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

WALTER SCHUCK Walter Schuck at JG 3 s Erganzu- ngsstaffel. “My congratulations to your flight skills, Gefreiter," Quaet-Faslem said, turned to Schuck, “but try to observe the signs from your leader in the air more closely next time!” Then he left, leaving the two men standing. Thus, Walter Schuck’s pilot career was saved. At Werneuchen, Schuck made his first acquaintance with the new Messerschmitt Me 109 single-seat fighter. The Me 109 was a notoriously capricious craft. Due to its narrow tread undercarriage, it was difficult to maneu­ ver on the ground. Schuck was rather nervous when he set off for his first flight with the aircraft, and he felt as if he transferred some of his nervousness to the machine. But he managed to get off the ground well, and once in the air the aircraft was just wonderful to fly. Schuck started by flying the Me 109 B-2 with a 690- horse power Junkers Jumo 210 D engine and two-blade propeller. Later he was allowed to change to the Me 109 E-l with a Daimler Benz DB 601A-1 fuel injection engine, and a three-bladed propeller. In this context, a few words on the confusion sur­ rounding the designation of the Messerschmitt 109 fighter could be needed. The Messerschmitt Me 109 - or Bf 109 - was the Luftwaffe’s standard fighter during the first years of the war. This aircraft’s “double designa­ tion” has caused some confusion. Germany’s Reichsluft- fahrtmimsterium, RLM (Air Ministry), originally desig­ nated it 8-109, where “8” stands for an aircraft, and 109 Walter Schuck at JG 3 ’s Erganzu- ngsstaffel. indicates that it was the 109th aircraft on the list. Nev­ ertheless, in normal use, the leading “8” was replaced by an abbreviation indicating the manufacturer. The manufacturer, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, retained the first abbreviation it had given the aircraft, Bf 109, even after Messerschmitt Ltd. had taken over the company - referring to the plane as “Messerschmitt Bf 109.” But the RLM adopted its own, new abbreviation, Me 109. The pilots themselves referred to the airplane as either Me 109 or Bf 109. The fighter pilot students made their air gunnery training with the Me 109 E-l. When they practised shooting against a ground target, they dived down and aimed at a two metres by one metre wooden target sign. During his first pass, Schuck scored 60 machine gun hits, and during the second he scored 80. Then during his third pass, he went down too low, and pulled up just above the ground, knocking down the target with the slipstream from his propeller. When Schuck landed, he was worried. “This time Hope has got me,” he thought. It was clear that Oberfeldwebel Hope had not forgiven him, and was looking for an opportunity to get rid of the Gefreiter who had got the better of him. But this time Schuck’s fears proved to be unfounded. After he had landed, he received a joyful reception. “Ninety-one hits! That’s the best result anyone has had on this shooting-range,” the men told him. T