KITS 12/2022

1./KG(J) 6, Prague-Kbely, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, March/April 1945

The huge losses suffered by Luftwaffe fighter units

were one of the reasons that led in October 1944

to the decision to reduce the number of bomber

assets and to distribute their personnel among

fighter squadrons following the necessary conversion training. One of the Geschwader units affected

by this change was KG 6. The unit was redesignated as KG(J) 6 and was re-equipped with the

Bf 109G-10s and K-4s. Training was undertaken at

Prague-Kbely, Prague-Ruzyně and also at Klecany

airfields. On March 31, KG(J) 6 aircraft fought against

309th FS/31st FG Mustangs over Prague. The resul-

ting heavy losses led to the disbandment of the unit

a few days later, on April 9. This aircraft was abandoned at Kbely, probably due to irreparable damage

where it was photographed after the war. It's KG(J) 6

ownership is indicated by the red and black square

fuselage band on the rear of the aircraft

WNr. 130342, 5./NJG 11, Fassberg, Germany 1945

The all-grey painting of 5./NJG 11 aircraft was used

on the so-called “Mosquito Hunters” at the beginning

of 1945. The surface of the aircraft was polished for

maximum aerodynamic effectiveness. The last combat

against Mosquitos took place through March 1945, after

which these aircraft were pressed into service in night

attacks against Allied ground equipment.

WNr. 130297, Fw. Horst Petzschler, 10./JG 51, Insterburg, East Prussia, May 1945

Horst Petzschler was born in Berlin on September 1, 1921 and joined the Luftwaffe on April 1, 1941.

After fighter pilot training, he was assigned to JG 51

on August 23, 1943, and there he achieved his first

three kills. On April 13, 1944, he was transferred to

2./JG 3 which was a component of the Defense of

the Reich structure, but by June 1944, he would return to JG 51 on the Eastern Front. On May 4, 1945,

December 2022

III./JG 51 was relocated to Schleswig-Holstein from

eastern Prussia. Horst Petzschler did not reach

that location due to a navigation error and landed

at Bulltofta in Sweden, where he was interned and

in January 1946, the Swedes handed him over to the

Soviets. He was released from captivity on September 22, 1949. On his return, he worked for the Berlin Police Department and in 1953, he emigrated to

Canada and then the United States, where he worked in the aviation industry. He retired in 1988. Over

the course of the Second World War, Horst Petzschler

downed 26 enemy aircraft. The number 0297, the last

four digits of the serial number, was brush-painted

ahead of the tail plane. The bottom of the wing was

painted in RLM 76, but due to the short supplies of the

color some panels were left in natural metal.

INFO Eduard

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