Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Additionally, often at our reunions, we had Italian veterans. When i showed one fellow (Giovanni Collovini, nicknamed Toscannini!), one of my photos of a rudimentary german marked Macchi, he claimed he also flew with his colleagues such marked aircraft for a short while before Italian marked aircraft were again available.

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Hello bookman,

according to that website
http://ww2.dk/oob/bestand/jagd/biijg77.html
II./JG77 was fully equipped with the Macchi M.C.205 from October until December 1943.
Three of Reinert's claims are in this time frame: 22,10.43 - 6,11.43 - 7,12.43

Michael

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Bernd Barbas, "Planes of the Luftwaffe Fighter Aces" Vol.2, p. 76 has the photo mentioned in Bookman's post Nr. 20 above.
Greetings, Richard

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Hello Michael,

since 7 September 1943 Lt Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert was Staffelkapitän in the I./JG 77 (3. Staffel), flying Bf 109 G-6. The equipment of the II./JG 77 with MC.205 started at the end of September 1943. So there is no connection of the three claims of Lt Reinert and the MC.205.

Regards
Leo

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Hello Leo,

thanks for the info.

Have a nice weekend,

Michael

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Thanks for the information. I've asked each veteran I've met since the '70's the same questions about any experience with foreign aircraft. " beute flugzeuge". Mostly they were in the schools, Czech, French. A dear friend, Hans Schopper of JG. 77 and JG.4, who flew an ex-Armee d'lair curtiss, for a film, probably the wochenschau. Additionally he had a flight in a spitfire. Visiting Gen. Hrabak of JG. 54 and 52 one year, asked him the same. He answered no. Next visit I showed him a photo of him exiting a Mig 3. Then he remembered. As did two ground staff of JG.54, who remembered many abandoned aircraft at an airfield in summer 1941, where in addition to the many Polikarpov aircraft, some monoplanes unknown to them.

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Good morning Bookman,

the Hrabak story is surprising. I would have expected flying an enemy aircraft to be an memorable experience.

Thanks for sharing,

Michael