Franz Steiger meets Charlie Brown 379th

[JACK COOK]

In all the info I've seen on Franz jumps from Africa to JV-44 in 1945. When did he return to Germany and what units did he fly with? I noted the insignia of the 109 in the painting shows IIJG27. Had they returned from Italy by this time in 1943? I recall reading in Fighters Over The Desert regarding the faked claims recalling there was a eyewhitness from another unit (?). What happended to Erwin Sawallisch ?? I've had my doubts about this painting. For years Franz and Kelly Gross talked about doing a book where they traced their paths until they crssed over for a big dogfight but that never came to be and Kelly recently completed his own book. Is the painting and episode a result of the origial idea for the book that never came to be???