Uffz. Fritz Zander of JG 54 and JG 1

Uffz. Fritz Zander of 5./JG 54 with his 'victory stick' on his Bf 109 F-2 "black 1". His personal emblem "Lia" refers to his wife, Elise. The same personal emblem was carried on a Friedrich, reported as  100% destroyed during an air raid on Siverskaya, probably Bf 109 F-2 WNr. 8905 belonging to 7. Staffel. Zander apparently never flew with 7. Staffel, staying in II. Gruppe and his 5. Staffel. Note the lines on the canopy glazing used as an aid to bomb aiming.

Zander was awarded the DKiG during March 1943 with 31 victories (Saintes, p328 'Les Aigles au coeur vert' Vol II).  

In May 1944 Zander was transferred back to the Reichsverteidigung with III./JG 1. The Bf 109 G-6/AS fighters of this Gruppe appeared on the Wochenschau footage shown in German cinemas on 28 June 1944..

Below; a close-up from the same Wochenschau footage showing Ofw. Zander in the cockpit of his 7. Staffel JG 1 G-6/AS..

 Zander was also later photographed in Normandy, here seen alongside his 'blue 22' of III./JG 1 on the  'Invasionsfront'..

He was KIA on 26 December 1944 over Bastogne as one of the most experienced Ofw. of the unit.

More JG 54 aces and their machines on this blog here