"Horrido!"
Sheet Size: 24" x 34"
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| Ozark Airfield Artworks |
This Scenario
May 28, 1944. More than 1000
American heavy bombers make a
strike on industrial targets in
Magdeburg, Germany. Feldwebel
Horst Petzschler banks his Bf109
to counter an attack by P51
Mustangs. Below him, Feldwebel
Oscar Boesch dives toward the
bomber stream.
May 28, 1944. More than 1000
American heavy bombers make a
strike on industrial targets in
Magdeburg, Germany. Feldwebel
Horst Petzschler banks his Bf109
to counter an attack by P51
Mustangs. Below him, Feldwebel
Oscar Boesch dives toward the
bomber stream.
Signatures
Horst Petzschler had a distinguished career with the Luftwaffe during
World War II. His first victory was a Soviet Yak7, shot down in November
1943. He became an ace on May 12, 1944, when he downed a B17 and a P
51 near Frankfurt-am-Main. By war's end, he had 22 Soviet victories to his
credit, in addition to two American P51s, a B24 Liberator, and a B17
Flying Fortress.
Petzschler was awarded the Day Fighter Operational Flying Clasp (Gold) in
March of 1944 to mark his completion of 110 operational flights. By the end
of the war he held the Iron Cross Second and First Class. On May 4, 1945,
Petzschler, now a Feldwebel, landed his Bf109 at Bulltofta Airport in
Sweden. Flying now with 10/JG51, he intended to fly to Copenhagen, but
navigational error brought him to Bulltofta instead. He was interned until
January, 1946 and handed over to the Russians. He remained a Soviet
prisoner until 1949. His last Bf109 of the fastest type Messerschmitt to see
service, was ground looped by a Soviet pilot during a test flight, and
subsequently scrapped. Emmigrating to America after his release, he lived
in California, and presently resides in Kansas.
Oscar Boesch also had a distinguished career with the Luftwaffe. After
narrowly avoiding death on his first mission on April 29, 1944, he claimed
his first victory on May 8. Wounded several times in his 12 month as an
operational flyer, he lost eight FW190's. His victories included a Spitfire, a
Mustang, six B17s, two B24s and eight Soviet aircraft.
After completing 120 operational sorties, his aircraft collided with a Yak-9
over Berlin, during the last days of the war. He was captured by the
Russians after baling out, but escaped and walked 1000km to his native
home in Austria.
In 1951, Oscar Boesch emmigrated to Canada with his wife Editha and
baby Roland. The Boesch's have had two daughters since then. Oscar still
flies at airshows across North America, and has appeared in the IMAX
movie, Silent Flight.
The Story
May 28, 1944 — On this day, American bombers concentrated their attacks
on German oil targets. A record force of 1282 heavy bombers was
dispatched, accompanied by 1200 escort fighters, and mounted strikes on
a variety of targets. American strategy called for the leading bomb wings to
hit other important targets in the vicinity of the oil facilities, as a ruse. The
plan worked. Thirteen combat wings of American bombers suffered no
losses at all to enemy aircraft.
The Luftwaffe did, however, have 300 fighters waiting for the leading wings
over Magdeburg, and these Fortresses were hit hard. One of the German
pilots was Feldwebel Horst Petzschler of 2/JG3, flying at high altitude with
Feldwebel Oscar Boesch. Homing in on the American aircraft, Petzschler
managed to shoot down a P51 at approximately 12:20 PM. Very recent
investigation has revealed that this was most likely the aircraft of Captain
Woodward (Woody) Anderson of 486 Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter
Group. In all, 40 American aircraft were lost during the day's raids.
Petzschler's Messerschmitt Bf109G 6AS was also damaged during the
fight and he had to bale out of his aircraft during this engagement. The
Leica gun camera in the left wingtip was later salvaged from the wreck. The
rest of the aircraft was destroyed on impact with the ground. Petzschler
consequently had to wait some time before his P51 could be confirmed.
'Horrido!' is a graphic portrayal of this epic battle, placing Petzschler and
Boesch above the bomber stream, with the latter turning and diving for the
initial attack. Petzschler has seen the P51s, and is banking to engage. His
aircraft was notable for the light camouflage paint it wore for the high
altitude role it served. Coincidentally, both of these pilots flew the same
numbered aircraft this day: Black 14.
'Horrido' was the Luftwaffe fighter pilots' war cry.
Horst Petzschler had a distinguished career with the Luftwaffe during
World War II. His first victory was a Soviet Yak7, shot down in November
1943. He became an ace on May 12, 1944, when he downed a B17 and a P
51 near Frankfurt-am-Main. By war's end, he had 22 Soviet victories to his
credit, in addition to two American P51s, a B24 Liberator, and a B17
Flying Fortress.
Petzschler was awarded the Day Fighter Operational Flying Clasp (Gold) in
March of 1944 to mark his completion of 110 operational flights. By the end
of the war he held the Iron Cross Second and First Class. On May 4, 1945,
Petzschler, now a Feldwebel, landed his Bf109 at Bulltofta Airport in
Sweden. Flying now with 10/JG51, he intended to fly to Copenhagen, but
navigational error brought him to Bulltofta instead. He was interned until
January, 1946 and handed over to the Russians. He remained a Soviet
prisoner until 1949. His last Bf109 of the fastest type Messerschmitt to see
service, was ground looped by a Soviet pilot during a test flight, and
subsequently scrapped. Emmigrating to America after his release, he lived
in California, and presently resides in Kansas.
Oscar Boesch also had a distinguished career with the Luftwaffe. After
narrowly avoiding death on his first mission on April 29, 1944, he claimed
his first victory on May 8. Wounded several times in his 12 month as an
operational flyer, he lost eight FW190's. His victories included a Spitfire, a
Mustang, six B17s, two B24s and eight Soviet aircraft.
After completing 120 operational sorties, his aircraft collided with a Yak-9
over Berlin, during the last days of the war. He was captured by the
Russians after baling out, but escaped and walked 1000km to his native
home in Austria.
In 1951, Oscar Boesch emmigrated to Canada with his wife Editha and
baby Roland. The Boesch's have had two daughters since then. Oscar still
flies at airshows across North America, and has appeared in the IMAX
movie, Silent Flight.
The Story
May 28, 1944 — On this day, American bombers concentrated their attacks
on German oil targets. A record force of 1282 heavy bombers was
dispatched, accompanied by 1200 escort fighters, and mounted strikes on
a variety of targets. American strategy called for the leading bomb wings to
hit other important targets in the vicinity of the oil facilities, as a ruse. The
plan worked. Thirteen combat wings of American bombers suffered no
losses at all to enemy aircraft.
The Luftwaffe did, however, have 300 fighters waiting for the leading wings
over Magdeburg, and these Fortresses were hit hard. One of the German
pilots was Feldwebel Horst Petzschler of 2/JG3, flying at high altitude with
Feldwebel Oscar Boesch. Homing in on the American aircraft, Petzschler
managed to shoot down a P51 at approximately 12:20 PM. Very recent
investigation has revealed that this was most likely the aircraft of Captain
Woodward (Woody) Anderson of 486 Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter
Group. In all, 40 American aircraft were lost during the day's raids.
Petzschler's Messerschmitt Bf109G 6AS was also damaged during the
fight and he had to bale out of his aircraft during this engagement. The
Leica gun camera in the left wingtip was later salvaged from the wreck. The
rest of the aircraft was destroyed on impact with the ground. Petzschler
consequently had to wait some time before his P51 could be confirmed.
'Horrido!' is a graphic portrayal of this epic battle, placing Petzschler and
Boesch above the bomber stream, with the latter turning and diving for the
initial attack. Petzschler has seen the P51s, and is banking to engage. His
aircraft was notable for the light camouflage paint it wore for the high
altitude role it served. Coincidentally, both of these pilots flew the same
numbered aircraft this day: Black 14.
'Horrido' was the Luftwaffe fighter pilots' war cry.