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

WALTER SCHUCK Leutnant Kurt Schulze. On 17 September, six vengeful pilots from 10./JG 5 - Schuck, Wollmann, Oberfeldwebels Heinz Arnold and Martin Villing, and Unteroffiziers Josef Suske and Heinrich Dreisbach - engaged the same Soviet airmen who had shot down Norz: twelve 46 ShAP Il-2s escorted by twenty-two Yak-7Bs and Airacobras of 20 IAP. Afterward, the Germans reported the shooting down of thirteen Soviet fighters, including four Yaks by Schuck. Three days later, the same pilots clashed again, with the Germans claiming four Soviet fighters shot down, half by Schuck. But the contours of defeat became clearer even in the Far North. On 20 September 1944, Soviet torpedo planes hit the 5434-BRT ship Friesenland with such impact that it had to be stranded. A mission on 22 Sep­ tember cost III./JG 5 a loss of two Me 109 G-6s without any own victories. On 25 September, the Soviets carried out their next “double strike.” Airacobras of 255 IAP attacked Pet­ samo’s airfield, while twenty-one 46 ShAP Il-2s flew against Kirkenes, escorted by twenty-six Yak-7Bs and Airacobras of 20 IAP and 27 IAP. By this time, IV./JG 5 had also been moved forward to the front line - after spending two years providing the Norwegian western coast with air cover - and both Gruppen scrambled against the Soviet formations. 10./JG 5 became airborne just before the attack hit the own airfield. Fighting back these attackers, two Soviet fighters were claimed shot down - both by Schuck. 255 IAP’s Kapitan V. Ya. Kor­ neyev was killed on his 14th combat mission when his Airacobra was shot down by Schuck. As previously, the German fighters arrived too late to prevent the attack against their ships. Five escort vessels were hit by bombs and rocket projectiles. Then the fight­ ing drifted towards the northeast as the Me 109s pursued the withdrawing Soviet aircraft. Schuck claimed another Airacobra, and then he and another pilot obviously shared the destruction of the only 11-2 which 46 ShAP lost in this successful mission - with the pilot Leytenant O. S. Melnikov and his rear gunner, Starshiy Krasnoflo- tets I. A. Voluyskiy disappearing with their 11-2 in the grey waves. Three Me 109s were lost in that fight. On 26 September the Soviet Air Force attacked Vardo and Vadso again. III. and IV./JG 5 intervened and reported fourteen victories, but six own aircraft were lost. Four pilots were reported as missing (although one turned up after spending two days in a rubber dinghy). On 27 September, VVS SF attacked Vadso with twenty-six Douglas A-20s from 9 GMTAP and 36 MTAP, escorted by thirty 255 IAP Airacobras. These aircraft came in from the northeast at around 3,000 metres alti­ tude, striking the port area, German barges in the little bay, and artillery positions around Vadso. While twelve Me 109s attacked the Soviet planes from below, Schuck led six Me 109s for an attack from above. But when he approached the enemy aircraft, Schuck spotted a lonely T