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 Ruppert is on the right in the first two images - I don't think that is him seated on the cockpit. 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' colour is either a 'grey-green' or 'green-grey' 74, almost certainly the Graugrün variation of '74'. See Claes Sundin's 'Profile book No. 10' for more on Ruppert and artwork. Strangely the only 'Ruppert' to appear in the book '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.






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