|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hermann Graf
| Hermann Graf (deceased) Hermann Graf, born in October 1912, trained to be a pilot from 1936, and in the summer of 1939 joined 2./JG51. With 9./JG52, Graf was transferred around several European stations, including Greece and Romania, eventually transferring to the Ukraine in August 1941. Claiming his first victory in August 1941, by early 1942 he had scored 45 victories, earning him the Knights Cross on 24th January 1942. Rapidly adding to his victories on the eastern front, Hermann Graf became the first pilot to score over 200 victories, earning the Oak Leaves, Sword and Diamonds to his Knights Cross on 17th May, 19th May and 16th September 1942 respectively. Due to the potential morale loss should such a high scoring Ace be shot down, he was subsequently moved to command a pilot training unit. He was injured after a collision with an American fighter in March 1944, recovering to take command of JG52 once again. finally surrendering his unit in May 1945. His total was 212 victories. Hermann Graf died 11th April 1988. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Text for the above items : |
Taran over the Kuban by David Pentland. Crimea, 7th August 1943. While flying a late afternoon combat patrol with Otto Fonnekolds schwarm, from 5 staffel, JG52, Willi Batz witnessed a taran or ramming attack by a soviet fighter on a Luftwaffe Fw189 artillery spotter. Then a second Spitfire, which Batz mistook for an Aircobra attempted to finish off the crew which had just bailed out. At this point Batz was able to intervene and opened fire on the Spitfire forcing the Russian to take to his own parachute. This was to be his 12th victory, his final tally would be 237. Unfortunately for the German crew they were all captured on landing. |
Focke-Wulf Fw190A-5/U8 by Ivan Berryman. Focke-Wulf FW.190A-5/U8 of 1 Gruppe, Schnellkampfgeschwader 10 in 1943. All national markings were painted out, except for the call sign C on the fuselage and repeated, crudely sprayed, on the engine cowling. |
Bf109Es of JG52 by Ivan Berryman. Bf109Es of JG52 flown by Gunther Rall during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. |
The Last Patrol by David Pentland. A pair of ME109 G-14s of 9th Staffel, Jagdgeswader 54 (Greenheart Wing) make a final sortie during the last days of March 1945. |
Gunther Rall by Ivan Berryman. Gunther Rall sitting on the cockpit side of Bf 109G-2 Black 13 of III/JG 52, Eastern Front, 1943. |
Gunther Rall - Black 13 by Ivan Berryman. Bf 109G-2s of III/JG 52 leave their dispersal on the Eastern Front in 1943. Nearest aircraft is Black 13 of Gruppenkommandeur Gunther Rall, then fast approaching his 150th victory. |
Erich Hartmann by Ivan Berryman. With 352 victories to his credit, Erich Hartmann is recognised as the greatest fighter pilot of all time, depicted here as his Messerschmitt Bf.109G prepares for another sortie. |
Early Risers by David Pentland. Gramatikovo, Russia, 19th March 1944. Oberleutnant Walter Wolfrum (Black 15) and wingman of 5 Staffel JG52 take off on a dawn patrol. By the end of the day Oberleutnant Wolfrum would have accounted for 5 Soviet aircraft. |
Clipped Signature - Hermann Graf. The signature of Hermann Graf supplied with this item was obtained during an interview with him in 1983. |
JG2 - Gunther Rall and his Wingman by Ivan Berryman. Gunther Rall and his wingman on patrol in the skies above the Western Front in April 1944 whilst serving with II/JG II. |
Gunther Rall - Me109 Ace by Ivan Berryman. With 275 victories, Gunther Rall was one of the top Luftwaffe Aces of the second world war. Here, he is depicted in his Me109 Black 13 of JG52. |
Snow Warriors by Ivan Berryman. Gunther Rall in his Me109G Black 13 about to set off with the rest of III./JG52 from a snow covered eastern front airstrip in 1943. |
Tribute to Hermann Graf by Graeme Lothian. Bf109G-2 Yellow 11 of Oberleutnant Hermann Graf, Staffelkapitan 9./JG52, Pitomnik, September 1942. Graf scored his 150th kill in this aircraft in September 1942. He was awarded the Knights Cross after 42 victories, the Oak Leaves after 104 victories, the Swords after 106 victories and the Diamonds after 172 victories. His final total at the end of the war stood at 212 victories, and he held the rank of Oberst. |
Bf109G of Hans-Ekkehard Bob by Ivan Berryman. No text for this item |
Green Hearts by Ivan Berryman. Situated 40 miles south west of Leningrad, the German occupied airfield at Siverskaya is now home to the famous Grunherz or Green Hearts of Jagdgeschwader 54. The harsh Russian winter of 1941 is starting to take hold as three Messerschmitt Bf109F-4 Friedrichs from III Gruppe take off into early morning sunshine to act as fighter escort to Stuka attacks on the Soviet fleet in Kronstadt Harbour. With its wheel covers removed to prevent snow jamming the undercarriage, lead aircraft Yellow 5 already shows signs of weathering to the partial whitewash hastily applied over summer camouflage. |
Black 13 - Gunther Rall by Ivan Berryman. Gunther Rall scored almost all of his huge tally of 275 victories on the eastern front. Here, his Me109 Black 13 is shown over the snowy landscape that JG52 often operated in. |
Hermann Graf - Original Signed Hoffmann Card. Signed photograph of the Ace Hermann Graf. |
|
Contact Details |
|
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
|
|
|
