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May 28th, 1944. More than 1,000 American
heavy bombers make a strike on industrial targets in Magdeburg, Germany.
Feldwebel Horst Petzschler banks his Bf-109 to counter an attack by P-51
Mustangs. Below him, Feldwebel Oscar Boesch dives toward the bomber
stream.
On this day, American bombers
concentrated their attacks on German oil targets. A record force of
1,282 heavy bombers was dispatched, accompanied by 1,200 escort
fighters, and mounted strikes on a variety of targets. American strategy
called for the leading bomb wings to hit other important targets in the
vicinity of the oil facilities, as a ruse. The plan worked. Thirteen
combat wings of American bombers suffered no losses at all to enemy
aircraft.
The Luftwaffe did, however, have 300 fighters waiting for the leading
wings over Magdeburg, and these Fortresses were hit hard. One of the
German pilots was Feldwebel Horst Petzschler of 2/JG3, flying at high
altitude with Feldwebel Oscar Boesch. Homing in on the American
aircraft, Petzschler managed to shoot down a P-51 at approximately 12:20
p.m. Very recent investigation has revealed that this was most likely
the aircraft of Captain Woodward (Woody) Anderson of the 486th Fighter
Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group. In all, 40 American aircraft were lost
during the day's raids.
Petzschler's Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 AS was also damaged during the
fight and he had to bale out of his aircraft during this engagement. The
Leica gun camera in the left wingtip was later salvaged from the wreck.
The rest of the aircraft was destroyed on impact with the ground.
Petzschler consequently had to wait some time before his P-51 could be
confirmed.
'Horrido!' is a graphic portrayal of this epic battle, placing
Petzschler and Boesch above the bomber stream, with the latter turning
and diving for the initial attack. Petzschler has seen the P-51s, and is
banking to engage. His aircraft was notable for the light camouflage
paint it wore for the high altitude role it served. Coincidentally, both
of these pilots flew the same numbered aircraft this day: Black 14.
'Horrido' was the Luftwaffe fighter pilots' war cry.
Print Information:
Overall size: 34" x 24"
50 Artist Proofs, with TWO co-signatures, $245
500 Limited Edition with TWO co-signatures, $220
20 Special Edition, with TWO co-signatures (remarqued), $350
The Sigantures:
 Horst
Petzschler had a distinguished career with the Luftwaffe during
World War II. His first victory was a Soviet Yak-7, shot down in
November, 1943. He became an ace on May 12th, 1944, when he downed a
B-17 and a P-51 near Frankfurt-am-Main. By war's end, he had 22 Soviet
victories to his credit, in addition to two American P-51s, a B-24
Liberator, and a B-17 Flying Fortress.
Petzschler was awarded the Day Fighter
Operational Flying Clasp (Gold) in March of 1944 to mark his completion
of 110 operational flights. By the end of the war he held the Iron Cross
Second and First Class. On May 4, 1945, Petzschler, now a Feldwebel,
landed his Bf-109 at Bulltofta Airport in Sweden. Flying now with
10/JG51, he intended to fly to Copenhagen, but navigational error
brought him to Bulltofta instead. He was interned until January, 1946
and handed over to the Russians. He remained a Soviet prisoner until
1949. His last Bf-109 of the fastest type Messerschmitt to see service,
was ground looped by a Soviet pilot during a test flight, and
subsequently scrapped. Emmigrating to America after his
release,
he lived in California, and presently resides in Kansas.
Oscar Boesch also had a distinguished career with the Luftwaffe.
After narrowly avoiding death on his first mission on April 29, 1944, he
claimed his first victory on May 8. Wounded several times in his 12
month as an operational flyer, he lost eight FW-190s. His victories
included a Spitfire, a Mustang, six B-17s, two B-24s and eight Soviet
aircraft.
After completing 120 operational sorties, his
aircraft collided with a Yak-9 over Berlin, during the last days of the
war. He was captured by the Russians after baling out, but escaped and
walked 1,000 km to his native home in Austria.
In 1951, Oscar Boesch emmigrated to Canada with
his wife Editha and baby Roland. The Boesch's have had two daughters
since then.
Oscar still flies at airshows across North
America, and has appeared in the IMAX movie, 'Silent Flight.'
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