Second World War aviation art prints of the Mistel aircraft. Our collection of prints and original paintings of the Mistel aircraft of World War Two.
A Novel Concept by Stan Stokes.
The grandfather of todays cruise missiles, the Mistel was the piggyback aircraft of the Luftwaffe during WW II. This combination aircraft arose out of research conducted to find a better means for towing gliders into combat. About two hundred of these combinations were ultimately built. The British had experimented with a piggyback combination of a commercial transport on the back of a flying boat in the late 1930s. The Mistel project in Germany had its share of skeptics. As the program evolved and Germanys strategic position in the War eroded, the Mistel project became focused on using unmanned obsolete Ju-88 bombers loaded to the gills with explosives as a very large guided bomb. The top aircraft in the combination, either a Bf-109 or Fw-190, would be piloted into the proximity of the target. A rudimentary guidance system would then be locked on the target, and the unmanned Ju-88 would fly itself into the target. Some Mistel combinations utilized normal looking Ju-88s, whereas other.........
Karl Rubmeyer was born in 1918 at Roche near UeIzen, Germany. He entered the Luftwaffe in 1940. He flew the standard types of training aircraft and the He-111, ju~86, Ju-88, captured French Saiman 202, Caudron 405, and the Mistel combination. He served with Uberfuhrunggsgeschader West and KG 30 and KG 200 where he flew the Mistel. His last assignment was at the former Heinkel factory airfield at Rostock-Marienehe. Rubmeyer attained the rank of Feldwebel and received the Iron Cross Class 2. Following the War Rubmeyer served as the Secretary in a printing business. He currently resides in Germany.
Karl-Heinz Wiesner was born at Charlottenhof/Gorlitz in 1921. He entered the German Air Force in 1941. Wiesner flew captured French aircraft including the Saiman 202 and Cuadron 445. His last assignment was at Rostock-Marienehe where he first flew Mistel combinations, and later Fw-190 fighter bombers. He served with Sammelgeschwader 200 at Gatow, KG 30, and KG (j) 30 where he flew the Mistel combination. Following the cessation of Mistel operations he was assigned to Schlachtgeschwader 3 flying fighter bomber missions in the Focke-Wulf Fw-190 F. Wiesner's last rank was Unteroffizier, and he received the Iron Cross Class 1. He currently resides in Germany at Fuldabruck-Dornhagen.
Kurt Kesten was born in 1922 and entered the Luftwaffe in 1941. He flew many types of training aircraft, and later flew the He-111, Do-17, and ju-88. Kesten served with SG 3, KG 30, and KG (j) 30 where he flew the FW190 F Mistel combination. His last assignment prior to the end of the War was at Rostcock-Marienehe, a former Heinkel factory airfield, where he flew the Mistel combination. After Mistel operations had ended Kesten flew a number of fighter-bomber missions in the FW-190 F. Kesten was awarded the Iron Cross Class 2. He currently resides in Hannoversch-Munden, Germany.
