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

WALTER SCHUCK Meanwhile, Schuck made preparations by opening the command post barrack window and placing a chair beneath the window. Scholz had barely mumbled his “scramble” before Schuck bolted up, and while hurling himself through the open window and down on the ground, he shouted: “Scramble! Scramble!” In no time, he was at his aircraft, heaved himself up on the wing and down in the cockpit. His faithful mechanic, Gefreiter Karl Wevers, had everything pre­ pared. One man was cranking the starting wheel while Schuck pulled the starting handle. The engine came afloat, and the canopy was closed. Without bothering to lock the straps or fasten the parachute, Schuck let the Messerschmitt loose and taxied out. Scharmacher, who had been ready before his Rottenfuhrer, followed in his plane. As the two Me 109s raced out on the runway, the airfield personnel fired red flares into the sky - signal­ ling that no take-off was allowed. But it was too late. Schuck had already shoved the throttle handle forward, and the tail of his Me 109 had heaved from the ground. To reduce speed at that stage would result in the aircraft nosing over, so he had to complete the take-off. The two Me 109s lifted, and as Schuck made his turn away from the landing area, he could see green flares being shot from the ground - the signal to land immediately. When he had landed and taxied in to the parking area, a pleased Major Scholz was waiting for him. “Well, Schuck, how much time did you need?” Scholz asked. “I think it was within the prescribed three minutes,” Schuck answered. “Three minutes? You made it in 1.8 minutes. I say that is good, quite good.” Scholz asked Schuck if he wanted to return to the 7th Staffel. But Schuck politely declined the offer. He knew that he did not go along well with Hauptmann Graf von Sponeck, and he was quite content with the news he had received: Schuck and Scharmacher were selected for the new 9th Staffel, which was being formed in the rear. There was an old 9./JG 5, but this was renumbered into 10./JG 5 and kept on the Norwegian western coast. Instead a new 9./JG 5 was being prepared for first-line service. It was commanded by Hauptmann Gerhard Wengel, a relaxed officer who saw only Schuck’s good sides. 9./JG 5 was formed around the nucleus of veterans from other JG 5 Staffeln - Schuck, Scharmacher and Unteroffizier Hans Link from the 7th, Unteroffizier Richard Luy from the 6th, and Feldwebel Oskar Thimm and Unteroffizier Friedrich Rennemann from the 8th. + August 1942 was quite uneventful at Kirkenes. There were no sightings of Soviet aircraft, and only few scram­ bles. Schuck used most flights to develop his already Schuck and the 9th Staffel’s dog Mischka quite considerable skills in handling the Me 109. He learned new methods to evade enemy attacks from the rear and trained his ability to watch the air space. Eventually, Schuck also allowed himself the luxury of exploring the surrounding nature. One day the men at Kirkenes heard an incredible squeaking from all around the airfield. When they went to see what was going on, they got an incredible sight: A flood of mice, tens o f thousands, were streaming past. An endless flood of rodents. Later they were told that these were lemmings. The summer of 1942 was a lemming year, one of those years when millions of lemmings for unknown reasons join together in their gigantic lemming migration across the landscape. The lemmings drew the attention of birds of prey, and for days hundreds of birds of prey flocked in the area. Schuck also had much time to get acquainted with some of the men who were stationed at Kirkenes. Apart from a long-distance reconnaissance Staffel and ele­ ments of StG 5, Kirkenes aerodrome also housed 13.(Z)/ JG 5. One of the Zerstorer pilots who made a particu­ lar impression on Schuck was an Oberfeldwebel by the name of Theodor Weissenberger. Being the son of a gar­ dener, he was quite down-to-earth. But in the air, Weis­ senberger was absolutely incredible. Despite flying the “lazy” twin-engined Me 110, he had managed to shoot down 23 Soviet aircraft - most of them fighters. In September the rains, which the people in the Far North had come to long for, finally arrived. The air became fresh and clear, the dust and the mosquitos dis­ appeared. The formerly blue sky became covered with thick, grey and black clouds. The sun was only rarely seen, and the days grew shorter. By this time, real dark­ ness had returned at night. The surrounding landscape appeared more grey and dull than ever. T