Oblt. Herbert Kutscha earned his Knights Cross with 5./ZG 1 in the East. Appointed Staffelkapitän 12./JG 3 in Italy during 1943, he briefly led IV./JG 3 in the air during early 1944 after 83-victory ace and IV. Gruppe Kommandeur Franz Beyer was shot down and killed on 11 February 1944 (a successor not immediately appointed).
Airborne from Venlo/NL on 24 February 1944, Kutscha was shot down in combat with P-47s at the controls of this Bf 109 G-6, WNr. 411048, "yellow 13" (below). Despite his wounds he was able to take to his parachute over Quakenbrück and was out of action for several months.
(caption data via Jochen Prien's 'Chronik einer Jagdgruppe' )
On offer here
(caption data via Jochen Prien's 'Chronik einer Jagdgruppe' )
