Three 10./JG 301 pilots in front of an A-8 WNr. 681992 " rote 11" seen in Salzwedel. This machine was shot down with Uffz. Dieter Göthel of 9./JG 301 at the controls on 20 January 1945. Like other western
Geschwader - most notably JG 300, JG 1, JG 3, JG 4, JG 11 and JG 77 - JG 301 were about to be ordered to transfer to the Eastern Front. Combating US bombers had suddenly become secondary to bombing and strafing Soviet ground forces now approaching to within 60 miles of Berlin. On this date Göthel was caught up in a dogfight and crash landed his machine in Helerau, close to Dresden. Severely injured in the crash, he would not return to his unit. Note the two white stripes around the rear fuselage, an ID marking worn by the aircraft of the
Schwarmführer. Unlike the profile artist I'm not entirely convinced that there is a coloured band between the white stripes as the Grau 74 appears to be present along the fuselage spine.
Photo credit 10. Staffel pilot Rudi Driebe via Rodeike
© Claes Sundin
