The signatories
Oberst Erich Hartmann
Erich Hartmann started his career as Paule Rossman's wingman.
Promoted to Staffelkapitan of 7./JG52 in July 1943, he was shot
down and taken prisoner, but escaped four hours later. In September
he took command of 9./JG52.He later led 4./JG52, then briefly
I./JG53, and finally Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG52.
Erich Hartmann scored a total of 352 confirmed victories, making
him the highest scoring fighter Ace ever. He was awarded the
Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. |
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Generalleutnant Günther Rall
Günther Rall was a young pilot with III./JG52 at the outbreak
of war, and quickly demonstrated his natural ability and leadership
qualities. He scored his first victory early in the Battle of
France, and by July 1940 was leading 8./JG52. After transferring
to the Eastern Front his victories soon mounted but he was hospitalized
following a crash. Returning to combat as Kommandeur of III./JG52,
he gained the Wing's 500th victory, before being posted Kommandeur
of II./JG11 on the Western Front, flying high altitude intercepts
in Me109Gs. He was later Kommandeur of JG300, and finished the
war as the 3rd highest Ace in history with 275 victories.
He was awarded the Knight ’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. |
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Major Erich Rudorffer
Erich Rudorffer joine I./JG52 'Richthofen'
in November 1939, and was soon flying combat patrols. He took
part in the Battle of France, and the Battle of Britain, becoming
Adjutant of II./JG2 in June 1941. In December 1942 he was transferred
to North Africa, In July 1943 he was posted to command II./JG54
in Russia. In February 1945 he took command of I./JG7 flying
the Me262. Rudorffer was the master of multiple scorin - scoring
more multiple victories than any other pilot. These included
8 RAF aircraft shot down in 32 minutes in December 1943, and
7 in 20 minutes a few days later. In Russia he shot down 5 aircraft
in only 4 minutes. He ended the war with 222 victories in over
1000 combat missions. He was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak
Leaves and Swords.
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First Leutnant Walter Schuck
By April 1943 Walte Schuck had collected 54 victories, and in
June chalked up his 100th victory during a day when he shot down
six aircraft, making him the leading pilot on the Arctic Front.
He commanded JG5 before transferring to fly the Me262 as Staffelkapitän
of 3./JG7, where he shot down 8 aircraft, his final tally was
206 victories. He was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves. |
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Leutnant Hugo Broch
Vital to all fighter units are the pilots who make such superb
wingmen that their their leaders are loath to part with them.
Hugo Broch was one such pilot. Having joined JG54 in January
1943 he flew first with Horst Adameit (166 victories) and later
with 'Bazi' Sterr (130 victories), but soon demonstrated his
own skill in combat. By the end of 1944 he had attained a score
of 71 victories. One of JG54's great Fw190 Aces, Hugo Broch saw
combat on the Eastern and Baltic fronts, and completed the war
having flown 324 combat missions, claiming 81 victories. He was
awarded the Knights Cross. |
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Major Hans-Ekkehard Bob
Flying with JG54 at the beginning of the war, Hans-Ekkehard Bob
saw action in the Polish and French campaigns before being appointed
Staffelkapitän of the 9th Staffel during the Battle of Britain.
In June 1943 he was promoted Kommandeur of IV./JG51 and in May
1944 Kommandeur of II./JG3 until August 1944. At the end of the
war he was adjutant of JG44, Galland's Squadron of Experts,
where he also flew the Fw190D at Ainring airfield. During the
war he flew over 700 combat missions and scored 60 victories.
He was awarded the Knights Cross. |
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Leutnant Norbet Hanig
Norbet Hannig began operations with JG54 on the Eastern front
near Lenningrad in early 1943, flyinf first the Messerschmitt
Bf109G, later converting to the Fw190. He became a Staffelkapitän
with JG54, notching up an impressive 42 victories. Towards the
end of the war, in early 1945, he converted to the Me262 and
flew in combat with III./JG7. |
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Feldwebel Herbert Koller
Posted to II./JG54 on the Eastern Front,
Herbert Koller flew Fw190s with 5./JG54, scoring his first victory
on 19th February 1943, over an Il-2. By the end of the year his
victory claims had reached 12. The year 1944 saw intense combat
for 5./JG54 on an almost daily basis, and month by month Herbert
Koller's victories continued to mount, by the end of 1944 his
tally had risen to 48. His final, and 49th victory was achieved
on 9th April 1945 when he downed a Yak 3. |
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Oberleutnant Walter Wolfrum
Born May 23 1923 in Schmölz. Walter Wolfrum first saw combat in the Crimea with
5./JG52. He was shot down three times, and wounded twice before
scoring his first victory. With his score at 70, he was again
wounded, but returned to take command of I./JG52 in May 1944.
He was again wounded but returned to his command for the remainder
of the war. He flew 424 missions and achieved 137 victories.
He was awarded the Knights Cross. |
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Oberleutnant Günther Seeger
In February 1940, Günther Seeger was
an Unteroffizier with 3./JG2, scoring his first victory in the
early days of the Battle of Britain. He served on the Channel
Front until December 1942, including several months with the
Geschwaderstabsschwarm. He transferred to the Mediterranean theatre
with II./JG2 before joining 6./JG53. In February 1943 he joined
7./JG53, becoming Staffelkapitän in September 1944. Awarded
the Knights Cross, Günther Seeger flew over 500 combat missions
and scored 56 victories, all of them in the west. |
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Leutnant Hermann Schleinhege
Born in 1916, Hermann Schleinhege joined
I./JG3 as an Unteroffizier in 1941 before being posted to join
II./JG54 'Green Hearts' in May 1942. He then flew continuously
with JG54 through to the end of the war, by which time he was
Staffelkapitän of 8./JG54. Flying a total of 484 combat
missions, by the end of the war he had reached a total of 98
victories. He was awarded the Knights Cross. |