Knights Cross holder, Josef "Sepp" Wurmheller (left on photo above), Staffel Kapitan of 9./JG2 grabs a cigarette with his III/JG 2 crew chief, Lt. Jung, after a mission against marauding RAF "Spitfires". Wurmheller gained 102 victories (9 on Eastern Front, 93 on Western Front including at least 13 four engined bombers).
Born in Oberbayern in 1917, Josef Wurmheller joined 2./JG 53 as an Unteroffizier in 1939. On 30 September 1939, some Messerschmitt 109s of I./JG 53 met a formation of five Fairey "Battle" bombers near Saarbrücken. The bombers had been sent out from 150th squadron of the British AASF on armed reconnaissance. In a twenty minutes' uneven combat, the Germans claimed five bombers shot down - one of them by Unteroffizier Wurmheller, who thus scored his first kill. After this defeat, the British cancelled all air patrols across the German border.
Wurmheller served as an instructor from November 1939, returning to combat duty with 5./JG 53 in June 1940. During the Battle of Britain Wurmheller survived twice being shot down over the Channel and raised his score with no more than three. Having been shot down into the "Kanal" in a Bf 109 E-4 (W.Nr. 5212) on 23 November 1940, he was locked into hospital until March 1941.
His first real success came on 7 May 1941, as Josef Wurmheller (now transferred to 5./JG 53 and promoted to Feldwebel) managed to shoot down two "Spitfires" within one minute - his victories Nos. 9 and 10. After a short time at the Eastern Front, where he claimed 9 victories in Russia, flying the Bf 109 F-2, "black 3 + -", he was sent back to the English Channel - to III./JG 2 "Richthofen" - in July 1941. Joined the II./JG 2 "Richthofen" at the end of July 1941, possibly flying with the Stab.
Presentation of Wurmheller's kills, summer 1943. 60
kills + more: first row of beams symbolized 9 Spitfire kills,
below 4 B-17 victories. In this period he began his commanding of
9,/JG 2.
During the following months, "Sepp" Wurmheller would develop into one of the most dangerous adversaries for the RAF on the "Channel Front". Having brought down another six British aircraft, "Sepp" was promoted to Oberfeldwebel and awarded the Knight's Cross on 24 September 1941. By the time he was awarded the Knight's Cross, he had achieved a total score of 32 victories. After that he was once again assigned to a flying instructor position. Wurmheller returned to combat duty in May 1942, joining 1./JG 2 with Rudi Pflanz. In May 1942 he shot down 10 RAF aircraft, the following month another 12.
His most successful day was during the landing at Dieppe on 19 August 1942: Despite a crash landing during which he broke a leg and suffered a concussion, Wurmheller kept flying in combat all day long. By the end of the day, he had knocked seven British aircraft out of the Dieppe skies with his FW 190s.
Following his 60th victory on 20 August 1942, he was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross in November 1942. He was now made officer with Leutnant's rank. On 1 April 1943, Wurmheller was appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 2. On 17 May 1943, Wurmheller scored his 70th victory and on 8 March 1944 he downed his 90 enemy. On 8 June 1944 he was promoted to Major and took over the III./JG 2. During the difficult battles in the Normandie skies, Major Wurmheller achieved his three last victories - Nos. 100 (on 16 June 1944), 101 and 102, all but nine achieved against "Western" enemies.
On 22 June 1944, the Luftwaffe launched 427 fighter and 80 bomber sorties on the invasion front. Against 19 reported victories, 28 aircraft were lost - and together with them, 15 airmen were killed. Among them was Major Josef Wurmheller, who went down after a collision with his wingman. He crashed on 22 June 1944 while flying an FW 190 A-8, W.Nr. 171 053.
Through the late summer of 1943 Lt. Josef Wurmheller flew 2 FW 190s coded "yellow 2 + |". One, an A-5, WNr. 57 334, would display as many as 80 victories. This also was adorned with the JG2 black eagle. Wrecked on 29 July 1943 when hit by another FW 190A-5. The color profile of this plane is visible below - 9./JG2, Beaumont airfield, France, June 1943.
The other, an A-6, W.Nr. 550 314 would display at least 78 victories. This machine was destroyed on the ground at Vannes in an Allied air raid on 23 September 1943.
1998.05.31, © WW II Ace Stories.