[Broncazonk]

~ Part III ~

Second most relevant passage:

Page 113: "On May 24, 1944, I climbed into a Messerschmitt again for the first time since the Crimea tragedy. At first I was only allowed to make five practice flights. ** Four (4) days later an order reached the Gruppe, according to which a Staffel was to be detached to the Reich Defense. We knew all too well that it was a virtual death sentence for anyone who had to move to the Reich. But none of us thought of refusing. 6 Staffel had the most pilots and it seemed likely that it would be chosen for this reason alone. [4 Staffel gets chosen.] I must admit that the news took a load off my heart. Naturally I would have flown against the heavy bombers and Mustangs and would probably would have shot some down. But the outcome of this affair was predictable. Everyone who flew in the Reich was "burned" sooner or later. The same thing could happen any day against the Russians, but here there was a much better chance of getting home again in one piece."

At the time, on the Eastern Front, Russian fighter aircraft outnumbered Luftwaffe fighter aircraft by 8 to 1, at least, and the true number might have been 10 to 1.

Kommodore Kurt Buhligen's (JG 2, 112 victories all in the West, 24 heavy bombers) famous quote is very applicable here. "All the pilots who came to me from the Eastern Front fell on the Western Front."

Bronc