  672394 US 500lb bombs PRINT 1/72

  672395 WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-4 PRINT 1/72

  672396 WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-6 PRINT 1/72

  672397 WWII USAAF oxygen tank G-1 PRINT 1/72

  672398

  L-410UVP 2024 ex-Gavia EDUARD EDITION upgrade set 1/72 Gavia/Eduard

  644288 P-39Q LööKplus 1/48 Arma Hobby

  644289 Bulldog Mk.II LööKplus 1/48 Airfix

  SIN648134 P-51B Birdcage canopy ESSENTIAL 1/48 Eduard

  SIN67226 P-51D-5 ESSENTIAL 1/72 Eduard

  BIG ED (December)

  BRASSIN (December)

  LöökPlus (December)

  BIGSIN (December)

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for A-4M in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Magic Factory

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seat belts for P-39N in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  644291

  A-4M mod. 1975 LööK

  1/48 Magic Factory

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for A-4M in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Magic Factory

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  INFO Eduard116

  November 2024

• Page 117

  624005

  Spitfire Mk.VIII exhaust fishtail PRINT

  1/24 Airfix

  624006

  Spitfire Mk.VIII wheels 4 spoke

  1/24 Airfix

  635037

  Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. D radio equipment dark yellow PRINT

  1/35 Border Model

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Spitfire Mk.VIII

  in 1/24 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - undercarriage wheels for Spitfire Mk.VIII

  in 1/24 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

  a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - pre-painted radio equipment for Sd.Kfz, 251/1

  Ausf. D in 1/35 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Border Model

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 11 parts

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  ON APPROACH

  INFO Eduard

  117

  November 2024

• Page 118

  ON APPROACH

  DECEMBER 2024

  648813

  Python 5 PRINT

  1/48

  6481037

  P-38F/G right engine PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  6481055

  MG 15 magazines & case catchers PRINT

  1/48

  Brassin set - Python 5 air-to-air missile

  for Israeli A/C in 1/48 scale. Set consists

  of 4 missiles. Made by 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - starboard engine for P-38F

  or P-38G in 1/48 scale. Cowlings are included.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 41 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - MG 15 machine gun magazines

  and case chatchers in 1/48 scale. Set consists

  of 10 magazines and 10 case catchers

  (2 types, 5+5 pcs). Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts,

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 20 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  INFO Eduard118

  November 2024

• Page 119

  ON APPROACHDECEMBER 2024

  672389

  P-51D engine PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  672392

  F-35B cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  672393

  Chinook HC.1 wheels

  1/72 Airfix

  Brassin set - engine for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  Cowlings are included. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 32 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - cockpit for F-35B in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 7 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Chinook

  HC.1 in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and tail wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  INFO Eduard

  119

  November 2024

• Page 120

  ON APPROACH

  672394

  US 500lb bombs PRINT

  1/72

  Brassin set - US 500lb bombs in 1/72 scale.

  Set consists of 6 bombs. Made by direct

  3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672396

  WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-6 PRINT

  1/72

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/72 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672395

  WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-4 PRINT

  1/72

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/72 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  DECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard120

  November 2024

• Page 121

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/72 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672397

  WWII USAAF oxygen tank G-1 PRINT

  1/72

  Brassin set - propellers, air intakes and

  an undercarriage for L-410UVP in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Gavia / Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 10 parts

  - resin: 9 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes

  - painting mask: yes

  672398

  L-410UVP 2024 ex-Gavia EDUARD EDITION upgrade set

  1/72 Gavia/Eduard

  DECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  121

  November 2024

• Page 122

  ON APPROACH

  644288

  P-39Q LööKplus

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Collection of 4 sets for P-39Q in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - gun barrels

  - pilot seat

  - painting mask

  644289

  Bulldog Mk.II LööKplus

  1/48 Airfix

  Collection of 5 sets for Bulldog Mk.II in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - gun barrels

  - pilot seat

  - undercarriage wheels

  - painting mask

  DECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard122

  November 2024

• Page 123

  SIN648134

  P-51B Birdcage canopy ESSENTIAL

  1/48 Eduard

  SIN67226

  P-51D-5 ESSENTIAL

  1/72 Eduard

  Collection of 4 sets for P-51B in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - propeller

  - undercarriage legs (BRONZE)

  - 75gal fuel drop tanks

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51D-5 in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - propeller

  - wing gun bays

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  ON APPROACHDECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  123

  November 2024

• Page 124

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53317 USS Midway CV-41 part 4 1/350 Trumpeter

  36526 M48A3 1/35 I LOVE KIT

  36527 M2 Bradley 1/35 MAGIC FACTORY

  23040 Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/24 Airfix

  23041 Spitfire Mk.VIII landing flaps 1/24 Airfix

  23042 Spitfire Mk.VIII engine & undercarriage 1/24 Airfix

  23043 Spitfire Mk.VIII seatbelts STEEL 1/24 Airfix

  491488 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  491490 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  491492 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  73838 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  ZOOMS

  FE1488 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  FE1489 F-86A seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Clear Prop

  FE1490 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1491 MiG-35 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1492 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1493 F4U-2 seatbelrs STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  SS838 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  MASKS

  LX009 Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/24 Airfix

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace 1/24 Airfix

  EX1076 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1077 F-86A TFace 1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1078 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1079 MiG-35 TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1080 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1081 F4U-2 TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1082 Spitfire Mk.IX TFace 1/48 Eduard

  CX677 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  CX678 Bf 109G-10 1/72 Eduard

  CX679 Bf 109G-14/AS 1/72 Eduard

  SPACE

  3DL32028 Spitfire Mk.VIII SPACE 1/24 Airfix

  3DL48203 F-86A SPACE 1/48 Clear Prop

  3DL48204 MiG-35 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL48205 Bf 109G-4 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48206 F4U-2 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL72050 Meteor FR.9 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  3DL72051 L-39C SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  DECAL SET

  D72052 P-51D-5 "357th FG" 1/72 Eduard

  ON APPROACH

  DECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard124

  November 2024

• Page 125

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53317 USS Midway CV-41 part 4 1/350 Trumpeter

  36526 M48A3 1/35 I LOVE KIT

  36527 M2 Bradley 1/35 MAGIC FACTORY

  23040 Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/24 Airfix

  23041 Spitfire Mk.VIII landing flaps 1/24 Airfix

  23042 Spitfire Mk.VIII engine & undercarriage 1/24 Airfix

  23043 Spitfire Mk.VIII seatbelts STEEL 1/24 Airfix

  491488 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  491490 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  491492 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  73838 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  ZOOMS

  FE1488 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  FE1489 F-86A seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Clear Prop

  FE1490 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1491 MiG-35 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1492 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1493 F4U-2 seatbelrs STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  SS838 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  MASKS

  LX009 Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/24 Airfix

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace 1/24 Airfix

  EX1076 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1077 F-86A TFace 1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1078 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1079 MiG-35 TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1080 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1081 F4U-2 TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1082 Spitfire Mk.IX TFace 1/48 Eduard

  CX677 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  CX678 Bf 109G-10 1/72 Eduard

  CX679 Bf 109G-14/AS 1/72 Eduard

  SPACE

  3DL32028 Spitfire Mk.VIII SPACE 1/24 Airfix

  3DL48203 F-86A SPACE 1/48 Clear Prop

  3DL48204 MiG-35 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL48205 Bf 109G-4 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48206 F4U-2 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL72050 Meteor FR.9 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  3DL72051 L-39C SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  DECAL SET

  D72052 P-51D-5 "357th FG" 1/72 Eduard

  ON APPROACH

  Spitfire Mk.IXe 1/48

  #8288

  RR201, F/Lt Richard J. Audet, F/Lt John J. Boyle, No. 411 Squadron,

  ALG B.88 Heesh, The Netherlands, December 1944

  PV181, W/Cdr Rolf A. Berg, No. 132 Wing, ALG B.79 Woendstrecht,

  The Netherlands, winter 1944

  TE517, S/Ldr O. Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Manston,

  Kent, Great Britain, August 1945

  RR201, F/Lt John J. Boyle, No. 411 Squadron, ALG B.88 Heesh,

  The Netherlands, February-April 1945

  RK889, S/Ldr Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Manston,

  Kent, Great Britain, May-July 1945

  RK917, G/Cpt Douglas Bader, RAF North Weald, Great Britain,

  September 1945

  2003 (ex TE531), 105. Tajeset, Ramat David AB, Izrael, September 1953

  DECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  125

  November 2024

• Page 126

  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109G-14

  1/72

  #70161

  Hptm. Erich Hartmann, CO of 4./JG 52, Csór,

  Hungary, November 1944

  WNr. 781183, Uffz. Werner Zetzschke, 4./JG 4,

  Darmstadt-Griesheim, Germany, January 1945

  WNr. 464068, Str. Josip Cekovič,

  2. ZLJ (Zrakoplovno Lovačko Jato), Iesi airfield,

  Italy, April 1945

  WNr. 462649, Hptm. Alfred Grislawski, CO of III./JG 53,

  Paderborn, Germany, September 1944

  WNr. 462xxx, Uffz. Karl-Heinz Erler, 16./JG 5, Rygge,

  Norway, April 1945

  WNr. 464444, Maj. Carlo Miami, CO of 2

  o

  Gruppo Caccia, ANR, Aviano, Italy, February 1945

  DECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard126

  November 2024

• Page 127

  The WWII American twin-engine bomber B-26F/G

  Marauder of the European and Mediterranean

  theaters of operations

  www.eduard.com

  Hasegawa plastic parts

  Photo-etched and pre-painted

  parts for the finest detail

  Die cut masks for easy painting

  Brassin wheels

  Decals for 8 marking options

  2146

  ITEM

  1/72

  JUNE RELEASES

  #84200

  #82146

  #70159

  #7096

  Spitfire Mk.Vb OVERLORD

  Bf 109G-6

  L-29 Delfín

  Fw 190A-2

  1/481/72 1/72

  The Weekend edition kit of British fighter

  aircraft Spitfire Mk.Vb in 1/48 scale.

  The kit presents Spitfires used during

  operation Overlord.

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of the German fighter

  plane Bf 109G-6 in 1/72 scale. From the kit

  it is possible to build Messerschmitts with

  standard canopy and standard rudder.

  ProfiPACK edition kit of German WWII fighter

  aircraft Fw 190A-2 in 1/48 scale. The kit

  offers the aircraft with two-cannon as well

  as four-cannon wings.

  ProfiPACK edition kit of Czechoslovak military

  jet trainer L-29 Delfín in 1/72 scale.

  1/48

• Tail End Charlie - Neighbors

  Some time ago, my colleague Jan Bobek came to me saying that he wanted to prepare an article about Viktor Petermann, whose Bf 109 G-4 was to appear on the cover of a November kit release and which is covered by one of the historical articles in this issue of our newsletter. It brought me back to the beginning of December 1995, when I, together with my staff from the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains Museum, which was just being created at the time, received an invitation to a meeting of veterans at the airport in Zwickau.

  NEIGHBORS

  Jan Zdiarský

  Some time ago, my colleague Jan Bobek came to

  me saying that he wanted to prepare an article

  about Viktor Petermann, whose Bf 109 G-4 was

  to appear on the cover of a November kit release

  and which is covered by one of the historical arti-

  cles in this issue of our newsletter. It brought me

  back to the beginning of December 1995, when

  I, together with my staff from the Air Battle over

  the Ore Mountains Museum, which was just be-

  ing created at the time, received an invitation to

  a meeting of veterans at the airport in Zwickau.

  The meeting was of the Alten Adler, or the Old

  Eagles, as they called themselves. These were

  German aviation veterans, the association of

  ‘Gemeinschaft Der Jagdflieger E V’, ‘Jägerkreis

  Sachsen’, and they met there regularly at their

  ‘Fliegerstammtisch’. The community of old gen-

  tlemen and their wives was made up of former

  members of the Luftwaffe fighter force, a large

  part of them members of JG 52 from the Eastern

  Front. In the same week, I had a regular month-

  ly meeting with our Czechoslovak RAF veterans,

  who, on the other hand, were members of the

  Czechoslovak Association of Foreign Service

  Airmen 1939-45. When we, then timid lads, were

  welcomed in Zwickau, it was up to me to thank

  the group on behalf of the somewhat bewildered

  Czechs and say something about us. I was look-

  ing at the old gentlemen, for the first time I had

  the opportunity to meet those who were on the

  ‘other side’ in such a big way only a few decades

  before. I remembered the meeting of the Associ-

  ation of Czechoslovak Veterans just a few days

  prior and I told our new German friends about it.

  Or, more accurately, the sentiment was relayed

  by my friend and museum colleague Petr Frank,

  who translated my words. I said that very recent-

  ly I had been at a similar meeting of Czechoslo-

  vak airmen, and from what I could observe of the

  gentlemen from the meeting in Prague and now

  at Zwickau, it was very difficult to tell that these

  two groups had been such enemies at one point

  in time.

  Somewhere down the middle of the long table at

  the head of which we stood, a smiling tall gen-

  tleman in a short-sleeved shirt that revealed

  a missing left arm stood up and told me with

  a smile to convey a sincere greeting to our

  Czechoslovak veterans and tell them that we

  were not mutual enemies, but enemies as dictat-

  ed by political doctrines of the state.

  That’s how Viktor Petermann came into our

  lives. Of course, this was a somewhat diplomatic

  expression, given the ferocity of the air war bat-

  tles of 1939-45. But at the same time, it describes

  the personality of Mr. Petermann and it certainly

  influenced my view of history and of the many

  veterans of the German fighter air force that we

  began to meet. Later we got to know Mr. Peter-

  mann much better and met him and his lovely

  wife Elfriede many more times. We were amazed

  during that first meeting, when he later sat down

  with us at the table in the corner of the room and

  we listened to his story, learned that he had 64

  confirmed kills, flew both the Bf 109 and the

  Me 262, and was a holder of the Knight’s Cross.

  The fact that we were basically neighbors defi-

  nitely helped us grow closer to each other. His

  native Vejprty is a neighboring town, only six

  kilometers away from our Kovářská, basically

  over the next hill, you might say. Although the

  events caused by the Second World War did not

  allow him to live in his hometown, he did not hold

  a grudge against them or us and took us as

  friends from the neighborhood.

  After the opening of our museum in 1997, Mr. Pe-

  termann participated in discussions with veter-

  ans that we organized. There he also met several

  times with the Czechoslovak members of the RAF

  whom he had greeted in December 1995.

  An early meeting with Viktor Petermann at the Zwickau airfield. From left to right:

  Karel Hušek, Jan Zdiarský, Lorenz Zentgraf, Viktor Petermann, and Petr Frank.

  Fliegerstammtisch Zwickau, Jägerkreis Sachsen, December 11, 1997.

  On photo: Viktor Petermann (JG 52, JG 7), Heinz Zimmer (JG 26, JG 4), Petr Frank, and Jan Zdiarský.

  INFO Eduard128

  November 2024

• Page 129

  NEIGHBORS

  Jan Zdiarský

  Some time ago, my colleague Jan Bobek came to

  me saying that he wanted to prepare an article

  about Viktor Petermann, whose Bf 109 G-4 was

  to appear on the cover of a November kit release

  and which is covered by one of the historical arti-

  cles in this issue of our newsletter. It brought me

  back to the beginning of December 1995, when

  I, together with my staff from the Air Battle over

  the Ore Mountains Museum, which was just be-

  ing created at the time, received an invitation to

  a meeting of veterans at the airport in Zwickau.

  The meeting was of the Alten Adler, or the Old

  Eagles, as they called themselves. These were

  German aviation veterans, the association of

  ‘Gemeinschaft Der Jagdflieger E V’, ‘Jägerkreis

  Sachsen’, and they met there regularly at their

  ‘Fliegerstammtisch’. The community of old gen-

  tlemen and their wives was made up of former

  members of the Luftwaffe fighter force, a large

  part of them members of JG 52 from the Eastern

  Front. In the same week, I had a regular month-

  ly meeting with our Czechoslovak RAF veterans,

  who, on the other hand, were members of the

  Czechoslovak Association of Foreign Service

  Airmen 1939-45. When we, then timid lads, were

  welcomed in Zwickau, it was up to me to thank

  the group on behalf of the somewhat bewildered

  Czechs and say something about us. I was look-

  ing at the old gentlemen, for the first time I had

  the opportunity to meet those who were on the

  ‘other side’ in such a big way only a few decades

  before. I remembered the meeting of the Associ-

  ation of Czechoslovak Veterans just a few days

  prior and I told our new German friends about it.

  Or, more accurately, the sentiment was relayed

  by my friend and museum colleague Petr Frank,

  who translated my words. I said that very recent-

  ly I had been at a similar meeting of Czechoslo-

  vak airmen, and from what I could observe of the

  gentlemen from the meeting in Prague and now

  at Zwickau, it was very difficult to tell that these

  two groups had been such enemies at one point

  in time.

  Somewhere down the middle of the long table at

  the head of which we stood, a smiling tall gen-

  tleman in a short-sleeved shirt that revealed

  a missing left arm stood up and told me with

  a smile to convey a sincere greeting to our

  Czechoslovak veterans and tell them that we

  were not mutual enemies, but enemies as dictat-

  ed by political doctrines of the state.

  That’s how Viktor Petermann came into our

  lives. Of course, this was a somewhat diplomatic

  expression, given the ferocity of the air war bat-

  tles of 1939-45. But at the same time, it describes

  the personality of Mr. Petermann and it certainly

  influenced my view of history and of the many

  veterans of the German fighter air force that we

  began to meet. Later we got to know Mr. Peter-

  mann much better and met him and his lovely

  wife Elfriede many more times. We were amazed

  during that first meeting, when he later sat down

  with us at the table in the corner of the room and

  we listened to his story, learned that he had 64

  confirmed kills, flew both the Bf 109 and the

  Me 262, and was a holder of the Knight’s Cross.

  The fact that we were basically neighbors defi-

  nitely helped us grow closer to each other. His

  native Vejprty is a neighboring town, only six

  kilometers away from our Kovářská, basically

  over the next hill, you might say. Although the

  events caused by the Second World War did not

  allow him to live in his hometown, he did not hold

  a grudge against them or us and took us as

  friends from the neighborhood.

  After the opening of our museum in 1997, Mr. Pe-

  termann participated in discussions with veter-

  ans that we organized. There he also met several

  times with the Czechoslovak members of the RAF

  whom he had greeted in December 1995.

  An early meeting with Viktor Petermann at the Zwickau airfield. From left to right:

  Karel Hušek, Jan Zdiarský, Lorenz Zentgraf, Viktor Petermann, and Petr Frank.

  Fliegerstammtisch Zwickau, Jägerkreis Sachsen, December 11, 1997.

  On photo: Viktor Petermann (JG 52, JG 7), Heinz Zimmer (JG 26, JG 4), Petr Frank, and Jan Zdiarský.

  At Jan Bobek’s request, I will remind you here of

  one of the stories that Viktor Petermann told us

  and which is loosely related to the topic of the

  aforementioned article. In the post-war years,

  he worked as a citizen of East Germany in the

  trade of agricultural commodities, especially

  grain, and as part of his employment, he traveled

  to the Soviet Union for business meetings. Once,

  after a meeting, a Soviet interpreter came to him

  and said to him ‘

  I know you, Mr. Petermann...

  ’.

  This caught him off guard, after which the wom-

  an added that during the war, she had worked in

  the Soviet eavesdropping service, which mon-

  itored radio transmissions of the German Air

  Force in the Kuban area in 1943. The specialists

  of this service were mostly women with a per-

  fect knowledge of German and knew many of the

  German airmen operating over the virtually stat-

  ic front line for several months, not only by their

  radio codes, but often by their names and some

  even by voice.

  Mr. Petermann was a big-hearted insightful man

  until the end of his days, and certainly one of the

  prominent personalities who wielded much in-

  fluence over the style with which the Museum of

  the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains passes on

  historical legacy.

  Viktor Petermann is also honored in the exhibition at the Museum of the Air

  Battle over the Ore Mountains, specifically in the section dedicated to general

  Luftwaffe equipment. The shooting and identification training tool, at the bot-

  tom of the display, was donated by him to the museum around 1998.

  A discussion of WWII veterans and public visitors in Kovářská, September 1998. From left to right: Hans Bachmann (JG 52), standing Viktor Petermann

  (JG 52, JG 7), Col. Lubomír Úlehla (No. 311 Squadron RAF & FAFL), Col. Petr Uruba (No. 311 Squadron RAF), Ewald Herhold (Jasta Helgoland JG 1),

  and Herbert Chlond (ZG 1, JG 4).

  Handwritten notes detailing Viktor Petermann’s wartime statistics.

  Lt. Viktor Petermann with his wife and daughter.

  [Photo: Museum of Air Battle over the Ore Mountains Archive]

  INFO Eduard

  129

  November 2024

• Editorial

  
  

  Good evening, dear Friends,

   Welcome to this, our penultimate newsletter of this year. November is traditionally one of the busier months for us, and this one is shaping up to be the busiest month for the year, bar none. There will be a lot going on, although not all of our activity will be readily apparent at first glance. High visibility activities will undoubtedly include our participation in exhibitions and related events. Next weekend we will be at Telford for Scale Model Word. We only have a small square footage table setup at the show, but considering its size, it's also damn expensive. Our trip to Telford will be accompanied by a short, four-day Afterparty, sales events that we traditionally put on for people who can’t attend a specific event. We’ll be well stocked at Telford, bringing along not only the first Profipack of the 72nd scale P-51D-5 Mustang, but, as with E-day, we also have a theme-relevant item ready, a 48th scale Mustang Mk.III. Originally, it was supposed to be just a simple Limited Edition show piece in a white box, but in the end we decided that British Mustangs are worth more effort than that and promoted the item to a standard Profipack boxing. I have no doubt it will appeal to all fans of the RAF and British aviation in general, as will the Profipack DH-2 reissue.

   For an older item, the DH-2 is still holding up very well. The masters were made honestly, by hand, and the molds are galvanized metal. As I say, they’ve held up well, more than a quarter of a century after their creation. You might think that this kit would be a good candidate for our ‘Heavy Retro’ line, but due to its execution, cleanliness of work and type of form, this kit is still too ‘current standard’ to really belong in that category conceptually. True, in terms of current standard kits, the DH-2 hails from the beginnings of what we see as this type of product, but it is in a style of work that forms a direct line of development to today's modern kits. And it’s not just about the plastic. The boxart was also created by hand by Martin Novotny. Nevertheless, it has a lot in common with contemporary boxarts, as indicated by Honza Bobek's Box Art Story on the subject of the plot depicted in this painting.

   The last Saturday of November ends this year's show season in Bratislava, with the resurrected Plastic Winter event. We are curious to see how the exhibition and competition will look like at its new venue. I will be in Bratislava personally, and I promised to conduct a Slovak version of ‘the Pot’ Q and A session. If I understood the preliminary agreement with the organizers correctly, it will be a stand-up discussion. Plastic Winter coincides with the traditional date of the global Black Friday event, in which we also regularly participate. This year will be no different, which means that the Plastic Winter Afterparty and Black Friday will be one event, lasting in this case from Friday to Monday. This is not because we want to drag out Black Friday to some point of endlessness, as is the custom for many stores, but rather because there are some behind-the-scenes technical considerations that come into play with activating and ending such a sale. I recommend being alert with respect to this event, do not hesitate and do not postpone any purchases until Monday. You might not make it.

   In November we will also finish making the molds for the P-40E in1:48th and preparing the Royal Class boxing, which will be new for February, 2025. This means that whatever components are going into the kit must be ready by Christmas….in about seven weeks. As of today, we have all twelve color options selected and are working on the decals, tweaking the color schemes, instructions and accessory sets, especially those produced by the Brassin department. As of today, none of the six molds are ready, but we will change that quickly during November. All forms are at a high stage of development, every day more parts, plates and electrodes are added. We are conducting final milling, sparking, cleaning and assembling of the forms, doing some fine tuning and are getting ready to pop out the first test shots. You can follow the progress of the work on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Pre-orders of the Royal Class P-40E will start on our e-shop www.eduard.cz on November 15th and will last until November 26th. Test shots will be available for actual viewing for the first time in Bratislava on November 30th. As part of the pre-order offer, it will be possible to include accessory sets for the kit as well. Together with the base kit, a number of these will be made available. We are working on a printed cockpit, engine, landing gear struts, wheels and other sets.

   The pre-order method on our e-shop will not be your only chance to buy this kit, and it will be on sale at retailers from the end of January who order in time. As with previous Royal Class releases this year, we will only produce the total number of kits ordered from our pre-order e-shop and those pre-ordered by retailers. We then round the total number up to an even hundred, and produce that quantity. By definition, this will give us a few dozen kits left over at the end of January. We will then either sell them to one of the retailers, or we will sell them ourselves at model shows.

   We made the return to pre-orders after a few years, as well as to Royal Class boxings. It is our response to changing market conditions and also to repeated requests from modelers. I confess that I was against the idea for a long time and if it weren't for the complications in the market brought on by the Russian war, I would probably continue to be against it. However, the sales figures of this renewed series of kits show that it was the right reaction. It confirms the old truism that an extraordinary situation calls for extraordinary decisions. We've done quite a bit of that over the past two years, and I'm sure we're not done yet. By the way, a few weeks ago while sorting through old documents I came across a list of Avia B.534 subscribers. That list is eighteen years old now. I'd post a photo here, but I'm afraid that would be a GDPR violation. Don’t want that. This also shows where our world has moved to in those eighteen years and what a different one it is today. I'm not complaining, I'm perfectly happy with the progress made in those eighteen years and I'm not calling for a return to the old days in any way. Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. Social and age factors aside, at least technologically, we are in a completely different world today. From the perspective of 2006, we are in a science fiction world not easily imagined back then. The fact that we still haven't landed on Mars and Martians haven't landed here doesn't play a major role in this.

   We have another milestone coming up in November that has many people at Eduard working their butts off right now. We are about to publish the first issue of the paid subscription version of the Eduard newsletter we call the Modelers’ Den. It took us a long time, admittedly, but I think that most will easily agree that with us, good things come to those who wait. This endeavor will be similar, but not identical, to our classic newsletter. For example, it will contain only a minimum of information about Eduard releases, as it is not primarily intended as a vehicle to promote our own products, but will bring additional information in the form of historical articles, reports from modeling events and museums, interviews with interesting personalities and information coming from other companies. It won't be completely ad-free, we expect it to feature ads from other manufacturers, magazines and modeling events. In this sense, it will be a commercial product and will earn money to sustain itself through paid advertising. Another source of income is expected from paying readers. The price will be 120 CZK, which amounts to something like five bucks US, and there will be a little perk that comes with it. With your purchase, you will receive a discount coupon to be used for purchases through our e-shop, which can also be used in combination with other offers. Combined with a purchase of regular value from our e-shop, the purchase of the magazine is more than worth it. The first issue will be free so you can give a test drive with no obligation. However, I need to mention that at the moment, we are still dealing with one technical issue that could delay the release of the first issue of the Modelers’ Den by a month or, worst case, two. The issue stems from the fact that originally, the Den was not supposed to be a downloadable pdf, it was only supposed to be readable in the Triobo browser. However, based on discussions with modelers, we came to the conclusion that this would not be appropriate and decided to allow the download in pdf form for readers. It’s only a matter of time before we iron out the last remaining bugs.

   

  Happy Modelling!

  Vladimir Sulc

  
  

  
  

• Return through the Kuban Bridgehead

  
  

  Text: Jan Bobek

   

  Fighter pilot Viktor Petermann stands out as a fascinating figure in the history of the Luftwaffe. During his service on the Eastern Front in 1942, he served as a Kaczmarek (wingman) to several JG 52 Kommodores. He displayed his flying and combat skills on numerous occasions, and, despite losing his left arm toward the war's end, he returned to combat, even briefly piloting Me 262 jets with JG 7 before ending the war on the Eastern Front with JG 52. His name appeared frequently in the German press during the war, several times even in detailed articles, one of which recounted his remarkable return across the front lines from enemy territory at the Kuban in June 1943.

   

  The Fighting at Kuban

  The Kuban bridgehead, also known as Gotenkopf, was a German defensive position on the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia, held from January to October 1943. After German troops retreated from the Caucasus, this line was established along the lower Kuban River to enable another push toward the Caucasus oil fields.

  A significant operation in the area was the Soviet landing at “Malaya Zemlya” (literally “Small Land”, a Soviet uphill outpost on Cape Myskhako ) near Novorossiysk in February 1943, which the Soviets successfully held until September. Another key event was the battle around Krymskaya station, liberated in early May.

  The ground operations at Kuban were accompanied by the most extensive air battles on the Eastern Front up to that point. In April 1943, the Luftwaffe concentrated a quarter of its forces on this part of the eastern front, operating under Fliegerkorps I. On the Soviet side, the main air units consisted of the 4th and 5th Air Armies. The Germans aimed to destroy the Soviet bridgehead at Malaya Zemlya as part of Operation Neptun in April 1943. Luftwaffe fighter units concentrated in this area included Stab, II., and III./JG 3, along with Stab, I., II., and III./JG 52, supported by Slovak 13./JG 52 and Croatian 15./JG 52. All these units were equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 and G-4 aircraft.

  Although the Germans initially held numerical, technical, and tactical advantages in Operation Neptun, the Soviets quickly reinforced their air forces in the region and defended the bridgehead at Malaya Zemlya by mid-April. This created considerable tension within the German command, and with Operation Zitadelle approaching, III./JG 3 and I./JG 52 were withdrawn from the area at the end of April.

  The deployment of Soviet airmen to Kuban in April 1943 led to higher losses on the Soviet side than for the Luftwaffe. At the same time, Soviet air units were working to quickly adapt to enemy tactics. Additional reinforcements and new types of aircraft, including Spitfires, were also arriving at the Kuban front.

  During the Soviet offensive in May in the Krymskaya area, although the Soviets had achieved numerical air superiority, the weakened German fighter units managed to defend their ground forces in grueling battles. The Soviets ultimately failed to break through the German defensive line at Kuban, the offensive was halted in early June, and the Luftwaffe relocated most of its units from Kuban to the Kursk area.

   

  Viktor Petermann

  One of the German pilots who fought in this region was Viktor Petermann, born during the Great War on May 26, 1916, in the town of Weipert (Czech: Vejprty) in the Ore Mountains (German: Erzgebirge, Czech: Krušné hory). At that time, the town was part of the Kingdom of Bohemia within the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Most of the town’s residents were German-speaking, and by the war’s end, over 400 men were missing from their families, either fallen, fatally wounded, or missing. Many had served in the k.u.k. Infanterieregiment "Edler von Hortstein" Nr. 92, based in Komotau (Chomutov).

  Petermann completed his primary and secondary education in Vejprty after the founding of Czechoslovakia. In his youth, he became an active member of various technical and sports clubs, focusing especially on skiing, glider flying, and rowing. He joined the Sudeten German rowing association Carolus in Děčín (German: Tetschen) and, as part of a coxed four team, successfully competed in several races in both Czechoslovakia and Germany. His physical fitness would later save his life on multiple occasions.

  Viktor Petermann in a photo from 1944 after receiving the Knight's Cross. He now has a prosthetic arm in place of his left hand. Photo: Viktor Petermann

  
  

  Following the cession of the Czech and Moravian borderlands (Sudetenland) to Germany in autumn 1938 and the subsequent occupation of the rest of Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939, Petermann joined the German armed forces. From July 1939 to April 1942, he trained with Flg. Ausb. Regt. 53 and 52, Jagdfliegerschule 3, Jagdgruppe Drontheim, and 2./Erg. Jagdgruppe Ost. In early May 1942, he was assigned as an Unteroffizier to the Stab of JG 52 on the Eastern Front, where he served until early 1943. For most of this time, the unit Kommodores were Maj. Gordon Gollob and Obstlt. Dieter Hrabak. Petermann achieved nine aerial victories during this period and became known for flying about 100 km with a severely damaged wing after a collision with an I-153. He continued correspondence with Gollob later in the war.

  After being promoted to Feldwebel, Petermann fought in February 1943 with 4./JG 52 in the Kuban area and was reassigned to 5./JG 52 in mid-April. By June 4, he had recorded 38 victories on this battlefield. His fellow pilots in the 5th Staffel included future Luftwaffe aces such as Fw. Otto Fönnekold, Uffz. Peter Düttmann, and Lt. Walter Wolfrum.

  Anapa airfield in spring 1943 during the battles in Kuban. The photo captures members of the Slovak 13./JG 52, which operated under the command of II./JG 52, as did 5./JG 52, where Viktor Petermann served.  Photo: Bundesarchiv via Wikimedia Commons

  
  

  Fateful Sunday in June

  Near the end of the Soviet offensive, on Sunday, June 6, 1943, Viktor Petermann took off from Anapa airfield early in the morning to engage Soviet gunboats. He successfully sank one and damaged another so severely that its crew was forced to run it aground.

  Later, at 17:40, he took off again, paired with Uffz. Peter Düttmann. Their mission was a free hunt along the Varenikovskaya-Krymskaya-Slavyanskaya route. Shortly after takeoff, they received a report of an enemy formation near Varenikovskaya and pursued it to Slavyanskaya. There, Petermann observed thirteen Il-2s, escorted by ten Yak-1s and LaGG-3s, attacking German positions. He radioed the situation and engaged the fighter escorts. During the ensuing aerial combat near Petrovska, Petermann’s aircraft was hit in the oil tank by a Yak-1 pilot.

  The wreck of Petermann's Bf 109 G-4 WNr 19527 on Soviet territory on June 6, 1943. About an hour after the emergency landing, Petermann's colleague Fw. Otto Fönnekold from 5./JG 52 attempted to destroy the aircraft. The emblem of JG 52 is painted on the front under the cockpit, and the 5./JG 52 insignia, featuring the devilish figure Rabbatz with a bow and arrow, is visible on the side of the fuselage. Jochen Prien and co-authors express doubt in the publication JFV 12/II regarding this photo was taken on Soviet territory. They believe this is a different aircraft photographed by German personnel during the spring of 1943. However, according to Viktor Petermann, he received this photograph in the Soviet Union during one of his foreign work trips while living in East Germany. Photo: Archive of the Museum of the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains

  
  

  Oil immediately began leaking and clogging the front of Petermann’s cockpit canopy, leaving him with visibility only through the side windows. He attempted to climb, then reduced engine power, switching the ignition on and off, but within two to three minutes, the engine failed entirely. At 18:00, he executed a belly landing west of the village of Anastasievskaya, about 10 to 15 km northeast of Krasny Oktyabr. Before landing, he fired his cannons and machine guns at the Soviet infantry positions he was flying over. Once he touched down smoothly, he abandoned the plane and sprinted through a reedy area, zigzagging to avoid machine gun and carbine fire.

  After about eighty meters, Petermann went to ground. Familiar with the area from previous months, he knew approximately the direction of the German lines and the location of Temryuk. Uffz. Peter Düttmann covered him from above, shielding him from Soviet infantry while also avoiding any ambush by enemy fighters. However, with only about 40 combat sorties to his credit, Düttmann couldn’t precisely pinpoint Petermann’s location upon his return to base at 18:10. Surprisingly, about an hour later, another German pilot, Otto Fönnekold, spotted the downed aircraft and fired upon it to prevent it from falling into enemy hands undamaged.

  An excerpt from a page of the Luftwaffe equipment loss overview, located in the Bundesarchiv under designation RL 2 III/1190. The document provides details about the loss of Petermann's aircraft, including its production number. Photo: Bundesarchiv

  
  

  Petermann and Düttmann were over the battlefield at a time when Soviet forces were conducting air raids on Kurchanskaya between 18:32 and 19:15 (Moscow time, one hour ahead of German time). These raids involved a total of eleven groups of Il-2s with fighter escorts. According to researcher Andrey Kuznetsov, during this period, Soviet airmen reported eight aerial victories, all claimed to be Bf 109s.

  The Il-2 gunner, Ml. Lt. S. F. Samarskiy of the 130th ShAP, claimed a Bf 109 that reportedly crashed into a garden 2 km west of Kurchanskaya. Another crew from the 805th ShAP, comprising pilot Ml. Lt. V. S. Rybchenko and gunner St. V. I. Kosuchin, was credited with downing a Bf 109, which crashed at 18:33 on a high point of 115.9.

  Meanwhile, the fighters of the 236th IAP, flying Yak-1s, scored two kills. Ml. Lt. V. A. Rogozhin claimed a Bf 109 that fell into a swamp 7 km northeast of Kurchanskaya, and his colleague Ml. Lt. N. P. Morozov forced a Bf 109 into an emergency landing on the German side of the front, approximately 3-4 km southwest of Kurchanskaya. This opponent may have been Fw. Klaus Dadd of 7./JG 52, who crash-landed his Bf 109 G-4 (WNr. 19451) "White 9" around 10 km northwest of Varenikovskaya following an air battle. He succumbed to his injuries on June 19, 1943, in a field infirmary.

  Petermann’s opponents were likely airmen from the 267th IAP, flying LaGG-3 aircraft. One Bf 109 was credited to Ml. Lt. S. F. Frolov, who reportedly shot down an opponent over Kurchansky Liman around 19:00 (some sources list 19:05-19:15). Between 19:05 and 19:15, Lt. N. P. Petrov and Lt. A. P. Popov also claimed one Bf 109 each.

  In the Eduard kit, cat. no. 84203, Petermann's aircraft is depicted with several changes compared to previous kits that featured the same aircraft. The reconstruction now includes cannons in gondolas under the wings. The new reconstruction discards the yellow band on the fuselage and  the factory letters on the underside of the wing. These were derived from earlier information regarding this aircraft's serial number.

  
  

  Interesting details emerge regarding the victory awarded to St. Lt. Yu. T. Antipov. At approximately 19:05 (some records indicate 19:05-19:15), he shot down a Bf 109 northeast of Kurchansky Liman, which landed near a pig farm (about 1 km south of village “otrub” No. 7).. The pilot reportedly hid in the reeds, and a guard was posted at the aircraft—circumstances that closely resemble Viktor Petermann’s emergency landing.

  The Soviet claims during this hour suggest intense and chaotic fighting within a limited area. Although this article cannot cover all air operations in Kuban on June 6, records indicate that Luftwaffe fighter units documented only four Bf 109s destroyed throughout the day.

  Around the time of Petermann’s combat and emergency landing, the Luftwaffe had claimed just one victory: Fw. Alfred Lehmann of 6./JG 52 scored his 19th victory at 18:05 (19:05 Moscow time), downing a LaGG-3 in map square 34 Ost/76644, near Kurchansky Liman.

  Bombing of Soviet positions in residential areas of Kuban in spring 1943.  Photo: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

  
  

  The Way to the Front Line

  After stopping a short distance from his plane, Petermann dug a shallow ditch with his hands and hid in it. Enemy soldiers searched the reed field twice, firing blindly, but failed to locate the German airman. Petermann understood that he could move toward his own lines only under the cover of night. As evening approached, he removed all light-colored elements from his overalls and tied a dirty handkerchief around his head. At nearly thirty years old, he was almost hairless and wanted to avoid drawing attention if any light source was directed at him. He buried all his excess belongings in the ground and set off on his journey, equipped with a compass, watch, and pistol. He constantly berated himself for losing his aircraft, and despite having over 300 combat sorties to his credit, he retrospectively considered his actions during the fight to be reckless.

  During the first night, he encountered a main road along which Soviet troops were heading west. After observing the traffic for a moment, he positioned himself in the gap between two groups of marching soldiers in the dark. Later, he also managed to hitch a ride on a horse-drawn cart. Upon reaching a village, he separated from the stream of soldiers and continued on through meadows and fields.

  A photo from spring 1943 at a German position in Kuban. In addition to the 88 mm Flak 36 anti-aircraft gun, a covered field kitchen is also visible. Photo: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

  
  

  He spent the second day hidden beneath a layer of cut grass and set out again at half past eight in the evening. However, he soon encountered a large network of trenches, forcing him to spend the next day observing the situation. German fire directed at Soviet positions helped him determine the correct direction but also complicated matters, as he found himself under fire from his own comrades!

  During the following night, he barely managed to cover one kilometer due to the numerous flares and the dense network of Soviet positions. Growing increasingly hungry, he resorted to chewing on herbs to stave off hunger. At six in the morning, an enemy patrol spotted him, and he came under mortar fire. Fortunately, he was able to hide in a crater created by an artillery shell. Throughout the day, he observed dogfights between fighters overhead and later regarded the experience as valuable instruction.

  In the early evening, around six o’clock, he cautiously emerged from the bushes to make his way toward the front line, which was about a kilometer ahead. He successfully avoided three Soviet machine-gun positions and found a new direction of advance thanks to a German loudspeaker urging enemy soldiers to desert. He had to move very carefully, as this area was not a uniform front line, and it was also riddled with wetlands and river arms.

  He successively crossed three lines of barbed wire and a former German minefield, then navigated a road that was under German machine-gun fire. When he attempted to cross one of the arms of the Kuban River, he came under direct fire for the first time and was forced to move further east. After a detour through more barbed wire, mud, and reeds, he successfully crossed the river on his second attempt.

  Next, he encountered a large Soviet position with several bunkers. He observed it for some time and noted that the guns were manned by only one soldier, who walked between the posts, firing them briefly. Eventually, Petermann crossed the trenches and descended the slope back into the river, where the last of the Soviet barbed wire awaited him.

  German officers at a forward observation post by the Kurchansky Liman in Kuban in spring 1943. It was in this area that Viktor Petermann was shot down on June 6, 1943. The officer in the center of the photo is Major der Reserve Willy Marienfeld, commander of Grenadier-Regiment 123.  Photo: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

  
  

  Rescued!

  Petermann crossed the final river obstacle at 2:30 in the morning on June 10, the fifth day of his journey. Suddenly, a hand grenade exploded about eight meters in front of him, followed by two bursts of machine-gun fire aimed in his direction, fortunately tearing up the ground before him. He realized that the fire was coming from the direction of the Germans, so he shouted, "Comrades, don’t shoot—I’m one of your own!"

  "What's going on? Where are you stuck?" came the response from the darkness.

  The general of the mountain troops to whom Petermann reported after his rescue was likely Rudolf Konrad, under whose command the XXXXIXth Gebirgskorps defended the western part of the Kuban salient.

  
  

  Summoning the last of his strength, he maneuvered through the new barbed wire, and the hands of the infantrymen pulled him into the trench. The soldier who had attempted to hit him with a grenade and machine gun was very apologetic, and everyone showered Petermann with food and drink. Only then did he realize he had sustained several wounds, the worst of which was in his thigh from an enemy grenade. After the war, Petermann recalled being rescued by soldiers from an outpost under the command of Fw. Lehmann near Krasny Oktyabr. According to the field post number provided by Petermann in Klinnert's book, this unit was Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 666.

  When JG 52 headquarters received a report that Petermann was alive, this information was relayed to the airmen who were currently in action. Although Petermann's and Düttmann's memoirs differ slightly in the wording of the message, the result was the same: a joyful roar erupted from the pilots in their Bf 109s.

  The soldiers then led the rescued airman through the trench system to the ambulance station. One of them took him to the main dressing station, where he received a tetanus shot. He was subsequently taken to Temryuk, where he was paraded in his dirty and tattered overalls before a general of mountain troops. Since Petermann had traversed about 15 kilometers through enemy territory, the general was interested in many details. This general was likely Rudolf Konrad, under whose command the XXXXIXth Gebirgskorps defended the western part of the Kuban salient. In this section of the front, the 370th Infanterie-Division, of which the aforementioned Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 666 was a part, also fell under his command.

  Kommodore of JG 52 accompanied by his Adjutant arrived in a Storch to pick up Petermann. Upon returning to the unit, he was welcomed at the officers' mess,  by a music platoon, then returned to his quarters with his comrades from the 5th Staffel and received a hot meal—the first he had enjoyed in four days.

   

  WNr 19257 or 19527?

  In connection with Petermann's downing on June 6, 1943, I would like to address a mistake that has long been associated with his aircraft. It was a Bf 109 G-4, designated "Black 8," with WNr. 19527. I am attaching the original loss report, which lists the area east of Kalabatka as the location of the emergency landing (Düttmann must have really lost track of where he was during the fight). This production number has been cited in more recent publications by Bernd Barbas or Jochen Prien and his co-authors.

  However, the very first overview of JG 52's losses was published more than thirty years ago by a former intelligence officer of the unit, Mr. Niko Fast. In that report, he provided the WNr. 19257 for this loss. I mistakenly used this information in my 1996 article, and other authors have done the same.

  Interestingly, a group of researchers in Russia discovered the wreckage of an aircraft that they believe belonged to Petermann and bore the WNr. 19257. This aircraft was restored by the German firm Meier Motors GmbH and is now flying in the USA at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia. On its website, the museum incorrectly states that Petermann made an emergency landing after combat on May 5, 1943, instead of June 6. Mistakes happen. Perhaps the Russian researchers and the museum are correct, and Petermann's "Black 8" was indeed 19257, with a Luftwaffe official simply making a typo.

  I don’t think so. The actual aircraft with the WNr. 19257, also marked "Black 8," was indeed in service with 2. Staffel in I./JG 52. It was only a quarter of a year after Petermann’s shoot-down, on October 4, 1943, that it sustained 20% damage due to a tire puncture at the Nikolaev base. Moreover, it was a G-6 version aircraft (likely converted from a G-4 version). So, I've no idea where the team who sold the recovered wreckage to the US did get the WNr. 19257.

  The Soviet pilot believed to have shot down Petermann was Captain Yuri Tikhonovich Antipov of the 267th IAP. This was the second of his eight solo victories. In the photo, he is awarding Ml. lt. Maria Ivanovna Kulkina, a female fighter pilot who served in his regiment and later became his wife. Kulkina joined the VVS following the death of her first husband, who had also been a pilot. Initially serving as a liaison pilot in the 267th IAP, she later retrained to fly fighter aircraft. Kulkina occasionally flew combat missions with her husband, but tragically, on May 20, 1944, she was killed in a dogfight.  Photo: sovietmedals.ucoz.com

  
  

  
  

  Further Aviation Career

  Viktor Petermann was treated for four weeks in a field hospital starting in mid-June 1943 and then returned to 5./JG 52, which was then engaged in combat in Ukraine. In July, he was promoted to the rank of Leutnant, and in August, he received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold. By mid-September, he had been transferred to 6./JG 52, and by the end of the month, his victory tally had reached 60.

  However, a sudden change in his career occurred on October 1, 1943, during a routine escort mission for Heinkel He 111 bombers. On his return, his aircraft was hit by German flak at 5,500 meters, resulting in a severe injury to Petermann. He managed to execute a smooth emergency landing, but subsequently, he had to have his left arm amputated above the elbow, along with one toe on his left foot. In February 1944, he was awarded the Knight's Cross for his service to date. The proposal for this award was made by the commander of II./JG 52, Oblt. Wilhelm Batz, and seconded by Kommodore Dieter Hrabak due to his personal experience with Petermann.

  For Viktor Petermann, this serious injury should have meant the end of his fighting career. From May 1944, Viktor Petermann worked in the Luftwaffe's historical research department. According to his own account, however, "desk work" was not for him. He therefore made use of his former contacts with fellow airmen from JG 52, who were now in high positions in the Luftwaffe's fighter command, and asked to return to the combat unit. In July 1944, he achieved a transfer to JG 52 headquarters, which at that time was still headed by Kommodore Hrabak. In November 1944, Petermann was assigned to the Stab of III./JG 52, and in January 1945, with a prosthetic left arm, he returned to combat flying on the Bf 109. His new duty station became 10. Staffel within III./JG 52. During January-March 1945, Petermann, despite the prosthesis, managed to achieve four more victories over Soviet fighters, then was retrained to the Me 262 in JG 7 in late March and early April 1945. He again took part in some combat flights, and on 30 March scored a probable kill of a B-17, although he himself disputed this achievement. However, flying the Me 262 did not suit him. The aircraft required careful handling of the throttles of both jet engines, which was very difficult when the throttles were coupled and controlled by the prosthesis. At the same time, Pettermann did not like what he called the "cocky atmosphere" of the experts from JG 7. In mid-April, he returned to III./JG 52, which was then fighting in Silesia, and became commander of 10. Staffel. On May 1, he was promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant and completed his last combat flight four days later. He was taken captive by the Soviets and was repatriated due to his injuries in July 1945. In addition to his 64 confirmed aerial victories, he claimed at least seven other victories that were not confirmed. Before he was wounded, he also severely damaged 56 other aircraft in aerial combat, although he did not report any kills in these instances.

  After the war, like most Sudeten Germans, he was expelled from Czechoslovakia and managed to settle in Saxony, where he worked in the manufacture of agricultural equipment and in agricultural trade. In 1995, he came into contact with Czech researchers living in his former homeland. He subsequently visited his native town of Vejprty and the nearby Kovářská several times, especially the local air battle museum, which commemorates him in its exhibition. Viktor Petermann died in 2001 in Freiberg.

   A portion of a Luftwaffe map from 1940 showing most of the locations mentioned in the article.

  
  

  In the preparation of this article, I received assistance from Mr. Ota Jírovec, Andrey Kuznetsov, Ivan Lavrinenko, Mansur Mustafin, and Jan Zdiarský. After I published an article about "Black 8" and Viktor Petermann in the magazine REVI in 1996, I connected with the now-deceased Mr. Petermann through my friend Jaroslav Hradec.

  I would like to express my gratitude to all of them.

   

  Sources:

  BARBAS, Bernd: Die Geschichte der II. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52

  BERGSTRÖM, Christer: Black Cross Red Star, Volume 5 The Great Air Battles, Kuban and Kursk April – July 1943

  BOBEK, Jan: Lt. Viktor Petermann, REVI 12/1996

  DÜTTMANN, Peter: Wir kämpften in einsamen Höhen

  FAST, Niko: Das Jagdgeschwader 52; Band IV

  KLINNERT, Falk: Der Jagdflieger Viktor Petermann, Luftkrieg 1939 – 1945

  OBERMAIER, Ernst: Die Ritterkrzeuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939 – 1945; Band I Jagdgflieger

  PETERMANN, Viktor: letter to author dated 29. 8. 2000

  PRIEN, Jochen, STEMMER, Gerhard, RODEIKE, Peter, BOCK, Winfried: Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945; Teil 12/I, 12/II and 12/III; Einsatz im Osten 4.2 bis 31. 12. 1943

  www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/aircraft/messerschmitt-bf-109-g-4/

• Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin

  
  

  Aviation Displays in the Collection of the Berlin Technical Museum

  Text: Petr Uzsák

  
  

  I recently managed to visit the Berlin Technical Museum, which has managed to amass a remarkable collection of exhibits over several decades of its existence. The museum is located in the Kreuzberg district, near the Möckernbrücke and Gleichsdreieck metro stations, and it is interesting to note that some of its displays are located in the buildings of the former train station. Opening days are Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays. The museum's exhibits are extensive and cover a wide range of fields of technical history. For example, the transportation section is very impressive, including many types of locomotives and rail cars, including a mining railway; other departments cover textile manufacturing, automobiles, telecommunications, luggage production, shipbuilding and transportation. In the area in front of the museum, a giant propeller blade of a wind turbine can be admired, as German industry is a pioneer in alternative energy sources.

   

  However, the primary subject of this article are collections focused on mapping the development of aviation. They are arranged chronologically, from amateur beginnings to the present. Among the persons who shaped the introduction of German aviation, the names of Otto Lilienthal and Hans Grade are well represented. The first ever Czech (and Austro-Hungarian) female pilot Bozena Laglerova is connected to the latter. This lady went through her training at Grade's pilot school in Bork near Berlin in 1911 and then flew several times in Germany. It is through her example that we can realize the interconnectedness of Czech and German aviation, as will be reminded several times. The museum has a unique Jeannin Stahltaube Type 11 airplane from that era, which was interesting for that time due to its advanced metal construction. This is exhibited as it appeared serving with the Imperial Air Force during the Great War.

   German aviation experienced rapid development during World War I, and this period is also included in the exhibition. One of the unique items is the tail section of a 1918 LVG C VI aircraft, with its original Lozenge camouflage pattern covering. And by the way, the museum staff also installed a display of a tailor's workshop, where the lozenge covers of the planes were sewn. Another First World War aircraft is the Halberstadt Cl IV ground attack aircraft, which is suspended from the ceiling of the hall.

   Even the German footprint in the construction and operation of airships is not neglected and is primarily associated with the name of Ferdinand von Zeppelin. His impact on this facet of aviation needs no reinforcement; he was already a legend during his lifetime. Here, there is another connection to Czech aviation, because one of the air mechanics for the Count was Kamil Eduard Laburda, a native of Sobeslav in southern Bohemia. The collections are devoted to both the war and post-war use of these air assets. One of the three-dimensional exhibits consists of several pieces of the structure and other items from the transport airship Graf Zeppelin.

  Part of LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, dishes and menus from German airships.

  Jeannin Stahltaube Type 11, front view.

  Jeannine Stahltaube Type 11 from the rear.

  LVG C VI with Serial Number 4418 visible.

  
  

   The dominant feature of the exhibition is a Junkers Ju 52 transport in a pre-war livery of the domestic carrier Lufthansa. An interesting collection of sports aircraft, such as the Bücker 131 or the Klemm 35, also originates from this period. One of the more remarkable exhibits is the Ho II L monoplane of the Horten brothers from 1937, with which the designers tested the flight characteristics of an unusually configured single pusher engined aircraft. An era that saw the use of catapult ships as a stopover for mail planes heading across the Atlantic is depicted in model form. Germany had a total of three such vessels and deployed the Dornier Do 18 and Blohm-Voss Ha 139 types with them.

  Cutaway of a Jumo 205 diesel engine with counter-rotating pistons.

  
  

    The development of aviation during the Third Reich also has its place within the walls of the museum, however controversial it may be, having served the expansion of the Hitler regime as effectively as it did. The backbone of the fighter air force at that time were types from the Messerschmitt design bureau, notably the Bf 109E and Bf 110F, which are also in the museum’s collection. A rarely seen piece in museums is one of the first jets to see service, the Heinkel He 162A, and it is only when you are close to it that you realize how small a machine it really was. The desperation of the last months of the war is conveyed by the Bü 181, originally a training and liaison aircraft, with improvised placement of panzerfaust on the wing spars that were intended to turn it into an anti-tank platform. The destructive power of war is indicated by the wreckage of a Junkers Ju 87R dive bomber, which was used in northern Norway. After its loss and later recovery, it was preserved and placed on display at the museum.

  The leg of the main landing gear of the Junkers Ju 290 aircraft, which is on long-term loan from the collections of the National Technical Museum in Prague.

  Arado Ar 96B-1 from Protectorate production.

  The Ar 96B-1 is partially stripped of its skin, revealing the details of its internal construction.

  Junkers Ju 52/3m with civil registration D-AZAW.

  
  

   Air launched missiles, such as the Henschel Hs 293, Hs 117 Schmetterling and the X-4 air-to-air weapon, as well as the Rheintochter and Enzian ground-based anti-aircraft missiles are on display as well. This section even boasts the Fiesler Fi 103 early cruise missile, better known as the V1 retaliatory weapon. The V2 ballistic missile is on exhibit, though not complete, with only the engine section on display. The collection also includes a separate section where the slave labor of prisoners at the Dora concentration camp in Nordhausen, who were forced to produce these rockets under difficult conditions in the underground complex, is paid tribute to.

   Another unique item among the museum objects is the training and liason type, the Arado Ar 96B-1, production of which was originally in Germany, but later, was switched to the then Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia at Letov and Avia. The currently exhibited aircraft with production number 425462 was produced by Avia and was abandoned in 1944. In Czechoslovakia, its production continued after the war and for a long time, this type, designated the C-2, was used for the training of military pilots and was also exported. Similarly rare is the museum’s Junkers Ju 88G night fighter, which was the main German night defender through the terminal phase of the war. This particular piece underwent restoration after being pulled from Hungary's Lake Balaton, where it came to rest after being shot down by Red Army fighters in 1944.

  The Douglas C-47 transport is displayed in its post-war US Air Force scheme as a reminder of the Berlin Airlift during the Soviet blockade and is located on the museum terrace with a beautiful view of the city.

  
  

   Post war aviation is represented by fighters such as the F-86K and the MiG-15bis. French aviation is present in the form of the transport aircraft Nord NC-702 Martinet, which is a derivative of the German Siebel 204. It was produced in the protectorate during the war and also in France, and in both countries, production continued after the war. From the field of modern transport aviation, the Rolls-Royce BR710 engine is on exhibit.

   An important part of the air exhibition is a reminder of the Berlin Airlift from 1948 and 1949, when the Soviet dictator Stalin arrogantly thought that he would isolate and starve the western sectors of the city. However, a large-scale allied humanitarian operation to support the civilian population convincingly demonstrated the superiority of Western economic and technical capabilities, so he had no choice but to end the blockade. A Douglas C-47 transport aircraft in the colors of the US Air Force is dedicated to this chapter of German history, which is located above the viewing terrace and serves as an advertising banner for the museum as well as a three-dimensional reminder of Western aid to the residents of Berlin.

  The fuselage of the Ju 88G fighter was renovated after being extracted from Lake Balaton.

  Ju 88G nose with FuG 220 radar antenna dipoles.

  
  

   The objects on display also include aircraft engines, propellers, landing gear, instruments and radars, anti-aircraft weapons, as well as examples of passenger aircraft equipment and crew uniforms from different periods. Another interesting feature is the exposed leg of the main landing gear of a Junkers Ju 290A transport aircraft, which is on loan from the National Technical Museum in Prague. The museum also offers the possibility of making available its library and archives to researchers and interested parties. The museum is definitely worth a visit, the exhibits are nice, well maintained and inside there is also entertainment for smaller children, so that it is possible to organize a family trip to the museum.

  The Heinkel He 162A fighter is missing its pitot tube removed from the nose. In the background is the skeleton of the Gotha Go 242B cargo glider.

  Originally a training Bücker Bu 181, it was transformed into an anti-tank aircraft by installing ardpoints for panzerfaust rounds.

  Rocket technology of the Third Reich. A Rheintochter anti-aircraft missile on the left, a V1 early cruise missile on the right, a smaller X-4 air-air missile next to it and an Hs 293 on the far right. A Smetterling missile hangs in the background and a yellow-painted Enzian missile sits on the floor.

  
  

  
  

  POST SCRIPTUM 1: Ju 87 D Stuka

   The museum houses the wreckage of a Ju 87D, imported from Russia, as evidenced by a cyrillic inscription on the left side of the rear fuselage. In January 2023, we (Eduard's technical team) scanned parts of the airframe of this exhibit for the purpose of accumulating technical documentation and obtaining additional data for the planned reconstruction of another example of the Ju 87 D. It is owned by The American Heritage Museum in Massachusetts, but restoration work on it is ongoing in the Czech Republic and Hungary. The American Stuka is planned to be brought up to an airworthy condition.

  VS

    The condition of the airframe allows access to the internal parts of the structure, which is very useful in view of the assignment to create technical documentation as a basis for the restoration of the aircraft to an airworthy condition. The wing of the reconstructed aircraft has essentially a complete covering, so the combination of scans of the wings of both aircraft, supplemented with scans from another example, the well-preserved and maintained Ju 87D at Hendon, will allow the accumulation of technical documentation to a very usable standard.

  The airframe in the museum is more or less in the condition in which it was brought in from Russia. For the purposes of scanning, it was necessary to carefully clean the relevant surfaces, especially the internal structures, because deposits of dust and other debris can significantly distort the scans.

  Small areas of the original paint remained on the surface of the fuselage, along with an inscription in cyrillic documenting the origin of the example - Muzej Severnogo Flota.

   When scanning, dozens of registration marks must be applied to the scanned surface. These are either magnetic or electrostatic, and do not disturb the surface of the exhibit in any way.

   

  POST SCRIPTUM 2: Bf 110 F

   Many of the high-quality and carefully restored aircraft displayed in the exhibition bear Hungarian footprints, being restored by Ali Storiche 57. One of the exhibits, also restored in Hungary, is the Messerschmitt Bf 110F, which in turn left its mark on the creation of the Eduard kit in 1:48th scale in 2007.

  VS

   

  
  

  POST SCRIPTUM 3: PLAQUE HONORING GERMAN FIRST WORLD WAR PILOTS

   One of the more fascinating exhibits, but somewhat hidden from visitors' eyes, is a panel with a collection of decorations of German WWI airmen. This panel was donated to the museum by the American historian and collector Neil O'Connor.

  VS

  A plaque with the awards of Leutnant zur See Theo Osterkamp and photographs dedicated to the pilots of the Marine Jagdgeschwader Flanders.

  Plaque with decorations and photos of Sea Captain Friedrich Christiansen.

  A panel dedicated to the Prussian princes, Fririedrich-Karl and Friedrich-Zikmund, and Lieutenant General Walther von Eberhardt, the first inspector of the German Imperial Air Force.

   

  POST SCRIPTUM 4: BIBER AND THE GERMAN FLOTILLA SINKING AT SCAPA FLOW

  The naval section includes, among other things, the German midget sub Biber. In front of it, in glass cases, there are models of all the ships of the Imperial German fleet, which were handed over to the British after the defeat of Germany in World War I and subsequently sunk in Scapa Flow Bay.

  
  

• Installation of the GM-1 System in the Bf 109

  
  

  Text: Pavel Raška

  
  

  It is widely known that the GM-1 was a system devised to increase engine power at high altitude by injecting liquid nitrous oxide into the engine's intake compressor. Here, I will explain how the system was installed in the Bf 109 and the principle on which it was based.

   

  Nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as laughing gas, can be stored in liquid state in two ways:

  1. at room temperature in special bottles under a pressure of 80 bar or about 1160psi.

  2. at normal atmospheric pressure at a temperature of -90°C.

   

  
  

  Both of these methods were used in the following versions of the Bf 109:

   1. Bf 109 E-7/Z. The first ever GM-1 installation in the Bf 109 employed the first method using three pressure cylinders installed in the fuselage behind the pilot. It was called ‘MONA’, but it is not clear what the acronym stood for. I can only assume that this is a typical German abbreviation, and may stand for  ‘MOtorleistungsNAchschub’. Externally, the aircraft differed from the standard E version by the presence of two filler caps for filling the pressure bottles on the left side of the fuselage behind the cockpit.

   2. Bf 109 F-4/Z. Here, the pressure bottles were moved from the fuselage to the wing. It should be mentioned that the Bf 109 from the F version on had newly designed wings that had two free spaces for the installation of additional equipment, one just behind the landing gear bays and the other further towards the wing tip. Four nitrous oxide pressure bottles were installed just behind the wheel wells with access to filling these from within them. The F-4/Z carried a total of eight pressure bottles. It was distinguished from the outside by a deeper oil cooler, and apparently most of these aircraft had wider propeller blades. It must be noted that this installation eliminated the possibility of underwing cannon pods.

   3. Bf 109G/U2. Because the pressurized nitrous oxide cylinders were vulnerable to enemy fire and tended to explode when hit, the GM-1 system was redesigned for the Bf 109 G version. A thermally insulated tank was installed in the fuselage behind the cockpit, filled at normal pressure with liquefied nitrous oxide cooled to a temperature of -90°C. Compressed air, stored in pressure bottles in the outer part of the right wing, was used to expel nitrous oxide from the tank into the engine intake. To maintain the aircraft's balance, pressurized oxygen bottles for the pilot's breathing apparatus were moved to the outer part of the left wing. Below the right wing, a cap for filling compressed air (not nitrous oxide!) was added, and on the right side of the fuselage a cap for filling the cooled nitrous oxide (in the same place as the cap for the MW-50 system) was added. The cap for the GM-1 system was marked with a white triangle with two blue stripes, possibly with the inscription ‘Sonderstoff’. Because the space in behind the wheel wells remained vacant, it was possible to mount cannon pods under the wings. This system was not as vulnerable to hits from enemy fire and at the same time had the advantage of even better efficiency (increased engine power) than the pressurized method, since the low temperature of nitrous oxide cooled the fuel mixture further before entering the engine cylinders. This installation was designated U2 and was installed in the Bf 109 G-5 and Bf 109 G-6. It is likely that it was not used on earlier versions of the Bf 109 G, as it was not yet available at the time of their production. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find out if the early versions of the Bf 109 G were equipped with the same GM-1 system as the F-4/Z. I believe it wasn’t, which would mean that the Bf 109 G equipped with the GM-1 did not appear until after considerable delay. Douglas E. Calum states that universal installation of the GM-1/MW-50 system was considered, however, the GM-1 system required a thermally insulated tank unlike the MW-50. This idea was probably abandoned due to technical complications. If the Bf 109 was equipped with the MW-50 system, the GM-1 installation of this third version was impossible.

  
  

   The GM-1 installation was nicknamed the ‘Ha-Ha Prozess’, which is quite fitting given the effects of nitrous oxide.

   There are a quite a lot of inaccuracies, myths and misconceptions on this topic in published references. I will try to put the main ones in perspective, which some may find contradictory to what they have already read:

   1. H.H.Vogt states in several places that the installation of the GM-1 made it impossible to mount the guns under the wings of the Bf 109. However, this statement does not apply to the G version, but only to the F-4/Z.

   2. Robert Michulec (AJ-Press) reports that the F-4/Z version had either pressure bottles or a cylindrical tank for compressed nitrous oxide in the wing. I believe that the cylindrical tank for the GM-1 system was not present in the wing and there was a visual confusion with this item and the circular ammunition drum for the underwing cannon.

   3. Prien/Rodeike states, without any context, that the Bf 109 G-5/U2's GM-1 pressure bottles were located in the right wing, unlike the Bf 109 G-6/U2, which had these installed in the fuselage. This claim is not supported by any drawing or detailed description and can therefore be considered unproven. I find it highly unlikely that the GM-1 system compressed air bottles in the Bf 109 G-6 could be installed in the fuselage where the nitrous oxide tank was already fitted because the bottles simply wouldn’t fit.

   

   

  Sources:

   

  English: Douglas, Calum E., Mortons Media Group : The Secret Horsepower Race

   

  German: Vogt, H. H., VDM Verlag: Messerschmitt Bf 109 Einsatzmaschinen - Das Nachschlagwerk

   

  Czech: Robert Michulec, AJ Press: Messerschmitt Bf 109, Volumes 1, 2 and 4.

   

  English: Richard A. Franks, Valiant Wings: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 Late Series

   

  English: Prien, Jochen / Rodeike, Peter: Messerschmitt Bf 109 F, G, & K Series - An Illustrated Study

   

  Online Sources:

   

  http://kurfurst.org/Performance_tests/109G_GM1_instructions/kBetrA_GM1_109G.html

• Air War in Ukraine

  Ground preparation of a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet.

  
  

  Russian Ammunition Depots Explode, Sarmat Missile Lost

   Text: Miro Barič

  
  

  Another month has passed, and here is a summary of the events in Ukraine from September 1 to September 30. This period was remarkable for Ukraine’s air force, as it did not lose a single aircraft or helicopter in the air or on the ground. The same cannot be said for the Russian side, which lost several ammunition depots to Ukrainian airstrikes—and even its latest intercontinental ballistic missile during a test.

   

  On the ground front, Russian forces continued their offensive in the Donetsk region. Toward Pokrovsk, their advance stalled completely for a few days, seemingly due to exhaustion after their earlier human-wave attacks, which came at a cost of high casualties. However, Russia made some gains towards Vuhledar, where Ukrainians had successfully repelled numerous assaults since the war's beginning. Over two years, Russian forces had lost substantial armored equipment in that area. Now, Russia is attacking the flanks of Vuhledar using the same human-wave strategy, gradually encircling the city. At the end of September, Ukrainian troops were forced to withdraw from Vuhledar, partly because the high command failed to replace the exhausted defenders in time.

   Meanwhile, Russia struggled on its home turf in the Kursk region. Putin had ordered his forces to push Ukrainian troops out by early October, and a Russian counteroffensive was expected. It began mid-month, with Russian media initially celebrating progress. However, the offensive unfolded exactly as Ukraine had anticipated. Ukrainian reserves attacked the flanks of the advancing Russian units, completely disrupting the counteroffensive. By the end of the month, the situation in the Kursk region had returned to its starting point, forcing Putin to set a new deadline for the expulsion of Ukrainian forces—now February 25.

   If the purpose of the Kursk offensive was to divert Russian troops from the critically threatened Donetsk region, it failed. Russia continues to send reinforcements to Donetsk from across the country, but not from the eastern front in Ukraine. Russian armed forces are even forming motorized rifle units using personnel from various branches—air force members, strategic missile operators, and even crew from the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, which has been rusting in port for over six years. These personnel are being sent to fight—and die—as ordinary infantry.

   

  "They Killed His Entire Family"

   Airstrikes from both sides have continued with little change. Ukraine targets military installations on Russian territory, while Russia retaliates by striking civilian targets deep inside Ukraine. One example occurred on September 1, when Russia launched a major missile strike on Kharkiv during rush hour. The attack hit shops, a post office, and a metro entrance, injuring 41 people. That same day, reports emerged that Russian Iskander missiles targeted grain trucks in the Sumy region, killing one driver. Russia claimed it had hit a military convoy.

   On September 4, Russia delivered a harsh message to those claiming that the conflict was limited to eastern Ukraine. Thirteen missiles and dozens of drones targeted Lviv in western Ukraine, killing seven people. Russia asserted that the attack struck military production and repair facilities. However, the missiles hit approximately 50 residential buildings in the city’s historic center.

   The Bazylevych family’s tragedy stands out. They had prepared for emergencies, keeping evacuation bags by the door. When the air raid siren sounded early in the morning, the mother, Yevheniya, and her daughters, Daria, Yaryna, and six-year-old Emilia, rushed toward the shelter. However, a Kinzhal missile struck their building before they could reach safety. All four perished on the staircase. The father, Yaroslav, who had stayed behind in the apartment, was the sole survivor. Three other victims, including two children, also died in the same building.

   Ukraine faced another massive assault on September 20 and 21. Residential buildings in Kharkiv were heavily shelled, a nursing home in Sumy was hit, and in Kryvyi Rih, Russian missiles killed a 12-year-old boy and two elderly women, aged 75 and 79.

   On September 27, Sumy became the target of a brutal double strike, a tactic Russia increasingly uses to kill first responders. A missile hit a hospital, and when firefighters arrived to clear debris and search for survivors, a second missile struck the same location minutes later. The attack killed 10 people, injured 22, and forced the evacuation of 113 patients from the hospital.

   That same day, Russian propaganda was in full force, claiming that a Kinzhal missile had hit a Ukrainian airbase, destroying four F-16 jets along with American instructors. As "proof," Russia shared a photo of a wrecked F-16, but the image was of a plane that had crashed in the U.S. during a 2019 training exercise, with Ukrainian insignia digitally added.

   On the Ukrainian side, both the military and state propaganda faltered after a Russian attack on Poltava on September 3. The military failed by allowing a large number of personnel to gather within range of Russian missiles, and propaganda efforts stumbled when officials initially tried to downplay the attack's impact. Russia launched two Iskander missiles at a military training institute, also hitting a nearby hospital and other buildings. The warning time between the alert and the missile strike was too short for people to reach shelters. The result was a massacre: at least 59 dead and 329 injured.

   Trucks loaded with grain hit by Russian missiles in the Sumy region.

  A “military” target, according to the Russian armed forces. Three Red Cross workers were killed in this attack on September 12.

  Only the father from the Bazylevich family survived. His wife and three daughters were killed in a Russian missile strike targeting “military” objectives in the city of Lviv.

  A military educational institute hit by Iskander missiles on September 3 in Poltava.

  
  

  Only Belarus Shoots Down Drones

   Russians rarely use missiles, but almost every night they send dozens of Shahed drones into Ukraine. Since the beginning of the year, they have used more than 6,000. Although Ukrainians manage to shoot down most of them, it exhausts their defenses. Recently, however, the number of drones neutralized by electronic warfare has increased. These drones either crash or deviate from their course due to jamming.

   As a result, the number of Russian drones ending up in other countries—mainly Romania and Poland—has also grown. One even flew as far as Latvia on Sunday, September 8. However, NATO countries have not engaged them. For example, Romania sent two fighter jets to escort two Shahed drones, one of which crashed in Romania while the other returned to Ukrainian territory and hit a port on the Danube. Ironically, the only one intercepting Russian drones on its territory is Belarus, Russia’s ally. It scrambled fighter jets to shoot down several lost drones.

   Even the old Soviet ZSU-23-4 Shilka proves effective in countering Shahed drones.

  Black Shahed drone shot down.

  Ukrainian air defense with a captured trophy.

  
  

  Ammunition Depots Under Fire

   It seems Ukraine targets specific types of facilities during its attacks on Russia. Previously, it was fuel depots and refineries, followed by a wave of attacks on air bases. During this period, Ukrainian drones concentrated on Russian ammunition depots.

   The first one caught fire on Friday, September 7, in the village of Soldatskoye in the Voronezh region and continued exploding the next day. It reportedly housed North Korean ballistic missiles. Another ammunition depot in occupied Mariupol was hit on Friday, September 13, containing missiles for air defense systems.

   The largest strike occurred on Wednesday, September 18, in the town of Toropets near Tver. Although Russians claimed that only debris from intercepted drones caused minor damage, videos from locals showed a massive explosion. It triggered a 2.8 magnitude earthquake. The depot, recently constructed and supposedly resistant to such attacks, was overfilled with ammunition, possibly from North Korea. The explosions followed one after another. It is estimated that the depot held up to 30,000 tons of ammunition, with 90% of its structures destroyed, according to satellite images.

   A similar scenario unfolded during Friday, September 20, and Saturday, September 21. Ukrainian drones (or their debris, according to Russian sources) hit two more ammunition depots: one in Tikhoretsk, Krasnodar, and another near Tver, in the village of Oktyabrsky. Both depots were leveled, and at Oktyabrsky, trains carrying ammunition parked at a nearby station were also struck.

   This is how the “debris of Ukrainian drones” explodes after falling on Russian ammunition depots. Videos recorded by locals contradict Russian authorities' claims.

  A satellite image from Maxar shows details of the ammunition depot in Toropets before and after the Ukrainian drone strike.

  Maxar also captured destroyed trains carrying ammunition near the depot in Oktyabrsky. This is one of them.

  
  

  Crater from a Missile

   At the same time, an RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile exploded without Ukrainian involvement. Satellite images revealed that on Friday, September 20, or Saturday, September 21, it failed during a test at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The failure—however catastrophic for Russia—was a relief for the rest of the world. The missile never left its silo, leaving behind a massive crater over 60 meters (196 feet) in diameter.

   The explosion might have occurred upon engine ignition or as the missile started to lift off and then fell back. Another possibility is that the test was aborted, causing the missile to explode during fuel unloading.

   The RS-28 is one of the "wonder weapons" Putin announced in 2018. Its first and only successful test took place in April 2022. Afterwards, a contract for production was signed, and the missile received operational status in September 2023, even though all subsequent tests—including the most recent one—failed.

   A silo at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome before and after the RS-28 Sarmat missile test. A crater, over 60 meters (196 feet) in diameter, was captured by Maxar's satellite.

  
  

  Zero Ukrainian Losses

   During this period, the Ukrainian Air Force reported no confirmed losses of aircraft, neither in the air nor on the ground during Russian attacks on the air bases. Only photos that surfaced were those of an older incident from April 30, when a Ukrainian MiG-29MU1 made an emergency landing near the village of Maryina Roshcha in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

   The aircraft, identified as "White 22" and belonging to the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, was flown by a Lieutenant Colonel whose name was not disclosed. The plane landed in a field about 200 meters (656 feet) from a road, leaving a 500-meter (1,640-foot) braking trail. The pilot was unharmed, and the aircraft suffered only minor damage. Investigators found an auxiliary fuel tank detached from the fuselage and split into two pieces, approximately 320 meters (1,050 feet) from the plane. Photos were released on Sunday, September 8.

   A Ukrainian MiG-29MU1, "White 22," that landed in a field back in April. These photos were only released recently.

  
  

  Saboteurs in Action

   The only confirmed Russian aircraft loss during this period occurred on Tuesday, September 10. Ukrainian special forces carried out a daring raid on drilling platforms in the Black Sea, used by Russia as radar stations. The mission was risky, as the Ukrainian troops reached the platforms in boats without air support.

   Russian patrol planes engaged the boats, and Russia claimed to have destroyed several. However, what can be confirmed is that a Russian Su-30SM fighter crashed into the sea after being hit by a man-portable missile.

   Russia dispatched two rescue helicopters to the crash site but found only a few wreckage pieces on the surface. The crew—Captain Yegor Stepanishin and Captain D. Fomin—did not survive. The incident took place about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of the Ukrainian-controlled Kherson region.

   Other Russian losses involved helicopters. Two helicopters were damaged, and two were destroyed by saboteurs. One Mi-8AMTSh was hit by shrapnel from anti-aircraft missiles but managed to return to base.

   In a separate incident on September 24, a Mi-8MTV-5 helicopter on an advanced base in Russian-controlled territory was struck by cluster munitions, suffering shrapnel damage.

   Saboteurs destroyed other helicopters. On September 11, a civilian Mi-8T helicopter, operated by UTair, was burned to the ground at the Nojabrsk airport in western Siberia. Two local teenage boys set it on fire, reportedly recruited via Telegram and promised five million rubles.

   Another Mi-8AMTSh helicopter, identified as "Yellow 05," was destroyed on September 21 at the Omsk-Severny airbase. The fire completely ruined the cockpit, rendering the aircraft irreparable. Russian authorities captured the saboteurs, two 16-year-old boys allegedly recruited through social networks.

  Ukrainian special forces in action at drilling platforms in the Black Sea. A Russian Su-30SM was shot down during this operation.

  A Russian Mi-8AMTSh helicopter damaged by shrapnel from an air-defense missile.

  A Russian Mi-8MTV-5 helicopter damaged by a cluster ammunition while on the ground.

  
  

  A Mi-8T with the registration RA-24519 burned completely at the Nojabrsk airport.

  The cockpit of a Mi-8AMTSh, with the fuselage number “Yellow 05,” was entirely destroyed at the Omsk-Severny airbase.

  Training of the new Ukrainian paratroopers.

  Evacuation of the wounded.

  A guard keeping watch over a Ukrainian Mi-17 helicopter.

  A Ukrainian Mi-24P helicopter adorned with folkloric motifs.

• Touche over Tillières

  Text: Franek Grabowski

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Cat. No. 82109

  
  

  Stanisław Skalski was one of few pilots who successfully engaged Luftwaffe on the first day of World War II. Within the first four days of the conflict he was credited with four individual and one shared victories, thus becoming the first fighter ace of the war. When W/C Skalski was appointed Wing Commander Flying of No 133 (Polish) Wing in April 1944 he was already a seasoned veteran, and one of the leading Polish fighter aces. His new Wing consisted of British No 129 Mysore Squadron and Polish Nos 306 Toruń and 315 Dęblin Sqns.

   The Wing took part in Normandy Invasion from the very first day. Just on the second day, the Wing set a record by destroying 16 German aircraft. In the following days, more victories were earned, but Skalski’s score remained unchanged. A misfortune of a war, no enemy aircraft were encountered during the missions he took part in. It was only on 24 June that fortune smiled to him at last, during a mission to bomb the railway station at Tillières-sur-Avre, when finally he saw German aircraft. On return Skalski reported:

   I was leading Wing with 12 a/c as bombers & 8 a/c as escort to bomb railway station at Tilliers. During the bombing I called escort to stay at 10000 feet over the target area. After bombing I pulled out on a left hand circuit & climbed above clouds to 6000 feet. On about a half circuit 2 a/c were reported on the deck. I gave orders to identify by section of 4 aircraft following them behind. Then the leader called that they have climbed above clouds. I pulled out & chased 1 a/c on left-hand circuit, then I recognised it as a Mustang. Being at about 6000 feet in the sun I called 30-40 a/c climbing above clouds to NW & another formation of about 20 a/c below clouds following them approx 6 miles behind and below. I called escort to stay above. Then we turned to the right attacking first formation. I gave the order not to fire until we recognised them as foes. Before we took off I was informed that in this area 4 Squadrons of Typhoons would be operating. Being dead astern, I recognised them as ME 109Fs & FW 190s flying in no formation at all. I called pilots to attack, taking first 2 ME 109Fs flying in very close formation & slightly behind about 400 yards. I tried to close to 100 yards, we were not seen by E/A. When I was about 200–150 yards, 2 E/A in making a quick half roll collided by touching each others wings. One immediately caught fire. Both were seen spinning to the ground where they crashed. This was witnessed by F/O Swistun, who was my No. 2, and F/Lt Sporny. Following this incident, I made a sharp turn to the right, endeavouring to catch the larger formation mentioned above. We closed to approx. 400 yards when the E/A made a sharp climbing turn to port. I gave two short bursts, but owing to the angle being about 90 degrees I did not see any strikes. We did not follow as a further enemy formation of approx. 20 a/c were chasing us, at a range of some 1000 yards. At this time we were flying just above 5/10 clouds, & I instructed Wing to go into clouds for coverage, fly on a vector 336 degrees. After about two minutes flying we again went above clouds having lost the enemy. We made circuit and sighted five Mustangs flying singly & in pairs. I called them to join formation and made for base. I claim 2 ME 109Fs as destroyed.

   In the ensuing dog fight Polish airmen of Nos 306 and 315 Squadrons added further 3-0-3 Bf 109F and 1-0-2 Fw 190s for one 315 Sqn Mustang lost with its pilot, P/O Jan Adamiak. The German formation encountered consisted a mixed bag of Fw 190s of I/JG 2 and Bf 109s of II/JG 2 and III/JG 3. Only a single Bf 109G-6 of II/JG 2 was reported missing that day, obviously not making a good match for Polish victories. Nonetheless each of the three aforementioned units reported heavy losses on the following days in the general area of combat, so possibly in the chaos some of them were reported on a wrong date or not reported at all. Unfortunately, for the time being it is not possible to verify actual score of No 133 Wing.

   This was the last fight of Skalski. Within few weeks No 133 Wing was withdrawn from offensive operations to counter V1 Doodlebugs. Skalski, due to reorganisation of 2 TAF bid farewell to his Wing, which, with 36 destroyed enemy aircraft, was officially recognised as the most successful unit of the 2 TAF during June 1944. Despite attempts, Skalski never flew operationally again. Nonetheless these victories over Normandy secured his position as the highest scoring Polish fighter pilot, with 18 individual and 2 shared destroyed, 2 probables, and 4 individual and 1 shared damaged.

• Bloody Mersebburg

  Text: Jan Zdiarský

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Cat. No. 70171

  
  

  Mustang serial number 44-13321 was the third, but not last, of George H. Preddy's ‘Cripes A' Mighty’ Mustangs. By the time depicted in the boxart of our Profipack P-51D-5, the aircraft had partially modified invasion stripes. During their removal from the upper surfaces of the wing, the black ETO quick identification bands also disappeared, leaving only the stripes on the underside of the wing and the lower part of the fuselage. ‘Cripes A' Mighty 3rd’ was flown by Maj. Preddy from mid-June, 1944 to the end of August of the same year. This period includes a mission from July 29th, 1944, when his group escorted formations of B-17s. I.G. Farben in Leuna, Germany, a chemical plant producing synthetic gasoline, was raided by more than five hundred B-17s with the 352nd FG tasked with keeping intercepting German fighters off the bombers.

   George H. Preddy reported that day: ‘The Group was assigned to cover the 2nd Task Force of B-17s consisting of ten combat wings bombing Merseburg. We rendezvoused with the last combat wing and swept up to the lead box. We were southwest of the target covering bombers going in and coming out. After one box came off the target, I saw 20 Me 109s in formation come in behind and high to them. I led the Squadron in astern of the enemy aircraft and came in range just as they began firing on this box of B-17s from astern. I saw one B-17 get hit and start burning so led the flight right into the middle of the 109s. I came up astern of one enemy aircraft on the right side of the formation and opened fire from 300 yards, five degrees angle-off, and got hits. I continued firing as I closed to 100 yards and the enemy aircraft began smoking badly and went down falling apart. The whole formation began splitting up and diving for the deck. I followed one down but lost him in the clouds. I picked up Lt. Sears and we climbed back up towards a box of bombers. While still several thousand feet below them I saw a B-17 peel out of formation and explode. There were enemy fighters above the B-17s but other P-51s chased them away before we got up to them. CLAIM: One (1) Me 109 Destroyed’.

   The B-17 formation in the background is also worth noting in Piotr Forkasiewicz's painting. Bloody Merseburg was considered one of the most difficult targets the 8th AF flew over. The 100th BG lost eight B-17s that day. The aircraft on the boxart form the front of this unit's combat box, led by a radar pathfinder on loan from the 95th BG. Pathfinders issued to other units usually lacked the letter-in-a-square markings we see on other machines. The formation, depicted according to surviving records, shows, among other things, a large collection of olive drab B-17s, which were still flying in large numbers during this period.

   In compiling air and ground victories recorded by the USAAF, the Messerschmitt of July 29th was Preddy’s fifteenth kill. More were yet to come. Chief among them are the six Bf 109s he sent to the ground during a single mission, that on August 6th, 1944, when he led the 352nd FG on another escort run. After this extraordinary success, his commander, Lt.Col. John C. Meyer, proposed the Congressional Medal of Honor. However, the High Command awarded Preddy ‘only’ the Distinguished Service Cross. These kills were also gained by Preddy in ‘Cripes A' Mighty 3rd’, and also the last flying this aircraft. Shortly thereafter, he was sent on leave and upon his return assumed command of the 328th FS.

   By the end of 1944 he had increased his score to a final 26.83 aerial victories, three probable and six damaged, plus five aircraft destroyed on the ground. The string of successes, along with a rivalry with his friend, Lt. Col. John Meyer, came to an end on December 25th, 1944, when Preddy's Mustang was accidentally shot down by Allied air defenses in the frontline area during a dogfight with an Fw 190, killing George H. Preddy. No other pilot managed to surpass his score, and his total of 26.83 aerial victories in the P-51 made him the most successful Mustang pilot.

  A few months earlier, when George Preddy went on leave to the USA, other pilots took turns flying his ‘Cripes A' Mighty 3rd’, including Lt.Col. Meyer, who destroyed four German planes on the ground with it on September 10th, 1944. Later, this Mustang was assigned to Capt. Henry Stewart, who renamed it ‘The Margarets’. After a few weeks, the Mustang got a new pilot. Lt. Marion Nutter, who renamed it ‘Sexshunate’. Like George H. Preddy, his Mustang 44-13321 became a record holder. Various pilots achieved a total of 18.5 air to air kills and nine ground victories with it. ‘Sexshunate’, Preddy's original ‘Cripes A' Mighty 3rd’ was shot down by German flak on April 16th, 1945, and its pilot, Lt. Warren Padden, perished.

  The very next day was over České Budějovice in Czechoslovakia, while pursuit of an Me 262, shot down George's younger brother William, a pilot of the 503rd FS, 339th Fighter Group. Both Preddy brothers, both Mustang pilots, are buried next to each other in a military cemetery in St. Avold in France.

  
  

  Sources:

  NARA, 100th BG, planesinprofile.com, crazyhorseap.be, wikipedia.org, O.Henry Magazine, Peter Randall - littlefriends.co.uk, acesofww2.com, Troy White – Starduststudios, USAAF Operations Chronology

• The First Wave

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  Cat. No. 8227

  
  

  The Battle of the Philippine Sea, which took place on June 19 and 20, 1944, during the American landings on Saipan in the Mariana Islands, was the largest carrier engagement in history. The Japanese fleet fielded nine carriers, including the Shōkaku and Zuikaku, while the American side deployed fifteen. The Japanese also utilized naval aircraft from bases in the Marianas. Since the last carrier engagements in late 1942, the Americans had significantly improved the organization of their task forces and enhanced their defenses with radar, anti-aircraft fire and, most importantly, the early deployment of carrier-based fighter units. The new F6F Hellcat, developed with insights from testing captured Zero fighters, proved to be a deadly adversary for Japanese pilots.

  As the battle unfolded on the morning of June 19, the first wave of Japanese aircraft took off before 9 a.m. from the carriers Chitose, Chiyoda, and Zuihō. This initial group consisted of eight B6N Jill bombers, sixteen A6M5 Zero Type 52 escort fighters, and forty-five A6M2 Zero Type 21 fighter-bombers. Two B5N Kate bombers led the Japanese formation toward the enemy as pathfinders. The aircraft from these three carriers were part of the newly organized Kōkūtai 653, with carrier air groups designated as Hikōkitai 331 (Chitose), Hikōkitai 332 (Chiyoda), and Hikōkitai 333 (Zuihō).

  Before the launch, the mood among the airmen was optimistic, with one even remarking that retribution for Midway was imminent. Their confidence, however, was far removed from the harsh reality that awaited them.

  Thanks to radar and a well-organized air defense line formed by Hellcat pilots and their controllers , the Japanese formation was intercepted long before reaching the U.S. Navy task force. Over the next thirty minutes, it became the target of relentless attacks. VF-15 was the first to engage, followed by VF-2, VF-27 - known for the shark-mouth designs on their Hellcats - and other squadrons. Controllers directed about fifty Hellcats against the attackers, and the American pilots claimed around one hundred victories. Although this number was roughly twice the actual Japanese losses, the key achievement was preventing a successful strike on the carriers.

  Despite their efforts, the pilots from the first Japanese attack wave did manage to hit only the battleship USS South Dakota and only one of their nine formation leaders survived and returned from the mission.

  U.S. fighter pilots were surprised to find they couldn’t catch up with the B6N Jill bombers once these had started their continuous descent approach to launch their torpedoes. They were also puzzled by the fact that a significant number of Zeros did not engage in combat and continued flying straight ahead. It became apparent that these were A6M2 fighter-bombers, whose pilots, showing strict discipline, remained focused on their mission. However, some that managed to reach the American fleet made bold attacks on enemy vessels.

  Antonis Karydis’ box art depicts the moment when Ensign Gordon A. Stanley, flying a Hellcat, shoots down a fighter-bomber from the carrier Chiyoda. Stanley claimed four fighter planes destroyed and two more as probably destroyed during this engagement. On June 19, 1944, Stanley achieved the highest number of kills among VF-27 (USS Princeton) pilots.

  The Japanese lost more than 600 aircraft from both carrier and land-based units during the battle, along with three aircraft carriers. The inexperience of their newly trained airmen became painfully clear. Another factor contributing to their defeat was the seniority gap: compared to the carrier engagements of 1942, many of the Japanese senior officers in 1944 were about ten years younger and lacked the same level of experience, with many having no background in air operations at all. The Achilles' heel of Japanese carriers remained their inadequate passive protection and damage control systems.

  Although U.S. airstrikes on Japanese carriers caused less damage than in previous battles, American submarines compensated by sinking two of the three carriers lost, leaving the Zuikaku as the only operational fleet carrier in the Imperial Navy. Barrett Tillman vividly recounts this battle in his book Clash of the Carriers.

  Following the defeat, the Japanese command began searching intensively for a way to overcome the sophisticated defences of the American task force, which was difficult to penetrate due to a combination of radar, fighter cover, and strong anti-aircraft defences. This led to the development of the kamikaze tactics.

  Additionally, the U.S. occupation of Saipan paved the way for the establishment of an airbase for B-29 strategic bombers, which, thanks to this new airfield, were now within range of Japan.

• Attack everything!

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Martin Novotný

  Cat. No. 8094

  
  

  On September 20, 1915, the legendary Lanoe G. Hawker left No. 6 Squadron of the RFC, already an aviation icon. He had been awarded the Victoria Cross for his exploits with the unit, proving himself not only an exceptionally courageous aviator but also a technically innovative officer. By the time he departed, he had seven aerial combat victories to his credit but showed signs of fatigue from a year-long combat deployment in France. However, command did not allow him much rest. By September 28, he was appointed commander of No. 24 RFC Squadron, which in early 1916 became the RFC's first fighter unit, equipped with the new DH.2 single-seat aircraft.

  Hawker approached his new role with his characteristic technical knowledge and strategic mindset. He worked tirelessly to ensure his pilots achieved optimal results with the DH.2, demonstrating techniques and instilling confidence in his squadron. When his pilots worried about handling the aircraft's spin, Hawker personally showed them how. He was an officer focused on maximizing the combat capabilities of the new machine rather than dwelling on its limitations. He praised its excellent cockpit visibility and believed the engine was sufficiently powerful. However, as it became evident over time, the engine often became coated with castor oil mid-flight, diminishing its performance—a factor that later likely contributed to Hawker's death.

  The DH.2 aircraft and its operational history are thoroughly detailed by B. Gray, T. Henshaw, M. Davis, and M. Kelsey in their recently published book De Havilland DH2 and the Men Who Flew Them, which I highly recommend. The book includes a comprehensive briefing by Hawker from August 7, 1916, covering the DH.2’s flight characteristics, training, combat deployment, and gunnery techniques. Novice pilots were cautioned against flying solo in combat. The chapter on combat tactics elaborates on strategies against different categories of enemy aircraft. The Germans regarded Hawker as the British counterpart of Max Immelmann, a comparison I believe to be well-founded. Hawker's main command was to always attack—ideally with surprise and from a superior altitude.

  A historic day for No. 24 Squadron was June 22, 1916, when Hawker’s order of the day was simply, “Attack everything!” The unit launched its largest single-day sortie with five DH.2s and one Bristol Scout. The formation encountered several Fokker monoplanes over Bapaume, engaging in a skirmish with neither victory nor loss. The Fokker pilots demonstrated their planes' durability in dive maneuvers—moves DH.2 pilots typically avoided.

  Later that day, Lt. C. M. B. Chapman and Lt. A. G. Knight clashed with a formation of six German aircraft near Bapaume, identifying the enemy as one large AGO C and five LVG C planes. Despite being outnumbered, Chapman was credited with downing the AGO, and Knight claimed his first victory over one of the LVG Cs. This scene is captured in the box art by Martin Novotný. Knight’s aircraft, serial number 6011, was relatively new, having been delivered on June 18.

  Aircraft 6011 had spent less than a month on the front, accumulating 47 hours and 40 minutes of flight time, but its service with No. 24 Squadron ended on July 11, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. The aircraft was reported missing, piloted by novice Lt. C. Kerr, during an Army patrol in the Longeval-Puisieux area. It was later discovered that he had crashed behind German lines between Péronne and St. Quentin. During a battle with a German C-type aircraft from Kagohl 1, Kerr's plane’s controls and engine were struck. The victorious German observer, Oblt. Hermann Maurer, was later awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Württemberg Military Merit Order on July 29, having already received the Württemberg Gold Military Medal for his previous aviation service.

  Twenty-one-year-old “Gerry” Knight, an Englishman who spent most of his life in Canada, went on to achieve seven more victories with other DH.2 aircraft. He was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order for his service. He was one of two aviators responsible for the collision between Oswald Boelcke and Erwin Böhme of Jasta 2 on October 28, 1916, resulting in Boelcke’s fatal crash. Tragically, Knight’s career ended when he became Manfred von Richthofen’s thirteenth victim on December 20, 1916, while serving with No. 29 Squadron RFC.

• Markings for Gustav pt.3 1/72

  Bf 109G-6/AS/U2, WNr. 412807, Uffz. Heinz Zimmermann, 6./JG 27, Fels am Wagram, Austria, July 1944

  In the beginning of April 1944, first Bf 109G-6/AS aircraft were delivered to JG 1, JG 5 and JG 11 units, the following month several aircraft were delivered to JG 3 and also to JG 27, at that time based at the Fels am Wagram airport in Austria. Yellow 2 was camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76 colors sporting the Reich Defense marking of the aircraft serving with JG 27, i.e., green band around the rear fuselage. Irregular stripes of RLM 74 were applied on the engine cowling sides at the unit. There is a FuG 16 system antenna mounted at the bottom of the fuselage. The aircraft had red undercarriage legs, which indicated it was using the 96octane fuel.

   

  Bf 109G-6/AS, Hptm. Friedrich-Karl Müller, CO of 1./NJGr. 10, Werneuchen, Germany, July 1944

  Friedrich-Karl Müller, the future Knight’s Cross recipient and the ace with thirty night victories over the enemy aircraft, was born on December 4, 1912, in Sulzbach, Saarland. In 1934 he completed his pilot training and got the job with Lufthansa. After the outbreak of World War II, he was transferred to the Luftwaffe. Initially, he was flying as a transport pilot, later as an instrument flying instructor. In December 1942, he was assigned to KG 50 flying with He 177s and in the summer of the following year he responded to Hajo Hermann call and requested the reassignment to JG 300 famous for its Wilde Sau (single-engine fighter night interception without airborne radar guidance) tactics. While serving with this unit, Müller was credited with 19 victories and in January 1944 he was ordered to form 1./NJGr. 10. In August 1944, he was promoted to command I./NJG 11 and was leading this unit until the end of World War II. He passed away on November 2, 1987. The bottom surfaces and part of sides were painted black to better suit night conditions. The red band around rear fuselage indicated the original operator of this aircraft within the Reich Defense system was JG 300. The kill marks were painted on left side of the rudder in the form of the twenty-three stripes with cockades appropriate to the victim nationality and date of the victory.

  
  

  Bf 109G-6/AS, WNr. 110087, Hptm. Horst Carganico, CO of I./JG 5, Herzogenaurach, Germany, May 1944

  The first unit in which the then twenty-two-year-old Lt. Carganico served after completing flight training was JG 1 at the beginning of the war. This was followed by service with JG 77 with which he saw combat in Norway and then in the Battle of Britain. On January 1, 1941, he returned to Norway where he led 1./JG 77. On September 25, 1941, Carganico achieved his 27th kill and was awarded the Knight’s Cross. In March 1942, Carganico’s unit was redesignated 6./JG 5 and he was given command of the entire II. Gruppe in April 1942. On March 26, 1944, he took over I./JG 5 as CO and the unit saw combat against Allied forces within the Defense of the Reich. On April 27 of the same year, Carganico took off for the last time. In an attack on a group of B-17s, his Bf 109G-5 was heavily damaged and during his attempt to belly-land, he struck some high power lines and died in the resulting crash near the French town of Chevry. His final tally consisted of sixty kills over the course of 600 sorties. Bf 109G-6/AS aircraft were assigned to the high altitude interception units therefore they were camouflaged in the overall coat of RLM 76. Hptm. Carganico had Mickey Mouse painted on the fuselage port side, marking carried by his previous airplanes. Starboard side is not photographically documented, it may have carried the Gruppe Commander’s double chevron marking.

   

  Bf 109G-6/AS, MT-463, ylik. Tapio Järvi, 2/HLeLv 24, Lappeenranta, Finland, July/August 1944

  Among the deliveries of Bf 109G-2 and G-6 fighters to Germany’s ally Finland were two G-6/AS version aircraft. In the Finnish Air Force, these were coded MT-463 and MT-471. MT-463 was delivered on June 28, 1944, and was assigned to HLeLv 24, where it was flown by, among other pilots, ylikersantti (Technical Sergeant) Järvi, who used it to shoot down two of his total 27 victims. A further five kills with this aircraft were claimed by another four pilots. The Bf 109G-6/AS did not represent any major advantage for the Finnish Air Force, because the majority of air combat with the Soviets took place at altitudes below 3,000 m. The DB 605AS, which powered the type, was designed to offer advantages at high altitudes. The camouflage scheme of this aircraft consisted of sprayed RLM 74/75/76 with the blue swastikas on white discs on the fuselage and wing positions. The code MT-463 appeared on the fuselage ahead of the tail surfaces. The yellow number of the aircraft within the unit was applied between the fuselage code and the cockpit. There are no available photographs of this aircraft during its combat career with HLeLv 24, but from other period photographs of other such aircraft, the list of aircraft numbers for this specific plane has been reduced to 2, 4 or 6.

  
  

  Bf 109G-14/AS, Fw. Eberhard Gzik, 2./JG 300, Borkheide, Germany, October 1944

  This Bf 109G-14/AS belonging to I./JG 300 was a Series 780 machine produced by the Erla factory in Leipzig. During the fall of the 1944, the I./JG 300 led by Hptm. Gerhard Stamp conducted fighter cover for the Fw 190A-8/R2 Sturmbock heavy fighters. The unit suffered serious losses during tough combats with USAAF fighters in September and October. On October 2, I./JG 300 lost 19 aircraft destroyed and 13 damaged by Mustangs of the 355th FG which strafed the Borkheide airfield. Fw. Eberhard Gzik was posted to 9./EJG 2 in November 1944 and flew the Me 262 in Kommando Stamp. He achieved three aerial victories during the war.

  
  

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 784986, Ofw. Paul Schwerdtfeger, 11./JG 6 Bissel, Germany, January, 1945

  Since 1944 Ofw. Paul Schwerdtfeger logged many sorties as a reconnaissance pilot. In the summer 1944 he volunteered to the fighter air corps and on January 1, 1945 took off as a member of III./JG 6 staff flight for his first combat sortie in the fighter role. JG 6 target was supposed to be Volkel airport however the unit commander led his unit much further to the south. Ofw. Schwerdtfeger’s aircraft was hit by an anti-aircraft artillery fire nearby Helmond. The pilot tried to reach German lines however he crash-landed and was killed nearby Groesbeek. Ofw. Schwerdtfeger aircraft flew camouflaged in typical camouflage from the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, in RLM 74/75/76 colors. Vertical tail surface and rudder were manufactured by the sub-contractor and painted in the same colors with sharp-edged blotches of RLM 74, overpainted slightly by RLM 76 blotches, 900 mm red-white-red stripe was spray-painted on the rear of the fuselage. This was Jagdegeschwader 6 recognition marking for its Reich Defense role.

   

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 785185, Lt. Heinz Schüler, 16./JG 5, Stavanger-Forus, Norway, March 1945

  In November 1944 in Stavanger 16. Staffel Jagdgeschwader 5 was established in order to boost the IV. Gruppe inventory to four Staffels. The IV./JG 5 equipment was unified to Bf 109G-14 even though couple of Fw 190 continued flying with the unit till the end of 1944. Bf 109G-14/AS marked blue 17 was flown by Lt. Heinz Schüler who painted Berlin’s coat of arms under the windshield. It is apparent in the photographs that at that time the aircraft did not carry the Defense of the Reich markings, however when Lt. Schüler landed it on March 27, 1945, at Stavanger-Sola airport it sported black and yellow bands (JG 5 aircraft marking) behind the fuselage national insignia. The upper sides were camouflaged in RLM 74/75 colors in standard camouflage pattern from the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg.

   

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 783906, 3./JG 4, Ensfeld, Austria, April 1945

  Elements of I./JG 4 were gradually established in Romania during 1942 and 1943, where they participated in the defense of local oil fields and petrochemical plants. From late 1943 until the summer of 1944, the unit was deployed in Italy before fighting in the defense of the Reich. Its final mission was to oppose Soviet forces along the Oder river, which included escorting Heinkels He 111 from I./KG 200 equipped with Hs 293 guided missiles for attacks on pontoon bridges. In mid-March 1945, I./JG 4 was disbanded, and its pilots were transferred to II.(Sturm)/JG 4, III./JG 4, or began training on the Me 262s. The Yellow 8 aircraft, with its upper surfaces painted in RLM 74/75 colors, may have been reassigned to III./JG 4 after I./JG 4 was disbanded. While most of its aircraft remained in northern Germany shortly before the surrender, some pilots were permitted to fly home independently. This could explain why the original I./JG 4 aircraft was found in Austria at the war’s end.

   

  Bf 109G-14/AS (Mtt Reg), WNr. 784993, Uffz. Herbert Maxis, 13./JG 53, Stuttgart-Echterdingen, Germany, January, 1945

  In the ranks of IV./JG 53, Uffz. Maxis was to participate in the raid on Metz-Frescaty airport captured by the US troops. During the flight to the target, together with the other pilots, he attacked the 455th AAA Battalion post located nearby Ittersdorf. He was shot down however, force-landed and after getting out of the cockpit he was shot to death by the member of the Battery A of the field artillery 739th Batalion. Maxis’ burial place remains unknown.

  Uffz. Maxis’ Bf 109G-14/AS flew camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76, in typical camouflage pattern from the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg. Vertical tail surface and rudder were manufactured by the sub-contractor and painted in the same colors with sharp-edged blotches of RLM 74. 900 mm wide black stripe around the rear fuselage indicated JG 53 aircraft deployed in the Reich Defense role.

   

  WNr. 785083, Sgt. Magg. Aldo Burei, 1a Squadriglia, 1o Gruppo, Caccia ANR, Malpensa, Italy, April 1945

  After declaration of the Italian Social Republic on September 18, 1943, a puppet state on the German armed forces occupied territory, and under the leadership of Benito Mussolini, Germany allowed this state to form the army in the strength of four divisions. Its aviation component, named Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, consisted of two fighter groups (Gruppo Caccia), a group of torpedo bombers (Gruppo Aerosiluranti Buscaglia) and several transport flights. 1o Gruppo Caccia (Asso di Bastoni) initially flew Macchi C.205 but from November 1944 till February 1945 went through the transition training on Messerschmitt 109 in Holzkirchen, Germany. In February the unit received Messerschmitts 109 of the versions G-10 (manufactured by Erla factory in Leipzig), G-14 and G-14/AS and several K-4s. The original German markings were oversprayed in Italian colors and the aircraft received the Italian markings. The German iron crosses were left on the wing underside surfaces. The upper sides were most probably painted in RLM 74/75 shades.  

• Markings for Mustang Mk.III 1/48

  FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing, Holmsley South, United Kingdom, June 1944

  Stanislaw Skalski was the commander of No. 133 Wing in the period from April 4, 1944, to August 3, 1944. During this period, he used the Mustang serial number FZ152 as his personal aircraft. Originally, the P-51B s/n 43-6533 carried a camouflage scheme in an unusual B scheme, which had the camouflage colors swapped. On the fuselage of his Mustang, Skalski had his initials SS painted by ground personnel, and on the left side of the fuselage below the cockpit was the wing commander’s emblem, behind which there were 17 black crosses with white borders and four crosses without the borders painted. During the Allied landings in Normandy, Skalski’s aircraft was painted with black and white invasion stripes on the wing and fuselage. W/Cdr Skalski scored the last two confirmed victories of his wartime career with his Mustang on June 24, 1944, without opening fire on his victims. In fact, on approach to 150 yards, the enemy Bf 109s made contact with their wings during an evasive maneuver and both crashed. Stanislaw Skalski was the most successful Polish ace of World War II with a record of 23 confirmed kills, one probable kill and five damage to enemy aircraft. He was decorated three times by the British DFC and received numerous other awards.

   

  FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing, Coolham, United Kingdom, April-May 1944

  Stanislaw Skalski was born on November 27, 1915, in Lambushna near Kodymy (now in Ukraine). After the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, he became one of the two most successful Polish fighters who took part in the battles against the German forces. He fled to the UK via France, joined the RAF in January 1940 and took part in the Battle of Britain with No. 501 Sqn. In early March 1942 he was transferred to No. 306 Sqn as Flight B Commander. In May 1942 he was promoted and took command of No. 317 Sqn. In early 1943 he led a special group called the Polish Flying Team operating as part of No. 145 Sqn on Mk.IXc Spitfires in North Africa. In July 1943 he became commander of the British No. 601 Sqn. Late in the year he returned to the UK, flying as commander of No. 131 Wing at Northolt, but in April 1944 he moved to No. 133 Wing, which was rearmed with Mk.III Mustangs. He remained there until mid-August 1944. After the war he served at the headquarters of the British Occupation Air Force in Germany. On his return to Poland in 1949 he was imprisoned by the Communists on charges of spying for the West. He spent six years in prison awaiting execution. In 1956 was Skalski released and rehabilitated. In 1957 he rejoined the Polish Air Force. Later he was active in sport aviation, becoming secretary general and vice-president of the Polish Aero Club. In October 1988 he was promoted to the rank of General (retired). He died on November 12, 2004.

   

  FB387, PK-G, S/Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, CO of No. 315 Squadron, Brenzett, Kent, August 1944

  Mustang Mk.III serial number FB387 was manufactured as P-51C-10-NT (NA-103) 42-103537 and spent some time in storage before being shipped to No. 315 Squadron on July 28, 1944. Here it was selected by S/Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski as a replacement for his original personal FB382. Like the previous Mustang, his new FB387 was codenamed PK-G, with yellow bomb symbols representing attacks on ground targets and scores of German aircraft destroyed (black crosses) and V-1s shot down (swastikas with superimposed V-1 silhouettes). Eugeniusz Horbaczewski was born on September 28, 1917, in Kyiv, educated in Brest-Litovsk and joined the Polish Air Force in 1937. In September 1939 he fled to France via Romania and from there he went to Great Britain. After completing his training with the RAF, he was assigned to No. 303 Sqn in late 1940. In early 1943 he was selected for a special Polish Flying Team, formed by S. Skalski and operating as part of No. 145 Sqn on Mk.IXc Spitfires. Over Tunisia, Horbaczewski became the most successful pilot of this group with five victories in less than a month. After the disbandment of the Polish Flying Team, he was assigned to No. 601 Sqn operating in the Mediterranean area and in early July to No. 43 Sqn, which he led from August. On his return to the UK in February 1944 he took command of No. 315 Sqn, flying Mk.III Mustangs. On August 18, 1944, he was shot down in the Beauvais area and killed, having previously shot down three Fw 190s himself.

   

  FZ181, F/Sgt A. J. Fellows, No. 19 Squadron, Funtington, United Kingdom, April-May 1944

  The Mk.III Mustangs of No. 19 Squadron, like all Mustangs operating in 2TAF, had the white identification markings adopted in February 1944 and applied shortly after entering service. A month later, and after Allied crews had become sufficiently familiar with the new type, the white identification stripe on the rudder was repainted with camouflage color. The serial number FZ181 Mustang was most often flown by F/Sgt. A. J. Fellows of No. 19 Squadron, who had “MITZIE I” painted under the cockpit. 

   

  FB260, G/Cpt Brian A. Eaton, CO of No. 329 Wing, Italy, Autumn 1944

  Australian Brian Alexander Eaton enlisted in the RAAF in January 1936. He served as a flying instructor until the outbreak of war and in Australia until October 1942 when he sailed to North Africa and joined the Australians operating on that front. In early 1943 he was assigned to No. 3 Sqn in North Africa, where he flew P-40 Kittyhawks. Despite being shot down three times in ten days shortly after his arrival, Eaton quickly rose to become the unit’s commanding officer and by the end of the year was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). In August 1944 he returned to operational flying and assumed command of No. 239 Wing, replacing W/Cdr Larry Wilmot. He took over Wilmot’s Mustang serial number FB260, to which he subsequently applied his BE initials and Wing emblem. Eaton led No. 239 Wing until the end of the war. He was awarded the DFC and DSO plus Bar. After the war he stayed in the RAAF and commanded No. 81 Squadron in Japan and No. 78 Squadron in Malta. From 1957 to 1959 he commanded the RAAF base at Williamtown, after which he held a number of senior command positions. He retired from the RAAF in December 1973 and became Managing Director of Rolls-Royce in Canberra. He died in 1992 at the age of 75.

   

  HB900, F/Lt Reginald A. Wild DFC, No. 112 Squadron, Creti LG, Italy, July 1944

  Reginald Albert Wild was born on June 16, 1922, in Laura, South Australia and worked as a plumber before joining the RAAF. On February 1, 1941, he was posted to the Middle East where he completed two tours with No. 112 Squadron. F/Lt Reginald Wild joined his second tour of duty on June 1, 1944, with No. 112 Sqn as Flight A leader. The Squadron was freshly armed with new Mk.III Mustangs. Wild chose the serial number HB900 (s/n 42-103869) as his personal Mustang and flew it regularly until the end of his tour on October 14, 1944. In addition to the shark’s mouth, the traditional identifying feature of all No. 112 Squadron aircraft, his Mustang featured a caricature of the character Wimpy painted on the left side of the nose, as well as the unusual “?” code marking previously worn by Kittyhawks of S/Ldr Billy Drake. Following S/Ldr Drake’s departure from No. 112 Squadron, F/Lt Wild also took a liking to the question mark code and used it on his Kittyhawks. During World War II he achieved three confirmed kills, one probable kill and damaged one aircraft, for which he was awarded the DFC on July 23, 1943. All of his achievements were in Kittyhawks. After the war he joined the Royal Australian Navy and flew with No. 808 Squadron from HMAS Sydney in 1951-52 aboard Hawker Sea Fury aircraft during the Korean War. He commanded this unit from mid-1953 until its disbandment in 1954.

   

  FB254, W/O J. S. Duncan, No. 260 Squadron, Cutella LG, Italy, April-May 1944

  Mustang serial number FB254 (s/n 42-103148) was part of the first delivery of Series III Mustangs shipped to Italy. He was assigned to No. 260 Squadron with the codes HS-J, with which he carried the nickname Jovial Judge. Subsequently, FB254 was transferred to No. 112 Squadron, where it flew with code letters GA-Y until January 11, 1945, when it was damaged by flak and Canadian pilot W/O J. S. Duncan was forced to make an emergency landing with the burning Mustang. Severely burned, Duncan was rescued by an old Italian peasant and taken to a hospital in Ravenna.

• Markings for P-51D-5 1/72

  s/n 44-13321, Lt. George E. Preddy, 487th FS, 352nd FG, 8th AF, Bodney, United Kingdom, July 1944

  George Earl Preddy, the future fighter ace with the highest score achieved on Mustang, was born on February 5, 1919, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He had completed the pilot training before the War and tried three times to enlist in the US Navy in 1940 unsuccessfully. Fourth time he tried to enlist in the USAAC and was accepted in 1940. He was assigned to 49th PS and dispatched to Australia after training. Flying P-40Es in the defense of Darwin he was credited with two Japanese airplanes damaged. He was wounded in a mid-air collision in July 1942 and sent back to the United States. As of September 1943, his next combat assignment awaited him in Europe with 352nd FG, where he was flying P-47s. In April, the unit converted to P-51 Mustangs. This aircraft lacked any camouflage and sported the blue-painted nose, same as other 352nd FG aircraft. In the photography taken at the end of July, there are already 23 kill marks painted on Preddy’s aircraft nose. The plane was already missing invasion stripes on the upper side of the wing, they remained on the bottom of the wing and fuselage. In August 1944, Maj. Preddy was sent back to United States for a rest. After his return in October the same year he took command of 328th FS, part of 352nd FG. On December 25, in vee hours when chasing Fw 190 over the front line was Preddy’s Mustang hit by the American anti-aircraft fire. He attempted the emergency landing nearby the anti-aircraft battery, but he was fatally wounded and crashed.

   

  s/n 44-13318, Lt. Col. Thomas L. Hayes Jr., CO of 364th FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, Leiston, United Kingdom, August 1944

  Thomas Lloyd Hayes was born on March 31, 1917, in Portland, Oregon and after his studies at the Oregon State College he enlisted in the USAAF. After the training he was assigned to 35th PG where he was flying P-40s defending Java against Japanese forces. After being wounded in combat with Zeros of 3 Kōkūtai on February 20, 1942, he was dispatched to New Guinea. There, he was assigned to 41st PS flying Airacobras. In the fall of 1942, Thomas Hayes was sent back to the USA where, in May 1943, he was assigned to 357th FG with which he completed the advanced training. Already in command of 364th FS, he was sent to Great Britain where he flew combat missions until August 11, 1944, when he was sent back to the United States. During the World War II he was credited with 8.5 aerial kills. After the World War II he remained in the service with the USAF and retired in February 1970 in the rank of Brigadier General. Lt. Col. Hayes’ aircraft carried inscription Frenesi on the nose port side after the then popular song Free ’n Easy. Number of missions was depicted in form of 85 little bombs painted above the exhaust stacks. It remains unclear which camouflage paint were used on the 357th FG aircraft. Some veterans speak of the British colors Dark Green and Medium Sea Gray, surviving color photographs indicate American Olive Drab and Neutral Grey colors theory. Noses of the 357th FG aircraft were decorated with yellow-red checkerboard, propeller spinner was painted in the same colors.

   

  s/n 44-13606, Capt. Claude J. Crenshaw, 369th FS, 359th FG, 8th AF, East Wretham, United Kingdom, September 1944

  Twenty-four years old native of Monroe in Louisiana, Claude James Crenshaw, joined the ranks of the Army Air Corps in December 1942. After his training he was assigned to 359th FG based on East Wretham in Great Britain. He completed nine-months long tour of duty there, during which he shot down seven enemies. After that, he was ordered back to the United States where he was serving as flight instructor. He also flew combat in Korea and Vietnam, retiring in 1965 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The aircraft flew in its original factory finish. The green-painted nose was 359th FG marking the plane’s so-called invasion stripes on the fuselage and wings were already removed as well as the black stripe painted on the vertical tail surface and the rudder.

   

  s/n 44-13859, Lt. Walter Mullins, 55th FS, 20th FG, 8th AF, Kings Cliffe, United Kingdom, September 1944

  Besides decorating the aircraft with girlfriend’s, children’s or wife’s names, drawings of the sparsely clad ladies decorated some aircraft noses as well. Its artistic appearance depended on the ground personnel skills, if any could be found at the unit level. One of the Mustangs that sported the “pin up girl” artwork was the aircraft belonging to 55th FS flown by Lt. Mullins. Factory finish was supplemented with the olive color coat on the fuselage and wings upper surfaces. 55th FS affiliation is further confirmed by the fuselage code KI as well as the black triangle on the vertical tail surface and the rudder carrying the plane’s individual letter in white color.

   

  s/n 44-13321, Capt. John M. Simmons Jr., 317th FS, 325th FG, 15th AF, Lesina, Italy, September 1944

  John Mack Simmons, native of Gadsden in Alabama, joined army reserves in June 1942 and in January 1943 started his pilot’s training. After the graduation he was dispatched to 317th FS in the Italian theater. From the second half of April, he flew P-47s with this unit, in May, the whole 325th FG was re-equipped with superior Mustangs. While flying combats during the World War II, John Simmons shot down seven enemy aircraft and after it he remained in the USAF service. On January 18, 1961, he perished in the T-33 crash during the final approach. Since their African assignment the 325th FG aircraft were marked with yellow-black checkerboard painted on the tail surfaces to distinguish them from the bombers they covered, and which gave them the nickname Checkertails. The checkers’ dimensions were 10 by 10 inches. The plane marked with number 27 carried the inscription Devastating Dottie on the port side of the nose, the starboard side sported the name Lady Janie VIII as all the aircraft of crew chief Ebert.

• Markings for Bf 109G-4 1/48

  Bf 109G-4, WNr. 19527, Fw. Viktor Petermann, 5./JG 52, Anapa, the Soviet Union, June 1943

  Viktor Petermann was shot down with this aircraft by a Soviet fighter on June 6, 1943. The combat took place over the village of Petrowskaya in the Kuban region of the Soviet Union. The JG 52 badge was painted below the canopy, with a small devil symbolizing the 5. Staffel. Previously, the serial number 19257 was mistakenly attributed to this aircraft. Petermann, a native of Weipert (Vejprty), Czechoslovakia, began his combat career in 1942 as a wingman to JG 52 Kommodore Gordon Gollob. He achieved 64 aerial victories and was awarded the Knight’s Cross on February 29, 1944. On October 1, 1943, his Bf 109G was hit by friendly anti-aircraft fire. Petermann was wounded and had to belly land. The incident resulted in the amputation of his left forearm. Despite this handicap, he continued flying combat missions, shooting down four more enemy aircraft. He also undergo conversion training on the Me 262.

   

  Bf 109G-4/R6, Obfw. Rainer Pöttgen, 3./JG 27, Fels am Wagram, Austria, February 1944

  Rainer Pöttgen was the most famous wingman of the legendary fighter pilot Hans-Joachim Marseille. He served in Africa with I./JG 27 from December 1941 and fulfilled the role of a reliable wingman who covered his leader’s back, allowing him to concentrate on the target. Pöttgen gained his first victory on June 1, 1942, after 100 combat missions flown with Marseille. Because of his leader’s high number of victories, Pöttgen was nicknamed the Flying Counter (fliegendes Zählwerk). He also flew with Marseille during the fateful day in which the famous pilot died. Pöttgen served with I./JG 27 in 1943, first in France, where he achieved four victories during the spring and summer. At the end of July 1943, his unit moved to Austria and was integrated into the Defence of strengthen the Reich. The armament of the unit’s aircraft was complemented by MG 151/20 underwing cannons for heavier bursts in the combats with Allied four-engine bombers. Pöttgen survived the war during which he achieved seven victories. He was a valued member of the JG 27 veterans organization.

   

  Bf 109G-4/Trop, WNr. 10795, Oblt Wolfgang Tonne, CO of 3./JG 53, Bizerta, Tunis, February 1943

  Wolfgang Tonne was born on February 28, 1918, in Moosbach and joined the Luftwaffe in 1937. In May 1940 he took part in the Battle of France in the ranks of JG 53, then fought in the Battle of Britain and consecutively took part in in Operation Barbarossa with the same unit. At the end of 1941, JG 53 moved to Sicily to support Luftwaffe attacks on Malta. There, in January 1942, Wolfgang Tonne was given command of the 3. Staffel. In May 1942, 3./JG 53 was again sent to the Eastern Front, here Wolfgang Tonne achieved his 101st kill and was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. In October 1942, 3./JG 53 was sent to North Africa. Tonne’s Yellow 7 with the number 6 painted underneath after the previous user had his awards and kills painted on the left side of the rudder. In April 1943, Tonne’s unit was based at Protville airfield in Tunisia. He scored his 122nd kill on April 20, 1943. On return to the home airfield he performed a victory roll with his Bf 109G-6/R1 WNr. 16523. He apparently misjudged the altitude, lost control of his aircraft and the risky maneuver cost him life.

   

  Bf 109G-4/R6, Hptm. Waldemar Wübke, CO of 7./JG 54, Lille-Vendeville, France, March 1943

  Waldemar Wübke was one of the few Luftwaffe fighter pilots to survive combat duty over the entire course of the war. He was credited with a total of 15 victories over Allied aircraft. He started the war as a Leutnant with 9. Staffel, III./JG 54 during the Battle of Britain and ended it as a Hauptmann, flying Fw 109D-9s of the „Papagai Staffel“, which was flying defensive missions for Me 262 of Galland’s JV 44. The JG52 started the war on the western front but was assigned to Army Group North during Operation Barbarossa as part of the Luftflotte 1. In February 1943 III./JG 54 was transferred back to the west. There it was to replace one of the Gruppe JG 26. On February 1, 1943, it was sent from Heiligenbeil to Lille-Vendeville, where it was handed new Messerschmitts Bf 109G-4. By March 25, 1943, the III./JG 54 received orders to relocate to Oldenburg and to serve within the Defense of the Reich system. Bf 109G-4s came to the 7. Staffel JG 54 mostly from other units. Aircraft of III. Gruppe carried fuselage markings consisting of a wave bar in the Staffel color. The lower engine cowling was in yellow as was the rudder.

• Markings for F6F-3 1/48

  Lt. Oscar I. Chenoweth, VF-38, Segi Point airstrip, New Georgia Island, September 1943

  Oscar Ivan Chenoweth was born on July 16, 1917, in Salem, Oregon. Having graduated from the High School he continued his studies at the Oregon State University however he interrupted his education and in October of the same year enlisted in the US Navy. Having completed the fighter training Ens. Chenoweth flew as an instructor at a training unit. In the middle of 1943, he was assigned to VF-38 operating in the Pacific. Here he achieved his fist kill on September 15, 1943, when he shot down a Japanese Zero nearby Ballale island. Since January 1944 he flew Corsairs with VF-17 achieving another 7.5 victories over Japanese aircraft. Since June 1944 he was in command of the dive bomber squadron. In 1954 he retired from the US Navy and worked for Chance Vought. He passed away on May 9, 1968, due to a heart attack. Red outline of the national markings was discontinued as of August 14, 1943, because of possible confusion with the Japanese Hinomaru. There is no photographic proof that Chenowethְ’s aircraft carried the red outlines at the time of his first kill. It is possible, that in this time it sported blue-outlined markings.

   

  Ens. Gordon A. Stanley, VF-27, USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944

  Gordon Arthur Stanley, born on July 13, 1921, in Seattle, Washington state, shot down eight enemy airplanes in the course of World War Two. All of them he achieved flying with VF-27. This unit became famous thanks to its unique marking – cat mouth and eyes painted by Robert Burnell on all noses of the Hellcats belonging to this unit. Most of the Hellcats sporting the cat mouth with eyes were lost on October 24, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The aircraft ended up on the ocean bottom together with Light Aircraft Carrier Princeton, which was sunk by the single bomb launched from the D4Y Suisei (Judy) dive-bomber. Afterwards VF-27 operated from the board of CVL-22 Independence, however without the cat-mouth and eyes markings.

   

  VF-8, USS Intrepid (CV-11), Summer 1943

  Second unit marked as VF-8 was established on June 1, 1943, under the command of LCdr. William M. Collins Jr. and was dispatched for the operational training aboard USS Intrepid which was sailing in the Caribbean Sea at that time. Tri-color camouflage, introduced as of January 5, 1943, for the application on the aircraft deployed to Pacific, composed of Non-specular Sea Blue, Semi-gloss Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue and Non-specular White. Here, it was applied slightly differently than on the other aircraft. National markings featuring the red outline were introduced as of June 28, 1943.

   

  Lt. J. E. Lochridge, VF-34, Nissan Island, 1944

  The very unusual marking consisting of a white spine and part of the tail was typical for VF-34 Hellcats. Even more rare were pin-up girls on U.S. Navy fighter aircraft. Registration number was spray-painted on the engine cowling, used obviously during the deliveries from the manufacturer to the units.

   

  OTU VF-2, NAS Melbourne, United States of America, October 1944

  Naval Air Station Melbourne was established on October 20, 1942 and the first training course commenced on January 18, 1943 on F4F Wildcat aircraft. Hellcats started to arrive at the unit as of June 1, 1943, fully replaced originally operated Wildcats as of October 1, 1944, and their inventory varied between 75 and 150 machines. During 1944, 546 pilots completed their pilot training at this base, another 916 pilots from January to October 1944. Hellcats belonging to this unit sported a prominent marking carried on the front part of the engine cowling consisting of stripes or other geometrical shapes.

• Markings for DH-2 1/48

  No. 5967, Robert H. M. S. Saundby, No. 24 Squadron RFC, Flight A, France, July 1916

  This pilot of No. 24 Sqn, whose full name was Robert Henry Magnus Spencer Saundby, gained a total of five kills over the First World War, three of which were flown from the cockpit of a DH-2 and his first victory was acquired with this aircraft. On July 31, 1916, he claimed a German Fokker Eindecker, which was credited as OOC (Out of Control). During the course of the same combat, which reportedly took place east of Roisel, he was wounded. Evidently, this was not overly serious, as by August 6, he shared another kill with John O. Andrews. Later, he was transferred to No. 41 Sqn. His last victim was the Zeppelin L48 airship. During the Second World War, as a staff member of Bomber Command, RAF, he took part in the planning phases of carpet bombing plans of German cities. He received a list of British and foreign awards, was knighted, and left the service in 1946 as Air Vice Marshall.

   

  No. 5998, Capt. John O. Andrews, No. 24 Squadron, RFC, France, 1916

  The DH-2 5998 was flown by twelve-kill ace Capt. John Oliver Andrews. He started his flying career as an observer and gunner in an Avro 504 with No.5 Sqn RFC. He received his pilot rating on October 14, 1915, and was assigned to No. 24 Sqn equipped with DH-2s. He flew combat against German aces and on April 27, 1916, damaged the Eindecker flown by Max Immelmann. On November 22, 1916, he gained his seventh and last kill with No. 24 Sqn. It looks like Stefan Kirmaier, CO of Jasta 2 and an eleven kill ace was his victim. The following day, Andrews took part in combat that claimed the life of seven kill ace and No. 24 Sqn CO Lanoe Hawker, at the hands of Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen. Andrews was transferred to No. 66 Sqn thereafter and flew the Sopwith Pup. In all, he gained nine kills confirmed, and two listed as OOC (Out of Control). The second ace that flew this aircraft was Sidney Edward Cowan. Flying this airplane, he shot down a German two-seat LVG at Le Sars, thus gaining his fifth of seven kills. He died on November 17, 1916.

   

  No. 6011, Capt. Arthur G. Knight, No. 24 Squadron RFC, 1916

  Arthur Gerald Knight gained his first aerial victory on this aircraft on June 22, 1916. His victim was identified as a two-seat German LVG, destroyed in the vicinity of Courcelette in France. Knight shot down eight enemy aircraft up to the time of his death, all of which were achieved with DH-2. On October 28, 1916, he participated in combat where a fatal collision between Jasta 2 CO Oswald Boelcke and his colleague Erwin Boehme occurred. On December 20, 1916, Knight died, as he became the thirteenth victim of German legend Manfred von Richthofen.

   

  No. 7851, Capt. William G. S. Curphey, No. 32 Squadron RFC, Flight C, France, 1916

  William George Sellar Curphey gained a kill identified as a two-seat LVG on August 22, 1916, flying this airplane and he shot down six enemy aircraft altogether prior to his death on May 15, 1917. All his victories were achieved with DH-2 and No. 32 Sqn. The service career of this aircraft ended on January 7, 1917, at 1230 when it was shot down by Lt. d. R. Erwin Boehme of Jasta 2. At that time, E. G. S. Wagner of No. 32 Sqn, member was flying it. He did not survive and became Boehme’s ninth victim. Boehme reached a total of 24 kills by the end of the war. The black wheel discs with white centers and the C 1 code identify this aircraft as a part of No. 32 Sqn C Flight.

• Tail End Charlie

  An early meeting with Viktor Petermann at the Zwickau airfield. From left to right: Karel Hušek, Jan Zdiarský, Lorenz Zentgraf, Viktor Petermann, and Petr Frank.

  
  

  Neighbors

   Text: Jan Zdiarský

   

  Some time ago, my colleague Jan Bobek came to me saying that he wanted to prepare an article about Viktor Petermann, whose Bf 109 G-4 was to appear on the cover of a November kit release and which is covered by one of the historical articles in this issue of our newsletter. It brought me back to the beginning of December 1995, when I, together with my staff from the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains Museum, which was just being created at the time, received an invitation to a meeting of veterans at the airport in Zwickau. The meeting was of the Alten Adler, or the Old Eagles, as they called themselves. These were German aviation veterans, the association of ‘Gemeinschaft Der Jagdflieger E V’, ‘Jägerkreis Sachsen’, and they met there regularly at their ‘Fliegerstammtisch’. The community of old gentlemen and their wives was made up of former members of the Luftwaffe fighter force, a large part of them members of JG 52 from the Eastern Front. In the same week, I had a regular monthly meeting with our Czechoslovak RAF veterans, who, on the other hand, were members of the Czechoslovak Association of Foreign Service Airmen 1939-45. When we, then timid lads, were welcomed in Zwickau, it was up to me to thank the group on behalf of the somewhat bewildered Czechs and say something about us. I was looking at the old gentlemen, for the first time I had the opportunity to meet those who were on the ‘other side’ in such a big way only a few decades before. I remembered the meeting of the Association of Czechoslovak Veterans just a few days prior and I told our new German friends about it. Or, more accurately, the sentiment was relayed by my friend and museum colleague Petr Frank, who translated my words. I said that very recently I had been at a similar meeting of Czechoslovak airmen, and from what I could observe of the gentlemen from the meeting in Prague and now at Zwickau, it was very difficult to tell that these two groups had been such enemies at one point in time.

   Somewhere down the middle of the long table at the head of which we stood, a smiling tall gentleman in a short-sleeved shirt that revealed a missing left arm stood up and told me with a smile to convey a sincere greeting to our Czechoslovak veterans and tell them that we were not mutual enemies, but enemies as dictated by political doctrines of the state.

   That's how Viktor Petermann came into our lives. Of course, this was a somewhat diplomatic expression, given the ferocity of the air war battles of 1939-45. But at the same time, it describes the personality of Mr. Petermann and it certainly influenced my view of history and of the many veterans of the German fighter air force that we began to meet. Later we got to know Mr. Petermann much better and met him and his lovely wife Elfriede many more times. We were amazed during that first meeting, when he later sat down with us at the table in the corner of the room and we listened to his story, learned that he had 64 confirmed kills, flew both the Bf 109 and the Me 262, and was a holder of the Knight's Cross. The fact that we were basically neighbors definitely helped us grow closer to each other. His native Vejprty is a neighboring town, only six kilometers away from our Kovářská, basically over the next hill, you might say. Although the events caused by the Second World War did not allow him to live in his hometown, he did not hold a grudge against them or us and took us as friends from the neighborhood.

   After the opening of our museum in 1997, Mr. Petermann participated in discussions with veterans that we organized. There he also met several times with the Czechoslovak members of the RAF whom he had greeted in December 1995.

   At Jan Bobek's request, I will remind you here of one of the stories that Viktor Petermann told us and which is loosely related to the topic of the aforementioned article. In the post-war years, he worked as a citizen of East Germany in the trade of agricultural commodities, especially grain, and as part of his employment, he traveled to the Soviet Union for business meetings. Once, after a meeting, a Soviet interpreter came to him and said to him ‘I know you, Mr. Petermann...’. This caught him off guard, after which the woman added that during the war, she had worked in the Soviet eavesdropping service, which monitored radio transmissions of the German Air Force in the Kuban area in 1943. The specialists of this service were mostly women with a perfect knowledge of German and knew many of the German airmen operating over the virtually static front line for several months, not only by their radio codes, but often by their names and some even by voice.

   Mr. Petermann was a big-hearted insightful man until the end of his days, and certainly one of the prominent personalities who wielded much influence over the style with which the Museum of the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains passes on historical legacy.

  Fliegerstammtisch Zwickau, Jägerkreis Sachsen, December 11, 1997. On photo: Viktor Petermann (JG 52, JG 7), Heinz Zimmer (JG 26, JG 4), Petr Frank, and Jan Zdiarský.

  Meeting of WWII veterans with public people in Kovářská, September 1998. In row from left: Hans Bachmann (JG 52), standing Viktor Petermann (JG 52, JG 7), Col. Lubomír Úlehla (No 311 Squadron RAF & FAFL), Col Petr Uruba (No 311 Squadron RAF), Ewald Herhold (Jasta Helgoland JG 1), Herbert Chlond (ZG 1, JG 4). A discussion of WWII veterans and public visitors in Kovářská, September 1998. From left to right: Hans Bachmann (JG 52), standing Viktor Petermann (JG 52, JG 7), Col. Lubomír Úlehla (No. 311 Squadron RAF & FAFL), Col. Petr Uruba (No. 311 Squadron RAF), Ewald Herhold (Jasta Helgoland JG 1), and Herbert Chlond (ZG 1, JG 4).

  Viktor Petermann is also honored in the exhibition at the Museum of the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains, specifically in the section dedicated to general Luftwaffe equipment. The shooting and identification training tool at the bottom of the display was donated by him to the museum around 1998.

  Lt. Viktor Petermann with his wife and daughter. [Photo: Museum of Air Battle over the Ore Mountains Archive]

  Handwritten notes detailing Viktor Petermann's wartime statistics.