Erich Hartmann (352) visits Westfront & JG26???

[Rob Romero]

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This photo grouping shows an number of shots of JG26 Kdr ‘Pips’ Priller (102) and a B-17 captured in Dec 42 used for training purposes. Yet one photo in this grouping highlights someone being greeted by a group who looks VERY MUCH LIKE ERICH HARTMANN (352) –though no KC throatache is evident. The man greeting him appears in profile and appears to have a mustache –Adolf Galland (104) perhaps? Incredibly Hartmann was credited with 147 victories before being awarded the RK (pilots needed only 20 to obtain this distinction during the Battle of Britain) –Hartmann's was the longest wait for any experte so bestowed. He also did not claim any victories following his 147th for 5 weeks (29 Oct 43 to 7 Dec 43). Presumably he was granted an extended leave home which perhaps included a tour of the Jagdwaffe units in the west in Nov 43 where the rising Ostfront star was greeted before the RK was formally awarded in some ceremony perhaps by none other than the General der Jagdflieger (Hitler did not generally confer awards below the EL)??? In any case the blonde seems to be a person of some importance based on the reaction of those surrounding and photographing him. The other photos also suggest the pictures could have been taken in the fall. Is there any indication that Hartmann -a late war OSTFRONT experte visited the West? If not any idea who's in the photo???

See ATTACHMENT


Rob Romero


Luftwaffe Ace/Experte Enthusiast
(2.5 Gigabytes of Photos & Data)

“...once you get out there everything is so quiet, all you hear is the breezes-s-s-s...”
Jimi Hendrix -101st Airborne Division

[P Alvim]

Hello,

Sorry, but I don't think it is Hartmann.

[Don Pearson]

Rob,

Possibly Adolf Glunz?

Don

[Don Pearson]

Rob,

The guy on the right? I would guess Klaus Mietusch.

Don

[Rob Romero]

FINALLY, I’ve been able to post the MODIFIED ATTACHMENTS!!! Apologies for any annoyance or inconvenience! I’ve removed the PREVIOUS 2 ATTACHMENTS ABOVE (1 from a deleted message), and added a third one with the photo in question and comparison shots of Hartmann, Galland and Glunz. Based on these, I think we can safely eliminate Glunz, whose resemblance to the ‘luminary’ in the JG26 photo group is superficial –IMHO the photo bears a strong resemblance to the shot of Hartmann smiling.

WHAT FOLLOWS IS SPECULATIVE:

-My sense is that many RKs (not the higher ELs, Sw. or Brl.) were conferred by local commanders -Hartmann -long denied- may have been a special case (as it was only 35 pilots would achieve 150 victories in the entire war), and Galland may have wanted to personally confer the award and meet this nascent star from the east when Hartmann was granted an extended leave.


-Another thought, is that the photo group includes a lot of shots of the Captured B-17F (41-24585) 'Wulf Hound' which may have been related to a visit by the Rosarius Circus of captured Allied Aircraft at Rechlin, Germany. Hartmann may have wanted to or been asked by high command to see how ‘the other half’ fought on the homefront -remember there was a limited if unsuccessful exchange program (i.e., JG54) of Jagdwaffe units from the East and West.

-I also wonder if there were tentative introduction of Ostfront experten such as Hartmann to the Me-262 during its development phase.

Luftwaffe Ace/Experte Enthusiast
(2.5+ Gigabytes of Photos & Data)

[Bertrand H]

No Bob the place is not Rechlin but the prints are defitively did at Lille-Vendeville (now Lille-Lesquin airport).The Boston is the a/c shot down by Naumann on 26 july 1943. The captured B-17 visited Vendeville early july 1943.

HTH

Bertrand

[P Alvim]

Hello,

Toliver and Constable wrote that Hartmann got two weeks of home leave after the KC which he spent with is fiancé Ursula. As far as I know there's no indication that he was invited to tour the West front units at this time.

On the other hand, in my oppinion, there are several facial features in the guy in the first photo that are too different from Hartmann: for instance, the lower lip and the smile.

[Rob Romero]

Thanks guys!

You've convinced me that it isn't Hartmann -I think Hartmann's features were a bit more angular, but there is at least similarity there -wouldn't you agree? I'M STILL CURIOUS THOUGH AS TO WHO THE TWO "BIGSHOTS" GREETING EACH OTHER IN THAT PHOTO ARE -I MEAN THE PHOTOGRAPHER IS ACTUALLY CROUCHING BETWEEN PEOPLE TO GET IN THAT SHOT!

Rob Romero

[Rob Romero]

If you look on p. 146 of the photo bio "German Fighter Ace: Erich Hartmann" there is at least one photo of Hartmann with Galland and Goering and from the dress and background it seems highly probable that this meeting took place in the West.

Rob Romero

[Rob Romero]

Here is that Photo

-See Attachment