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December 27, 1944. While German soldiers
complained of being abandoned by the Luftwaffe, many brave pilots were
doing their best to help turn the tide on the western front.
Depicted is a fierce action fought by IV JG-3 over Eifel. Feldwebel
Oscar Boesch and ten of his fellow fighter pilots are about to take on a
large formation of P-51 Mustangs above the tree tops.
The lightning victories
enjoyed by the Germans during the first years of World War II were due
in large part to the Luftwaffe. But by the fall of 1944, they were
retreating. All available resources were prepared for a last, desperate
gamble. On December16, 1944, Hitler launched a huge offensive in bad
weather. Aircraft from both sides were unable to participate during the
opening days of what was later to be called 'The Battle of the Bulge.'
With the return of good weather after Christmas, the ground battle
reached its climax. At this point, Allied and German pilots were eager
to lend support to the monumental clash of armies.
This gripping painting, 'War Wolf,' puts us a few hundred feet above the
treetops of the German/Belgian border at 11:15 a.m. on December 27.
Eleven FW-190's of IV Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet," led by
Leutnant Glaubig, were flying over the Eifel at low level to avoid
radar. Suddenly, ground control radioed a desperate message: "Achtung!
Fifty-plus Indians in Ida Richard Five!" These American fighters
were probably from the 352nd Fighter Group.
In the wild melee that followed, Feldwebel Oscar Boesch was too low to
bail out if his aircraft was hit. He managed to shoot down one Mustang
into the trees and escape with his life. However, six other pilots of IV
Gruppe were not so lucky: Leutnant Glaubig, Unteroffizier Leuchtenberger,
Unteroffizier Rusch, Leutnant Rennwanz, Gefreiter Stumpf, and
Oberfahnrich Buechsenmann, were killed in the morning's action. The loss
of so many experienced pilots was another blow from which the Luftwaffe
could not recover. Five days later, on New Year's Day, over 150 German
aircraft would be lost during attacks upon Allied airfields. After the
'Battle of the Bulge,' the Luftwaffe was only a shadow of its former
self, but the pilots gave their best to the end.
Print Information:
Overall Size: 34" x 24"
50 Artist Proofs with ONE co-signature, $175
Main numbers: 1 to 500, with ONE co-signature, $145
50 Special Edition with ONE co-signature (remarqued), $235
 A
native of Austria, Oscar Boesch grew up in the mountains and was
inspired by the eagles to fly. After learning to design, build and fly
gliders as a teenager, his love of flying led him to join the Luftwaffe
in August 1942. He then enjoyed a short but distinguished career as a
combat pilot.
He volunteered to become a member of Sturm Staffel 1, a specially formed
unit charged with destroying American daylight bombers. During his first
mission on April 29, 1944, he almost died when he crash-landed and
flipped his plane onto its back. On May 8, he was shot down while
attacking a 40-plane B-24 formation, after downing one. During his 12
months as a combat flyer, there was a 350% pilot turnover rate in his
Staffel. Boesch was himself wounded a few times, twice so severely that
he was removed from flying duties. He had eight Focke Wulf 190's
destroyed.
But it wasn't all in vain. It is estimated that the Staffel had been
able to prevent 30,000 tons of Allied bombs from falling upon German
soil.By war's end, Boesch had earned both the Iron Cross Second Class
and First Class, and had downed eighteen enemy aircraft, including a
Spitfire, a Mustang, six B-17's two B-24's, four IL-2's, two LAGG-5's,
and two YAK-9's.
Boesch's operational flying ended in April 1945. On his last of 120
combat sorties, his FW-190 collided with a YAK-9 northeast of Berlin. He
was captured by the Russians after parachuting to safety, but escaped
and walked 1,000 km back home to Austria.
In 1951 he emmigrated to Canada with his wife Editha and baby Roland, to
build a future. Over fifty years after the war, Oscar Boesch still
enjoys flying. He is an avid pilot, performing at airshows across the
continent in his sailplane 'Wings of Man.' He has also performed in the
IMAX movie, 'Silent Sky.'
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