Luftwaffe Attack on Scapa Flow

Image size: 2048 x 1388 pixel. 563 KB
Date: Saturday, 16 March 1940
Place: Berlin, Germany
Photographer: unknown

Major Fritz Doench (right), Gruppenkommandeur of I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30), discusses his unit’s attack on the Royal Navy anchorage at Scapa Flow on 16 March 1940 at a press reception a few days after the high‑profile mission, which, although alarming the British, did not achieve its intended results. Doench, who would be decorated with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19 June 1940, is seen here pointing at a map of the naval and airfield targets at Scapa Flow with Oberleutnant Hunno Phillipps (left) of I./KG 26 and Oberleutnant Helgo Magnussen of 3./KG 30. Phillipps was killed in action on the night of 19/20 November 1940 when his He 111 caught on a balloon cable and crashed in southern England while on a raid to Birmingham, and Magnussen perished when his Ju 88A‑2 crashed at Oudenrijn, in the Netherlands, on 10 May 1940. Gruppenkommandeur Doench himself was killed in an accidental aircrash on June 14th, 1942. At that moment he was Abteilungs-Chef in the Reichsluftfahrtministerium with the rank of Oberst. The picture was taken by an unknown photographer from Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann, and was first published by 'Berliner Volkszeitung' on 18 March 1940.

Source :
"Ju 88 Aces of World War 2" by Robert Forsyth
https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/pilots-of-the-kampfgeschwader-30-after-their-flight-in-the-news-photo/543893525
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/29057/Doench-Fritz.htm
https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/airwar-ww2-the-pilots.54010/page-60

Generalmajor Ramcke with His Family in the Christmas of 1941

Image size: 2048 x 1312 pixel. 578 KB
Date: Thursday, 25 December 1941
Place: Germany
Photographer: Unknown

Generalmajor Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Kommandeur Ergänzungseinheiten und Schulen des XI. Fliegerkorps) in a formal picture with his family on Christmas Day of 1941. The mother of the children is Ruth Göldner - daughter of Generalleutnant Paul Göldner - who is 20 years younger than her husband. The couple had eight children, with the youngest being Volker Ramcke, who was born in 1952, a year after his father was released from an Allied prison camp. In the photo itself General Ramcke is wearing a Luftwaffe kleinerrock suit, with a bunch of medals pinned to the chest. Of course the most prestigious medal is the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in his neck, which he got on August 21, 1941, four months before this photo was taken. Ramcke himself then completed his Ritterkreuz "collection" with three more of even higher tiers: Eichenlaub (13 November 1942), Schwerter (19 September 1944), and Brillanten (19 September 1944). The latter made him one of only 27 soldiers in the entire Wehrmacht and SS to have it! The couple's six children make the mother, Ruth Ramcke, eligible for the Mutterkreuz (Mother's Cross), a special medal bestowed by the German government on every mother who gives birth to five or more children, as a token of appreciation for their dedication and sacrifices in raising so many children.


Source:
https://twitter.com/x3892555/status/1220459234988646411

Luftwaffe POW Officer with British Sergeant

Image size: 1449 x 2048 pixel. 616 KB
Date: Monday, 6 October 1941
Place: Newhaven Harbor, Sussex, England
Photographer: Lieutenant Edward G. Malindine

Luftwaffe Leutnant Heinz-Georg Möllenbrok (aged 20) was shot down in his Dornier Do 17Z-2 (U5+LL) of 3.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2) on August 16th, 1940, on his 20th mission and seriously wounded (his right hand was crushed in his attempt to bail out) during the raid on RAF Hornchurch, Essex. He was the victim of British Hurricane pilot, Frederick William “Taffy” Higginson of RAF No.56 Squadron. He is seen here disembarking from the Hospital ship ‘Dinard’, the guard is an intelligence Corps Sergeant and they are at Newhaven harbor in Sussex, United Kingdom, on October 6th, 1941. He and other seriously wounded German POWs were being repatriated to Germany via Sweden, but at the last moment Berlin decided to halt the exchange, as they weren’t happy with the disparity in the number of Allied troops expected to return from German POW camps, so he and the others had to return to their camps or hospitals. Although the German authorities agreed to the repatriation of 1,200 British POWs in September 1941, they cancelled the exchange when it was found that only 150 suitable Germans prisoners were available for return. Not until October 23rd, 1943, was a transfer of 5,000 British, Commonwealth, and American repatriates arranged. Heinz-Georg Möllenbrok himself was returned to Germany in October of 1943, and survived the rest of the war with the last rank as Oberleutnant, passing away at the age of 87 in 2007.

 

 

Leutnant Heinz-Georg Möllenbrok wearing a Luftwaffe DLV and NSFK Glider Proficiency Grade C badge on his tunic left pocket

Leutnant Heinz-Georg Möllenbrok during repatriation at Gothenburg in 1943

Source :
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=1200&q=heinz&__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_sufrpysviWpZTe2jYXj86s6_4MqGRG5N.xJQ4sIk_bU-1634306032-0-gqNtZGzNAmWjcnBszQQ9
https://www.facebook.com/worldwarincolor/photos/6-october-1941he-thought-he-was-going-home-but-the-authorities-in-berlin-changed/1759838437479274/

German General Ulrich Kessler Reading American Book

Image size: 1587 x 2048 pixel. 376 KB
Date: Wednesday, 13 June 1945
Place: North Atlantic
Photographer: Unknown

Captured General der Flieger Ulrich Kessler (Chief of the Luftwaffe Liaison Staff Tokyo and, at the same time, Air Attaché at the German Embassy in Japan) reading the American book "After the War--What?" aboard a U.S. submarine. Official Caption: "Rome. 6/13/45--Captured German General reads--Maj. Gen. Ulrich Kessler, German Air Force Officer, reads a book written by an American as he sits in the galley of a U.S. Coast Guard ship after being removed from a German submarine which surrendered in the North Atlantic on May 13, 1945. The U-Boat gave up five days after Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies. The 16-ton enemy vessel, bearing several other German Air Force Officers as well as General Kessler and its crew, was intercepted by U.S. surface vessels and then escorted to Portsmouth, a port on the northeast coast of the U.S. The vessel was reported to have been en route to Japan. The bodies of two Japanese, who had committed suicide aboard the submarine, had been buried at sea.--PPA Photo--Serviced by Rome OWI (A List out). Approved by appropriate military authority. 6690." Portsmouth, New Hampshire. May 1945. The photograph itself is the courtesy of Isaac "Ike" Bethel Utley, who was born in Smith Mills, Kentucky on 3 March 1920. Ike enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 19 January 1942. He was shipped overseas to the European Theatre and worked with a supply division based out of the city of Naples with an office set up in a residential villa. Utley worked with the Office of War Information and used their photographs in news articles to inform soldiers of the progress of the war. At war's end, Utley returned stateside. A trunk full of over 800 photographs from the O.W.I. arrived on his doorstep from his office in Italy, sender unknown. This collection consists of those photographs.

Source :
https://www.ww2online.org/image/captured-german-general-kessler-reading-american-book-new-hampshire-may-1945

Bf 109s of JG 53 vs Hurricanes of No.145 Squadron

Image size: 1194 x 1600 pixel. 398 KB
Date: Monday, 12 August 1940
Place: Isle of Wight, English Channel

Artist: Mark Postlethwaite

On 12 August 1940, Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) was tasked with carrying out a ‘Freie Jagd’ off Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight in support of Ju 88s of KG 51 that were attacking Portsmouth harbour and Ventnor radar station on the Isle of Wight. Leading 1./JG 53 was Hauptmann Hans-Karl Mayer, who was flying a Bf 109E-4 coded ‘White 8’. His Rottenflieger was Unteroffizier Heinrich Rühl in a Bf 109E-1 coded ‘White 10’. Flying at 8500 m, Mayer spotted three Hurricanes below attacking a lone Bf 110 at 1220 hrs, and although he quickly engaged the enemy fighters the Bf 110 pilot bailed out. Mayer selected the right Hurricane and Rühl the left, the former firing a total of 20 20 mm shells and 80 7.92 mm machine gun rounds into the RAF fighter, which immediately burst into flames and dived into the sea for what would be Mayer’s tenth victory of the war. Having already exhausted his supply of cannon shells, Rühl fired 200 machine gun rounds at his Hurricane, which then hit the sea in a gentle curve. Mayer now turned his attention to the remaining Hurricane, which had been engaged by the rest of his Staffel. This combat was not as one-sided, however, for his Bf 109E was hit six times. Mayer’s combat report noted; ‘After my first kill I flew back to the dogfight with the last remaining Hurricane against several aircraft of my Staffel. I immediately attacked and was able to open fire twice, and also received some hits myself. The damaged aircraft tried to escape in the direction of the coast but I stayed close to it, while my Staffel lost me in the haze. At first it made only slight evasive actions, and so I was able to get in several well-aimed bursts. The aircraft started emitting black smoke, went down in a shallow dive and disintegrated on impact.’ Mayer had achieved his second victory of the mission, firing ten cannon and 250 machine gun rounds at the Hurricane, which, after hitting the sea, sank immediately. Although it cannot be said for certain, it is believed that Mayer and Rühl accounted for Plt Off John Harrison, Acting Flt Lt Wilhelm Pankratz and Sgt Josef Kwiecinski of No 145 Sqn, all of whom were reported missing in action off the Isle of Wight at times that matched the three German claims.

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik-As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss

German and Finnish Officers at a Ferry on Lake Ladoga

Image size: 1600 x 1024 pixel. 577 KB
Date: Monday, 10 August 1942
Place: Lake Ladoga, Lahti, Finland
Photographer: Carl Gustav Rosenqvist

This interesting, original color photo by Carl Gustav Rosenqvist was taken on August 10, 1942 and shows German and Finnish high-ranking officers crossing the Ladoga lake in Finland using Siebelfähre (Siebel's Freight / Ferry Boat) owned by Einsatzstab Fähre Ost (EFO), a Luftwaffe unit in Finland. This ferry operates around the Lake Ladoga region along with Italian MTB (12. Squadriglia MAS) and German mine ships from C-Gruppe / 31.Minensuch-Flottilla. From left to right: Oberstleutnant der Reserve Friedrich-Wilhelm Siebel (Kommandeur Einsatzstab Fähre Ost); Finnish Colonel Eino Iisakki Järvinen (Commander of the Lake Ladoga Beach Brigade), and two unknown Luftwaffe officers (the one on the far right is from the Flak unit based from his waffenfarbe). Original description from SA-Kuva - Finland: "During an inspection of the German Navy (Einsatzstab Fähre Ost) in Lahti, the invited guests set out on an infantry boat from where Colonel Keller received the parade. Bay bottom, Ladoga." Please note that if it's referred to Generaloberst Alfred Keller, so the ID is wrong because it is NOT him.

Source :
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=41944&p=374911&hilit=Colonel+E.+J%C3%A4rvinen#p374911
https://wehrmachtss.blogspot.com/2018/11/perwira-jerman-dan-finlandia-di-danau.html

Heer Officer Served in Luftwaffe Field Division

Image size: 1026 x 1600 pixel. 307 KB
Date: Monday, 28 August 1944
Place: Northern France
Photographer: Bernhard Kurth (PK 698)

This photograph was taken on 28 August 1944 in Northern France by Kriegsberichter Bernhard Kurth of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 698, and showed a Heer (Army) officer that served in the Luftwaffe Field Division (possibly 19. Feld-Division [L]). He is wearing a Luftwaffe camouflage smock with the Luftwaffe breast eagle on it, while his uniform is still a Heer one. His helmet is also painted with a rough/textured paint. When the Luftwaffe Field Divisions came under Heer control in November 1943 and were re-designated as Feld-Divisionen (L), Heer uniforms were also adopted at this point, though supply was slow and mixed dress was apparently quite common (if photos are anything to go by). The Jäger Regiments of such divisions wore green waffenfarbe, as they had done in Luftwaffe service. To add even more confusion to the mix, some German units wore Italian Camo instead of their regular issue gear, since they thought it looked nice, and was perhaps more effective than what they were originally given.

Source :
https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/archives/barchpic/search/_1549362310/?search%5Bform%5D%5BSIGNATUR%5D=Bild+101I-301-1952-13
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-301-1952-13,_Nordfrankreich,_Soldat_mit_Karte.jpg
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=316219
http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/steel-helmets/german-stahlhelm-period-photos-22536-2/

Fallschirmjäger Soldier during Operation Mercury

Image size: 1160 x 1600 pixel. 655 KB
Date: Tuesday, 20 May 1941
Place: Southern Greece
Photographer: Unknown

A German Fallschirmjäger (Paratrooper) with the rank of Gefreiter (Corporal) in his light olive green jump smock of the early version, armed to the teeth, during Unternehmen Merkur (Operation Mercury), German invasion of the Crete Island in Greece, May 1941. Unternehmen Merkur began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of Crete. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. After one day of fighting, the Germans had suffered heavy casualties and the Allied troops were confident that they would defeat the invasion. The next day, through communication failures, Allied tactical hesitation and German offensive operations, Maleme Airfield in western Crete fell, enabling the Germans to land reinforcements and overwhelm the defensive positions on the north of the island. Allied forces withdrew to the south coast. More than half were evacuated by the British Royal Navy and the remainder surrendered or joined the Cretan resistance. The defence of Crete evolved into a costly naval engagement; by the end of the campaign the Royal Navy's eastern Mediterranean strength had been reduced to only two battleships and three cruisers. This picture was first published in a very heavily illustrated book, 'Fliegende Front' (Flying Front), as written by Hauptmann Walter Eberhard Freiherr von Medem, and published by Verlag Die Wehrmacht in Berlin, Germany, in 1942. The book must be regarded as typical propaganda material to show the German population how well the war was progressing. ‘Die Wehmacht’ published a series of other propaganda books during the war. They also released sets of photo postcards from the war.

Source :
https://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2019/02/german-fallschirmjager-during-operation.html

German Paratroopers Rests at Crete

Image size: 1600 x 1068 pixel. 538 KB
Date: Tuesday, 20 May 1941
Place: Crete Island, Greece
Photographer: Unknown

German Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) rests after the Battle in Crete, 20 May 1941. Certainly a propaganda photo for the homeland, concealing the huge losses of the 'Green Devils'. They are wearing a light olive green jump smock of the early version, with the trousers that were darker than the smock. The Germans used colour-coded parachutes to distinguish the canisters carrying rifles, ammunition, crew-served weapons and other supplies. Heavy equipment like the Leichtgeschütz 40 was dropped with a special triple-parachute harness designed to bear the extra weight. The troopers also carried special strips of cloth which could be unfurled in pre-arranged patterns to signal low-flying fighters to coordinate air support and supply drops. In contrast with most nations' forces, who jumped with personal weapons strapped to their bodies, German procedure was for individual weapons to be dropped in canisters. This was a major flaw that left the paratroopers armed only with their fighting knives, pistols and grenades in the critical few minutes after landing. The poor design of German parachutes compounded the problem: the standard German harness had only a single riser to the canopy, and thus could not be steered. Even the 25% of paratroops armed with submachine guns were at a distinct disadvantage, given the weapon's limited range. Many Fallschirmjäger were shot attempting to reach their weapons canisters. The picture was taken from a very heavily illustrated book, "Fliegende Front" (Flying Front), as written by Hauptmann Walter Eberhard Freiherr von Medem and published by Verlag Die Wehrmacht in Berlin, Germany in 1942.

Source :
http://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2019/02/fallschirmjager-rests-at-crete.html

Three German Commanders in St.-Lô area

Image size: 1600 x 1094 pixel. 434 KB
Date: Sunday, 16 July 1944
Place: Villebaudon, St.-Lô, Normandy, France
Photographer: Unknown

Three senior German commanders in the Battle against Allied troops in St.-Lô area, Normandy, 16 July 1944. From left to right: General der Fallschirmtruppe Eugen Meindl (Kommandierender General II. Fallschirmkorps), SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Paul Hausser (Oberbefehlshaber 7. Armee), and Generalleutnant Dipl.Ing. Richard Schimpf (Kommandeur 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division). Behind Schimpf is SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl-Heinz Boska (Adjutant Oberbefehlshaber 7. Armee). In this meeting Meindl told his commander, Hausser, that the German defense position at St.-Lô was untenable any longer due to the superiority of the Allied forces on land and in the air. The next day Hausser forwarded this message to his commander, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B). Unknowingly, on the same day Rommel was badly wounded by Allied air strikes and went to the intensive treatment at the hospital! This photo is most likely taken at Villebaudon which is the base of II. Fallschirmkorps.

Source:

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29879&p=2124764&hilit=schimpf#p2124764

http://www.specialcamp11.co.uk/General%20der%20Fallschirmtruppe%20Eugen%20Meindl.htm

Unteroffizier Gerhard Proske from Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54)

Image size: 1305 x 1600 pixel. 497 KB

Date: Thursday, 1 October 1942

Place: Krasnowardeisk airfield, Kharkov, Ukraine (Soviet Union)

Photographer: Unknown

This picture show one of the pilots who flew in the shadows of the aces. He is Unteroffizier Gerhard Proske of 1.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) near the tail of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 “Weiße 7”, Werknummer 10411. Note Gruppe and Geschwader emblem under the cockpit. Picture taken on 1 October 1942 on Krasnowardeisk airfield. Until this day Unteroffizier Proske, who had joined I.Gruppe/JG 54 during spring of 1941, accumulated 20 claims. Some of them while flying as Katschmarek (wingman) of Gruppenkommandeur Hauptmann Erich von Selle (2 July 1941 – 14 December 1941) and Hauptmann Franz Eckerle (14 December 1941 – 14 February 1942. KIA). Gerhard Proske was awarded the Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse and Frontflugspange in Bronze. Also note the fur lined trousers. On 30 January 1944 Feldwebel Gerhard Proske (take-off 08:30 hours with Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 “Gelbe 1”, Werknummer 550899) was shot down by Russian fighters together with newcomer Obergefreiter Helmut Wilhelm (Fw 190 A-5 “Gelbe 2”, Werknummer 304719) during a familiarisation flight over the front area of Vitebsk-Boburisk. He was taken prisoner and return to Germany after the war. He accumulated a total 29 victory claims.

Source :
Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002

British POW with Luftwaffe Soldiers

Image size: 1600 x 1067 pixel. 848 KB
Date: Monday, 18 December 1939
Place: Wilhelmshaven, Niedersachsen, Germany
Photographer: Unknown

On 18 December 1939 German fighters met a formation of 22 Wellington bombers and almost annihilated them. They destroyed 14 bombers; four were very badly damaged, and the remaining four were less badly damaged. One of the destroyed bombers was a Wellington Mk I, N2936, LF-J of 37 RAF Squadron which was shot down into the sea close to the German coast, most probably by Oberstleutnant Carl Schumacher (Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 1) at 14:35. The whole crew led by bomber pilot Sergeant Herbert Ruse was rescued by the Germans and taken prisoner. Here we see Ruse escorted by Luftwaffe soldiers. In the background parked a Junkers Ju 52 “Tante” transport aircraft.

Source :
Book "Luftwaffe at War: Luftwaffe Aces of the Western Front" by Robert Michulec

Press Conference after the Air Battle in Wilhelmshaven

Image size: 1600 x 1063 pixel. 854 KB
Date: Wednesday, 20 December 1939
Place: Berlin, Germany
Photographer: Unknown

Berlin, 20 December 1939 – a press conference organized by Dr. Otto Dietrich of Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry on the occasion of a great victory over British bombers achieved by German fighters over the Wilhelmshaven area on 18 December 1939. The German military counted over 50 bombers, and after the fight claimed to have shot down 36. The numbers were exaggerated, but they indicate the scale of the air battle, and of course the Germans naturally wanted to exploit it! The conference was a great success, many foreign journalists arrived to ask questions or to listen to stories told by participants. Seated at the table are pilots who fought in this battle. On the extreme right is Oberleutnant Wolfgang Falck of I.Gruppe / Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76); third from the right is Oberstleutnant Carl Schumacher, Gruppenkommandeur Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1); between Falck and Schumacher is Dr. Otto Dietrich in SS-Gruppenführer uniform; and third from the left is Oberleutnant Johannes Steinhoff of 10.(N)Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) “Schlageter”. Both Oberleutnants (Falck and Steinhoff) claimed two victories in the battle, while the commander of the whole formation (Schumacher) claimed one.

Source :

Book "Luftwaffe at War: Luftwaffe Aces of the Western Front" by Robert Michulec

Portrait Photo of Hans-Joachim Marseille

Image size: 1171 x 1600 pixel. 671 KB
Date: Sunday, 28 June 1942
Place: Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze, Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany
Photographer: Unknown photographer from Heinrich Hoffmann Firm

Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Marseille, Staffelkapitän 3.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) "Afrika", posed for the studio camera of Heinrich Hoffmann Firm in the day he received the coveted Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #12 (Swords for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves) from Adolf Hitler, 28 June 1942 (Marseille already received the telegram from 18 June 1942). On 3 June he achieved his 75th victory, and on 17 June his 101st victory, which made him the most efficient fighter pilot of the Western Front and brought him the Eichenlaub in 6 June 1942 and Schwertern in 18 June, only a couple of days later! There is no doubt that he is the best German ace at this time. Moreover, he was also the most famous and popular German pilot who achieved enormous successes against the Britsih flyers. Marseille was described by Adolf Galland, the most senior German ace, with these words : "He was the unrivaled virtuoso among the fighter pilots of World War II. His achievements were previously considered impossible."

Source:

http://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2014/12/luftwaffe-ace-hans-joachim-marseille.html

Studio Portrait of Luftwaffe Ace Wilhelm Batz

Image size: 1113 x 1600 pixel. 384 KB
Date: Tuesday, 25 July 1944
Place: Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze, Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany
Photographer: Walter Frentz

Sun-tanned Hauptmann Wilhelm "Willi" Batz (21 May 1916 - 11 September 1988) smile for a formal portrait by Walter Frentz after the award ceremony with Adolf Hitler and two other Luftwaffe officers (Major Herbert Lamprecht and Hauptmann der Reserve Heinz Strüning) at Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze (Rastenburg) in 25 July 1944. Only five days before (20 July 1944) Batz received the telegram from Oberkommando der Luftwaffe which informed him of the bestowal of Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (vorschlagnummer 526) for his remarkable achievement as a fighter pilot with 188 confirmed victories. At that time he was a Gruppenkommandeur of III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52) / VIII.Fliegerkorps / Luftflotte 4. He was operating with such luminaries as Hauptmann Erich “Bubi” Hartmann (352 victories, RK-Br), Oberleutnant Friedrich “Fritz” Obleser (120 victories, RK) and Oberleutnant Walter Wolfrum (137 victories, RK) among the high-scoring pilots of III./JG 52 at that time. In the end of the war, Batz flew 445 combat missions and claimed 237 enemy aircraft shot down. 234 of these victories were achieved over the Eastern Front, including at least 46 Il-2 Sturmoviks, but he did claim three victories, including one four-engine bomber against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) over the Ploieşti oil fields. He was wounded three times and was shot down four times.  At war’s end he was able to extricate his unit and men from Hungary and Austria back to Germany to surrender to American forces. He was thus able to avoid the prolonged Soviet captivity that befell the personnel of other two JG 52 Gruppen.

Source:

http://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2015/01/wilhelm-batz-in-studio-portrait-after.html

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Sturm-Abteilung "Koch"

Image size: 1600 x 1208 pixel. 572 KB
Date: Monday, 13 May 1940
Place: Führerhauptquartier "Felsennest" , Rodert near Bad Münstereifel, Nordrhein-Westfalen, germany
Photographer: Unknown

Adolf Hitler posed with Fallschirmjäger officers at a Ritterkreuz award ceremony for 12 member of Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" / 7.Flieger-Division of the Eben Emael raid. The ceremony was held at Führerhauptquartier "Felsennest" , Rodert near Bad Münstereifel, Euskirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, on 13 May 1945. First row from left to right : Leutnant Egon Delica (stellvertreter Führer Sturmgruppe "Granit". RK 12 May 1940), Hauptmann Walther Koch - RK 10.05.1940 (Kommandeur Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 10 May 1940), Adolf Hitler (Führer und Reichskanzler), Leutnant der Reserve Joachim Meißner (stellvertreter Führer Sturmgruppe "Eisen". RK 12 May 1940), and Oberleutnant Gustav Altmann (Führer Sturmgruppe "Stahl". RK 12 May 1940). Second row from left to right : Oberleutnant Rudolf Witzig (Führer Sturmgruppe "Granit". RK 10 May 1940), Oberleutnant der Reserve Otto Zierach (Chef des Stabes Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 15 May 1940), Leutnant der Reserve Helmut Ringler (MG-Halbzugführer in der Sturmgruppe "Stahl". RK 15 May 1940), Oberleutnant Walter Kiess (Chef Lastensegler-Kommando in der Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 12 May 1940), and Oberarzt Dr. Rolf Jäger (Truppenarzt in der Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 15 May 1940). Other three member of Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" that do not appear in the photograph : Feldwebel Helmut Arpke (Sturmgruppe "Stahl". RK 13 May 1940), Leutnant Martin Schächter (Führer Sturmgruppe "Eisen", wounded in action and at the hospital, RK 12 May 1945), and Leutnant Gerhard Schacht (Führer Sturmgruppe "Beton". RK 12 May 1940).

Source:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29879&start=2310

German Glider at Operation Rösselsprung

Image size: 1600 x 1113 pixel. 586 KB
Date: Thursday, 25 May 1944
Place: Near Drvar, south-west Banja-Luka, Yugoslavia
Photographer: Unknown

On 25 May 1944, “Unternehmen Rösselsprung” was started. The target of this operation was Josif Broz Tito’s communist Partisans. During this operation some 850 men of the reinforced SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 were dropped from 40 Junkers Ju 52 of II./TG 4, or landed with 33 DFS 230 gliders near the Bosnian town of Drvar, south-west of Banja-Luka to attack the headquarters of the Partisans. The DFS 230 gliders belonged to II. and III./LLG 2 and 1. and 2.(DFS)/Schlepgruppe 1. The German paratroopers suffered heavy casualties and during the initial 24 hours of the operation were even threatened to be annihilated! Only the support of ground-attack aircraft and further reinforcements brought relief. On the picture you see DFS 230 “H4+3-6” of II. or III./LLG 1. This aircraft was lost on the morning of May 25th when it crash-landed near Drvar. DFS 230 gliders had basically no Swastika on the rudder.

Source;

Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002

Junkers Ju 52 After Landing on the Hartvigvann-Lake

Image size: 1600 x 1115 pixel. 399 KB
Date: Saturday, 13 April 1940
Place: Hartvigvann-lake, Narvik, Norway
Photographer: Unknown

Junkers Ju 52 g4e “DB+RB” of 3./KGr.z.b.V. 102 after landing on the Hartvigvann-lake north of Narvik, Norway. This aircraft landed there on 13 April 1940 with 10 other Ju 52 to bring in supplies during the fighting around Narvik. Because of lack of fuel and the deep snow only one Ju 52 was able to take-off from the frozen lake! The other aircraft sank when the ice melted. Between 1983 and 1986 four of these aircraft were recovered and later restored. This aircraft carried an Ace of Hearts emblem. Pilot was Feldwebel Kathmann and the flight engineer Feldwebel Härtelt. The name of the radio-operator is still unknown.

Source:

Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002

A V-1 With Very Unusual Camouflage Pattern

Image size: 1600 x 867 pixel. 478 KB
Date: Between 13 September and 7 October 1944
Place: Varrelbusch Airfield, Cloppenburg, Germany
Photographer: Unknown

A V-1 with very unusual camouflage pattern! Picture taken at the ammunition dump of Varrelbusch airfield. The V-1 was stored in the open, without special camouflage measures. Note the yellow protective cap on the nose of the V-1! This picture was taken between September 13th and October 7th 1944 with 1.Staffel / Kampfgeschwader 53 (KG 53) on Varrelbusch airfield. The Staffel operated from September 16th from this base with V-1’s against England. The V-1’s were to be released over the northsea. The missions were flown at low level to prevent detection by British radar. After release of the flying bomb, the bomb was directed to its target by a fixed bearing and fuel load. The losses of KG 53 were high, mainly caused by Allied nightfighters and bad weather.

Source:

Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002

A Heinkel He 111 Rolling Towards its Heavily Guarded Revetment

Image size: 1600 x 856 pixel. 399 KB
Date: Between 13 September and 7 October 1944
Place: Varrelbusch Airfield, Cloppenburg, Germany
Photographer: Unknown

A Heinkel He 111 rolling towards its heavily guarded revetment. A groundcrew member looking out of the cockpit gives the pilot instructions to prevent hitting trees and other obstacles. Please note the flame damper on the exhaust pipes and the carrier for the V-1 on the right hand side of the fuselage! This picture was taken between September 13th and October 7th 1944 with 1.Staffel / Kampfgeschwader 53 (KG 53) on Varrelbusch airfield. The Staffel operated from September 16th from this base with V-1’s against England. The V-1’s were to be released over the northsea. The missions were flown at low level to prevent detection by British radar. After release of the flying bomb, the bomb was directed to its target by a fixed bearing and fuel load. The losses of KG 53 were high, mainly caused by Allied nightfighters and bad weather.

Source:

Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002