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

WALTER SCHUCK In front o f a row o f 78 IAP Hurricanes, Leytenant Vasiliy Strelnikov describes an air combat with JG 5. Strelnikov survived getting his Hurricane shot down by Schuck on 14 April 1943. On 6 March 1945, Strelnikov was appointed a Hero o f the Soviet Union. year, he had been shot down three times - the last time in April 1943 - and attained 53 victories on altogether 135 combat missions. But on this occasion, he was shadowed by an enemy which had been alerted by radar. Six Airacobras of 2 GIAP/VVS SF had been scram­ bled at 0335 hours, and they climbed to reach an alti­ tude of 7,000 metres. The first section of three Airaco- bra pilots failed to spot the enemy. But the second sec­ tion went down to 5,000 metres and spotted Brunner’s Schwarm farther below, on its return flight. This section was led by Leytenant Nikolay Bokiy, the pilot who had shot down Rudi Muller. The Germans apparently failed to notice the danger. Bokiy swooped down in position behind Brunner’s Messerschmitt and gave it four short bursts of fire. Brunner bailed out, but his parachute failed to open and he fell to a certain death. That was the moment when Schuck, Wiegand and the Fw 190s appeared on the scene. Schuck saw the Airacobras ahead and slightly to the right, at about 1,500 metres altitude. He brought Wiegand along to attack them. The two Me 109s left the Fw 190s in a sharp turn to the right. The Airacobra pilots nevertheless skilfully avoided the first attack. Schuck’s opened fire but missed. While he made a rapid zoom climb, Schuck looked down and saw the Airacobras enter a Lufbery circle. Thus each pilot covered the aircraft in front of himself. It was one of the Soviet fighter pilots’ favourite tactics when they were attacked from above. Schuck knew that his task was to keep the Airaco­ bras locked into combat while Stakeljahn’s Fw 190 fight- er-bombers continued towards their target. But at the same time he was aware of the fact that turning combat was the field where the Airacobra was superior to the Me 109. He nevertheless hurled his Me 109 into the “car­ ousel” of Airacobras. With the help of the trim wheel he pressed his Messerschmitt into a sharper and sharper turn. Thus Schuck avoided the guns of the Airacobra which flew behind him but was able to take aim on the one which flew in front of him. Schuck also knew that due to the G forces, the long 37mm cannon which pro- trouded from the Airacobra’s nose often jammed. Schuck followed the Soviets in one circle after another. He was soaking with sweat but could see the white nose and the blue underside of the Airacobra in front of him slowly appear to glide down from a posi­ tion in front of and above the top of his own canopy. In reality, it was Schuck’s Messerschmitt which turned narrower and narrower. Finally, Schuck opened fire. He could see hits all over the belly of the Airacobra. Then he banked away and left the unhealthy environment, leaving the descending Airacobra to its own fate. No aircraft losses are registered in Soviet sources, but the pilot of a shot down Airacobra who bailed out actually was captured by German troops. In fact, the Soviet pilot was brought to Petsamo aerodrome to meet the German pilots. In company with a German T