Info Eduard 2021 04
Info Eduard 2021 04
Info Eduard 2021 04
ISSUE 134
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL 4
HISTORY
GOTTHARD SACHSENBERG
6
Čmelák v barvách "Třistadvanáctky"
Horror Over Kalamaki
KITS
Spitfire Mk.I early ProfiPACK 1/48
22
Stříbrné šípy Limited edition 1/72
Bf 109G-6 Weekend edition 1/48
Pfalz D.IIIa Weekend edition 1/72
BRASSIN 42
PHOTO-ETCHED SETS 54
BIGED 58
RELEASE
April 2021
61
BUILT 62
Fw 190A-5 1/48
P-39Q Airacobra 1/48
Barbarossa 1/48
Bf 109G-4 1/48
IAI NESHER 1/48
ON APPROACH
May 2021
78
TAIL END CHARLIE 95
GOTTHARD
SACHSENBERG
I have written about the Sachsenberg family pilots several
times, but this time around I decided to spread the theme
of Gotthard Sachsenberg Jr. around his extended family. In
this way, the reasons as to why he became such a succe-
ssful naval aviator and on what basis he built his career
as an industrialist and politician could be best explained.
Jan Bobek
Photo: Greg VanWyngarden
Seaman Gotthard 1st Class for his service, but was sent to recover at Gent due to the
Gotthard Sachsenberg Jr. was born on December 6th, 1891 in Rosslau results of the demands of combat that were imposed on him.
on the outskirts of Dessau into the family of a shipyard co-owner and His unit was redesignated as II. Marine Feldflieger Abteilung in Octo-
secret Imperial Privy Commercial Councillor Dr.-Ing. h. c. Gotthard ber. In January, 1916, Sachsenberg was promoted to Leutnant z. See,
Sachsenberg Sr. His son attended high school in Dessau and Schne- and became an observer instructor at an aviation school. A month
pfenthal. The school in Dessau was also attended in the same year by later, though, he could be found training on single seat fighters at
Oswald Boelcke and their one year younger peer Theodor Osterkamp. Kampf Einsitzer Staffel Mannheim. He would be the first naval aviator
These future aviation legends likely need no introduction. to finish fighter pilot training. In April, 1916, he returned to his original
Gotthard Sachsenberg Jr. graduated high school in Eisenach, and unit as a ‘Fokkerpilot’, as the unit had accepted single seat Fokker E
went to college studies in national economics. However, he soon op- fighters, and, as was the custom at the time, it was known as Kampf
ted for a career change and even before the First World War began, Einsitzer Kommando (KEK), but it was not a separate unit.
he joined the navy in April, 1913. Basic training was followed by na- In November, 1916, the first new specialized naval fighter unit was
val training on the protected cruiser S.M.S. Hertha. The naval training activated under the name Marine Feldflieger Jagdeinheit. The unit’s
was undertaken with the rank of Fähnrich, and the beginning of the commanding officer was Sachsenberg, and so the unit was named
war saw him with that rank on board the pre-dreadnought battleship Sonderkommando Sachsenberg, and for its lower numerical status
S.M.S. Pommern. This ship was sunk on June 1st, 1916 in a battle of in terms of equipment, was also designated as Jagd-Halbstaffel (with
Jutland, and none of her crew survived. But by then, Gotthard Jr. had ‘Halb’ meaning ‘half’). However, formally, it still was subordinated to
been away from the battleship for quite some time. the command of II MFFA, who’s CO was Oblt. z. S. Hans Alfred von
In September, 1914, after a concentrated effort put forth on his su- Santen.
periors, he was allowed to volunteer for the air component of the February, 1917 finally saw the activation of a full fledged fighter unit
navy, the Freiwillige Marine Fliegerkorps. The commanding officer of at Neumünster called Marine Feldflieger Jagdstaffel I (MFJ I), and its
this branch of the service was Oblt. z. S. von Skrbensky, and achie- command was bestowed upon Sachsenberg. The unit’s pilots hailed
ved active duty status from December, 1914, flying from the airfield at from Sonderkommando, which he had led until that time, and also
Oostende in Belgium. Sachsenberg became an air observer and crew partly from II MFFA. Among those under his command was also
commander. At the beginning of 1915, he was reassigned to II. Marine a friend in the form of Theo Osterkamp, and they soon found themsel-
Landflieger Abteilung, which became combat ready in February of the ves in competition with another with regards to the number of aerial
same year. In August, 1915, Sachsenberg was awarded the Iron Cross victories, especially after Osterkamp was named commanding officer
Gotthard Sachsenberg (standing on the right) with members of a Marine Feldflieger Abteilung in front of a LVG C.II.
Gotthard Sachsenberg in front of his Fokker D.VII with distinctive yellow-black marking.
Eight partly worn black stripes on the upper side of top wing are considered to be kind
of reinforcement tape, as the linen cover of upper wing centre section had a tendency
to part company with the airframe during the fierce combat manoeuvres. Note the
Photo: SDASM
Oigee gunsight.
Photo of taking-off naval fighters from MFJ I at the Aertrycke base in early 1918. In the
foreground is Albatros D.Va with black and white checkered band piloted by Lt. z. S.
Gotthard Sachsenberg. To his right is Flgmstr. Hans Goerth whose Albatros has
a light band on the fuselage and the letters LU. Both pilots served together in 1919
in the Baltics.
The famous celebration of Sachsenberg's Pour le Mérite at Pélichy castle on August 12, 1918. The picture was taken later in the evening, but none of the participants are lying down
yet. Several photos were taken. Role of a photographer in such an event was probably not easy. Sitting far left is Lt. z. S. Betram Heinrich. In the middle of the second row with
Pour le Mérite on his neck is the commander of the Marine Jagdgruppe Gotthard Sachsenberg. The third standing officer on the right is Lt. s. S. Phillip Becht. At the top left hangs
on the painting very tired Theo Osterkamp. "Uncle" Theo became the most successful naval fighter, in the interwar period he was a well-known sports pilot and during World War
II he was commander of JG 51 among other assignments. Heinrich achieved twelve victories and fell on August 31, 1918 in combat with No. 210 Sq Camels. Becht achieved four
victories and in World War II was a technical officer of JG 51.
Group photo of members of the Marine Jagdgruppe. In the foreground in a white uniform stands Gotthard Sachsenberg, to his right is Theo Osterkamp.
unit was naturally handed over to Gotthard Sachsenberg, who was Commanding Officer of a naval fighter wing, was one of the two top
simultaneously promoted to Oberleutnant zur See. Before the end of naval fighter pilots and enjoyed the support of his men and respect of
the war, he would accumulate a further seven aerial victories, giving his superiors. Besides the aforementioned awards that were besto-
him a total of thirty-one. Theo Osterkamp ended the war with the wed on him, he also received:
‘Blue Max’ around his neck as well, and a score that was one higher - House Order of Albrecht the Bear, Knight First Class with Sword
than his commanding officer. - Friedrich Cross of Anhalt, Fist and Second Classes
One of the most dramatic encounters experienced by Sachsenberg - Friedrich-August Cross of Oldenburg, First and Second Classes
came when MFJ I and II met Camels of No. 204 Squadron in the after- - Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
noon of October 23rd, 1918 over Termonde. The German pilots claimed
seven victories, two of which were by Sachsenberg. In reality, five After the end of the First World War, there were many local armed
Camels were downed and all of their pilots were killed. Among them conflicts and civil unrest. Some were the result strictly of territori-
were two aces, twenty-six-year-old Capt. T. W. Nash, DFC, of Sussex al claims. Others were connected with the Bolshevik revolution that
and twenty-three-year-old Canadian Lieutenant O. J. Orr from Van- originated in Russia. One of these conflicts led to the secession of the
couver in British Columbia. Nash had eight kills and Orr five. Baltic States from Russia. Germany sent the IV. Reservekorps to the
Ten Camels equipped with bombs under the command of Capt. Nash area in January, 1919, a part of which was an air component comman-
took off at 0830h on a High Offensive Patrol mission. One was for- ded by Gotthard Sachsenberg Jr.
ced back due to engine trouble and crashed. There was heavy cloud It carried the designation Flieger Abteilung Ost, but was simultane-
and ground fog over the battle zone. Nash’s formation dropped their ously known as Kampfgeschwader Sachensberg. It had a total of 700
bombs on a rail yard at Melle. Later, at 1005h and at an altitude of men, was composed of several aviation components, and the bulk of
8,000 feet, they were intercepted from above by ten Fokkers and two its flyers were Marine Jagdgeschwader and Jasta 7 veterans. It was
Albatroses, all of which had black and yellow colours. This was typi- equipped with several Fokker D.VIIs and Rumpler C.IVs, but most of
cal of aircraft belonging to Marine Jasta. the equipment was the modern Junkers D.I and C.I with metal skin-
Lt. John D. Lightbody had three Fokkers at his six o’clock position. He ning.
went into a spin, but couldn’t shake them and the chase continued Among its members were Theo Osterkamp, Hans Goerth (7 kills),
down to heights of between 50 and 100 feet. The young Scot made Gerhard Hubich (8 kills), Karl Scharon (8 kills) and Alexander Zenses
a sharp turn to the left, causing two of his pursuers to collide, filling (19 kills). Notably, the list also included the legendary commander of
the sky with a lot of debris. One of the attackers didn’t survive the Jasta 7, Josef Jacobs (48 kills). Also among the members of the unit
collision. It was Lt. z. S. Hermann Bargmann from MFJ I. Two other was the then virtually unknown Walther Wadehn, who would achieve
Camel pilots each claimed a downed Fokker after having fired off se- the rank of Generalmajor with the Luftwaffe in the Second World War.
veral hundred rounds at point blank range. Lightbody would be killed Flieger Abteilung Ost served in the areas of Mitau (today Jelgava) and
in combat on November 4th, immediately after his nineteenth birth- Riga until mid-November, 1919. After that, the unit returned to Germa-
day and fifth kill. ny and Sachsenberg retired from the military.
In 1919, he married Gisela von Sigsfeld, and they had three children.
The End of the War, but not the Battle Gotthard entered industrial and political life, and likely did not anti-
Gotthard Sachsenberg Jr. who still maintained boyish looks, had be- cipate at the time that even this would be a life and death struggle.
hind him an incredible career. At the age of twenty-seven, he was the
Photo: SDASM
The most modern aircraft that naval fighter pilots got into service was the Fokker E.V. It was used by both Marine Feld Jasta units and Seefrontstaffel. However, due to problems
with the quality of production of the wing, planes had to be withdrawn from combat. The machine with the military number 138/18 was photographed a lot, Sachsenberg posed with
his comrades-in-arms in one of the pictures in front of her.
Photo: SDASM
Junkers J.10 (CL.I) with military number 1802/18 was taken over by Idflieg in October 1918. Sachsenberg's unit in 1919 in the Baltics was equipped also with this type. The machine
1802/18 was assigned in the year 1919 to Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 417, which belonged to Kampfgeschwader Sachsenberg.
Oblt. z. S. Gotthard Sachsenberg (second from right) in front of Fokker E.V. Second from left is Halberstadt's chief designer Karl Theis. The Fokker is probably Sachsenberg's per-
sonal machine with a yellow-black checkered fuselage. Notice the eyes painted on the engine cover. Camel pilot from No. 210 Sq. was attacked by four naval monoplanes on April
12, 1918. Two days later, the 17th Aero Squadron encountered this type. It is possible that Fokker was flown by Sachsenberg in this fight. During the encounter with seven German
planes was shot down 2.Lt. William H. Shearman. Same pilot had Sachsenberg in his gunsight two days earlier.
The courtyard of the Renaissance castle Lichtenburg, which the Nazis turned into a concentration camp in 1933. Sachsenberg was imprisoned there in 1934. From 1937 to 1939
castle served as a women's concentration camp, after which the female prisoners were transferred to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. During World War II, the castle was
used by various SS units, which held in cells more than sixty prisoners for forced labor.
One of the ships made by the Sachsenberg brothers that you can ride today is the paddle wheel steamer Goethe built in 1913.
Product page
Fokker D.VII Early, mil. No unknown, Oblt z. S. Gotthard Sachsenberg, CO of MFJ 1, Coolkerke, Belgium, September 1918
Michal Krechowski
The Bumble Bee was, as I had long suspected, not in the cards
for me. Way back when, I was supposed to take a ride in one,
specifically in a two seat version that my friends had on loan at
the time. But, luck wasn’t on my side then, bad weather put
a strain on the budget, and the opportunity just never seemed
to come up again.
Not for several years, anyway. And this time, it wasn’t a two-
-seater. It was a solo bird. It wasn’t much to look at…nothing
fancy, just a workhorse. With spray booms. And it wasn’t yellow,
but red. And with Otto Smik’s kill markings on it, below the coc-
kpit, and the No.312 Squadron unit badge. Was it even a Bumble
Bee, or was it a ‘BumbleSpit’?
I don’t recall all that much from the preparations for the flight.
The start up of the engine went about the same as when a gene- on a three point landing like this. I was not used to being able to
ral would show up at the base to take a MiG out for a spin. Run see over the nose so well that I ended up overcompensating and
it up, and I’ll take her out. So, with some assistance, the engine setting down on the tailwheel first. Damn! Sorry ‘bout that!
was brought to life, and I took off for a few rounds between Line
and Erpuzice. There was no crosswind, so I couldn’t grade the aircraft on lan-
ding under such conditions, with its tendency to veer off the di-
A Bumble Bee flying up high was a suspicious site. Especially one rection of landing. Three circuits were enough, and hop on back
equipped with the spray booms. But my experience told me that home. I thought maybe that I would try it at a lower altitude, but
in order to get a true feel for the plane, some height would be my intuition told me to not push my luck. But I tried it at 150m….
a good thing. And with a bit of luck, I wouldn’t attract too much and nothing went awry.
attention at the 500m I was flying. The plane shuttered in the
air when trying to keep it from falling. The circuits were about After forty minutes and five take-offs, I returned the red and
three minutes in length each. It wasn’t like I was trying, but yellow Bumble Bee OK-AKP with thanks. Nice airplane. I liked
a little voice was telling me to not fly so wide. This wasn’t it. Something completely different from what I am used to. And
a Constellation. So, why not? perhaps my buddies who own the two seat version will give me
another opportunity to take it for a spin, too. And why not? It’s
As my old instructor told me, an empty Z-37 is a completely coded OK-BFC, and I am a member of the BFC!
different aircraft from one that is loaded up. It flies well. And
it really did. The view out the cockpit for a tail dragger was Radim Vojta
excellent. I was not used to having the nose as low as it was
Up to the raid on the airfield of Kalamaki south of Athens on November 17, 1943, the 486th Bomb Squadron had not
lost a single airplane over a target. Fate turned its back on the crew of 2/Lt. John D. O’Leary. His Mitchell ended up
in a flat spin and inverted after several flak hits. And to top it off, the unlucky B-25 was also taking hits from JG 27
fighters.
Fighter wing JG 27 had been active in practically score to fifty in his new environment on October 1, He had good success against the Soviets whi-
every battle zone that the Luftwaffe was involved 1943, when he was credited with the shot down of le operating over the Northern Front, and he
in during the Second World War. Its duties began a Boston northwest of the island of Kos. would spend more than a year and a half there.
to be carried out on the Western Front, followed After that, Bartels began to add to his tally quick- He would hit 46 kills before the patience regar-
by a move to the Balkans, to later support the ly, with his Bf 109G-6. Over the month of October, ding his behavior ran out and he was shipped
invasion of the Soviet Union in June, 1941. But he added fourteen kills, and over November, he off to JG 27. He stayed with this unit until his
three months prior, I./JG 27, commanded by “Edu” would paint another ten kill marks on his rudder. death, first with 11./JG 27 and then with 15./JG 27.
Neumann, relocated to Africa to be followed by But…
II./JG 27 five months later, commanded by Wol- Bartels claimed four American P-38s on No-
fgang Lippert. The unit was made complete in vember 15 in the span of a mere three minutes
Africa in December after the arrival of III./JG 27, (1310 – 1312h), and these kills brought his score
and would remain there with short stints of its to seventy. A small celebration followed and the
groups in other areas until November, 1942, when photographs of a smiling Bartels, in front of the
it transferred its remaining assets to JG 77 and rudder of his airplane displaying seven rows of
was evacuated. ten kills each, is well known. The problem comes
After their rest period and rearmament, the in the fact that the Americans didn’t report any
group’s components operated in France, over Si- Lightning losses that day. All of them returned
cily, and within the Defense of the Reich system. from their respective missions. Bartels wasn’t
In May, 1943, IV./JG 27 was newly formed at Ka- the only one that day who was busy painting kill
lamaki airfield in Greece, which then transferred marks on his aircraft. JG 27 fighter pilots claimed
over to Romania to defend the oilfields of Ploes- a total of fourteen P-38s! Besides Bartels, this
ti. It was united with II./JG 27 and Stab./JG 27 at included, for example, Hptm. Joachim Kirschner
Kalamaki after returning from that unsuccessful (Stab.IV/JG 27) who also claimed four, and Fw.
mission. The unit was tasked with the intercepti- Ernst Hackl (12./JG 27), with a claim of three.
on of Allied raids that were designed to support Two days later, Bartels was credited with another
landings on several Greek islands, and to defend P-38 along with two B-25s that were a part of an
their own bombers. The Allied landings in France attack on Kalamaki. In reality, though, the 340th
in June, 1944, brought about a need to relocate BG, who conducted the raid, only lost one aircraft.
both groups of JG 27 from Kalamaki to “hotter” Although Bartels did attack the stricken aircraft,
fronts. it was brought down by flak.
Bartels was an interesting character even so. He
L’enfant Terrible arrives was a native Austrian born in Linc and wasn’t
photo: ČTK
Obfw. Heinrich Bartels became a member of JG exactly a subscriber of discipline. He also be-
27 in August, 1943. He came to 11./JG 27 after be- longed to a group of flyers that, to put it polite-
ing expelled by JG 5 Eismeer. He had committed ly, felt no affinity for the Nazi regime. His road
several “indiscretions” there, but on the other took him through JG 26, where he claimed two Heinrich Bartels was a fighter pilot with a low sense of dis-
hand, he was an ace with 49 kills. He rounded his kills in combat against British fighters, to JG 5. cipline. He also did not hide his disdain for the Nazi regime.
Turn Right, Right! Not Left! vious turn to the left, my airspeed was reduced to
The whole story of the crew of the B-25D Mitchell approximately to 170 m.p.h., due to the steepness
serial 42-64540 of the 486th Bomb Squadron is of the turn. After the ship started the swing to the
like something out of a horror movie. Four of the right, the Flight Leader and the right wing man,
six men on board endured moments of terror having an excessive speed over that which I was
that must have seemed like an eternity and that indicating, began to pull away from me. It was at
could only lead to their eventual demise. But, it this time that the Bombardier told us that a Me
needs to be said… 109 (the Bf 109 is often mistakenly called this way
The planes took off on November 17, 1943 from in the USAAF combat reports; author´s note) was
San Pancratzio airbase in southern Italy (not far attacking low and from 11 o´clock, and at the same
from Lecce) at 1010h local time. In all, 36 340th time the tail gunner reported that another ME
BG aircraft took part, and another 36 were con- was attacking from 6 o´clock. I saw the tracers
tributed by the 321st BG. The pilots set their cour- from both of these ships set up a cross fire which
se at about 13,000 ft (4,000 m), and 2/Lt. John D. poured through the right wing. It was at this time
O’Leary flew in the ninth position, the last of one that the 88th´s on the ground began to get our
of the formations, in the third threesome on the range. Doing everything possible, as far as eva-
left. The men on board of the aircraft coded 6N sive action was concerned, to avoid both the fi-
were flying just their third mission as a group. ghters and the flack we tried to maintain our po-
The pilot, 2/Lt. O’Leary and co-pilot 2/Lt. John E.
photo: fold3.com
sition in formation. The Navigator and top turret
Smith were among the rookies with the unit, and man who were calling the flack bursts, told me
the remaining four were assembled from other that flack was bracketing to us from both sides.“
crews. These were comprised of bombardier/ The lagging B-25 subsequently received further
navigator 2/Lt. Daniel R. Duszkiewicz, radio ope- hits to the fuselage and both engines. After one
rator/gunner S/Sgt. John P. Sweeney, top gunner fateful hit, which even ripped the engine from it´s Co-pilot John Smith was wounded during the action and
Sgt. Roderick M. MacDougall and tail gunner mount, the aircraft began to roll about its longi- fell into captivity. He returned home after the war.
S/Sgt. Frank F. Williams. tudinal axis until it was on its back, and then en-
“While arranging his maps and outlining the cour- tered into a flat spin. At that moment, the gates of problems, he ejected the escape hatch in the ca-
se, Lt. Duszkiewicz asked me to call him at the hell opened up for the crew… nopy, which is normally reserved for the pilots
to escape from the aircraft on the ground (for
Deteriorating Chances example after a crash landing), but was now one
“As we lay there in an inverted position in a flat of the few options left for leaving the aircraft whi-
spin, a ME 109 made another pass at us, and le still in the air. The Captain ordered Smith out,
I saw 20 mm tracers pouring into the nose of the which he succeeded in doing after a short battle
Bombardier´s compartment. Both the co-pilot with the seatbelts. “I saw him fall clear of the ship,
and myself did everything in our power to try and but did not see his chute open.“
right the ship. Then realizing our condition was The co-pilot, however, saw the situation a little
hopeless, I ordered him out and hit the emergen- differently: “I pushed the seat back, and star-
photo: the Author’s Collection
cy alarm system toggle switch,“ recalled in his ted to step down into the Nav. Comp. and saw
report O’Leary. According to Smith, the aircraft Lt. Duszkiewicz lying in the tunnel-way trying
went through two and a half rotations in its flat to pull himself through when the plane plunge
spin, and the forces that they generated and the downward violently and threw me up against the
fact that the aircraft was inverted made exiting top of pilot´s compartment. I believe I released
the plane virtually impossible. That went for the the top escape hatch with my head as I hit. I fell
pilots as well as the rest of the crew. According behind the pilot´s seat. The next I knew, every-
to O’Leary, John Smith tried to push his seat back thing was quiet and I felt cool air so I pulled the
so that he could access the escape route through ripcord.”
Captain of B-25D coded 6N, 2/Lt. John D, O’Leary the navigator’s station, but the centrifugal forces
were pushing him forward, making it impossible.
I.P., to be sure he was awake. He said he didn´t When O’Leary saw that his co-pilot was having
feel too good and that the previous day while fly-
ing at 14,500 ft, to 15,000 ft, enroute to target, he
had felt sleepy and was afraid he´d fall asleep on
this mission,” reported later co-pilot John Smith.
The bombardier ended up being alert that day and
was actually the first to spot incoming enemy fi-
ghters. What they all saw then was a monumen-
tal display of flak, that above the target concent-
rated on the left side of the formation.
The first threesome of Mitchells of the formation
conducted their raid against the middle of the ai-
rfield, the second dropped their bombs on the left
area, and the third, on the right.
“At approximately 12,500 ft we opened the bombay
doors and bomb release time was slightly ather
1300,” wrote John O’Leary in his report. The in-
dividual groups of three bombers were to make
a turn to the right after dropping their bombs
photo: 57th Bomb Wing Association
At the Last Moment German fighters into the nose of the aircraft. The a P-47 over Bad Godesberg, southeast of Bonn.
After, once he was alone in the cockpit, O’Leary other three men in the rear of the plane might On the day of his death, Bartels got his 99th con-
tried to contact the other crew members throu- have been hit by flak shrapnel. Those that re- firmed kill, a P-51.
gh the intercom, but with no success. No one mained alive and conscious would have endured
answered… He was also fighting the controls of the last seconds of their lives with the realizati- Four Graves in Koropi
the plane, and he was trying desperately to ri- on that there was no way out of their trap. And John O’Leary had some luck finally as he was
ght the airplane and to get it out of the flat spin it wasn’t over in a few seconds, with respect to able to evade capture, and with the help of the
in an effort to give the remaining crew at least the height at which it all began and the relatively locals, he was able to get back to his own side.
a fighting chance to get out. But the controls of low vertical speed of the descent in the flat spin. John Smith was injured, and when he landed on
the airplane had been damaged, and the chances It may well have taken some two very long mi- the ground, he was taken POW by the Germans,
of regaining control while enemy fighters were nutes… which was how he spent the rest of the war after
still circling it, were increasingly unlikely. O’Leary being taken to a military hospital. O’Leary was
then followed protocols to destroy the radar and Four Claims for One Kill back pretty soon, because already by January 13,
IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) equipment and Along with Bartels, the unlucky B-25 was also 1944, less than two months after being shot down,
exited the aircraft in the same manner as the co- attacked by Ltn. Wolgang Hohls (same as Bartels, he made his report at La Junta, Colorado. Smith
-pilot moments before. This was quite literally at from 11./JG 27), Hptm. Joachim Kirschner (Stab had to wait a little longer. After his return home,
the last moment because the B-25 was now only IV./JG 27) and Ltn. Hans-Gunnar Culeman (Stab
he settled in Chicago, where he filled out his re-
about 1,000 ft (300 m) above the ground. O’Lea- III,/JG 27). The times reported are slightly incon-
port in March, 1946 and expressed his views of
ry approximated this value from the fact that his sistent. Hohls attacked at 1249h, Bartels’ first was
the events. There are some variations between
chute opened just before he hit the ground. He at 1250h, and his second two minutes later, Cule-
his report and O’Leary’s, but given the three year
also hit the ground just after the aircraft hit about man also at 1250h. O’Leary’s report says that the
time difference between them and the stresses
30 m away from him. „Looking up I saw another first attack came after the dropping of his bombs
chute at what I estimated was between 4 to 5 which he reported as just after 1300h, but there is involved that the two men had to go through,
thousand feet, floating down to the south of the a possibility that he was a bit off in that. His po- one can’t really be too surprised. More informa-
position in which I had landed. I assumed that this sition, and the quick onset of the German attacks, tion about neither Smith’s captivity nor O’Leary-
was my co-pilot, because he was the only other were relatively consistent with what he later put ’s escape from Greece is known, and nothing is
man who I knew of that had bailed out of the ship. in his report. After their return from the mission, known about their later lives. After the war, nei-
My first thought after landing was to go over to Bartels claimed two B-25s and Hohls and Kir- ther one of them took part in any event connected
the ship, but I had hardly taken three steps when scher on each. All were confirmed. to the 57th Bomb Wing Association, so even there
the gas tank exploded. It was then I realized there Heinrich Bartels continued in his career with JG are no more information on them available.
was nothing more I could do to aid any of the men 27 in the MTO but did not claim any further kills. The four men that died in the B-25 were buried
that might be left in the ship.“ At the end of 1944, IV./JG 27 was moved to a base by German troops with full military honours at a
The remainder of the crew was prevented from at Gratz. There, as a pilot within the Defense of cemetery in the town of Koropi, just about three
being able to get out of the aircraft by the plane’s the Reich system, he would get another twenty- miles south of Athens. This article, as well as the
inverted position and the centrifugal forces they -six kills. Around that time, he caused quite a stir art on the box of the kit with the catalog number
were experiencing. Some may have been inju- when he had the swastika removed from his Bf 84173 is a dedication in their honour, if in a small
red, or even killed by shrapnel or by fire from the 109G-10. Bartels simply did not like the Nazis… way, and to their heroic sacrifice, and the hell that
attacking Bf 109s. Thanks to Smith’s report, we He died on December 23, 1944 in combat with not only they, but thousands of others, flew into
know that Duszkiewicz survived the hits by the American fighters, when he was shot down by with no guarantee of ever returning.
References:
Ernst Obermaier: Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe / Jagdflieger
Jochen Prien, Peter Rodeike, Gerhard Stemmer: Messerschmitt Bf 109
im Einsatz bei der III. und IV. /Jagdgeschwader 27
340th BG Combat Reports
57th Bomb Wing Association (www.57thbombwing.com)
www.dansetzer.us
Product page
K9797, Sgt. George Unwin, No. 19 Squadron, RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, October 1938
The aircraft is equipped with a double-bladed propeller, a flat canopy, an older type of pitot tube and a protection against parachute catch-
ing, installed on the tail. K9797 was the 11th production Spitfire and in October 1938 it was delivered to No. 19 Squadron, RAF Duxford.
K9797 flew a total of 88 hours 55 minutes. It was written off after the accident on March 9th, 1939. While acting as a target aircraft during
gun practice, the engine stopped, and the pilot deliberately crashed to avoid the children´s playground. The pilot was the future Wing Com-
mander George Cecil Unwin DSO, DFM & Bar (1913-2006). During Operation Dynamo, he shot down three aircraft (Hs 126, Bf 110 and
He 111). The Battle of Britain allowed him to raise the total by another eleven kills.
K9938, No. 72 Squadron, Church Fenton, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, April 1939
The aircraft is equipped with a three-bladed propeller, a flat canopy and an older type of pitot tube. In April 1939, it was taken over by No.
72 Squadron and was given the designation "SD-H", later changing to "ZP-W". The emblem of this squadron is displayed on the tail. The
aircraft was lost in combat on September 2nd, 1940. The unit intercepted formation of Dorniers, escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 110s over the
Isle of Thanet. During the fight No. 72 Sqn. shot down four Bf 110s of ZG 2 and ZG 26, but also K9938 piloted by Sgt. Norman Robert Norfolk
was shot down. The pilot bailed out and parachuted at Herne Bay. Norfolk served with the unit at least since October 1939 and during the
Battle of Britain scored four victories, for which he received the DFC. He later served as an instructor at the No. 25 (Polish) Elementary Flying
Training School at RAF Westwood and stayed serving with flight schools even after the war.
K9962, S/Ldr. Andrew Farquhar, CO of No. 602 Squadron, RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, United Kingdom, May 1939
The aircraft is equipped with a three-bladed propeller, a blown canopy, a stripe on the fuel tank and a newer type of pitot tube. No. 602
(City of Glasgow) Squadron took over this plane in May 1939. It was flown by S/Ldr. Andrew Farquhar on February 22nd, 1940 when he shot
down a Heinkel He 111 from 1.(F)/Aufkl. Gr. Ob. d. L. in cooperation with another pilot. He 111 landed at Lumsdaine, East Coldingham and
the crew of Lt. Grote tried to set it on fire. Farquhar tried to land next to the Germans to prevent them from destroying the plane but flipped
his Spitfire on landing. The German crew rescued him from the wreckage and then they all together carried injured gunner away from the
burning Heinkel. Upon arrival of the Home Guard, everyone, including Farquhar, was arrested. During the war, he reached the rank of Wing
Commander, achieved 6 victories and was awarded the DFC. Spitfire K9962 was shot down on September 4th, 1940 by a Bf 109 and its pilot
Sgt J.W. Ramshaw died.
No. 609 Squadron, Drem, East Lothian, United Kingdom, March 1940
The aircraft is equipped with a three-bladed propeller, a blown canopy, a stripe on the fuel tank and additional armor on the windshield. On
the left side under the canopy is a drawing of a comic book character named Pip. It came from British strip cartoon Pip, Squeak and Wilfred,
which was published between 1919 and 1956. Their names were often used in the British Armed Forces, even in official designations. No.
609 (West Riding) Squadron was established as part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in 1936 and its first aircraft type was Hawker Hart. The
unit received Spitfires in August 1939 and served in the defense of northern England. Squadron moved south to take part in Operation Dyna-
mo and lost one third of the pilots in combat during three days of the operation. It became the first RAF unit to achieve 100 air victories. In
the Battle of Britain, its most successful pilots were Fl/Lt. Frank Howell (8 victories) and Fl/Lt. John Dundas (9 victories).
No. 602 Squadron, Drem, East Lothian, United Kingdom, April 1940
The aircraft is equipped with a three-bladed propeller, a blown canopy, and the windshield with additional armor. Under the canopy is the
inscription BOGUS, the meaning of which is not yet known. No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron was established as part of the Royal Auxiliary
Air Force in 1925 and its first aircraft were the Airco DH.9. The unit received Spitfires in May 1939 and served in the defense of Scotland
until August 1940. Among successful pilots during 1940 were S/Ldr. Alexander "Sandy" Johnston (7 victories), Sgt. Basil Whall (7 victories),
P/O Osgood Hanbury (10 victories) or Sgt. Cyril Babbage (7 victories). On October 16th, 1939, the unit took part in the shooting down of the
first German aircraft over British territory during the air raid of I./KG 30 on Scapa Flow. On October 28th, the squadron shot down the first
German aircraft over the British soil, He 111 over Firth of Forth. F/O "Archie" McKellar (18 victories) took part in both combats.
OVERTREES
Spitfire Mk.I early 1/48
Cat. No. 82152X Product page Cat. No. 82152-LEPT1
Product page
SPACE
FREE
Bf 109G-6 1/48
Cat. No. 84173
Eduard plastic parts For each 84173 kit ordered
in our webshop from the 1st
4 marking options to the 30th of April, we will
add a free Space set
Product page Cat. No. 3DL48014
WNr. 27169, Fw. Heinrich Bartels, 11./JG 27, Kalamaki Airfield, Greece, November 1943
Heinrich Bartels´s military career was launched on the Western Front. In August 1941, as a member of Erg./JG 26, Bartels downed two Spitfi-
res over the Channel. Afterwards he served with JG 5 in Northern Europe and managed to shoot down 47 Soviet aircraft. As a member of JG
27, he downed 50 more enemy ones. Bartels met his ultimate fate on December 23rd, 1944. He clashed with American Thunderbolts, and
despite managing to bag one of them, he failed to return to his home field. His fate remained unknown till January 1968, when remains of
his Bf 109G were discovered. The unusued parachute found in the cockpit is exhibited in the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin.
Photographs of Bartels´s G-6 were taken on November 15th, 1943, (or a few days thereafter) when Bartels achieved his 70th victory (alt-
hough the four allegedly shot down P-38s were not missed by the USAAF). Seventy kill marks (Abschussbalken) are painted on the rudder
along with the Knight´s Cross. Bartels was awarded this medal a year before, on November 13th, 1942. Note the saw-toothed demarcation
between the camouflage colors on the wings, typical for part of Erla production planes in 1943.
Oblt. Alfred Grislawski, CO of 1./JGr. 50, Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Air Base, Germany, September 1943
Jagdgruppe 50 was created on August 15th, 1943 from Jagdgruppe Süd der ObdL that was formed as a high altitude fighter unit on July
21st, 1943 to combat recce Mosquitos. JGr.50 was led by Hermann Graf who gave birth to the unit´s crest painted under the canopy. The
Red Hunter symbolized the German Luftwaffe soccer team known under the nickname “die Roten Jäger”. Graf was a member of this team,
along with then German national team members. The unit existed for only a few months, and in October 1943 was incorporated into I./JG
301. Alfred Grislawski was the CO of 1./JGr.50 and the formation leader, as can be seen from the white tail. He served with JG 1 and JG 53
afterwards, and his total score accounted for 133 victories. Grislawski was awarded the Knight´s Cross on July 1st, 1943 and with Oak Leaves
on April 11th, 1944.
Maj. Ludwig Franzisket, CO of I./JG 27, Fels am Wagram, Austria, early 1944
Lugwig Franzisket achieved his first victiory in May 1940 over the Netherlands as a member of 1./JG 1. He took part in the battle of France
and fought in North Africa with JG 27. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight´s Cross) on July 23rd, 1941 for 22 victories. In the summer of
1943, he became the CO of I./JG 27. His unit was tasked with the opposing of Allied raids over Germany. Among other victories, Franzisket
added two B-17s downed over Schweinfurt to his score on October 14th, 1943. By the end of the war, Franzisket managed to shoot down 43
enemy airplanes including four B-17s. The wide green tail band identifies aircraft flown by JG 27 as part of the Defence of the Reich. The JG
27 badge, painted on both sides of the cowling, refers to the geschwader´s combat deployment in Africa. The double chevron was painted
on airplanes flown by Gruppe leaders and the white rudder is a marking of formation leaders.
Product page
8244/17, Gefr. Erich Mix, Jasta 54, Ennemain, France, June 1917
Former infantryman Erich Mix started flying with Luftstreitkräfte on May 1917, but only with non-combat units. On April 12th, 1918, he was
transferred to the Schlastastaffel 21 and a month later his dreams went true on May 15th, as he became an fighter pilot with Jagdstaffel 54.
He claimed his first victory on June 11th, shooting down Salmson 2A2. Just two days later he destroyed this Pfalz on landing. Erich Mix scored
three confirmed victories and one probable (baloon) during WWI. Mix joined Luftwaffe in 1935, became technical officer of I./JG 53 in 1939
and scored three victories at the outbreak of WWII at the age of 41. In March 1940 he became first commander of III./JG 2 and finished the
war as Oberst (Colonel) with 5 victories (8 together with WWI). The marking of his Pfalz D.IIIa is a reconstruction based on the description in
the flight log, revealed in the Jasta Colors book (Aeronaut Books, 2020). The fuselage had red-brown nose, rear and one horizontal plus one
vertical band. The wings were covered with five-colour Flugzeugstoff (Lozenge).
DUAL COMBO
Product page
MiG-21PF, 0302, 2nd Squadron, 9th Fighter Air Regiment, Bechyne air base, 1988
MiG-21PF, 1212, 2nd Squadron, 1st Fighter Air Regiment, Bechyne air base, 1988
MiG-21PF, 1304, 2nd Squadron, 8th Fighter Air Regiment, Brno air base, spring 1989
MiG-21PFM, 7207, 3rd Squadron, 11th Fighter Air Regiment, Zatec air base, 1987 – 1991
MiG-21PFM, 4411, 2nd Squadron, 11th Fighter Air Regiment, Zatec air base, 1987 – 1991
634024
Tornado GR.4 LööK
1/32 Italeri
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard
and STEEL seatbelts for Tornado GR.4
in 1/32 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces
plastic parts.
Recommended kit: Italeri
Set contains:
- resin: 12 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no
Product page
644090
MiG-21PFM LööK
1/48 Eduard
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard
and STEEL seatbelts for MiG-21PFM
in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces
plastic parts.
Recommended kit: Eduard
Set contains:
- resin: 4 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no
Product page
644091
MiG-21R LööK
1/48 Eduard
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard
and STEEL seatbelts for MiG-21R in 1/48
scale. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic
parts. Recommended kit: Eduard
Set contains:
- resin: 7 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no
Product page
632170
SC 50 German WWII bombs
1/32
Brassin set - German WW2 SC 50 bombs
in 1/32 scale. Set consists of 8 bombs.
Set contains:
- resin: 48 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no
Product page
632171
Tornado GR.4 wheels
1/32 Italeri
Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels
for Tornado GR.4 in 1/32 scale. The set
consists of the main wheels and nose
wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic
parts. Recommended kit: Italeri
Set contains:
- resin: 4 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: yes
Product page
632173
BOZ-107 pod
1/32
Brassin set - the BOZ-EC missile
countermeassure pod in 1/32 scale.
Compatible with Tornado.
Set contains:
- resin: 2 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no
Product page
648599
F-6D cameras
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - the camera installation
for F-6D Mustang in 1/48 scale. The set
consists of three different cameras.
Recommended kit: Eduard
Set contains:
- resin: 24 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no
Product page
648615
AGM-62 Walleye I ER/ERDL
1/48 Zvezda
Brassin set - the TV-guided glide bombs
AGM-62 Walleye I ER/ERDL in 1/48 scale.
The set consists of 2 bombs. Compatible
with A-4, A-6, F-4.
Set contains:
- resin: 8 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no
Product page
648619
AGM-84D Harpoon
1/48
Brassin set - anti-ship missile AGM-84D
Harpoon in 1/48 scale. The set consists of
2 missiles. Compatible with AV-8B, F-16,
F/A-18, P-3, P-8, B-52, F-111 etc.
Set contains:
- resin: 22 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no
Product page
672258
R-27ER / AA-10 Alamo-C
1/72
Brassin set - Russian / Soviet missile
R-27ER in 1/72 scale. Set consists of 4
missiles. Compatible with MiG-29, Su-27.
Set contains:
- resin: 32 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no
Product page
672260
Brimstone w/ AGLM III rack
1/72
Brassin set - British Brimstone air-to-
-ground attack missiles with AGML III rack
1/72 scale. Set consists of 2 racks with 6
missiles.
Set contains:
- resin: 18 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no
Product page
672263
C-130 wheels
1/72 Zvezda
Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for
C-130 in 1/72 scale. The set consists of
the main wheels and nose wheels. Easy to
assemble, replaces plastic parts. Reco-
mmended kit: Zvezda
Set contains:
- resin: 6 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: yes
Product page
644092
Bf 110G-4 LööKplus
1/48 Eduard
Collection of 4 sets for Bf 110G-4 in 1/48 scale by Eduard.
Product page
644093
Il-2 LööKplus
1/48 Eduard
Collection of 4 sets for Il-2 in 1/48 scale by Zvezda.
Product page
SIN64870
Spitfire Mk.I ADVANCED
1/48 Eduard
Collection of 3 sets for Spitfire Mk.I in 1/48 scale by Eduard.
- engine
- gun bays
- photo-etched landing flaps
#3DL32002
DH. 82A Tiger Moth SPACE
for 1/32 ICM kit
Product page
#3DL48013
MiG-15 SPACE
for 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000 kit
Product page
#3DL48014
Bf 109G-6 SPACE
for 1/48 Eduard kit
Product page
#3DL48015
F-14A SPACE
for 1/48 Tamiya kit
Product page
1/35 MINIART
Product page
44-13517, Capt. Robert Becker, 362nd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF,
Leiston, Great Britain, July 1944
44-13691, Maj. Arval J. Roberson, 362nd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF,
Leiston, Great Britain, August 1944
44-13897, Capt. Charles Peters, 363rd FS, 357th FG, 8th AF,
Leiston, Great Britain, July 1944
44-13586, Capt. Richard Peterson, 364th FS, 357th FG, 8th AF,
Leiston, Great Britain, autumn 1944
EX762
EX763 EX763
EX765 EX766
EX766
EX767 EX768
EX768
EX764 CX597
60 eduard INFO Eduard - April 2021
APRIL 2021
KITS
82152 Spitfire Mk.I early 1/48 ProfiPACK
2134 Stříbrné šípy 1/72 Limited edition
84173 Bf 109G-6 1/48 Weekend edition
8414 Pfalz D.IIIa 1/48 Weekend edition
PE-SETS
53266 HMS York railings 1/350 Trumpeter
32985 A-26C nose interior 1/32 Hobby Boss
32986 DH. 82A Tiger Moth 1/32 ICM
36461 Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.H 1/35 MINIART
481044 MiG-15 landing flaps 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000
481045 Ju 88C-6b Night Fighter exterior 1/48 ICM
491161 MiG-15 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000
491164 AV-8A early 1/48 Kinetic
491165 AV-8A late 1/48 Kinetic
491168 Ju 88C-6b Night Fighter interior 1/48 ICM
72714 Ki-61-Id landing flaps 1/72 Tamiya
73738 MiG-25PD 1/72 ICM
ZOOMS
33278 DH. 82A Tiger Moth 1/32 ICM
33279 DH. 82A Tiger Moth seatbelts STEEL 1/32 ICM
FE1161 MiG-15 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000
FE1162 MiG-15 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000
FE1163 Ar 68F 1/48 Roden
FE1164 AV-8A early 1/48 Kinetic
FE1165 AV-8A late 1/48 Kinetic
FE1166 AV-8A seatbelts early STEEL 1/48 Kinetic
FE1167 AV-8A seatbelts late STEEL 1/48 Kinetic
FE1168 Ju 88C-6b Night Fighter 1/48 ICM
FE1169 Ju 88C-6b Night Fighter seatbelts STEEL 1/48 ICM
FE1170 Bf 109G-6 Weekend 1/48 Eduard
FE1171 Pfalz D.IIIa Weekend 1/48 Eduard
SS738 MiG-25PD 1/72 ICM
MASKS
JX273 DH. 82A Tiger Moth 1/32 ICM
EX762 MiG-15 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000
EX763 MiG-15 TFace 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000
EX764 Ar 68F 1/48 Roden
EX765 AV-8A 1/48 Kinetic
EX766 AV-8A TFace 1/48 Kinetic
EX767 Ju 88C-6b Night Fighter 1/48 ICM
EX768 Ju 88C-6b Night Fighter TFace 1/48 ICM
EX769 Pfalz D.IIIa Weekend 1/48 Eduard
CX597 MiG-25PD 1/72 ICM
BIGED SETS
BIG33129 Tornado GR.4
1/32 Italeri
BIG49280 Il-2 1/48 Zvezda
BIG49281 Ju 188 1/48 Revell
BIG49282 F-104DJ 1/48 Kinetic
BRASSIN
632170 SC 50 German WWII bombs 1/32
632171 Tornado GR.4 wheels 1/32 Italeri
632173 BOZ-107 pod 1/32
634024 Tornado GR.4 LööK 1/32 Italeri
644090 MiG-21PFM LööK 1/48 Eduard
644091 MiG-21R LööK 1/48 Eduard
648599 F-6D cameras 1/48 Eduard
648615 AGM-62 Walleye I ER/ERDL 1/48
648619 AGM-84D Harpoon 1/48
672258 R-27ER / AA-10 Alamo-C 1/72
672260 Brimstone w/ AGLM III rack 1/72
672263 C-130 wheels 1/72 Zvezda
LookPLUS
644092 Bf 110G-4 LööKplus 1/48 Eduard
644093 Il-2 LööKplus 1/48 Zvezda
BIGSIN
SIN64870 Spitfire Mk.I ADVANCED 1/48 Eduard
DECAL SETS
D32009 Tornado GR.4 stencils 1/32 Italeri/Revell
D48074 Hawker Typhoon stencils 1/48 Hasegawa
D48075 Su-27UB stencils 1/48 Academy/Kitty Hawk/GWH
D48076 P-40N stencils 1/48 Hasegawa
D48077 P-51D-5 “357th FG“ 1/48 Eduard
SPACE
3DL32002 DH. 82A Tiger Moth SPACE 1/32 ICM
3DL48013 MiG-15 SPACE 1/48 Bronco/Hobby 2000
3DL48014 Bf 109G-6 SPACE 1/48 Eduard
3DL48015 F-14A SPACE 1/48 Tamiya
Releases
BUILT
Product page
Problem-Free Details
Once the instrument panel shroud is attached, the gunsight can be ad-
ded as well. That puts the main assembly behind us. The windscreen
can be added, requiring just the removal of the part from the clear
sprue, and the application of the mask. The frames can be treated
with a surface, if desired. The masks fit as they should, streamlining
the entire process. The addition of the rudder, ailerons and the cowl
ring really don’t need to be mentioned here…very straightforward.
Glue and align…
The other fine details such as the propeller blades and landing gear
bits are the same. Just separate them from the sprue, clean up any
mold separation lines, and run fine sandpaper over them. This is
all pretty routine, and no parts offer any opposition to being put in
their correct place. The only thing is to just be as clean as possible
with the glue.
I don’t think I need to go into the application of the paint in this ar-
ticle. We all have our preferences and procedures. I enlisted the help
of Hypersol during the placement of the decals, and nothing else. The
application is very standard….water, separate from the backing paper,
position, squeeze out the air bubbles and go over them with the Hyper-
sol. I didn’t peel off the carrier film from the decals, as it came across
to me as unnecessary. So, in closing….
…it went together well…
Aircraft is probably WNr. 5888 manufactured by Arado in Warnemünde at beginning of 1943. Camouflage consists of
brown and green colors on upper surfaces, RLM 76 on undersides with spinner in RLM 70. Stotz was born in Austria
in 1912 and in 1933 entered Austrian Army. From 1938 he belonged to Austrian aerobatic team. In Luftwaffe, Stotz
was assigned to 1./JG 76 (later 4./JG 54 "Grünherz") and scored first victory in November 1939. He scored 12 victories
during French campaign but suffered injury during Battle of Britain. After Balkan campaign he fought on Eastern Front
and in June 1942 received Knight´s Cross after 53 victories. Oak Leaves followed soon after he scored his 100th victory
in October. From April 1943 he led 5./JG 54 but was missing "Black 7" after brief head-on encounter with enemy
fighters on August 19th, 1943. His original "Black 5" was probably flown by his wingman Uffz. Herbert Koller (50 v.)
who made belly landing. "Black 5" (WNr. 5888) was finally lost on October 7th, 1943 with Lt. Karl-Heinz Lüchau (12 v.)
wounded. Final score of Stotz was 182 victories. He was promoted to Hauptmann posthumously.
John Colasante
Mariusz Hasiuk has built his model based on our 1/48 scale kit Bf 109G-10
Erla (cat. no. 82164). In addition he used our Bf 109G-10 Engine set (cat. no.
648441) and our 1/48 set of Bf 109 G External Fuel Tanks (cat. no. 648265).
As a last but not least the seat was fitted with 1/48 HGW Models Luftwaffe
(Late) Seatbelts (cat. no. 148015).
For painting were used MR.PAINT colors and HD Sattin varnish by Vantage
Model Solutionsn (VMS). Weathering was done with Ammo Mig Weathering
Pencils, AK Interactive Enamels/Washes and 502 Abteilung Oil Paints.
Years ago, when the first Eduard 1/48 scale kit Bf 109G-6 with catalog number 8268 came out, I immediately bought it. I was still a novice modeler and
made many mistakes at work, especially when painting. This was my first use of an airbrush and the result was not at all impressive. Over the years, I've
made a lot of your G-2 and G-6 models, leaving me with a lot of unused details. At one point, I wondered if I could remake an already made G-6 using these
details, as well as the huge variety of resin and PE parts you produce. From the Profipack Bf 109G-2 I have some wings left, suitable for G-6. This, as well
as the use of BIG SIN set Bf 109G-6 ADVANCED (cat. no. SIN64824) solved the problem with the accuracy of the dimensions of this model. In general, from
the original set I used only the fuselage and the horizontal stabilizer. Although the additional accessories are sized for the new G-6 models, which have the
correct geometric proportions, they miraculously fit the old kit as well. It was a lot of cutting and sawing, and the most annoying thing was removing the old
paint. In the process, I decided to recreate a different model - a late G-6 with a high wooden stabilizer and semi-retractable wheel stands, raised on jacks.
In fact, I recreated the machine of Lieutenant Boris Damev from the 6th Fighter Regiment, Air Force of the Kingdom of Bulgaria, in the summer of 1944. The
coloring is RLM 74/75/76, with light gray spots on the fuselage, as the paints are by Mr. Hobby. The camouflage is painted with a free hand, and the iden-
tification signs are painted with patterns. Working on the model was a great challenge, and it gave me great pleasure. The end result even surprised me.
Mitko Mitkov
P-39Q-1, 42-19467, 46th FS, 15th FG, 7th AF, Kanton atoll, Phoenix archipelago, August 1943
46th FS (originally 46th PS) was formed on Hawaiian Islands on December 1st, 1940, as a part of 15th Pursuit Group equipped, at that time, with Curtiss P-36 Hawk
fighters. It opened its combat score right on the first day of the War in Pacific, December 7th, 1941, defending the Pearl Harbor naval base against the Japanese attack.
In 1942 the squadron was re-equipped with Airacobras and in the spring of 1943 deployed to Kanton atoll in the Phoenix archipelago. Due to the conditions on the
island, almost completely lacking the vegetation, new Airacobras were repainted in the combination of the sand color on the upper and side surfaces while the lower
surfaces of the fighters were sprayed in light blue colors. Camouflage change was an idea of Lt. Benjamin C. Warren, a pilot and unit’s technical officer, who also super-
vised its application. In December 1943 46th FS left Kanton and after the over-water flight to atoll Makin carried on with the operations until mid December 1944.
At that time its Airacobras carried the Olive Drab coat on the upper surfaces again.
Cat. No.11127
built by Oliver Peissl
Bf 109G-4
Bf 109G-4/R6/trop, Lt. Franz Schiehs, CO of 8./ JG 53, Tindja, Tunisia, April 1943
Austrian Franz Schiehs saw combat over Britain with JG 53, followed by action against the Soviet Union, where he shot down fourteen enemy aircraft over
a two month period. At the beginning of August 1941, JG 53 returned to Germany, re-equipped and transferred first to Sicily and later to Africa. The num-
ber of claims made by Schiehs grew and he gained his 36th kill on January 29th, 1943, being given command of 8./ JG 53 on February 16th of the same
year. Holding the rank of Oberleutnant and for the destruction of 55 enemy aircraft, he was awarded the Knight's Cross on June 21st, 1943. On September
2nd, 1943, he led an intercept of American bombers over Mount Vesuvius, an event from which he did not return. It is assumed that he fell victim to an
escorting P-38. The camouflage scheme applied to Schiehs's aircraft consisted of RLM78/79 and was complemented by the relevant theatre of operations
recognition items that were the white spinner, white fuselage band and the white lower wing tips. The engine cowl had the JG 53 unit insignia placed on it.
The yellow rudder recorded the number of kills up to the end of March 1943. The original (likely Staff) markings on the fuselage sides were sprayed over
with fresh RLM 79 and replaced with a black '1'. Aircraft of the unit had fields of the upper surfaces of the wings sprayed in RLM 80 Olivgrün.
BIG ED (May)
BIG33130 A-26C Invader PART I 1/32 Hobby Boss
BIG33131 A-26C Invader PART II 1/32 Hobby Boss
BIG49283 Ju 88C-6 1/48 ICM
BIG49284 F-16I SUFA 1/48 Kinetic
BIG49285 Su-30SM 1/48 Kitty Hawk
BIG33130 BIG49284 BIG49286 Su-27UB 1/48 Great Wall Hobby
LöökPlus (May)
644101 MiG-21PF LööKplus 1/48 Eduard
644102 MiG-21PFM LööKplus 1/48 Eduard
BRASSIN (May)
SIN64871 Spitfire Mk.IIa ADVANCED 1/48 Eduard
- engine
- gun bays
- photo-etched landing flaps
PE-SETS
32465 P-40M exterior 1/32 Trumpeter
32466 P-40M landing flaps 1/32 Trumpeter
32467 P-40M gun bays 1/32 Trumpeter
32987 PT-13 Kaydet 1/32 Roden
32988 P-40M interior 1/32 Trumpeter
36462 Typhoon K 1/35 Zvezda
481046 MiG-15bis landing flaps 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
481047 Fw 190F-8 1/48 Eduard
481048 Fw 190F-8 landing flaps 1/48 Eduard
491172 Harrier GR.1 1/48 Kinetic
491173 Harrier GR.3 1/48 Kinetic
491175 PZL P.11c 1/48 Arma Hobby
491176 MV-22 1/48 Hobby Boss
491178 MiG-15bis 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
73739 Bf 109E-3 1/72 Special Hobby
73740 Ar 234B 1/72 Hobby 2000/Dragon
ZOOMS
33280 PT-13 Kaydet 1/32 Roden
33281 PT-13 Kaydet seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Roden
33282 P-40M 1/32 Trumpeter
33283 P-40M seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Trumpeter
FE1172 Harrier GR.1 1/48 Kinetic
FE1173 Harrier GR.3 1/48 Kinetic
FE1174 Harrier GR.1/3 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Kinetic
FE1175 PZL P.11c seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Arma Hobby
FE1176 MV-22 1/48 Hobby Boss
FE1177 MV-22 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss
FE1178 MiG-15bis 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
FE1179 MiG-15bis seatbelts STEEL 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
SS740 Ar 234B 1/72 Hobby 2000/Dragon
SS741 Albatros D.V Weekend 1/72 Eduard
MASKS
JX274 PT-13 Kaydet 1/32 Roden
JX275 P-40M 1/32 Trumpeter
JX276 P-40M TFace 1/32 Trumpeter
EX770 Harrier GR.1/3 1/48 Kinetic
EX771 Harrier GR.1/3 TFace 1/48 Kinetic
EX772 PZL P.11c 1/48 Arma Hobby
EX773 MV-22 1/48 Hobby Boss
EX774 MV-22 TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss
EX775 MiG-15bis 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
EX776 MiG-15bis TFace 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
CX598 F8F-1 1/72 Hobby Boss
DECAL
D48078
SETS
Tornado GR.4 stencils 1/48 Revell
D48079 MiG-15 Czech & Russian stencils 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
D48080 P-51D-5 "15th AF" 1/48 Eduard
D48081 MiG-23MF/ML stencils 1/48 Trumpeter
SPACE
3DL48016 MiG-15bis SPACE 1/48 BRONCO/HOBBY 2000
3DL48017 Fw 190F-8 SPACE 1/48 Eduard
3DL48018 Mustang Mk.IV SPACE 1/48 Eduard
Mustang Mk.IV
Cat. No. 82104 1/48
Fw 190F-8
Bf 109G-2
1/72
Re-release
No. 5121, Pham Tuan, 921st Fighter Regiment, Noi Bai AB,
Democratic Republic of Vietnam, December 1972
Albatros D.V
Cat. No. 7406
1/72