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Gunther Rall
| General Gunther Rall (deceased) A young pilot with III/JG52 at the outbreak of war. He quickly demonstrated his natural ability and leadership qualities, scoring his first air victory early in the Battle of Britain, and by July 1940 was leading 8/JG52. After transfer to the Eastern Front his air victories mounted at an astonishing rate. A crash hospitalised him but within nine months he was back in the cockpit, and, when commanding III/JG52, gained the Wings 500th victory. Gunther fought throughout the war to become the 3rd highest Ace in history with 275 victories. He was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Gunther Rall was born on March 10, 1918 in the small Bavarian town of Gaggenau, Baden. Immersing himself in Boy Scout activities during the difficult economic times in Germany following WW 1, Rall finished school in 1936 and joined the German Army. Influenced by a friend, who was a young officer in the Luftwaffe, Rall entered pilots school in 1938. His initial posting was with JG52. He attained his first aerial victory during the Battle of France in May of 1940. During the Battle of Britain JG52 absorbed many casualties, and Rall was promoted to Squadron Commander at the young age of 22. With his fair-hair and smooth complexion the young officer looked even younger than his years. But behind this pleasant exterior was a fierce competitor with the heart of a tiger. Later, Ralls squadron would support the attack on Crete, followed by deployment to the Southern Sector on the Eastern Front. Ralls victory totals began to mount. Following his 37 th victory, GiInther was himself shot down. He was lucky to survive the crash, but with a badly broken back he would spend most of the next year in various hospitals. In Vienna at the University Hospital he would meet his future wife, Hertha. Miraculously, Rall recovered and returned to the Luftwaffe in August of 1942. By November his score exceeded 100 and he was awarded the Oak Leaves to accompany the Knights Cross he was awarded only weeks earlier. As the War progressed against Russia, Rall began to encounter ever more experienced Soviet pilots flying better performing aircraft. Despite this fact, and being shot down several more times himself, Ralls victory tally kept rising. By March of 1944 the ace had attained 273 aerial victories. With the War now going badly for Germany, Rall was transferred to the Western Front. He was able to attain only two more victories against the swarms of Allied bombers and fighter escorts which now pounded Germany every day and night. In May of 1944 Rall was shot down by a P-47. Losing his thumb in the battle he remained out of combat until later in 1944. Ralls final assignments included flying 190Ds as Kornmodore of JG300, and flying the Me-262 jet. Ralls 275 aerial victories (attained on less than 700 combat sorties) make him the third highest scoring ace of all time. If not for the down time suffered as a result of his broken back, Rall might have actually equaled or exceeded Erich Hartmanns alltime record of 352 aerial victories. Rall was not much for socializing during the War. He was a fierce competitor with a businessmans attitude about flying. He was an excellent marksman, and possibly the best deflection shot expert of the War. He continued to fly with the Bundeslufwaffe following the War, serving as its Commander-In Chief in 1970-74. Sadly Gunther Rall died on 4th October 2009. |
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| Text for the above items : |
Breaking Cover by Robert Taylor. Concealed in the woods of northern France, Fw190 pilots break cover ready for a quick take-off to intercept Allied bombers in the summer of 1944. One of the great fighters of World War II, the Fw190 for a time came to dominate the war-torn skies of Europe and was flown by many of the Luftwaffe's great Aces. |
The Blond Knight by Robert Taylor. It is a record likely to stand for all time, Erich Hartmann's tally of 352 victories is more than any other pilot in history. Posted to JG52 over Russia in August 1942 his new Kommodore, Dieter Hrabak, placed the novice pilot under the guidance of Paule Rossman, one of the unit's most experienced and respected Aces. However, during his very first combat Hartmann became so disorientated that he got lost in cloud and ran out of fuel. His undoubted skill as a pilot enabled him to survive the inevitable crash-landing, but a few days later and just minutes after scoring his first ever victory, he was shot down - again crash-landing. This time he only just escaped from his burning aircraft before it exploded. Any other new pilot might have succumbed but Hartmann was made of sterner stuff and , with Rossman's help and guidance, it was not long before everyone in JG52 realised that he possessed exceptional skill. By the summer of 1943 the Blond Knight and his colleagues were flying up to six missions a day and having now perfected his technique, it was unusual for him to finish a day without a victory. Never claiming to be an expert marksman, his approach, which took nerves of steel and great flying skills, was to get as close to his enemy as possible before opening fire at the last minute. Often flying head on, the risks of collision and damage were great - of the sixteen times Hartmann was brought down, eight were as a result of flying into the debris of his victim! Hartmann's 352 victories were achieved with JG52 - all except one. It happened during a brief two week spell at the beginning of February 1945 when the top Ace was placed in temporary command of I./JG53. His new unit were based in Hungary where German Army Group South was in bitter retreat and the fighting was as tough and relentless as ever. The Blond Knightportrays Erich Hartmann climbing out of his Bf109 G-6 at Weszperem's snow-covered airfield after returning from another arduous mission leading Stab I./JG53 with whom, on 4th February he downed a Yak-9. It was his 337th victory. |
Final Encounter (Spitfire v Messerchmitt) by Michael Turner. Wing Commander J E Johnnie Johnson, Spitfire XIV, and Major Gunther Rall, Messerschmitt Bf109K-4, over the Western Front in May 1945. A tribute to the fighter pilots of the RAF and Luftwaffe on the 50th anniversary of Peace in Europe, 1945 - 95. |
Birth of a Legend by Robert Taylor. On November 5, 1942, flying wingman in a Schwarm of four Me109s of JG-52, his flight had scrambled to intercept Russian Lagg-3s and IL-2 fighter-bombers bound for the Front. Splitting into two elements they dived steeply into attack, screaming in behind and below the enemy aircraft a few hundred feet off the deck. Selecting on of the IL-2s, the rookie pilot closed at high speed, commencing firing with 20mm cannon from about two hundred feet. His first pass was unsuccessful but, undeterred, Hartmann zoomed up and dived over for a second run at the Russian machine. Holding his fire till the IL-2 filled his gun-sight, he drilled cannon shells into the oil-cooling system setting the enemy aircraft on fire. Closing rapidly from behind, Hartmanns Me109 was showered with debris from the doomed Russian plane, causing an explosion in the young pilots own aircraft, which immediately caught fire. Now at very low altitude, Hartmann had no alternative but to belly in. With great presence of mind he cut power, fuel and ignition switches as he crash-landed at high speed in a massive cloud of dirt and dust. Though he lost his aircraft, Hartmann had made his first kill, the IL-2 crashing with a resounding explosion a few miles distant. Unhurt, the young future Ace was picked up and returned to base almost immediately by a German car. And thus a legend was born: It was the first of 352 air victories that would make Hartmann the top scoring fighter pilot in history. Birth of a Legend, set in the picturesque Caucasus mountain region bathed in the golden hues of autumn, captures for posterity the dramatic moments that launched the career of a fighter pilot legend. |
Eagle Attack by Robert Taylor. ADLERTAG (EAGLE DAY) - that was Hitlers code name for the start of the Luftwaffes great and decisive aerial offensive that was intended to bring the RAF to its knees, clear the skies of Spitfires and Hurricanes above the South Coast of England and prepare the way for the 250,000 German troops standing in readiness to cross the Channel. Like fighter pilots of any airforce the Me109 Geschwaders of the Luftwaffe were made up almost entirely of young men who simply wanted to fly. Primed and ready these combat-experienced pilots were eager for battle. The disadvantage of fighting at the extremity of their range - often allowing them no more than 10 minutes of actual combat - was balanced by well tried battle tactics, great leadership and undisputed courage. Aldertag saw twelve hours of almost continuous battle, and the uniquely talented aviation artist Robert Taylor takes up the story on this momentous 13th August 1940 when the Luftwaffe staged their most concentrated attacks. A swarm of Me109's peel off to attack a bunch of Spitfires which have dived out of the sun upon a large formation of HE 111 bombers. Already the lead pair of Me109s are bringing their guns to bear and moments later the two pilots in the foreground will flick-roll their fighters and follow into attack. |
Eagles High by Robert Taylor. SOLD OUT. |
Eagles out of the Sun by Robert Taylor. Supplied with companion print Night Hunters. |
Gathering of Eagles by Robert Taylor. SOLD OUT. |
JG52 by Robert Taylor. During WWII JG-52 was the most successful Fighter Wing of the Luftwaffe, and with it flew many of the great German Aces, including the world's leading Fighter Pilot Erich Hartmann. General Galland was at one time a Squadron Commander. The Wing spawned some of the most brilliant pilots, each in turn trained as they joined experienced aces who had won their spurs in the early air battles on the Western Front. JG-52 played a significant role in the history of WWII. |
Knights on the Eastern Front by Robert Taylor. SOLD OUT. |
Struggle for Supremacy by Robert Taylor. The scene depicted took place in January 1945 as P-51 Mustang fighters of the 357th Fighter Group have engaged a force of Messerschmitt Me109 fighters. Captain Robert Foy in Little Shrimp of the 363rd Squadron engages one of the Bf109s in a daring head-on pass as Republic P-47 Thunderbolts of the 56th Fighter Group climb to join the fray. From the right, more than a dozen Luftwaffe fighters are vectoring to the massive dogfight. |
Swansong by Robert Taylor. Gunther Rall leads the Fw190s of JG-300 into combat on their last day of action in WWII. |
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