Bf 109F-4/Trop flown by Franz Stigler. A civilian pilot for Lufthansa before the war and Luftwaffe instructor at the war's outset, it would not be until April 1942 that Stigler would find his way into a combat unit, being assigned to 4./Jg 27 in north Africa. By August 16th, Stigler had achieved 16 victories. Even though photo and profile captions state that this plane was photographed in August, the photo does not show the rudder. Therefore, I did not add any kill marks to to the rudder.
This Bf 109 features the typical desert scheme and theater markings in white on the nose, spinner, wing tips and rear fuselage. There is no unit badge painted on the cowling.
Frans Stigler is best known for action on December 20, 1943, escorting the heavily damaged B-17 "Ye Olde Pub" out of German territory in an act of extraordinary mercy. The is much written about this and I'm sure most of us know the details.
He survived the war and in his later years med and befriended the pilot of the "Ye Olde Pub", Charlie Brown. Franz Stigler passed away in 2008.
