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| Extra Details : Hunters in the Desert by Robert Taylor (AP). | ||
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| Signatures on this item | |
| *The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
| Name | Info |
 Ambassador Franz Elles *Signature Value : £60 | Franz Elles began operations in 1940 with 1 Staffel, I./JG-27 and saw action in the Battle of Britain under the command of Edu Neumann. Transferred in early 1941 to North Africa he flew as wing-man to the famous Knight's Cross holder Karl-Wolfgang Redlich. He had scored 5 victories flying Me109s. At the end of that year, Elles, defending his leader's tail in a close air combat, was shot down behind enemy lines and taken prisoner. He spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war in Canada. After the war Elles joined the German diplomatic service and rose to become German ambassador to Central America. |
  Generalmajor Friedrich Korner (deceased) *Signature Value : £65 | Born 24th January 1921. Friedrich Korner joined the Luftwaffe in November 1939 and after training joined II/.JG27 in North Africa. On 19th March 1942, over Tobruk, Korner claimed his first victory, and with his 10th victory, over an RAF P-40, he claimed the 1000th victory for JG-27. He scored a further 20 victories in June 1942, including 5 in a day where he shot down three South African Air Force P-40s and two RAF Spitfires. He became the 7th most successful Ace in North Africa, but was shot down in his Bf-109 while taking off to intercept a bomber group. He was taken prisoner, and sent to Canada as a PoW, released in 1947. He recorded a total of 36 victories flying the Bf109, was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 21st August 1941, and the Knights Cross on 7th September 1942, after his capture. After the war, he conitnued in the post-war Bundesluftwaffe, retiring from military service in June 1979. He died on 3rd September 1998, in Paris. |
 Hauptmann Fritz Keller *Signature Value : £35 | Fritz Keller flew and fought with JG-27 from the outbreak of war in 1939 right through to the cessation of hostilities in May 1945, most of the time with I./JG-27. He took part in all major actions in the Desert and fought in the skies over El Alamein. Fritz Keller finished the war as Kommandeur of II./JG-27 with a total of 13 victories. He was a close personal friend of the legendary Hans-Joachim Marseille and was highly respected by all those that flew with him. |
  Oberst Eduard Neumann (deceased) *Signature Value : £70 | A veteran of the Spanish Campaign, Edward Neumann, at the start of the war, was leading 4./JG26 in France, later promoted Adjutant of I./JG27. He took part in the Balkan Campaign before moving in 1941 to North Africa, where I./JG27 was the only German fighter unit for the first nine months. In 1942 he became Kommodore of JG27, a position which he held throughout the remainder of the Desert Campaign. He was credited with moulding the careers of many outstanding pilots, the best known being the young Hauptmann Marseille. Following the defeat of Rommel's Afrika Korps at El Alamein JG27 covered their retreat back to Tunisia. When his wing left the desert, 'Edu' Neumann was transferred to the Staff of General of the Fighter Arm, where he remained until 1944. Promoted to Oberst in the autumn of that year, he took over as Fighter Commander of Northern Italy. Edu Neumann ended the war as one of the Luftwaffe's most highly respected Commanders. Died 9th August 2004. |
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