Author Topic: We met 275 kill ace, Gunther Rall, today (Read 991 times)

Grendel · « **on:** June 14, 2003, 03:06:53 PM »

We met... General Gunther Rall.

275 victories.

Amazing person. Unfortunately there wasn't much chance to ask questions, especially because my 2 sheets long of question list was by my mistake such a small print that mr. Rall couldn't read it there in public

And my English language is just too bad so I could ask the questions in public, amidst all those people.

I'll post couple items later, after this "debrief beer" is out of my head.

As "press" I was most priviledged though to enjoy a short 1-to-1 interview with him, though. Sad to say, to you, I used that for other general purpose questions, to find background about herr Rall. I found him to be most pleasant, wonder old gentleman, who thorougly had enjoyed his life, enjoyed his time training in the US in the 50s, has lots of friends in the US and thinks that the NATO is very important force for the Europe and the world.

"Germany after the war was about rebuilding, inspirational to repair, it was about what I have to give to others. Today, the mentality of people is what I can GET from others."

I REALLY would want to spend a day with him, asking questions and pondering the world with him... 275 aerial victories, in just 621 combat missions. What an AMAZING rate! He flew the Me 109 in various versions from 1940 to 1945, but as Julle said, also all captured Allied types and even Messerscmitt 262.

I got the whole thing in tape, English language. I HOPE I'll get the stuff in video, too. It'll be available sooner or later.

Grendel and mr. Rall

More on herr Rall:

http://www.google.com/search?q=gunther%20rall&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Julle comments:

I...WAS...THERE!

WOOOHOOO!

This guy flew the German fighters (mostly the 109) and he carefully tested and studied the P-38, 47, 51 and the Spit. He trained german squadronleaders to fight those captured AC. We are talking about a guy who had a LOT of sorties in all these planes. If anyone should ever make a WWII aircombat simulator hei-d need to call up this guy to end speculations.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2003, 03:33:02 PM »

Cool! I wanna meet him, wonder if he's coming to the states anytime soon?

Cooley · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2003, 03:58:09 PM »

Thats Great,,,I have his Book, Very Intresting

GScholz · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2003, 04:06:33 PM »

I've seen several great interviews with him on Discovery. I especially liked the one where he talked about his Wilde Sau missions flying 110's at night. Looks like the last few years have not been kind to him though.

udet · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2003, 04:34:32 PM »

what do you mean? he must be over 80 years old and doesn't show it.

Glasses · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2003, 04:52:02 PM »

Ol' Mr Rall looks still like the interview he did in the early 90's this guy doesn't age

I'd be great to meet him, from the interviews I've seen about him looks like he has quite a personality I bet talking to him about just life experiences would be about as cool as well

~~Mr. Rall~~

hazed- · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2003, 05:42:55 PM »

Fantastic!, I look forward to hearing it

Ive also seen many an interveiw with gunther Rall and they are among the best you'll see.
He is one of those pilots who talks technically and not just about what he felt like.Should be a great interveiw if its anything like his others!

will you post the recording ?

GScholz · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2003, 10:41:25 PM »

A side note: I still can't believe those restoration people painted over the airfilter on that G6 ... doh!

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2003, 10:50:48 PM »

Its a late "italian" style filter, not the early mesh one...

Shiva · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2003, 11:33:25 PM »

I met him several years ago at an event that the local CAF organized with several US and German pilots from WWII, and got to spend about five minutes talking with him (too many other people). I have portrait/aircraft prints for both him and Walter Schuck that I got signed at the event.

One of the other German pilots who was there actually lives locally; he was a pilot in, IIRC, KG51, transferred in as they were transitioning to the Me-262 Sturmvögel. If I ever find enough free time to get back into modelling, I want to make a diorama of a situation he described to me: The 262 didn't have a steerable nosewheel; it castered. When taxiing to the runway, if you hit the inside brake too hard, you could get the nosewheel to caster 90°, at which point the plane wouldn't roll any further, so if you didn't have ground crew around, you had to set the brakes, get out, and kick the nosewheel back into line so you could taxi. (this was before the fuel situation degenerated to the point where the 262s would be towed out to the runway before they started their engines.)

GScholz · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2003, 11:52:25 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Its a late "italian" style filter, not the early mesh one...

Yes, but they still painted it! If you close the filter valve you would strangle the engine ... DOH!

Eagler · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2003, 12:05:25 AM »

very cool

you are fortunate - such opportunities are fading fast

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2003, 12:19:21 AM »

They were painted during the war too so I'm not sure what you're concerned about..

GScholz · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2003, 12:23:03 AM »

The filterports too??? I thought they were supposed to draw in air?

(sorry for hijack)

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #14 on:** June 15, 2003, 12:28:50 AM »

The filter body just has backward open louvers to draw air in.