Photo wanted of Herbert Ihlefeld's Bf 109

[Mark Steinitz]

Ihlefeld was probably flying a Bf 109 G-6 when he shot down your father in summer 1944. If you can get a copy of Eric Mombeek's Defenders of the Reich: Jagdgeschwader 1: Vol. 3 -- 1944-45, look on pg 272. There is nice color illustration of a G-6 Ihlefeld reportedly flew in fall 1944 as Kommodore of JG 1. There are some black and white photos of the plane after it was damaged in a crash landing. Since the pictures were taken not long after the date you say your father was downed and since Ihlefeld was also commanding JG 1 in July, there is a reasonable chance he was flying the same plane or at least one with similar markings as the one shown in Mombeek's book, although one cannot say for sure.