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

WALTER SCHUCK О FIGHTER PILOT BYACCIDENT On 16 June 1940, Gefreiter Walter Schuck reported to 3. Staffel of Jagdfliegerschule 1 at Wemeuchen. His post­ ing to the Jagdfliegerschule was made in such a hurry that he arrived three days ahead of the rest of the new batch of fighter pilot students. After receiving his “wings” following the B2 course, the prospective Luftwaffe combat pilots were selected to a specific field of aviation. Either it was a С flight school for refined flight training for future pilots of bombers, long-range reconnaissance or transport aircraft. Those selected to become a dive-bomber pilot were sent to a Stukafliegerschule, and fighter pilot candidates to a Jagdfliegerschule. Formed in November 1937 at Wer- neuchen, just northeast of Berlin, Jagdfliegerschule 1 had earned quite a good reputation. Several of the Luft­ waffe’s most successful fighter pilots in Second World War underwent their fighter pilot training at JFS 1. By the time Schuck attended its training scheme, the com­ mander was Oberstleutnant Otto-Friedrich Freiherr von Houwald. On the second day after his arrival, Schuck was instructed to report to Oberfeldwebel Hope, who would become his fighter pilot trainer. Oberfeldwebel Hope read Schuck’s papers, saw his bad marks, and said in an unfriendly tone: “We are not going to have any troublemakers here. Tomorrow you and I will make one training flight, and then I will have you discharged.” When the two took off in one fighter trainer each early next day, Schuck had decided to show just how good he was in order to maintain his place at the Jagd­ fliegerschule. He knew that if he missed this opportunity and was discharged, he would be sent to the infantry, with no second chance to be accepted by the Luftwaffe. Schuck had learned how important it was in fighter avi­ ation to remain in position next to his wingman, and he mobilised his full concentration on this one thing. Schuck was so concentrated on remaining close to the aircraft in front of him that he failed to see Hope making a gesture with his hand, indicating that Schuck should increase the distance. This was just in the begin­ ning of radio communication between aircraft, and it had not been installed in many fighter trainers, so the trainer and his student communicated via hand signs as in the old days during the Great War. When the “troublemaker” refused to obey his visual order to increase the distance, Hope grew furious. What was this rash Gefreiter thinking of? Was he going to humiliate Hope in public? Below, Hope could see a group of men gather. It was the newly arrived fighter pilot students, and they were commanded by Ober­ leutnant Quaet-Faslem. Oberleutnant Klaus Quaet-Faslem was an expe­ rienced combat pilot. He had seen action during the campaign against Poland, where he had achieved one of the Luftwaffe’s first aerial victories. Following a period T