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

WALTER SCHUCK A Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk o f 2 GSAP/VVS SF at Vayenga-1 in May 1942. meantime, thousands of incendiary bombs were stock­ piled on the German bomber bases. On 18 June 1942, over one hundred flights were made during four separate raids against the centre of Murmansk. Twelve thousand incendiary bombs were dropped. Since most of Murmansk’s buildings were wooden houses, almost the entire town was set on fire. Approximately eight hundred houses, almost half the town’s dwellings, were set burning. The strong wind made the work of the fire brigade more difficult. The weak Soviet fighter opposition was effectively taken care of by JG 5’s Messerschmitts. Next day, a very content Generaloberst Stumpff visited Petsamo aero­ drome. He awarded Feldwebel Rudi Muller with the Knight’s Cross, and then he handed out Iron Crosses of the First Class to a row of other pilots - among them Unteroffizier Schuck. Long after the fire attack, Schuck could see the grisly mark of the destruction in Murmansk: An enor­ mous pillar of black smoke belched from the town. It reached an altitude of around 25,000 feet, where it levelled out as though it had been cut by a gigantic hand, and then it drifted for miles and miles towards the northeast. The smoke pillar still was visible when 7./JG 5 on 22 June ran into a formation of Soviet fighters east of Murmansk. These were 19 GIAP with eight Airacobras and four P-40 Kittyhawks, and 20 GIAP with six Toma­ hawks. Again Schuck encountered Mayor Pavel Kutak­ hov. This time the Soviet fighter pilots displayed a fierce aggressivity, but their lack of cooperation reduced the efficiency of their fighting. By this time, Unteroffizier Kurt Scharmacher had become Schuck’s regular wingman. Walter Schuck felt that he could not have wished for a better wingman. Whatever happened, Scharmacher always remained faithfully in position, covering Schuck’s back while Schuck made his attacks. In contrast, the Soviet fighters flew in all directions like a bee swarm, each making his sporadic attacks individually. Two Soviet fighters had already gone down in the initial German attack - both ending up on Schumach­ er’s tally. Then as Schuck made his next attack, another Soviet fighter took the opportunity to attack him from the astern. But Scharmacher was in full control of the situation. With his warning cry ringing in the head­ phones, Schuck made a rash evasive maneuver. Then he heard Scharmachers voice: “Abschuss!” Really, the Soviet fighter which had tried to shoot down Schuck was descending in flames. Schuck con­ firmed, and then he sat on the tail of one of the Soviet fighters. Afterward he reported it as an “1-180”; in real­ ity it probably was an Airacobra. Schuck was credited with its destruction at 2225 hours. Five minutes later, he reportedly blew a “Hurricane” out of the sky. T