Wednesday 7 February 2018

Messerschmitt Bf.109G, Hungarian Users, part three

The Bf.109G was the main aircraft of the Royal Hungarian Air Force. It was piloted by Sgt./Maj. István Fábián who was a veteran of almost 100 combat missions. During the last months of the war, he managed to cut a swathe through Soviet ranks, as he claimed 8 victoried between November 1944 and April 1945. Two of those came on 19th February 1945 when he shot down two La-5s whilst at the controls of the machine depicted below. He's considered as one of the best wingmen of the war and he was also one of the first Hungarians to receive the Iron Cross First Class.
Fábián was promoted to the rank of Ensign on 12th March 1945 and the following day he shot down a Soviet Il-2 south-west of Pázmánd, in Hungary while flying his aircraft. Shortly later, on 16th April, his aircraft, marked with a yellow eleven number, was destroyed in an strafing attack made by the USAAF.
József Málik was one of the youngest pilots of the 101st squadron and, with the aircraft depicted, he shot down a Soviet Douglas Boston making it his 9.5 kill on 9th March 1945 at the south-east of the besieged Hungarian airfield at Várpalota. He claimed his last victory, a Yak-9, before losing his life during a low-level strafing attack by USAAF's P-51s on Raffleding airfield, the last base of the 101st Squadron, on 16th April 1945.
Corporal/Major Ernö Kiss was a veteran of the Eastern front who scored five kills while with 101/2 fighter squadron durign 1943-1944 receiving the Iron Cross Second Class for his actions. On 17th April 1945, he scored the last Hungarian aerial kill of the World War 2 with his Bf.109G-10/U4 that had survived the strafing attack. He had to burn his machine later to prevent it to be captured.










Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history#Combat_service_with_Hungary
2. Osprey - Aircraft of the Aces 50 - Hungarian Aces of World War II

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