[Rabe Anton]

Fellows, I believe that it is not a question of "a Heinz Knoke Bf 109G-6" or "the Heinz Knoke Bf 109G-6" but rather which of Knoke's G-5s and G-6s has your attention. The real problem is basic and should be obvious after examining this pilot's rough-and-tumble career in RVT: he went through a considerable number of machines from mid-1943 through 1944, and inevitably one or more of these machines resemble each other rather closely.

Allow me to suggest that the only method that may get you answers—and it is by no means certain—is to methodically list all identifiable Knoke Bf 109Gs in chronological order and only then try to match them to photographs and other evidence. Decorations appearing in photos, aircraft markings, even the vegetation surrounding a dispersal can be very helpful. Without considering all the textual evidence, however, you will very likely find yourself lost, believe me.

I further suggest starting with a systematic and careful search of the loss lists in Prien/Rodeike, JG 1 u. 11, II and III, extracting the loss or damage entries for Knoke found there, and listing them in chronological order together with other data relevant to each. Combing Knoke's own bio, I Flew for the Führer, might be the next step. The earliest editions of this work, by the way, contain some photos of his Bf 109G aircraft not found in other places. The final step would be to try to match the photos that you have found with the loss or damage entries.

I went through the above process some years ago, before many of the sources available today had appeared. Even then, the investigation had all the color and complexity of a daunting problem. I wish you well in pushing the frontiers of knowledge outward, but owing to the bumptious adventures of this man's flying career and the vast number and variety of Bf 109G-5s and Bf 109G-6s built by different manufacturers, your task will not be easy.

RA