SOLD
3,000.00USD+ (585.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2010 May 01 @ 16:21UTC-5 : EST/CDT
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This lot consists of World War II Luftwaffe ace Horst PetzschlerÆs tunic and a collection of his personal effects. Horst Petzschler was born on 1 September 1921 in Berlin. PetzschlerÆs interest in flight began at an earlier age. As a teenager Petzschler received government sponsored youth glider training in the late 1930s and completed an apprenticeship as a toolmaker with Henschel Flugzeugwerke A.G. at Schoneld before joining the Luftwaffe at age nineteen in April 1941. After receiving NCO training, Master Sergeant Petzschler reported to Flugzeugfuhrerschule A/B-10 at Grottau in September 1941. After receiving his pilotÆs license, he entered flight schools at Oels and Olau and was assigned to a fighter school squadron located in Villacoublay, France. Still in training, Petzschler experienced combat for the first time in May 1943 when he and his other squadron mates encountered United States Army Air Force Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses on a bombing run over Guyancourt, France. (Incidentally, one of the B-17s was the famous Memphis Belle flown by Colonel Robert Morgan.) The chance to observe American bomber formations in action allowed German fighter pilot trainees the opportunity to gain a first person account of American bomber defensive tactics. Petzschler would intercept other bomber formations before finishing most of his training in the Focke-Wulf Fw 190-A2. In late summer/early fall of 1943, Petzschler was transferred to JG 5 based at Smolensk. PetzschlerÆs primary role was tank busting, flying high and low level attacks against Russian armor in support of German troops. During his first mission, however, Petzschler was shot down for the first time by Russian flak. He was rescued by a German tank crew from the 3rd SS Panzer Division and quickly returned to flying sorties against the Russians. In all Petzschler flew 126 fighter-bomber missions and received three aerial victories before being transferred to JG 3 "Udet" near Madeburg, Germany.
From the first week of April 1944 to the last week of May Petzschler intercepted American bomber formations. Flying a total of twelve missions in a Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 he shot down a B-17 Flying Fortress, a B-24 Liberator and two P-51 Mustangs, with himself being shot down once by a Mustang and receiving extensive damage from American fighters necessitating forced lands on two separate occasions. On May 28th, Petzschler and about 330 other Bf 109 and Fw 190 pilots were scrambled on Ascension Day to in intercept 1,200 American four-engine bombers escorted by nearly 700 fighters. During the aerial battle, the American 352nd Fighter Group attacked Petzschler and his wingman Unteroffizer Herdy. American pilot Captain Woody Anderson shot down and killed Herdy. Anderson flew over Petzschler enabling Petzschler to shoot down Anderson. Petzschler was then attacked from behind and shot down by AndersonÆs wingman. After surviving the bailout of his disabled Bf 109, Petzschler was gladly transferred back to the Russian front. Flying both the Fw 190 and Bf 109 with the Stabsstaffel JG Molders, PetzschlerÆs second tour concentrated on downing Russian aircraft and his aerial victories rose steadily before being transferred to Liegnitz/Siesia to train 28 bomber pilots to be fighter pilots in September 1944. From February through May 1945, Petzschler served with the 10th Squadron JG 51 in Danzig near Pillau Konigsberg. During this tour, Petzschler and his squadron flew against the French unit that was fighting for the Russians known as the Air Regiment "Normandie-Neimen". One of the French airmen was the top French ace of WWII, Marcel Albert. On 4 May 1945, Petzschler flew to an Allied airfield in hopes of surrendering to American forces. The airfield, however, was actually in Sweden. The Swedish government transferred Petzschler to the Soviet Union. Horst Petzschler flew 297 combat missions, received 26 confirmed aerial victories and was shot down 13 times (11 crash lands and two bailouts). He was awarded the Iron Cross (1st and 2nd class), the Golden Fighter Clasp as he passed 150 frontline sorties and the Goblet of Honor for surpassing 250 missions. He was eventually released from a Soviet prison on 22 September 1949. After his release, Petzschler returned to Germany and joined the Berlin police force, but soon returned to aircraft manufacturing, his pre-war profession. Having been employed by various aircraft firms such as Boeing, Lear, Northrop and Beechcraft he finally retired in 1988. PetzschlerÆs four pocket Luftwaffe tunic is constructed out of blue-gray wool. The tunic has the oberfeldwebel rank collar insignia and shoulder tabs with flight or fallschirmjager golden yellow Waffenfarbe and the embroidered Luftwaffe eagle and swastika. The tunic is adorned with a day fighter flight bar in bronze with black winged arrow, a pilot badge, Iron Cross 1st class, Iron Cross 2nd class ribbon bar, and Jagdgeschwader Molders cuff-title in black. The tunic is complete with a leather belt featuring the Luftwaffe combat belt buckle. This lot also includes several of PetzschlerÆs personal effects. A civil gliding "C" certificate badge with three birds enclosed in a circle. This badge was awarded for making a five minute flight without loosing height and passing an oral examination. His personal German identification card that was the only document (besides the dog tags) an airman was to carry with him during a sortie. Several identification papers he had during his time in the Soviet Union. Finally, his German pilotÆs license dated 1942. Accompanying this lot is the following: A reproduction Third Reich presentation sword with a blue leather covered scabbard. The scabbard has an inscription plate at the throat: "OFW. HORST PETZSCHLER / 1999 GUEST SPEAKER / MICH. CO. MILITARY HISTORIANS". An unframed print of Robert BaileyÆs "Tiger Tracks" (24/25) with PetzschlerÆs signature. A framed signed Tom Bailey original canvas oil painting of (approx 18"x36") PetzschlerÆs Bf 109 titled "The Last Flight; / 5/4/1945 / Horst W. Petzschler / 10. Staffel JG 51 / æMoldersÆ", which is hand signed by Horst Petzschler. A signed Sid Eells original canvas oil painting of Petzschler. The portrait is in a 23 3/4"x19 3/4" frame. Three VHS tapes (The Doctor of Stalingrad, Brute Force/ Blitzkrieg/ Luftwaffe with Horst Petzschler, and An Oral History: Horst Petzschler Subject: World War II German Luftwaffe Pilot), several other contemporary paper items with Petzschler signature, Gebhard Aders and Werner HeldÆs book "CHRONIK JAGDGESCHWADER 51 MOLDERS" and Mike Coenen and Robert BaileyÆs book of artist sketches entitled "ROBERT BAILEY: A BRUSH WITH HISTORY", which features the artistÆs renditions of Petzschler in combat and some of PetzschlerÆs own wartime experiences in his own words.
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The wool of the tunic is very good with some scattered moth type small holes and a few larger holes (mostly on the back and back of right sleeve). The interior lining is fair with loss of material. The eagle/swastika shows some minor wear. All buttons, insignia, and decorations are all present and are original. BaileyÆs Bf 109 oil painting is very good with an indentation in the center and most of the oil paint remaining. PetzschlerÆs portrait is excellent. The presentation sword and scabbard is fine with minor handling marks on the leather and metal. "Tiger Tracks" is excellent as rolled.
Auction Location:
4507 49th Avenue, Moline, Illinois, 62165-7578, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview: Open to the public Thursday, April 29th from 10 AM to 6 PM Friday, April 30th from 8 AM to 10 AM Saturday, May 1st from 8 AM to 10 AM Sunday, May 2nd from 8 AM to 10 AM
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
19.5% |
Additional Fees:
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Payment Details:
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19. Limitation of Liability. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED ABOVE, ALL PROPERTY IS SOLD “AS IS”. ROCK ISLAND AUCTION COMPANY NOR THE CONSIGNOR MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS OR CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY OR AS TO THE CORRECTNESS OF DESCRIPTION, GENUINENESS, ATTRIBUTION, PROVENANCE OR PERIOD OF THE PROPERTY OR AS TO WHETHER THE PURCHASER ACQUIRES ANY COPYRIGHTS OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN LOTS SOLD OR AS TO WHETHER A WORK OF ART IS SUBJECT TO THE ARTIST’S MORAL RIGHTS OR OTHER RESIDUAL RIGHTS OF THE ARTIST. ALL FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION ARE SOLD AS COLLECTOR LOTS ONLY. FITNESS TO FIRE OR OTHERWISE DISCHARGE THE ARM OR AMMUNITION IS EXPRESSLY DENIED BY ROCK ISLAND AUCTION COMPANY. A COMPETENT GUNSMITH SHOULD BE CONSULTED BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE OR FIRE ANY FIREARM OR AMMUNITION. THE PURCHASER EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL ROCK ISLAND AUCTION COMPANY BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY COMPENSATORY, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.