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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