Author Topic: Meeting Gunther Rall  (Read 3008 times)

Offline Brooke

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #15 on: September 09, 2009, 01:24:04 AM »
Wow!  I'm anxiously awaiting the writeup of this one.

How about a picture or two as well?

Offline Stampf

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #16 on: September 09, 2009, 07:02:13 AM »
I'd like to know why he switched from the Wehrmacht to the Luftwaffe.  Was there any one person responsible for aiding in this decision.

Thanks Angus.  Enjoy it.

Also, maybe if you get the chance, I would love to know if he knew Otto Kittel well, and what his thoughts of the man were.
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Offline Schlitz

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2009, 08:22:10 AM »
Ask him what his stick settings and convergence were,who did his skin and if Zemke was a squeaker.
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Offline PJ_Godzilla

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #18 on: September 09, 2009, 09:05:53 AM »
Ask him about the HO - settle it for once and all (and I already know the general answer but would like to hear his).

Also, I'd like to find out how many times he was shot down. Galland once got shot down three times in one day - and suffered some relatively minor burns from the last of the three.  I recall his account of seeing fuel sloshing around below him in his 109 - not a pleasant thought.

I'd also like to find out how many top pilots he knew that got shot down.

Ask him about preferred 109 tactics and whether or not they practiced any of these low-speed stall/torque enabled maneuvers in combat.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2009, 10:09:01 AM by PJ_Godzilla »
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Offline BlauK

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #19 on: September 09, 2009, 09:42:12 AM »
Angus,
those Finns must be of the Aviation Museum Society. They are making a 40th anniversary trip to München this weekend. I don't know if any AH-pilots are participating, but I know of at least one Finnish virtual pilot who is there. I also have joined that society recently, but I am not going on the trip.


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Offline 68Hawk

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #20 on: September 09, 2009, 01:04:06 PM »
Can't think of any questions that haven't already been brought up here, but grab a beer at Hofbraeu house for me!
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Offline gyrene81

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #21 on: September 09, 2009, 01:33:36 PM »
Angus, that is one meeting I wish I could attend...I've spoken with some U.S. PTO pilots and grunts when I was much younger, didn't value the information as much then as I do now.



I'd like to know why he switched from the Wehrmacht to the Luftwaffe.  Was there any one person responsible for aiding in this decision.
Question answered, from Wikipedia:

Quote

He was born in Gaggenau, a small town in the Schwarzwald region in Germany, as a son of a merchant. He joined the Army and became a Fähnrich in 1936. He entered the War College in Dresden, where he was influenced by one of his best friend to join the Luftwaffe. He qualified as a pilot in 1938 and was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52), with the rank of Leutnant.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2009, 01:36:25 PM by gyrene81 »
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Offline Stampf

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #22 on: September 09, 2009, 02:25:02 PM »
Angus, that is one meeting I wish I could attend...I've spoken with some U.S. PTO pilots and grunts when I was much younger, didn't value the information as much then as I do now.


Question answered, from Wikipedia:


Thank you, never saw that "influenced by his best friend" in the official stories.  :lol 

Now if you can answer my other inquiry, then you damn good!  :aok
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Offline Angus

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #23 on: September 10, 2009, 03:47:27 PM »
Thank you all.
I am now about to print out the responses from this thread to be compiled while I am en route. I will have a last minute skim over the thread about breakfast time which would be about 9 am in Germany. Sort of disappointed having nothing from HTC, Widewing, or Guppy ....
(smell the bait?)

Anyway, the last minute posts will be filtered and written down. (If any). And I will give you a full account when I get home  :)

One final question to the old one is if he recalls a moment of either a humouristic incident or an embarrassing one, or both coupled together. I feel that one as lacking in his autobiographies. I will try to slip that one in late, - as a final one. Apart from that my mind is dry...for now...
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Offline RRAM

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #24 on: October 06, 2009, 09:35:26 PM »
I'd really want to read about your interview with him, Angus...you're a lucky man, one of the last to have the honor and pleasure to meet Mr. Rall.

Sad to see those men leaving us, but time is like that  :(

Offline CAP1

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #25 on: October 06, 2009, 11:14:32 PM »
a bit late on this one, but........rather than ask him a bunch of questions, that you know he;s heard time and time again, i think i'd just shake his hand, and congratulate him on surviving the war.........he served his country honorably. :aok
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Offline BlauK

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2009, 01:51:39 AM »
AFAIK, the group of Finns mentioned earlier did not meet Mr. Rall, because he was not feeling well. I hope Angus had better luck and I hope Mr Rall is ok again.


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Offline csThor

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #27 on: October 07, 2009, 02:27:33 AM »
As 12oclockhigh.net reports Günther Rall died on October 4 2009 after suffering a heart attack on September 2. :cry

Offline BlauK

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #28 on: October 07, 2009, 05:10:12 AM »
Sad news :(

:salute


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Offline Die Hard

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Re: Meeting Gunther Rall
« Reply #29 on: October 07, 2009, 05:34:45 AM »
<S> Gunther Rall
It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.

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