JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

JG 77 Fighter Ace Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert, Knights Cross, Oak Leaves with Swords, passed away on 5th September 2007.

I am sure, he will meet a lot of friends above.

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Sad news indeed, Horst.

Please extend my condolences to his friends and family.

~Cori

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

He was a great pilot and an incredible man. He could talk you about his airwar with so many details and interesting stories. He will miss us.

Stef

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Dear moderator Roy,

can you please passage this sad matter on "sticky"

TIA, Horst

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Sad loss indeed!
RIP fellow eagle!
A.

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

That´s as we remember him.

Horst Schmidt

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

as far as I can tell there's little in English on Reinert - to mark his passing - and with the help of Leo, Gordon, Erik and Michel - I've put together a new and comprehensive bio of one of the leading aces of JG 77. Comments, corrections, additions gratefully received..

http://www.members.aol.com/falkeeins

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Sad news indeed.
and thanks FalkeEins for the fitting obituary of the outstanding pilot

Juha

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Falkeeins,

In the bio you state that Reinert studied medicine on his retirement from the Bundesluftwaffe in 1972. He would have been 53 years old at the time. In the US medical school and residency for gynecology would have taken about seven or eight years, which would have put him in his early 60s when he began practicing. I suppose this is not impossible but it seems incredible nonetheless.

Tom

JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Hello Tom

I believe that I am the one to blame for that misunderstanding. At the time that I sent what I had on Reinert to Neil the information that I had stated that he studied and practiced medicine following retirement. However, new information makes clear that he studied medicine in the post-war interim before his entry into the Bundesluftwaffe and that he opened his clinic following his retirement from the Bundesluftwaffe. I hope that this helps.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

thanks guys - the sources were indeed a little contradictory - "Pierre Martin" in 'Avions' magazine doesn't mention the Bundesluftwaffe at all. Post-war Reinert was "quickly released from a period of detention" and became a medical student, completing an arduous course of study under difficult circumstances before meeting and marrying an opera singer ...it would be interesting to know how/why the change of career came about as I don't have any specific info on his post-war air force service ..

JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Hi guys

Neil, many thanks for confirming that he did study to become a doctor post-war. Indeed, the sources are rather vague and contradictory as the source that mentions his medical career does not once mention his Bundesluftwaffe career although it too mentioned that he married an opera singer! Obviously this source was based upon the Avions article mentioned by you. However, he certainly did serve in the Bundesluftwaffe from 1 April 1956 when he joined with rank of Major until 30 September 1972 when he retired with rank of Oberstleutnant. Why the career change remains a mystery to me as well.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Concerning the fact that as a gynaecologist you would have had a hard job with the Bundesluftwaffe at that time I presume he worked there as a military surgeon...

Cheers

Roland

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Leo,

Thanks for clearing that up. It certainly makes more sense.

Tom

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert re-entered service as Hauptmann in 1956 and retired as Oberstleutnant Sept 30, 1972. Til 1964, he flew with fighter bomber wings JaboG 31, JaboG 33 and 35, being posted to staff of 3rd Luftwaffen-Division in Muenster afterwards. He ended his career as base commander in Westerland.

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Sorry to hear this news, Herr Reinert was always willing to help out enthusiasts and historians alike with requests. "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz, Herr Hauptmann".

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

My father was fighter pilot on Mig-21.For me,when a pilot die ,somethink is broken in my hart.Rest in peace,Herr Reinert.

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (2 Februari 1919 - 5 September 2007)
Ritterkreuz (1 Juli 1942) : Unteroffizier dan Flugzeugführer 4./JG 77
Eichenlaub #131 (6 Oktober 1942) : Feldwebel dan Flugzeugführer 4./JG 77
Schwerter #130 (1 Februari 1945) : Oberleutnant dan Staffelkapitän 14./JG 27
Pangkat terakhir: Hauptmann

Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tye9LMnzPN...ing%2Bace2.jpg

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

Good morning,

did Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert fly the Macchi M.C.205 in October-December 1943 ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: JG 77, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert passed away
 

He often attended our JG.27 veterans reunions, as he served after being transferred from JG.77. His personality somehow did not please his superior(s) there. His expression was "Ich war immer ein 'sunny boy'". He was photographed in agfacolor on the cover of a 1943 edition of "Die Wehrmacht" a photograph often reproduced. Again photographed in an edition of "Der Adler" during the fighting in Italy, with a fighter unit. Rejoining the Bundesluftwaffe, he was again photographed in color on the cover of "Flug Revue", with new airmen of his unit , during a pre-flight briefing, beside his aircraft. The caption referred to him as a former staffelkapitan of JG. 27. Former Bundeswehr airmen wrote remeniscences of him after his passing. Most notable was when arriving for first posting to his unit, a pilot noticed a figure on the ground firing at him (he thought) shortly before landing. It was Reinert, shooting away at geese who may have endangered the aircraft by bird strike. He also flew with his wingman (Zeno Bauml) in the rear compartment of his 109 during a retreat when he shot down a British Grumman Martlet. A post landing photograph exists of Bauml energetically relating the incident, can't find my copy but it was published somewhere. His degree was as a "Naturopath" and I did have a consultation with him, a very knowledgeable and earnest Doctor.
As for the Macchi use in JG.77, the former adjutant Fritz Broschaitis (nicknamed bronchitis!) related the use of that aircraft but the men we spoke to (at reunions) admired the aircraft, but NOT the throttle, which was the reverse of the usual, i.e. Forward was to retard the throttle, and rearward accelerated it. Most of the men I spoke to did fly it, but we're not forced to if uncomfortable with it. While the workmanship was praised, the spare parts availability was certainly not. Broschaitis was also in JG. 27, and later in the Bundesluftwaffe, a friend of Reinert there as well as in wartime. If memory serves me well, Reinert did fly the Macchi, but not much. His contemporaries spoke of him as a 'natural' flyer, a very high compliment.

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