Picture above shows Hermann Graf (left) and Alfred Grislawski .
In September 1942, Hermann Graf ruled the skies above Stalingrad. In a month's time, he shot down sixty-two Soviet aircraft, and became the first fighter pilot to reach the 200-victory mark. By that time, he had achieved his first victory only thirteen months previously.
Alfred Grislawski, Graf's wingman and friend, was one of the most successful German fighter pilot during the air war over the Caucasus and during the Air Battle over Kuban in 1943. Grislawski achieved a total of 132 victories (not 133, as stated in most publications), and was awarded with the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.
It was during his stay in the Caucasus in the fall of 1942 that Grislawski taught the forthcoming top scorer Erich Hartmann the secrets of air combat. Grislawski was a hard teacher, and he invented Hartmann's nickname "Bubi" ("Little Boy").
Alfred Grislawski,
the tough son of a miner, never dreamt of becoming a pilot. He
only escaped hard work on the countryside by joining the Armed
Forces, and there he was posted to the Luftwaffe.
Hermann Graf's and Alfred Grislawski's 9. "Karayastaffel"/JG 52 developed into the most successful Jagdstaffel of the entire war. At the same time, the "Karaya-men" were notorious for their lacking discipline. In his foreword to the biography, Alfred Grislawski writes:
"In 1941 - 1943, the Karayastaffel was probably the most non-militaristic unit in the entire Wehrmacht."
The Karayastaffel was characterized by the friends' quartet Hermann Graf, Alfred Grislawski, Heinrich Füllgrabe, and Ernst Süss. Within this quarter, Graf and Grislawski stuck together closest, while Füllgrabe and Süss were inseparable. "They even went together to the 'Thunderbeam' (latrine)," Alfred Grislawski recalls.
The Karaya-mens' pranks alone could fill a volume. Once they drove a staff General completely out of his mind when he arrived to inspect their first-line makeshift airfield. On one occasion, one of the men in the quarter hi-jacked Generaloberst von Richthofen's Storch to fly an injured comrade to a field hospital.
A Reichsverteidigung Geschwaderkommodore threatened to have Grislawski court-martialled. When a large formation of U.S. bombers shortly afterward approached, a fighter leader decided to nullify the court-martial: "Grislawski must lead our fighters! Who else can lead?"
Alfred Grislawski developed into one of the most daring "Four-Engine Killers" of the Reichsverteidigung. In fact, he shot down at least one bomber on every single encounter with U.S. 8th Air Force's heavy bombers.
Only two of the "Karaya Quartet" survived. Ernst Süss was shot dead by U.S. Mustangs (the unit in question is known) while he hung in his parachute straps. Heinrich Füllgrabe was killed in action on the Eastern Front during the last days of the war.
After the war, Grislawski became one of the first German POWs to become released, because his interrogation officer found out that Grislawski had never joined the Hitler Jugend, nor the NSDAP. (For this reason, Grislawski also had never been awarded with Göring's Goblet of Honor.)
The biography on Hermann Graf and Alfred Grislawski is due to be published in 2002. It has been written in close cooperation with Alfred Grislawski. It will contain about 250 photos, most of which have never previously been published, plus many color profiles of the aircraft flown by Graf and Grislawski.
The following is an excerpt from the manuscript of the "double biography" on the two JG 52 aces and friends Hermann Graf and Alfred Grislawski.
"When Alfred Grislawski returned to his unit in early April 1943, it again was based in northwestern Caucasus - where German Army Group A had dug in to hold its positions in the so - called "Kuban bridgehead." The 7. Staffel had received a new Staffelkapitän, Oberleutnant Walter Krupinski, an absolutely reckless fighter pilot who nevertheless took great care in his subordinates.
Grislawski immediately was briefed of the situation. III./JG 52 had recently been shifted to Taman Airdrome from Nikolayev in the Ukraine, where it had been re-equipped after its heavy losses in equipment during the retreat from the Terek sector down south in the Caucasus. II./JG 52, based at Anapa, had held the positions in the air over the Kuban bridgehead since February 1943; its pilots had shot down a large number of Soviet aircraft, but it also had cost the Gruppe severe losses.
One of the II. Gruppe's pilots, Leutnant Helmut Lipfert, later recalled: "Things did not go well for II Gruppe at Anapa. There were few contacts with the enemy but many losses. And it was not just the beginners and young pilots who failed to return, but some of the old hands as well." It was obvious that the Soviets were gaining in on the German fighter pilots' initial advantage in air combat.
Grislawski knew that the first period at the frontline after a home leave was hazardous-that he had become slightly "rusty" - and he decided not to take any risks. He was very cautious during his first combat sorties after his return from his home leave. Most missions were free hunting or Stuka escort against the Soviet bridgehead at Myshako, behind the German main line west of Novorossiysk on the Kuban Bridgehead's southern coast. Although the Germans had concentrated a powerful air corps in the Kuban Bridgehead, achieving a numerical superiority, they were unable to assume control of the air as during the previous years.
The first encounters with Soviet pilots after his return from home leave convinced Grislawski that what he had been told by Krupinski was right, that the air fighting on the Eastern Front had grown more dangerous than ever.
On April 17, 1943 the Germans made a powerful attempt to neutralize the Soviet bridgehead at Myshako, Operation Neptun. The attack was preceded by a massive operations by 450 Stukas, bombers and ground-attack planes against the Soviet landing grounds. Throughout the day, German Fliegerkorps I carried out 1,560 sorties over the Kuban Bridgehead, mainly against Myshako. The Soviets, who by this time were inferior in numbers, could only mount 538 sorties that day. Nevertheless, the concentration of antiaircraft batteries that the Soviets had shipped in to Myshako since February 1943 met the assaulting German aircraft with a wall of steel and fire. Seven Stukas were shot down or returned to base with severe damage.
Two days later, Grislawski brought down his first Soviet aircraft - number ninety-five in total - since his return from home leave. On April 20, the men of JG 52 found some reason to celebrate, as 8./JG 52's famous Staffelkapitän, Oberleutnant Günther Rall, brought home his personal 116th and the Jagdgeschwader's five thousandth victory.
But although the most experienced fighter pilots continued to achieve impressing victory scores-II./JG 52's Leutnant Heinrich Sturm was credited with five kills on April 20-the air fighting grew more and more difficult each day. The Soviets were bringing in a steady flow of new aviation units, and they started to achieve a numerical superiority in the air. It also was evident that the Red Air Force had concentrated some of its most skillful airmen to this sector.
In the evening of April 20, Grislawski was hanging around in
the Staffel's command post. He had just written down the combat
report of his ninety-sixth victory, which had been achieved
against a LaGG-3 after a prolonged and most difficult air combat
near Myshako. The telehone rang. An Unteroffizier replied, and
then turned to Grislawski:
"Sir, it's for you."
Grislawski stood up and grabbed the receiver. He heard a voice
in the other end of the line:
"This is Kabisch."
Somewhat perplex, Grislawski replied impatiently:
"So? And what can I do for you?"
"This is Kabisch - Helmut Kabisch!"
Grislawski froze. Helmut Kabisch! He couldn't believe it. He
swallowed, and then he asked in a weak voice:
"Schleswig?"
"Yes, Schleswig!" the other one replied.
Helmut Kabisch was Grislawski's old friend from the recruit
training in Schleswig, back in the late 1930s. How could he be
phoning Grislawski out there in Russia?
"Man, Kabisch, where are you calling from?"
Helmut Kabisch replied with a confident tone:
"Well, from the first Gruppe. I've been posted here!"
Grislawski immediately felt that this was not good at all.
"Helmut, I'll come over to you immediately!" he said
and hung up.
I./JG 52 was stationed at the other end of Taman Airdrome.
Grislawski grabbed a bicycle and rapidly made it to the first
Gruppe's command post, located in a bus. He found his old friend
Kabisch waiting for him outside. They hugged, and it felt as if
the past four years were gone. Grislawski felt tears in his eyes,
but not tears of joy.
"Man, Kabisch!" he gasped. "Why have you come
here?"
Kabisch just shrugged his shoulders. "You know-war. . . I
volunteered for pilot training, just like you. . ."
"But that's different!" Grislawski exclaimed with
discontent.
Kabisch looked hurt.
"What do you mean? I'm a Feldwebel now, and. . ."
"That doesn't matter!" Grislawski interrupted him.
"How many sorties have you made?"
"About twenty-five."
Grislawski shook his head.
"Helmut," he almost whispered. "You stand with one
foot in the grave. This is no game, and things are no longer what
they used to be here in Russia."
"Oh, come on, Alfred!" Kabisch patted Grislawski's
back: "I just got my seventh. . ."
Feldwebel Helmut Kabisch, the old recruit trainer who had become
a fighter pilot, was immensely proud of his seven first
victories. The last one had been achieved against a LaGG-3 at
1620 hours on April 20, 1943.
But his rash attitude only increased Grislawski's preoccupation.
"These damned greenhorns," Grislawski thought.
"And now Kabisch too!"
"Look, Helmut!" Grislawski yelled. "Forget about
all that rubbish with easy victories! You have to be damned
cautious!"
Then he pulled Kabisch, who looked both disappointed and
surprised, aside. When he was sure that no one was listening, he
said:
"I have a suggestion, and I hope you will follow it. This is
no place for a beginner! But I've got some connections. I can
contact Hermann Graf, and he will use his influence to have you
transferred to my gang. There I will be able to watch over you!
You have to get at least fifty combat sorties before you've got
any chance at all!"
But Kabisch wasn't intrigued at all by his old friend's
suggestion. "Come on, Alfred," he said and sighed.
"I don't need any babysitter. And besides of that, I've been
with the second Staffel for a couple of weeks, and they all are
swell guys."
With a feeling of hopelessness, Grislawski made another try:
"Helmut, those swell guys will all be gone in fourteen days,
or you will be gone! You might just as well go pick a suitable
coffin right now. I guarantee that only under my wings will you
be able to survive fifty sorties!"
But Kabisch's pride would not allow him to accept the proposal. Grislawski felt deeply sad when he returned to his biletting.
April 21, 1943 was filled with heavy air fighting over Myshako. It was evident that Operation Neptun was a failure. Shortly before six in the morning, 7./JG 52 tangled with a formation of the new Soviet La-5 fighters. Grislawski managed to single out one and sent it plummeting to the ground as his ninety-seventh victory.
Soviet
fighter pilot Vadim Fadeyev achieved 21 personal victories before
he was shot down and killed by a Bf 109 on May 5, 1943.
On the Soviet side, the Lend-Lease Airacobra fighter planes of 16 GIAP (former 55 IAP, which had been adopted a Guards unit) and 45 IAP were in the forefront during the air combats throughout the day. These unit was two of III./JG 52's old enemies, since the battles over the Mius Front in late 1941, the Kerch Peninsula in May 1942, and the war in southern Caucasus during the previous fall. By now, both units had developed into two of the most experienced VVS regiments. The two most famous 45 IAP aces were the two Glinka brothers, Boris and Dmitriy. The latter, a Starshiy Leytenant, had been shot down by 7./JG 52's Jupp Zwernemann on April 15, 1943. But Dmitriy Glinka soon was back in action again. He had already been recommended to be appointed a Hero of the Soviet Union, and on April 21, he bagged his twenty-first German aircraft. 16 GIAP, mustering the later so well-known Kapitan Aleksandr Pokryshkin, Grigoriy Rechkalov, and Starshiy Leytenant Vadim Fadeyev in its ranks, chalked up fifty-seven victories in the Kuban skies between April 9 and 20, 1943.
On April 21, 2./JG 52's Feldwebel Helmut Kabisch barely survived a hail of bullets from a Soviet fighter during an air combat north of Kabardinka. It is possible that he fell victim of 16 GIAP's Vadim Fadeyev, who claimed a Bf 109 3 - 4 km north of Kabardinka. Grislawski received information that Kabisch had been sent to hospital with severe wounds. . .
After his recovery, Feldwebel Kabisch returned to 2./JG 52 on the Eastern Front. Grislawski's dismal prophecy would come true. On September 1, 1943 a Soviet Il-2's rear gunner put an end to Helmut Kabisch's life. . ."
More text & photos, details
about the book you can discover on authors page:
http://www.graf-grislawski.elknet.pl/
Grislawski and his Messerschmitt Bf 109. Please note victory bars.
2001.10.21, © WW II Ace Stories.