Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4/R6, W. Nr. 14997, flown by Lt. E. Hartmann, 7./JG 52,
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Lt. Erich Hartmann, the most successful fighter ace in history, began to ply his trade with 7. Staffel JG 52, to which he was assigned on October 10th, 1942.
He first flew the Bf 109G-2, but by the first half of March 1943, the unit began accepting the Bf 109G-4. From the beginning of May 1943, after gaining his
11th and 12th kills, he was made Rottenführer (lead of a two ship flight) and his score began to quickly rise to reach 352 by the end of the war. For his success,
he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Hartmann's White '2' was camouflaged in the standard Luftwaffe scheme
consisting of RLM74/75/76. The factory codes on the fuselage sides and the bottom of the wings were not completely obliterated, but only partially
oversprayed with a white wave (III.Gruppe marking), the white number '2' and a yellow band, which together with the yellow bottom wing tips was common
to Luftwaffe aircraft operating on the Eastern Front. The front of the aircraft carried the marking of its previous user, I./JG 52. Flying this aircraft, Uffz.
H. Meissler was forced to belly in behind enemy lines due to engine failure on May 28th, 1943 and was taken prisoner.
