Rybin, Y. Luftwaffe ace Walter Schuck researched / Christer Bergstrom, Yuriy Rybin. - Sweden : [s. l.], 2019. - 190 p. : ill.

WALTER SCHUCK О INCREASING HARDSHIP The Polar winter held the region in a firm grip when Schuck returned to Petsamo in January 1944. His friend and wingman Kurt Scharmacher was gone. Scharmacher broke down to an increasingly sinister rheumatism. He was sent to treatment in Germany and in France, but there was no cure. The combat situation had continued to deteriorate since the autumn. Not only had II./JG 5 left for another sector of the Eastern Front - leaving III./JG 5 as the only Jagdgruppe in the Far North - but the Soviets also grew more and more dangerous as opponents in the air. Due to the long darkness, there was not much action in the air. Still, the little fighting that took place showed that the “easy days” were gone. During the first four weeks of January 1944, JG 5 recorded no more than six victories but lost six own pilots. Four of them were from 7./JG 5, and 9./JG 5 lost its new Staffelkapitan, Hauptmann Hans Hermann Schmidt. Schuck clearly noticed that things were not as easy as before when he participated in a large fighter sweep on 29 January 1944. The Germans had decided to play the Soviets a trick in an attempt to pay back for the severe losses. Led by Hauptmann Ehrler, eighteen Me 109s took off at around twenty to twelve. They split into three formations of six each. The lower formation flew with their landing gears lowered, attempting to give the Soviets the image that these were Ju 87s heading for an attack against Murmansk. Thus they hoped to trick some of the elusive Soviet fighters into combat. Since Lend Lease convoy JW-56A had entered the Kola Bay on the previous day, the Soviets could be expected to swallow the bait. Taking advantage of the weak “morning” light which appeared at noon in the Polar night, Hauptmann Ehrler led the Me 109s towards Murmansk. With no Soviet fighters yet in sight, the Germans turned to the right just east of Murmansk, to avoid the dense AAA concentration in the port area. It was Ehrler’s intention to lead his pilots towards the network of Soviet airfields south of Murmansk, but as the Me 109s performed their turn, the Jagdwaffe’s inadequate training in flying in large formations showed itself. While Ehrler’s leading six turned to the right, the six-plane formation on the right flank disappeared into the overcast and lost con­ tact with the others. Meanwhile, the six-plane formation on the left flank - which had to perform a wider turn - lagged behind. Thus, the whole battle formation was separated. In that sensitive moment, six Yak-9s struck down from the astern. They performed a quick gunnery run, shooting up an Me 109, and then withdrew. Shortly afterward, the Me 109s spotted four Yak-7Bs, which they attacked. But the Soviet pilots parried the attack with great skill. In doing so, 768 IAP’s Mladshiy Leyt­ enant Krivobokov shot down an Me 109 G-2. The Ger­ man pilot, Leutnant Klaus Walter, bailed out and came T