Sunday, 1 December 2024

Oblt. Kurt Ruppert, Staka 9./JG 26 - Bundesarchiv photo report #8

 



Photographed in late August 1942, this is Oblt. Kurt Ruppert's Fw 190 A-3 WNr. 551 'gelbe 1+I' of 9./JG 26.  I'm assuming that is Ruppert seated on the cockpit being saluted by his comrades. There are 17-18 victory Balken on the rudder. Ruppert had returned his 15th in July and then claimed 3 Spitfires shot down on 19 August 1942 as he led his 9.Staffel over Dieppe flying out of Moorsele, Belgium. Note the high contrast finish and the very light yellow of the aircraft Kennung -  the 'darker' camo colour is either a 'grey-green' or 'green-grey' 74, almost certainly the Graugrün variation of '74'. See the link below for more on this. Claes Sundin's 'Profile book No. 10' has more on Ruppert and artwork. Strangely the only 'Ruppert' to appear in  'Buch 1, Flugzeugführer des Jagdgeschwaders 1939-Mitte 1944' is Ofw. Hans Ruppert. (109 Feindflüge, 2 victories) who, like his namesake, died bailing out of his burning machine. Kurt Ruppert was KIA during June 1943 as Kommandeur III./JG 26 with 21 victories. (thanks to Rudi Kneipp for help with this post)






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