Can we identify whose Stuka this is?

[Ian Jewison]

Originally Posted by Adriano Baumgartner

Isn't the guy in the middle (3rd from left - on your 3rd posting), partially concealed, Obfw August Hachtel ?
I understand he got the DKiG on the 15th October 1941...but do not know to whom he was attached as air-gunner...
The first officer (Leutnant) looks pretty much Joachim Rieger, from 4./St.G 1...however he too got the DKiG on the 15th October 1941..as an Oberleutnant...so it couldn't be him...but there are similarities with your picture and his profile...

Yours,
Adriano

Ah sorry thought you were referring to the photo of the 3 NCO's...

[Ian Jewison]

Actually I think the centre Fw. and Fw. on left of the last photo is actually Heinz Bevernis. I have another photo and he is nearly bald on top as this person.......unfortunately the photos are all over the place in this album.

[Ian Jewison]

Responsible Uffz!!!

Obfwn. Willi Lämmle DKiG, Heinz Bevernis RKT and the "Staffel Spieß" try and butcher Obfw. Siegfried Plappert DKiG!!!

/Ian

[Adriano Baumgartner]

KKKK....nice one!

I do not blame them for trying to keep the morale high....in Russia! Winter time (minus 20 or minus 30 degrees or even plus)...lot of missions, not a great perspective of finishing the war very soon...very poor living conditions and food...one had to have at least a great sense of humour and courage to keep going...day after day....very very far away from home.

By the way, maybe someone enlight us...do we have something written about St.G 1 during the war? Like a War Diary or a Squadron Diary (in English, German or other language)?

I am aware of a book of memories from a St.G 3 airman (in German), something about Rudel and the St.G 2 (with some 400 pictures, written by a former SG 4 airman), but not too much more, isn't it?

IF someone do have more information about biographies on this topic, please do inform here...so we can acquire more knowledge.

Yours
Baumgartner

[Ian Jewison]

There is this:
Memoirs of a Stuka Pilot Hardcover – by Helmut Mahlke (Author)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Memoirs-Stuk.../dp/1848326645

Which is the English reprint of "Stuka: Angriff--Sturzflug".

It covers Mahlke's time with the unit until around August 1941. However it does have a loss list for I/186 and III/1 from the start until the end of the war.

I have a copy in German and also a copy of his original manuscript.

/Ian

[Adriano Baumgartner]

IAN, I did not know his memories were translated to the English idiom...

So, we do have now only those memories/books specially dedicated to the Stuka units or memories from Stuka airmen (at least of my humble knowledge):
1-Weal, John. Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937-1941; London: Osprey, 1997 96 p. ISBN 1-85532-636-1 Osprey Combat Aircraft 1.
2-Nauroth, Holger. Stukageschwader 2 Immelmann: eine Dokumentation über das erfolgreichste deutsche Stukageschwader; Preussich Oldendorf: K. W. Schütz, 1988 366 p. ISBN 3-87725-123-4
3-Smith, Peter C. Stuka Squadron: Stuka Gruppen 77: The Luftwaffe's Fire Brigade; Wellingtonborough, Northants: Patrick Stephens, 1990 192 p. ISBN 1-85260-286-4
4- Weal, John. Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader in the Mediterranean and North Africa; London: Osprey, 1998 96 p. ISBN 1-85532-722-8 Osprey Combat Aircraft 6.
5- Conversations With A Stuka Pilot [Illustrated Edition] by Brigadier-General Paul-Werner Hozzell (new one for me, I only discovered today!)
6- Smith, Peter C. STUKA AT WAR.

IAN, perhaps from the material you bought/gathered (gathered does not seems a correct word, I am not sure) about those St.G 1 airmen...a new book may arise. We would be delighted...believe me. Again congratulations and thank you for sharing with us...I had never seen before a Ju 87 rudder with art and RK painted...a not too common procedure amongst Stuka fliegers, it seems....

From the list above, I do have only 2 books, that one from Peter C. Smith (Stuka at War) and the magnific work of Holger Nauroth...the tribute to Rudel, which I fully recommend for those who not have them yet.

Adriano S. Baumgartner