Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried "Max" Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in 1936 and 1938 were worldwide cultural events because of their national associations. When Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party took over control in Germany, Schmeling came to be viewed as a 'Nazi puppet.' In 1936, Schmeling knocked out American rising star Joe Louis but in a rematch Louis knocked him out in one round. During World War II, Schmeling served with the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) as an elite paratrooper (Fallschirmjäger) during the Battle for Crete. After the war, Schmeling mounted a comeback, but retired permanently in 1948. After retiring, Schmeling worked for The Coca-Cola Company. Schmeling became friends with Louis, and their friendship lasted until the latter's death in 1981. Schmeling died in 2005 aged 99, a sporting icon in his native Germany. Long after the Second World War, it was revealed that Schmeling had risked his own life to save the lives of two Jewish children in 1938. In 2003, Schmeling was ranked 55 on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. This lot has a total of three signed photographs - as a boxer, soldier and business man. ...more

Hans-Ulrich Rudel was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II. The most highly decorated German serviceman of the war, Rudel was one of only 27 military men to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Germany's highest military decoration at the time. Rudel flew 2,530 combat missions claiming a total of 2,000 targets destroyed; including 800 vehicles, 519 tanks, 150 artillery pieces, 70 landing craft, nine aircraft, four armored trains, several bridges, a destroyer, two cruisers, and the Soviet battleship Marat. Awards include the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) as Oberleutnant in a Sturzkampfgeschwader (20 October 1941), Wound Badge in Gold, Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds, German Cross in Gold on 2 December 1941 as Oberleutnant in the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2, Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (10 November 1939), 1st Class (18 July 1941), Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold and Diamonds with Pennant "2000" in Gold (18 July 1941) in Gold and Diamonds with Pennant "2000", Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds Knight's Cross on 6 January 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 229th Oak Leaves on 14 April 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", 42nd Swords on 25 November 1943 as Hauptmann and leader of the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 10th Diamonds on 29 March 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 1st Golden Oak Leaves on 29 December 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 8th (1st and only foreign) Hungarian Gold Medal of Bravery (14 January 1945), Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor and mentioned five times in the Wehrmachtbericht (27 March 1944, 28 March 1944, 3 June 1944, 6 August 1944, 10 February 1945)....more

Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe general and flying ace who served throughout the Second World War in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts. On four occasions he survived being shot down, and he was credited with 104 aerial victories, all of them against the Western Allies. Galland, who was born in Westerholt, Westphalia, became a glider pilot in 1929 before he joined Lufthansa. In 1932 he graduated as a pilot at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule (German Commercial Flyers' School) in Braunschweig before applying to join the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic later in the year. Galland's application was accepted, but he never took up the offer. In February 1934 he was transferred to the Luftwaffe. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, he volunteered for the Condor Legion and flew ground attack missions in support of the Nationalists under Francisco Franco. After finishing his tour in 1938 Galland was employed in the Air Ministry writing doctrinal and technical manuals about his experiences as a ground-attack pilot. During this period Galland served as an instructor for ground-attack units. During the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, he again flew ground attack missions. In early 1940 Galland managed to persuade his superiors to allow him to become a fighter pilot. Galland flew Messerschmitt Bf 109s during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. By the end of 1940 his tally of victories had reached 57. In 1941 Galland stayed in France and fought the Royal Air Force (RAF) over the English Channel and Northern France. By November 1941 his tally had increased to 96, by which time he had earned the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. In November 1941, Werner Mölders, who commanded the German Fighter Force as the General der Jagdflieger, was killed in a flying accident and Galland succeeded him, staying in the position until January 1945. As General der Jagdflieger, Galland was forbidden to fly combat missions. In late January and early February 1942, Galland first planned then commanded the Luftwaffe's air cover for the Kriegsmarine's Operation Cerberus which was a major success. It earned him the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Over the ensuing years, Galland’s disagreements with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring about how best to combat the Allied Air Forces bombing Germany caused their relationship to deteriorate. The Luftwaffe fighter force was under severe pressure by 1944 and Galland was blamed by Göring for the failure to prevent the Allied strategic bombing of Germany in daylight. The relationship collapsed altogether in early January 1945, when Galland was relieved of his command because of his constant criticism of the Luftwaffe leadership. Galland was then put under house arrest following the so-called Revolt of the Kommodores, during which senior Jagdwaffe pilots tried to "save" Galland's position, while having Göring dismissed as Reichsmarschall. In March 1945, Galland returned to operational flying and was permitted to form a jet fighter unit which Galland called Jagdverband 44. He flew missions over Germany until the end of the war in May. After the war Galland was employed by Argentina's Government and acted as a consultant to the Argentine Air Force. Later he returned to Germany and managed his own business. Galland also befriended many former enemies, such as RAF aces Robert Stanford Tuck and Douglas Bader. Adolf Galland died in February 1996. Two signatures for the price of one! ...more

Major Erich Rudorffer is a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace, one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the whole of World War II. He is the 7th most successful fighter pilot in the history of air warfare and, as of 2014, both the oldest jet fighter ace and the most successful ace still living. Rudorffer claimed a total of 222 victories, fighting in all the major German theaters of war, including the European and Mediterranean Theatre of Operations and the Eastern Front. During the war he flew more than 1000 combat missions, was engaged in aerial combat over 300 times, was shot down by flak and enemy fighters 16 times and had to take to his parachute 9 times. His 222 aerial victories include 58 heavily armoured Il-2 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft. He also sank a British submarine on 19 May 1941 off the Isle of Portland, but was credited only with damaging the submarine. Rudorffer is the last living recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves and Swords. Rudorffer got his first victory over a Curtiss Hawk 75, on 14 May 1940. He scored eight more times before the capitulation of France. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, and legend has him being pursued down Croydon High Street below rooftop level by a Hurricane. On 9 February 1943 Rudorffer claimed to have defeated 8 British pilots during a 32-minute aerial battle, and collected his first multiple victories. In July 1943 Rudorffer was appointed to command II./Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) on the Eastern Front. He claimed his first victory in that theater on 7 August. Due to the experience gained by fighting the RAF he achieved incredible success. During his first sortie on 24 August 1943, 5 Soviet aircraft were downed in 4 minutes. On 11 October 1943 Rudorffer made history when during 17 minutes he claimed 13 kills. Near the Latvian city of Libau while preparing to land he spotted a Soviet task force of about 60 close air support aircraft on its way to attack Libau airfields. He broke off the landing and engaged the enemy without any backup. He drove off the attackers, shooting down nine enemy aircraft within 10 minutes. In the winter of 1944 Rudorffer was trained on the Messerschmitt Me 262 Jet fighter. In February 1945 he was recalled to command I./Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7). Between December 1944 and beginning of April 1945 the I./JG 7 operated from the then newly built Luftwaffe Airbase in Kaltenkirchen north of Hamburg. Rudorffer claimed 12 victories with the Me 262, to bring his total to 222. His tally included 136 on the Eastern Front, 26 in North Africa and 60 on the Western Front including 10 heavy bombers. ...more

Lieutenant-General Günther Rall was the third most successful fighter ace in history. He achieved a total of 275 victories during World War II: 272 on the Eastern Front, of which 241 were against Soviet fighters. He flew a total of 621 combat missions, was shot down eight times and was wounded three times. He fought in the invasion of France, the Battle of Britain, in the Balkan Campaign and over Crete. He began the conflict as a young Second Lieutenant, and was a Major and Geschwaderkommodore of JG 300 at the surrender. He claimed all of his victories in the Messerschmitt Bf 109. During Operation Barbarossa, Rall found repeated opportunity for combat, scoring his third, fourth and fifth victories in three days of June 1941. During a five-day period, Rall and his Staffel destroyed some 50 Soviet aircraft. He had 12 victories in October. JG 52 was then attached to the operations of Heeresgruppe Süd and continued operating on the southern flank of the Eastern Front. On 28 November 1941 Rall shot down his 37th victim, but was himself shot down. He tried to fly to the German lines with a badly damaged engine, but he crash landed and was knocked out. A German tank crew rescued him from the wreck. X-rays revealed he had broken his back in three places. Doctors told Rall he was finished as a pilot and transferred him to a hospital in Vienna in December 1941. Despite the diagnosis, which said he would not be able to walk again, Rall defied the odds and returned to combat almost a year later. On 19 April 1944, Rall was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11), where he took up position as Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 11. JG 11 was tasked with Reichsverteidigung (Defence of the Reich) and Rall led his unit against the bomber fleets of Eighth Air Force. On 12 May 1944, Rall was leading a Staffel of Bf 109s and bounced a flight of three P-47 Thunderbolts led by Col. Hubert Zemke, with Rall shooting down two Thunderbolts. His own squadron were then bounced by other P-47s arriving at the engagement, and he was shot down by pilots of the 56th Fighter Group. Rall had his left thumb shot off and was hospitalized for many months. His last posting was with Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300), operating from a variety of airfields in southern Germany during the last months of the war. Lack of supplies prevented most planes from going on missions, and the fast progress of the Allies forced his squadron to move several times. Towards the very last days of the war he asked the men in his command to try to stay alive rather than carry out senseless actions. He felt it was his responsibility as a leader to try to save the few lives that he could as the war was virtually over and its outcome could not be reversed. He was taken prisoner by American forces after the fighting in Germany ended. Whilst in a prisoner of war camp near Heidelberg, Rall was approached by the Americans who were gathering Luftwaffe pilots who had experience with the Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter. Rall was transferred to Bovingdon near Hemel Hempstead. Rall was then based at RAF Tangmere, where he met the RAF ace Robert Stanford Tuck, with whom he reportedly became close friends. Returning to postwar Germany, he rejoined the newly established West German military in 1956, after meeting a wartime friend and Luftwaffe pilot who encouraged him to return to flying....more

Oberst Joachim Helbig was an officer and pilot in the German Luftwaffe bomber arm during World War II. He was credited with the destruction of 182,000 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping accomplished in 480 missions during World War II. At the outbreak of World War II he served as an observer in Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1) and participated in the invasion of Poland. He saw further action in the Norwegian Campaign and the Battles of the Netherlands, Belgium and France. For his contribution and military success in these campaigns Helbig received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 9 November 1940. He was then transferred to the Mediterranean theater of operations where he operated against Malta, the British Mediterranean Fleet and in support of the Deutsches Afrikakorps (DAK). Helbig became the 20th recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 28 September 1942 for the support of Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel's 1942 summer offensive and the sinking of 182,000 GRT of enemy shipping. Initially Helbig was banned from further combat flying and became an inspector on the staff of the General der Kampfflieger, the senior officer responsible for the Luftwaffe's bomber force. In August 1943 he was made Geschwaderkommodore of Lehrgeschwader 1 operating against the Allied invasion forces in Italy. In the last weeks of the war in Europe, Helbig commanded a combat unit on the Eastern Front consisting of elements of Lehrgeschwader 1 and Kampfgeschwader 200 (KG 200). After the war he worked as a manager for a brewery in Berlin. On 15 August 1940, Helbig and his Staffel (Squadron), consisting of nine Ju 88s, took off from Orléans at 4:45 pm, with the primary target RAF Worthy Down. Over the English coast the German formation consisting of Ju 88s from LG 1, Ju 87s from Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1; 1st Dive Bomber Wing) escorted by elements of Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2; 2nd Heavy Fighter Wing), Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27; 27th Fighter Wing) and Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53; 53rd Fighter Wing), were intercepted by British fighters from No. 10 Group RAF and No. 11 Group RAF. The combined attacking force of more than 200 German aircraft were intercepted by 14 British fighter squadrons totaling 170 fighter aircraft. This mission turned out to be disastrous for 4th Staffel. Only Helbig and his crew returned their heavily damaged aircraft back to friendly territory ...more

Werner Streib was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. Often called 'Father of the Nachtjagd' Streib helped develop the operational tactics used by the Nachtjagd during the early to mid-war years, and along with the likes of Wolfgang Falck made the Luftwaffe's nightfighter arm an effective fighting force against the Royal Air Force (RAF) bombing offensive. By October 1940 Streib was commanding of I gruppe, NJG 1, based at Venlo, Netherlands in order to more easily intercept the known RAF bomber routes into targets in the Ruhr. He would be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 October 1940 as an Oberleutnant with eight victories claimed. By May 1941 he had 26 confirmed victories. He was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross on 26 February 1943 as a Major and Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of NJG 1 with 42 confirmed victories. On the night of 11–12 June 1943, Werner Streib flew a prototype version of the Heinkel He 219 and claimed to have shot down 5 Lancaster bombers within just 30 minutes. On 11 March 1944 he was awarded the Swords to his Knights Cross for 66 confirmed victories. On 23 March 1944 he was made Inspector of Night Fighters and he would stay in this post as Oberst until the end of the war. Werner Streib was officially credited with shooting down 66 enemy aircraft, with 65 claimed at night. He was the first night fighter pilot to be honoured with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the war he worked in the grocery business before joining the Bundeswehr on 16 March 1956. For three years he commanded the pilot school in Landsberg am Lech, equipped with the T-6 Texan was responsible for training the beginner pilots in the Luftwaffe. Brigadegeneral Streib's military career ended with his retirement on 31 March 1966. His last position was Inspizient Fliegende Verbände (Inspector of Flying Forces). ...more

Hans-Joachim "Hajo" Herrmann was a Luftwaffe bomber pilot and later after the end of World War II, focusing his activities as a lawyer on civil and criminal law. In World War II, he was a high ranking and influential member of the Luftwaffe.Herrmann was one of the Luftwaffe's most innovative air tacticians during World War II. Beginning his military career as an infantry officer, he was commissioned in the newly formed Luftwaffe in 1935. From 1936 until 1937, he was a bomber pilot in the Condor Legion. During the Spanish civil war, Herrmann joined KG-4, and wrote several well received tactical reports. When World War II began, he flew Heinkel He-111s in Poland and Norway. By 1940, he was Commander of the 7th Staffel of KG-4, and led many attacks on England during the Battle of Britain. In February 1941, his group went to Sicily, where it flew against Malta and Greece. In one such attack, Herrmann dropped a single bomb on an ammunition ship, the SS Clan Fraser; the resulting explosion sank 11 ships and made the Greek port of Piraeus unusable for many months. In early 1942, he was Commander of III./KG 30, attacking Arctic convoys from Norway, including the attacks on PQ-17. July 1942 saw him assigned to the general staff in Germany, where he became a close confidant of Hermann Göring. During his career as a bomber pilot, Herrmann flew 320 missions and sank 12 ships totalling 70,000 tons.In 1942, Herrmann was appointed to the Luftwaffe Operational Staff. Quickly gaining a reputation as one of the leading tactical and operational innovators of the Luftwaffe, he was the creator of the Luftwaffe night fighter wing designated Jagdgeschwader 300, nicknamed Wilde Sau (German: wild boar). Raised as a response to the growing threat of RAF Bomber Command's night raids on the Reich in mid-1943, which had gained the ascendancy over the Luftwaffe's Nachtjäger radar-guided night fighter forces through the use of chaff, Herrmann's theory was for experienced night flying pilots and ex-instructors to be equipped with Fw 190 day fighters and visually 'free-hunt' the bombers by the light of the fires below and with the aid of special 'flare-carrier' Junkers Ju 88s following the bomber streams, as well as the use of the Naxos radar detector unit on some of these single engined fighters, to find RAF night bombers, when they were aiming by radar. Herrmann himself flew more than 50 night fighter missions and claimed nine RAF bombers destroyed. Although JG 300 and subsequent units raised met with promising initial success, the high wastage of both pilots and aircraft due to high accident rates curtailed extensive use of 'Wilde Sau' beyond the start of 1944. In December 1943, Herrmann was appointed Luftwaffe Inspector of Aerial Defence. By 1944, he was Inspector General of night fighters and received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. At the end of 1944, he led the 9. Flieger-division (J). At this time he was a leading exponent of the tactical deployment of the so-called Rammjäger Sonderkommando Elbe (German: ram fighters, task force Elbe), sent into action in April 1945. Pilot volunteers, often aged 18 to 20, were to be trained to be simply competent enough to control specially lightened and unarmoured Bf 109 fighters and charged with downing Allied bombers by deliberately ramming the tail or control surfaces with the propellers of their aircraft, and thereafter (hopefully) bailing out. Herrmann's intention was to gather a large number of these fighters for a one-off attack on the USAAF bomber streams, hopefully causing enough losses to curtail the bombing offensive for a few months. Fuel shortages prevented employment of the large numbers necessary, although from one mission of this type of the 138 planes thus committed only 50 came back.Herrmann was captured by the Soviets after the war and was held prisoner for 10 years before returning to Germany in 1955. Back in Germany, he studied law and settled in Düsseldorf....more

Günter Glasner was a German Luftwaffe air gunner and during World War II was a member of the Hermann Hogeback bomber crew. The crew had the unique distinction that by the end of World War II every member was decorated with the Knight's Cross. Awards - Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (15 May 1940), 1st Class (17 September 1940), Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Bomber Airmen in Gold (15 June 1941), with Pennant (14 October 1942), in Gold with Pennant 500 (14 November 1944), German Cross in Gold on 13 August 1942 as Feldwebel in the Stab III./Lehrgeschwader 1, Cuff title "Kreta" (8 June 1943) and the Cuff title "Afrika" (26 May 1943), Crimea Shield (29 July 1943), Wound Badge (1939) in Black (1 October 1944), and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 31 December 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and air gunner in the Stab/Kampfgeschwader 6. Two signed photos!...more

Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace during WWII. After gaining his wings in April 1939 Reinert joined Ergänzungsgruppe/Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) in Vienna in April 1941. Shortly afterwards, he was transferred to 4./JG 77, taking part in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. On 7 February 1942 Feldwebel Reinert was awarded the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe for 24 victories, flying with II./JG 77 at Sarabus in the Crimea in March 1942. He was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold in May for 44 claims, before passing fifty claims in early June. The Ritterkreuz was awarded on 1 July 1942. On 23 July, he was shot down and wounded by a Petlyakov Pe-2 twin-engined bomber over Plaskaja. A period in hospital followed. Reinert returned to the front in September. On 3 October Fw. Reinert passed the century mark with three claims. On 6 October he was awarded the Eichenlaub for 103 victories. He was posted with the unit to Tunisia in December 1942 flying operations from east of Tripoli in Libya to support the Afrika Korps. Although heavily outnumbered, Reinert continued to score heavily where he became one of the most successful Luftwaffe 'experten' during that period of combat. One of his victims on 16 April was a Spitfire flown by 244 Wing leader and ace Wing Commander Ian Gleed. On 20 April Reinert was promoted to the rank of Leutnant. Having been ordered to evacuate from Tunisia Lt. Reinert was ordered to fly to Sicily. Reinert took the controls of a Bf 109 G with Oblt. Baeumel and a mechanic crammed into the machine. En route to Sicily Reinert sighted a formation of Royal Navy Grumman Martlets and swung his overloaded fighter behind one of the British aircraft to shoot it down. Reinert then flew on safely to Sicily, to the relief of his passengers. JG 27 was transferred in June to the invasion front, flying over Caen and claiming a P-47 Thunderbolt on 27 June. Two further victories over Normandy followed, although Reinert was injured on 17 June and 5 July. Reinert's 12./JG 27 was redesignated as 14 Staffel in August and was withdrawn to Germany for refitting. Oberleutnant Reinert was then appointed Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 27 on 1 January 1945. Hauptmann Reinert was awarded the Schwerter on 30 January 1945. In March he transferred to JG 7 flying the Me 262. Reinert flew 715 combat missions and was officially credited with shooting down 174 enemy aircraft plus 16 ground victories. 103 claims were made on the Eastern Front, 20 on the Western Front, and 51 in the Mediterranean theatre. He also destroyed 16 armoured vehicles plus 6 locomotives. After World War II up until the fifties, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert pursued a career in business. In 1956 he rejoined the military service in the Bundeswehr as Major. Oberstleutnant Reinert retired in 1972. ...more

Herbert Ihlefeld was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until the very end of World War II in May 1945. He claimed 132 enemy aircraft shot down; nine in the Spanish Civil War, 67 on the Eastern Front, and 56 on the Western Front, including 15 four-engined bombers and 26 Spitfires. He survived being shot down eight times during his 1,000 combat missions. He flew in the invasion of Poland, and in the battles of France and Britain. In July 1940, "Ihle" was now Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1.(J)/LG 2, leading it during the Battle of Britain. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz during September 1940, for 24 claimed kills. In April 1941, the unit was transferred to the Balkans to take part in the invasion of Yugoslavia. During one of his first missions, strafing an airfield near Niš, Ihlefeld was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and captured by Yugoslavian soldiers. While in their custody, he was allegedly severely beaten, and threatened with execution by firing squad. He was rescued by German troops after eight days in captivity, and returned to Germany to recover. After a few weeks, "Ihle" returned to participate in the assault on Crete, claiming a Hawker Hurricane shot down for his 36th claim. Soon after, LG 2 was rearmed and remustered as I./Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) in time for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Ihlefeld retaining command of I./JG 77. In the spring of 1942, a series of multiple victories (five aircraft on 24 March, seven on 30 March and seven on 20 April), saw Ihlefeld become the fifth pilot to reach 100 victories. During the period of Ihlefeld's leadership, I./JG 77 was credited with the destruction of 323 enemy aircraft while losing only 17 Messerschmitt Bf 109s. In June 1942, Ihlefeld became Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of the famed Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing). On 22 July 1942, whilst flying over the front in his Storch, he was shot down and badly wounded by Soviet fighters, this took him out of the front line until July 1943, when he joined the newly formed Jagdgeschwader 25 as Geschwaderkommodore, leading the group's high-altitude Bf 109s in ultimately unsuccessful operations against Royal Air Force Mosquitos, and later United States Air Force (USAAF) heavy bomber formations in Reichsverteidigung missions. In May 1944, he became Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing), briefly before switching to Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing), overseeing the period where elements of the Geschwader were equipped late in the war with the He 162 Volksjäger. ...more

Alfred Grislawski was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and was credited with 133 victories claimed in over 800 combat missions. He recorded 24 victories over the Western Front, including 18 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) four–engine bombers. Of his 109 claims recorded over the Eastern Front, 16 were Il-2 Sturmoviks. In August 1942 Oberfeldwebel Grislawski was assigned to 7./JG 52 based in the Caucasus. In September, he claimed 16 victories over the Terek bridgehead. On 5 November he shot down four Ilyushin Il-2s but was shot down in Bf 109 G-2 and belly-landing with a few bruises. On 18 January 1943, Grislawski's Rotte was intercepted by Soviet I-16 fighters and Grislawski’s Bf 109 was hit, setting on fire. He nursed his aircraft over German lines before baling out, sustaining facial burns. Grislaski was one of the four pilots in the famed Karaya Quartet. On 26 January Grislawski received promotion to Leutnant. He recorded his 92nd victory on 3 February 1943. On 27 April 1943 he recorded his 100th victory. In June 1943 he was wounded by blast from a German land mine near Taman. On his recovery Grislawski transferred to Jagdgruppe Süd (JGr Süd). In August 1943 elements of JGr Süd were redesignated Jagdgeschwader 50 (JG 50), under the command of Major Hermann Graf and charged with intercepting the high-flying Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber and photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim he shot down his first two United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) four-engine bombers on 17 August. In early October Grislawski was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann and given temporary command of JGr. 50.Hauptmann Grislawski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 11 April for 122 victories. Grislawski then led 8./JG 1 to France to combat the Allied landings in Normandy. After less than a week the unit was relocated to Germany having been decimated in operations against the beachhead. In July Grislawski was back to France as acting Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III./JG 1. On 27 July, Grislawski was shot down by Spitfires, baling out safely. At the end of July 1944 Grislawski was transferred to Staffelkapitän of 11./Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). He claimed two B-17 four-engine bombers shot down on 12 September. On 26 September 1944, Grislawski was credited with a P-38 twin-engine fighter shot down as his 133rd and last claim. His Bf 109 G-14 was hit in the engine by a P-51 flown by Col. Hubert Zemke and caught fire. He bailed out but had a very hard landing that cracked two vertebrae in his back and he spent the remainder of the war in a military hospital. By the end of the war Grislawski was at Badgastein in the Austrian Alps. He was able to cross the zone border and return to his hometown of Wanne-Eickel. He declined to join the Bundesluftwaffe because of his wartime injuries. Two signatures - one price. ...more

Feldwebel Carlos Nugent was Heinz Rokker's gunner om mJu-88 night-fighters, flying in North Africa, Italy. over Britain and during the defense of Germany. With Rokker, he shared a total of 63 Victories....more

Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II, and later a senior West German Air Force officer and military commander of NATO. He played a significant role in rebuilding the post war Luftwaffe, eventually serving as chief of staff from 1966 – 1970 and then as chairman of NATO's Military Committee from 1971 – 1974. In retirement, Steinhoff became a widely read author of books on German military aviation during the war and the experiences of the German people at that time. Steinhoff was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole of the war period 1939–45. He was also one of the highest-scoring pilots with 176 victories, and one of the first to fly the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in combat as a member of the famous aces squadron Jagdverband 44 led by Adolf Galland. Steinhoff was decorated with both the Oak Leaves and Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He played a role in the so-called Fighter Pilots Conspiracy when several senior air force officers confronted Hermann Göring late in the war. Steinhoff's first combat experience was in 1939 when he fought RAF Vickers Wellington bombers that were attacking coastal industry in the Wilhelmshaven region, shooting down several. In February 1940, he was transferred to 4./JG 52 where he served in both the French campaign and the Battle of Britain. By the end of the Battle of Britain, Steinhoff's score had advanced to six kills. Steinhoff's great strength was in his ability to pass on his knowledge and training to novice pilots, equipping them with the skills to survive and ultimately become experienced fighter pilots. In June 1941 JG 52 were on offensive operations against the Soviet Union, becoming one of the highest scoring units in the Luftwaffe. Steinhoff himself claimed 28 Soviet aircraft shot down in the first month. By August 1941 Steinhoff had attained 35 victories and been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. In February 1942, he claimed his 100th victory on 31 August, and his 150th on 2 February 1943. Steinhoff remained with JG 52 until March 1943, operating over the Mediterranean. A short time after taking command Steinhoff was shot down by Spitfires and had to crash-land his damaged aircraft. Previously he had been shot down only once during the Battle of Britain. On 28 July 1944, Steinhoff received the Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He ended the war as a jet pilot, first being posted to Kommando Nowotny in October 1944, and then, with the rank of Oberst, as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 7 in December. JG 7 was equipped with the Me 262 jet fighter, and Steinhoff was allowed to hand-pick several Staffelkapitäne, including Heinz Bär and Gerhard Barkhorn. After the heavy losses suffered during Operation Bodenplatte, Steinhoff and other fighter leaders fell into disfavour following the so-called 'Fighter Pilots Revolt' against what was perceived as the incompetence of Luftwaffe high command, and Hermann Göring in particular. Along with several others, Steinhoff was relieved of his command for challenging Göring's leadership. After a brief period spent in internal exile, Steinhoff transferred to the Jet Experten unit JV 44 then being put together by his close friend and confidant Adolf Galland in early 1945. Steinhoff initially acted as a de facto recruiting officer, persuading a number of veteran Luftwaffe aces to join the unit - some coming out of the Fighter Pilots' Rest Home at Bad Wiessee to do so. Steinhoff himself scored six confirmed kills with the unit. Steinhoff survived nearly 1000 combat missions, only to see his flying career come to an end on the ground. On 18 April 1945, Steinhoff's Me-262 suffered a tyre blow-out and crashed on take-off from Munchen-Riem airfield. Steinhoff suffered severe burns (spending two years in hospital) which left him visibly scarred despite years of reconstructive surgery. His eyelids were rebuilt by a British surgeon after the war. His wartime record was 176 aircraft claimed destroyed, of which 152 were on the Eastern Front, 12 on the Western Front and 12 in the Mediterranean. He also flew 993 operational sorties. During his career as a fighter pilot, Steinhoff was shot down 12 times, but had to bail out only once. Explaining his preference to remain with his damaged aircraft, Steinhoff admitted: "I only bailed out once. I never trusted the parachutes. I always landed my damaged planes, hoping not to get bounced on the way down when I lost power." ...more

Walter "Graf Punski" Krupinski was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II and a senior West German air force officer after the war. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots, credited with 197 victories in 1,100 sorties. He was called by his fellow pilots Graf Punski (Count Punski) due to his Prussian origins. Krupinski was one of the first to fly the Me 262 jet fighter in combat as a member of the famous aces squadron JV 44 led by Adolf Galland. Krupinski won his first aerial victory in the early stages of the Russian campaign. By December 1941 his tally stood at seven confirmed victories and by August 1942 at 50, for which he was awarded the German Cross in gold. After another six victories Krupinski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. In March 1943, Krupinski was promoted to Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) and was given command of 7. Staffel. At this time Erich Hartmann, who went on to become the highest scoring Ace of the war, served as his wingman. Hartmann adopted Krupinki's close-quarters method of attack. After the Allied invasion of France in June 1944, the Gruppe was rushed to Normandy to operate on low-level Army support missions. Krupinski claimed 10 Allied aircraft shot down before he was wounded and burned on 12 August. By September he was transferred as Commanding Officer of III. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 26. In March 1945, Krupinski was transferred to the aces unit Jagdverband 44, which flew the Messerschmitt 262 jet, claiming his last two aerial victories of the war on 16 and 26 April 1945.After having claimed 197 enemy planes (177 Eastern Front, 20 against the Western Allies, in about 1100 missions), Krupinski went into American captivity on 5 May 1945. He was held in US custody at Salzburg, Aibling, Heilbronn, Heidelberg, in England, France, Munich-Oberföhring and Tegernsee before being released on 26 September 1945. Krupinski had bailed out four times and had been wounded five times. Krupinski entered the Amt Blank (Blank Agency), named after Theodor Blank, the forerunner of the German Federal Ministry of Defence on 15 December 1952. Given the rank of major in 1957, Krupinski went to lead Jagdbombergeschwader 33 (FBW33) the first postwar German jet fighter wing. In 1966 Krupinski took command of the German forces of the Luftwaffen-Ausbildungs-Kommando in Texas with the rank of brigadier general. In July 1969 Krupinski became commander of the 3rd Luftwaffe division. In 1971 he became chief of staff of Second Allied Tactical Air Force. In October 1974 Krupinski was promoted commanding officer of the airfleet....more

Karl Henze was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II and during his career he flew 1098 missions. He flew in Poland, France, Britain, Balkans, Russia, and was ranked as the 12th leading dive-bomber pilot. Awards include the Aviator badge, Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1000", Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class, 1st Class, Wound Badge (1939) in Black, Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (24 November 1941), German Cross in Gold (13 January 1942) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 15 July 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 and the 481st Oak Leaves on 20 May 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Schlachtgeschwader 77....more

Two signatures on the same card - both top Luftwaffe Aces! Lieutenant-General Günther Rall was the third most successful fighter ace in history. He achieved a total of 275 victories during World War II: 272 on the Eastern Front, of which 241 were against Soviet fighters. He flew a total of 621 combat missions, was shot down eight times and was wounded three times. He fought in the invasion of France, the Battle of Britain, in the Balkan Campaign and over Crete. Walter "Graf Punski" Krupinski was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II and a senior West German air force officer after the war. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots, credited with 197 victories in 1,100 sorties. He was called by his fellow pilots Graf Punski (Count Punski) due to his Prussian origins. Krupinski was one of the first to fly the Me 262 jet fighter in combat as a member of the famous aces squadron JV 44 led by Adolf Galland....more

Heinz Rökker is a former German Luftwaffe night fighter ace. He shot down 64 enemy aircraft (63 at night), all were British bombers. On the night of 6/7 June, he then claimed 5 RAF bombers over Normandy. Rökker was awarded the Ritterkreuz in July 1944, and recorded his 40th kill on 7/8 August. On 4/5 November he claimed 4 more enemy aircraft and recorded three more victories on the night of 3/4 February to take his score to 52. He claimed six enemy aircraft on the night of 21/22 February. Rökker was awarded the Eichenlaub in March for 60 victories. On the night of 15/16 March, Rökker recorded 4 enemy aircraft shot down as his last victories of the war, including a Mosquito shot down over his airfield at St Trond. As a Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, he mainly flew the Junkers Ju 88 G-1. Rökker was credited with 64 victories in 161 missions. He recorded 63 of his victories at night, including 55 four-engined bombers. Carlos Nugent (lot # 87) flew almost 150 missions with Rökker, participating in 62 of his 64 victories, and on 28 April 1945 became one of the few Bordfunker's decorated with the Knight's Cross. ...more

Oberst Adolf Dickfeld was a German World War II Luftwaffe 136 victories Flying ace. Adolf Dickfeld was officially credited with 136 victories claimed in 1072 combat missions. He also claimed a further 15 enemy aircraft unconfirmed. In 1943 he was placed in a staff position as General für Nachwuchs (general of recruitment) of the Luftwaffe in the Reich Air Ministry and at the same time became Reich inspector of the Flieger (Aviation) Hitler Youth. He claimed about 128 victories over the Eastern Front. He claimed one victory flying the Heinkel He 162 Salamander ("Volksjäger") jet fighter, a P-47 Thunderbolt on 11 April 1945. Dickfeld continued to fly professionally in Germany and East Africa. Awaqrds include the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (13 December 1939), 1st Class (12 January 1940), Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 15 December 1941 as Leutnant and pilot, German Cross in Gold on 22 January 1942 as Leutnant of the Reserves in the 7./JG 52, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 19 March 1942 as Leutnant (war officer) and pilot in the 7./JG 52 and the 94th Oak Leaves on 19 May 1942 as Leutnant (war officer) and pilot in the 7./JG 52, Royal Bulgarian Merit medal in Gold, and mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht. ...more

Paul-Werner Hozzel was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka pilot and the first pilot of that type of plane to be awarded with the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Paul-Werner Hozzel joined the Artillerie-Regiment 2 in 1931 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935. He took command of the 2nd Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 20 on 1 September 1938 and shortly afterwards was promoted to Hauptmann. At the outbreak of World War II he participated in the Invasion of Poland in 1939. Hozzel was then put in command of I.Gruppe Stuka-Geschwaders 1. This Gruppe also participated in the Battle of France and in the invasion of Norway. Hozzel, as the first Stuka pilot, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 May 1940 in representation of his Gruppe’s success. This includes the sinking of military vessels, 60,000 tons of merchant shipping and the attacks against the fortresses Akershus and Oscarsborg Fortress. Further success followed with the destruction of the French destroyer Bison (2,435 tons) und the British destroyer Afridi (1,850 tons). The British battleship Warspite and the aircraft carrier Illustrious were attacked on 10 January 1941. Illustrious was hit 8 times putting her out of service for several weeks. Hozzel was promoted to Oberstleutnant and made Geschwaderkommodore of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" on 16 October 1941. With SG 2, he fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, the Geschwader flew 12,000 combat missions in this engagement. In was then tasked to form "Gefechtsverband Hozzel" from parts of the Stuka-Geschwaders 1, 2 and 77 participating in the battles around Dnipropetrovsk. Hozzel was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 14 April 1943. He finished the war in a staff position of Luftflotte 1 and went into Soviet captivity as a prisoner of war. He returned from captivity on 16 January 1956. Still in 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and retired as Brigadegeneral on 30 September 1969. ...more

Günther Josten was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace. He joined the Luftwaffe in January 1940 and was transferred to the Jagdgruppe Drontheim on 1 November 1941. At the end of August 1942 he was reassigned to 3./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" (3./JG 51—3rd squadron of the 51st fighter wing) on the Eastern Front. On 23 February 1943 he claimed his first aerial victory. On 10 July 1943 he scored multiple times for his claims 8 to 10. Three days later on 13 July he shot down 5 Il-2 Sturmoviks for victories 12 to 16. All in all he claimed 19 victories in July and 30 in August. After a successful September with 26 victories he was transferred to Luftkriegsschule Fürstenfeldbruck. He returned to his Staffel on 3 February 1944. Two days later he claimed two Bostons and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as Oberfeldwebel. He claimed his 90th victory on 2 May 1944 and was promoted to Leutnant. On 18 September 1944 he took command of 3./JG 51 as Staffelkapitän. On 20 September he reached the century mark. His 123rd aerial victory was a Boeing B-17 on a supply mission to Warsaw. By October 26 his score had reached 139 claims. His 150th kill was claimed on 16 February 1945. On 28 March 1945 Oberleutnant Josten was awarded the 810th Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross for 161 aerial victories. He was promoted to Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 51 on 18 April 1945. His last seven aerial victories were claimed on 25 April 1945. Josten flew 420 combat missions, was never shot down, and was officially credited with shooting down 178 enemy aircraft. ...more

Franz Kieslich was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II. During his career, Franz Kieslich was credited with flying 1078 missions, sinking 10 ships totaling 23,000 BRT, a destroyer and a submarine. Awards include the Aviator badge (22 February 1937), Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1000", Anschluss Medal (16 December 1938), Sudetenland Medal (1 October 1939), Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (5 May 1941), 1st Class (10 August 1941), Wound Badge (1939) in Black (18 May 1944), Eastern Front Medal (13 August 1942), Crimea Shield (15 March 1943), German Cross in Gold on 10 July 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 5 January 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77, and the 619th Oak Leaves on 10 October 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Schlachtgeschwader 77....more

Georg-Peter Schorsch Eder (born 8 March 1921 into a Jewish family who lived in Oberdachstetten, died 11 March 1986 in Wiesbaden) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1938 until the end of World War II in 1945. Eder flew 572 combat missions claiming 78 enemy aircraft shot down. In November 1942 Eder was sent to 7./Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) in France, and participated in the battle against the American 8th Air Force day bombing offensive. With Hauptmann Egon Mayer of III./JG 2, Eder developed the head-on attack strategy to combat the formations of Boeing B-17s and Consolidated B-24s. In February 1943 Eder became Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 12./JG 2. On 28 March after downing a B-17, he was wounded when his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-4 somersaulted on landing at Beaumont-le-Roger. Eder destroyed his 20th aircraft on 29 May 1943. On 5 September 1943, Eder was transferred to 5./JG 2. On 5 November, Eder was again forced to bail out of his Bf 109 and was again injured. In March 1944 Oberleutnant Eder was transferred to 6./Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1) in Northern Germany. He bailed out of his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-7 during combat with a P-47 "Thunderbolt" over Göttingen on 19 April. On 8 May, he claimed a B-24 but made an emergency landing at Vechta. By the end of May he had a total of 49 victories. As Gruppenkommandeur II./JG 1 he fought in the aerial battles over Normandy during the Allied invasion, and on 21 June 1944 recorded his 50th victory. On 24 June Eder received the Ritterkreuz. On 11 August 1944 Eder took command of 6 Staffel, Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26). Attacking Allied armour near Dreux on 17 August Eder shot down a Spitfire at low level; it crashed between two M4 Sherman tanks, destroying them. Shortly after that he shot down another Spitfire, which crashed on another tank, setting it on fire. During the Ardennes offensive, Eder claimed 40 P-47s destroyed on the ground. He was awarded the Oak Leaves on 25 November 1944 for some 60 victories. On 22 January he was shot down near Parchim by P-51s while trying to land. He broke both legs and spent the rest of the war in hospital at Wismar and Bad Wiessee, where he was captured by the US Army. Georg-Peter Eder flew 572 combat missions of which 150 were with the Messerschmitt Me 262. On the Eastern Front he scored 10 victories and on the Western Front 68, of which no less than 36 were four-engined bombers. With the Me 262 he scored at least 12 victories, at least one sources indicate that this number could be as high or even higher than 24 kills. He was the leading scorer against the four-engined bombers, and leading air ace against the USAAF, claiming some 56 US flown aircraft. Eder himself was shot down 17 times, bailing out 9 times, and was wounded 14 times....more

Hans-Ulrich Rudel was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II. The most highly decorated German serviceman of the war, Rudel was one of only 27 military men to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Germany's highest military decoration at the time. Rudel flew 2,530 combat missions claiming a total of 2,000 targets destroyed; including 800 vehicles, 519 tanks, 150 artillery pieces, 70 landing craft, nine aircraft, four armored trains, several bridges, a destroyer, two cruisers, and the Soviet battleship Marat. Awards include the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) as Oberleutnant in a Sturzkampfgeschwader (20 October 1941), Wound Badge in Gold, Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds, German Cross in Gold on 2 December 1941 as Oberleutnant in the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2, Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (10 November 1939), 1st Class (18 July 1941), Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold and Diamonds with Pennant "2000" in Gold (18 July 1941) in Gold and Diamonds with Pennant "2000", Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds Knight's Cross on 6 January 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 9./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 229th Oak Leaves on 14 April 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", 42nd Swords on 25 November 1943 as Hauptmann and leader of the III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 10th Diamonds on 29 March 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 1st Golden Oak Leaves on 29 December 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann", the 8th (1st and only foreign) Hungarian Gold Medal of Bravery (14 January 1945), Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor and mentioned five times in the Wehrmachtbericht (27 March 1944, 28 March 1944, 3 June 1944, 6 August 1944, 10 February 1945)....more

Martin Drewes was a night fighter flying ace in the German Luftwaffe during World War II. He is credited with 52 victories of which 43 were claimed at night, mainly against British four-engine bombers whilst flying variants of the Messerschmitt Bf 110. Drewes was first assigned to II./Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing) flying the Messerschmitt Bf 110, operating defensive patrols over the North Sea. In May 1941 the Luftwaffe committed Flyer Command Iraq (Fliegerführer Irak), which comprised one squadron (Staffel) of He 111s (4./Kampfgeschwader 4), one Staffel of Zerstörer (Bf 110s of 4./ZG 76), and 12 transports including a number of Junkers Ju 90s to support the Iraqi rebels during the Anglo-Iraqi War. The ten-day stint in the Middle East saw Drewes shoot down a British Gloster Gladiator biplane. Allied air-opposition was light and the Luftwaffe force concentrated mainly on ground support duties. By 26 May, despite cannibalizing two machines damaged in an Royal Air Force raid on Mosul, no Bf 110 was left serviceable. Drewes and his unit were evacuated the following day. Soon after ZG 76 was converted to a night fighter unit and renamed Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3—3rd Night Fighter Wing). Drewes scored regular night victories over Germany, before being transferred to Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) where he would remain until the end of the war. In 1944 he became Gruppenkommandeur III./NJG 1. At the end of hostilities he had flown 252 operations, and claimed a total of 52 victories (including a Spitfire, a Gladiator, seven American 4-engined bombers shot down in daylight operations, and 43 British bombers at night. Drewes was decorated with Ritterkreuz and Eichenlaub. He was captured by British forces at the end of the war. ...more