I am a glider pilot from Germany and had the honor of having a BF-109 pilot as a meteorology teacher! Great man who told us a lot about the war. Everyone always listened eagerly! I still remember when he was visited by a former RAF Spitfire pilot! The two were the best of friends! It's hard to believe that they were worst enemies back then! May they rest in peace!
I think that most of these pilots were simply doing their duty to protect their respective countries. I don't think there was a lot of animosity between them even during the war. There are a number of tales of chivalry between pilots from WWII during combat. Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
@AirCombatJournal Of course I also know that they didn't all hate each other. However, it was so unreal to me! You know the madness of World War II and then you see yourself these two men hugging and drinking beer like old friends! That really touched me and you just think about it! Do you know what i mean? I don't know the interview with Gottfried Dulias yet! I'll definitely check it out! Thanks for the suggestion! I have now subscribed to your channel! Best regards!
@AirCombatJournal I think that what you're talking about is entirely accurate in the ETO. I mean if I think about it, and not to make it too much of a racial thing, but it was largely Caucasians versus Caucasians, Germanic people versus largely Germanic people. So the hatred that was so apparent in the Pacific Theater did not exist to that extent in the European theater. With the exception of the burning hatred the Nazis had for the Jews. But in both theaters you had the arrogance of opposing ideologies. The Nazis had the Aryan race ideology. Therefore Jews, gypsies, Russians Etc were all subhuman and treated as such. The Japanese had their God Emperor with the perverted form of Bushido and Samurai where anybody other than the Japanese was subhuman, therefore they were treated as such in battle, in the POW camps, and against civilians. There was zero chivalry in the Pacific Theater. No Quarter was asked and no quarter was given.
I meet this man on line in about 1990 and we became sort of "PEN PALS",,,,,we wrote many times to each other and he talk about the war ( particularly air combat )....he was very generous with his time and would sent me many photos with his autograph on them....unfortunately I didn't save all his letters....but I did save some, I did save all of his photos and have them in my pilots album..while we were talking, he told me that he was the" wing man" for Walter Bohatsch... who was living in Canada...Bohatsch also mention in this video was his commander... Through these 2 men, I've had the honor to meet many other WW2 German pilots....Horst die in 2011....I found him to be a gentleman of the highest order.....may he rest in peace....
YOu were lucky to have corresponded with him for so long! He was a great man. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. Please check ot my other WWII interviews on this channel.
You are very fortunate! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Defininitely one of the most engaging and humorous interviews I've seen with a Luftwaffe pilot. I love the 'He had haemorrhoids while he waited for the Me-262' story.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments. It was interesting how "health concerns" could change your fate in the Luftwaffe. As you heard, Horst also gamed the system. He was a delightful man. I hope you will check out my other interviews, and please subscribe if you have not already done so.
Me too! I'm glad you appreciate this format. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
I'm glad you like this format. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that your will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
I'm glad you appreciate this format. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
My dad had great respect for the German pilots, he felt they had a job to do and they were good at it. However he never chuckled or laughed talking about his wartime experiences as a Lancaster tail gunner. His plane was badly shot-up on one mission by a night fighter over Berlin and suffered damage and injuries on others. I guess there are different coping mechanisms for some veterans, my dad had a much simpler one, he was called ‘the fighting Irishman’ by his crew, and trust me it was a well deserved title.
I met Horst in Dallas TX sometime in the 1990's at a gun show. He had a table was was selling a book about The Luft in Sweden that featured him and his ME-109 on several pages. Very interesting gentlemen. He signed is book to me and had a couple of other pieces of artwork that he signed.
Very good video contribution. Many thanks to Herr Petzschler for the very interesting memories that he told as a contemporary witness in an exciting and entertaining way.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Jesus..my Grandfather was taken prisoner by the German 90th Light at Alemein (he was a "mere" Rifleman in The Rifle Brigade..the 2nd Bn) and from a child he spoke openly ("warts an' all") about the war and especially about his treatment by the Germans. He was a man of his generation that felt as a Rifleman..he had done little in the war..HOWEVER..His experiences inspired me to become soldier from a very early age..the more dreadful the story(ies) he told me..the more I wanted it! The comradeship, the humour (humor for you across the pond) both light and black...I joined the British Army in 1987 and served on tanks and reconnaissance armour...and I TOO experienced THAT feeling of being AT ONE.... Now where am I going with this you may ask? Well having had my Grandfather on "both sides of the fence" He spoke incredibly well of his treatment by the front line Germans AND Italians..he was always dismayed and upset that German Veterans could not celebrate (due to laws etc prohibiting their meetings due to "Nazi" soldiers having a meeting etc) This man here has spoken openly and honestly..listen back at his Spanish Civil War chat about the "Lindon" lot..no one knows about them do they? What about hearing about the ones that went to fight the war FOR Franco? (Remember..Franco of the Fascists WON! and still people went there to Spain for holidays until and after his death) Look at Tito...a Communist..all their HARD currency was Deutche Marks! Because Germans went there... This man..a true fighter..and a pilot has opened his mind and heart to you (as the internet world) It is humbling as well as educational.
You know your history! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Gathering this content is such important work. There will come a time when the generation from the war is no longer around, and the world will then only have what is left in terms of interviews and documents. Good work.
Thank you for your encouragement. I saw the value of recording these oral histories years ago, but could never find a venue for them. PBS told me they already had too much WWII content. I'm happy to have now found a home on TH-cam where I can share these stories with the people who appreciate our history and those who made it. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
@@AirCombatJournal No problem, such content and work demands respect and also appreciation. In future years such content will matter more, so keep going!
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I believe that the best history is that which comes straight from the mouths of those who lived it. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
He was an extremely resilient man! Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
As a retired pilot i love these interviews with old pilots of germany and Japanese air force, i enjoyed listening to this German pilot tell his story,they like the us do what they have to when pilots are needed to fill ranks
Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Steely-eyed, tough old bird, who knew what he was doing, even under the extreme pressure that was Luftwaffe Air Defence at the end of WW2. Must also have had the luck of the devil to survive all that.
He was an extremely resilient man. I think most of our WWII veterans (here and abroad) had a certain amount of resiliency that is rarely seen today outside some of our current military people.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Jaa! My relative here in Finland flow your me 109´s against russians during that fateful year 1944. He visited Germany to pick up the planes couple of times far as I know.Who knows you and him past each other there back then. I was not there but that horror of war should not be forgotten.
Thay may have crossed paths, who knows!? Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
I have had several complaints about the "pilot on the microphone" sound effects, and I appreciate every comment! Doing the "radio voice" actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. It will save me a little more production time. Thank you for helping to make this program better! Someone also complained that I deleted someone's comment. I have not deleted ANY comments, and to be truthful, I don't even know HOW to delete a comment. I'm guessing it was something hateful or non-PC and the TH-cam algorithm deleted it.
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
It is my goal to let you hear the history from the guys who lived it; not from a historian with all the opinions and politics. This is the real deal! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
Thank you for stumbling to my channel! I'm glad you found it. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
I totally agree. There was a certain amount of chivalry in the air war during WWII. These guys loved flying, and they were all just defending their respective countries. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments. I hope you will check out my other interviews and subscribe to this channel.
@@AirCombatJournal I totally agree. Thank you for your reply and suggestion. I have indeed subscribed and switched on the bell. God Bless All. Over n Out.
Pierre Clostermanns book The Big Show (1951) is an epic read and he mentions an ME 262 flight that surrendered at his station airfield in the final days of the war. They entertained the pilots in the Chateau in which they were billeted including swimming in the owners Pool ! Pierre commented that while bathing he noticed on German pilot had scars criss crossing his back from crash landings and bailouts, he had been shot down something like 13 or 14 times ! .
Is fascinating hearing the detailed content from these magnificent pilots. Yes, they were the enemy during the war. Though in my humble opinion, were of the highest calibre people.
Yes, they were. I think there was a certain amount of chivalry in the air war; NOT so much in the ground war. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
My goal is to let you hear it from the guys who actually lived it; not from a historian who packs history with opinions and politics. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Horst was a delight to interview; he was so full of life. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
@@AirCombatJournal Will do. I'm a Yank who's lived most of his life in Switzerland & speak German (I'm a professional tandem paragliding pilot here in Zermatt - my father was a Major in the US Air Force, flew B-52s in Vietnam - very similar sounding stories to Horst, although Horst sounded utterly amazing).
Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Thank you for your encouragement, thanks for watching, and thank you also for your positive comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
In the fragment about the Allied attack on the refinery in Upper Silesia (it was probably about Blachownia Ślaska, German name Blechahammer) in the 1980s, my older workmate told me that as a little boy he observed a large stream of Allied bombers over Silesia, undisturbed by the Lufwaffe, flying towards the bombing sites and at one point 2 German fighters appeared, one of which immediately turned back and the other flew after it in about half a minute. Maybe it was Horst's plane?
It could have been! Who knows... Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
A math professor at the University of Arizona (circa 1980) was Bristish citizen and his job in the RAF during the war was to test fly captured German aircraft. One day, he had to test fly a recovered Stuka dive bomber. He put it in a dive, but then couldn't pull out (it wouldn't let him), until he got below a certain low altitude. They discovered that it had a lock mechanism that was based upon an altimeter. After that flight, he began drinking heavily for the rest of the war.
It's sad when flying airplanes causes one to turn to the bottle. I hope whe was able to keep flying but give up drinking. Thank you for your comments. Also thank you for watching, and please check out my other WWII stories on this channel.
I always get a kick out of listening to a German trying to pronounce a word with a "w" in it. You had a couple of great questions (they were all at least good, just incase anyone thinks otherwise) that caught my ear, like whether or not he'd roam around looking for loose formations, just an interesting question. Another that caught my attention was...hell I don't what you asked but it got him talking about the Lincoln Brigade and the stigma they faced. I'd never herd of them. It's odd how they weren't remembered for fighting the Fascists/Nazis but for fighting with the Communists. That McCarthy was one sorry S.O.B, he didn't care who he hurt or lives he ruined. Ohh, you got my Sub.:-)
The question regarding looking for loose formations was to support the claim by the members of the Bloody 100th Bomb Group that they flew loose formations, and THAT'S why the Germans singled them out...NOT because one of their pilots faked a surrender to 3 German fighters and then proceeded to shoot them down when they were at point blank range... It is a known fact that this fake surrender did occur. It is also a known fact that if you fly a very tight formation, the Germans cannot fly through it to break up the formation and single out bombers. Also a tight formation gave the groups incredible defensive firepower. The German fighters wanted nothing of tight formations. THANK YOU for subscribing! I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel.
THAT would have been an AWESOME interview! What a great experience for you! I'm wondering which of his 13 shoot-downs it was. Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
He was extremely resilient; a survivor. I think it took a certain kind of mindset to live through what he did and not lose his sanity. It could also have to do with his faith. He was a very tough and courageous man. Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
I think that most of these WWII veteran are at peace with their pasts, despite horrible treatment during the war. My heart goes out to those vets who never could get past their war experiences. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
He lived in Canada and the U.S. for a very long time. His German accent still gives him away! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Horst says “ Werner Molders lost a leg and a half and was climbing mountains in Argentina “. Well, he was forbidden to participate in combat (and still did in a training fashion) . His transport 111 crashed … as inspector of the fighters…. They tried to land in a thunderstorm… going to Udets funeral. After Udet committed suicide So… the story here is history… would be a wonderful thing , if only it were true.
Listen to it again, he was talking about Hans-Ulrich Rudel, and he was correct, Rudel even wrote a book about his adventures in Argentina called "Von den Stukas zu den Anden", he talked about Werner Mölders earlier in the video.
Thanks for your comments. Thank you, @R.Lennartz for your clarification! Thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews and subscribe to this channel.
Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Thanks for this other side to the story. My father-in-law was two and one-half years in Russia, six months on the western front and a year and a half in various hospitals, discharged as 50% fit. Medical care in Germany at that time was primitive or non-existent.
I'm glad he survived. He must have been really tough! It is sad, however, that his health was taken from him by the Russians. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Part 2 is coming out tomorrow and will answer your question. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so. Horrido!
I'm delighted that you like the interview format, and I appreciate your comment regarding the background music. All cable and broadcast programming today has a music bed in the background. I have music for two reasons: 1, it augments the narrative, and 2, it makes it harder for unscrupulous people to rip off my interview footage, as they cannot match the music under it. Although the interviews are copyrighted, this does not keep some people from trying to clone the footage for their own use. So far I have had about 50,000 views on my 9 programs. I did ramp the music down after the first two programs (I did not mix the music on them, and it was way too loud). Since mixing the music myself, I have only had 3 out of 50,000 complain about the music. I appreciate your comment, but for now, the music will stay.
I think you will find that Molders was killed in a Heinkel He 111 that was taking him to the funeral of Udet, who had committed suicide. At the time Molders was the Inspector of Fighters.
Thank you for the clarification on the demise of both Molders and Udet. Also thank you for watching! Please check out muy other WWII stories on this channel.
Boys will be boys! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
May I make a suggestion. The radio voice was cool for a minute but loses it's novelty quickly. Maybe don't use it for every voiceover, maybe the first ones then the last and in between just have the words up for a few seconds. Love the content tho!!!
I really appreciate your feedback on this! I had several others who said they could do without it, and as it takes extra effort in the production process, I stopped doing the "radio" voice effect with Horst's second part. There are nine preceeding interviews on my channel with the effect, but from here out it will be clean audio. Yes, I do respond to all my viewers, and where appropriate, I will make changes to the show. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
@@AirCombatJournal Subscribed! Looking forward to to more content. Im jelous of the fact you got to talk to these vets. I spoke to Galland at an art show for Robert Taylor once. My family knew Papy Boyington so I got to see and talk to him on a few occasions.
Thank you for your feedback. If you are referring to the static and radio effects in the title pages, I will gladly get rid of it. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better!
I am getting rid of the radio effect/static over my narration. I think this will help a lot. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
German pilots were excellent piots of the highest order, for them there were no limits for missions they flew until the war was over, or they were killed or incapacitated.
It was pretty much the same for the British pilots defending England. The American pilots were in and out (or shot down and/or killed.) Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
He was a jolly guy and full of life. I had a very enjoyable interview with him. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
One thing that would help your videos is to get rid of the annoying "pilot-on-the-microphone" talk! Otherwise, it's interesting to hear retired German pilots talk!
Thank you for your feedback. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better!
The designer of the 109 was Willi Messerschmitt, which is why the aircraft is also called the Me 109 and was manufactured by Bayrische Flugzeugwerke (Bf). In 1938, Bayrische Flugzeugwerke was renamed Messerschmitt AG. (from @achim3866) I did some research from my collection of WWII air combat non-fiction books, and this is what I learned. All the books that were written by American pilots or authors refer to the aircraft as "ME-109" or Me-109." Those books authored or co-authored by German pilots refer to the aircraft as "Bf-109." The United States Air Force Museum also refers to the aircraft as a Bf-109, and this is probably because their research into the aircraft was based on German perspectives. In short, if it is an American source, the aircraft is referred to as "ME-109 or Me-109" and if it is a German source, it is "Bf-109." I will stand by my designation as ME-109, but concede that if I were a German producer (and half of my heritage is German) I would designate it as Bf-109. Here is the list of books that refer to ME-109 (or Me-109): Another Bowl of Kapusta (Gottfried's book) Jimmy Steward: Bomber pilot B-17s over Berlin: Personal Stories from the 95th Bomb Group Yeager Fortress without a Roof Target Berlin The Wild Blue Maurader Man The War in the Air Here is the list with the designation Bf-109 Gunther Rall: a Memoir A Higher Call United States Air Force Museum
The German fighter pilots (as well as the British fighter pilots) didn't get any breaks until the war was over. They were flying non-stop to protect their homelands. The American pilot shad it much easier. At least their duty tours had an end in sight. Thank you for your feedback, and thank you for watching. I believe that the best history is that which comes straight from the mouths of those who lived it. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
The latter American B-17G had a “chin turret” to combat the Luftwaffe’s head-on attacks. Yes the American 8th Air Force initially suffered heavy losses, but then they could afford too. In sustaining heavy loses, the Germans lost the cream of their best fighter pilots.
The chin turret was what pretty much turned the tide of the air war; plus, of course, the external drop tanks on the fighters that permitted them to escort the bombers to the target and back. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching! Please check out my other WWII stories on this channel.
I never saw the interview with Robin Olds, but now I kinda feel like I should! Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
I'm delighted that you like the interview format, and I appreciate your comment regarding the background music. All cable and broadcast programming today has a music bed in the background. I have music for two reasons: 1, it augments the narrative, and 2, it makes it harder for unscrupulous people to rip off my interview footage, as they cannot match the music under it. Although the interviews are copyrighted, this does not keep some people from trying to clone the footage for their own use. So far I have had about 60,000 views on my 9 programs. I did ramp the music down after the first two programs (I did not mix the music on them, and it was way too loud). Since mixing the music myself, I have only had 4 out of 60,000 complain about the music. I really do appreciate your feedback, but for now, the music will stay.
He was a tough old bird! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe! Did you see my interview with Gottfried Dulias, another Me-109 pilot? He had an even more harrowing Gulag story.
Amen! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
I think a lot of these vets had no animosity after the war. Perhaps that is a bit like sports. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
I'm not sure if you saw this comment, so here it is again if you already saw it... The designer of the 109 was Willi Messerschmitt, which is why the aircraft is also called the Me 109 and was manufactured by Bayrische Flugzeugwerke (Bf). In 1938, Bayrische Flugzeugwerke was renamed Messerschmitt AG. (from @achim3866) I did some research from my collection of WWII air combat non-fiction books, and this is what I learned. All the books that were written by American pilots or authors refer to the aircraft as "ME-109" or Me-109." Those books authored or co-authored by German pilots refer to the aircraft as "Bf-109." The United States Air Force Museum also refers to the aircraft as a Bf-109, and this is probably because their research into the aircraft was based on German perspectives. In short, if it is an American source, the aircraft is referred to as "ME-109 or Me-109" and if it is a German source, it is "Bf-109." I will stand by my designation as ME-109, but concede that if I were a German producer (and half of my heritage is German) I would designate it as Bf-109. Here is the list of books that refer to ME-109 (or Me-109): Another Bowl of Kapusta (Gottfried's book) Jimmy Steward: Bomber pilot B-17s over Berlin: Personal Stories from the 95th Bomb Group Yeager Fortress without a Roof Target Berlin The Wild Blue Maurader Man The War in the Air Here is the list with the designation Bf-109: Gunther Rall: a Memoir A Higher Call United States Air Force Museum
@@AirCombatJournal Thank you. With a strong German background I find that most of my perspective comes from a European angle. My mom was born in Berlin and lived through WWII as a child. Dad's older brothers fought in the war and all of that played into my interest and research into the air war. I will continue my education into that subject matter as I thoroughly enjoy that part of our history in flight.
That sound effect went away on the next video (part 2 of Horst's interview) and will not re-appear. Thank you for your feedback.. I hope you will watch the other interviews on this AIr Combat Journal Channel.
Always surprises me how rare it is for German vets to show any remorse or regrets about fighting in WW2. For them, it really was just a game of cricket I guess.
That voice effect has been cancelled starting with Horst's second part. I had a few others complain about it. Truthfully, it adds another step to the production process, and I was glad to discontinue it. Yes, I DO read my viewers' feedback, and when appropriate, I do make changes to better the program. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Difference between a REAL pilot like this guy (an many others) and a DEI pilot in a current airline. DEI pilot history: Uhh... I was hangin about at a 7 eleven and someone said "hey girl, why aint you pickin up on that airplane thing that's goin on?! And guess what? They gonna put me in a big jet front seat no matter what I do!
Hey we’re dealing with the Best Generation here . All of these guys were “Over Achievers” no one in this day and age could come close to what these guys were !
Can you be more specific? If there is a problem with the playback, I need to know what to fix. Thank you for your feedback, and thank you for watching. I believe that the best history is that which comes straight from the mouths of those who lived it. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
@@AirCombatJournal that first video the interruptions were very distracting because it sounded like you were talking into a can. I'm assuming you were trying to make it sound like you were a pilot making announcements. Just a normal voice was much much better. These are really some great videos.
That voice effect has been cancelled starting with Horst's second part. I had a few others complain about it. Truthfully, it adds another step to the production process, and I was glad to discontinue it. Yes, I DO read my viewers' feedback, and when appropriate, I do make changes to better the program. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
He spoke at our LIONS Club quite a few years ago. He spoke of his defection to Sweden, then being sent to a Russian P.O.W. camp. Forced to build ships, or railroads. Was released after the war, and emigrated to Canada, because it was closer to America than the alternative of Australia. He worked for aviation companies, and settled in Wichita, Kansas, working for Boeing. He said he admired Hitler, and thought that was a great thing for the world. Apparently, he changed his Nazi ideals for capitalism. During the war, he remarked about the many, many women he was intimate with.
I guess by the time I intervewed him, he filtered his comments a bit, leaving out the political affiliations and women, which was wise. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching! Please check out muy other WWII stories on this channel.
@@AirCombatJournal Our LIONS Club is in Wichita, and we came to know him through another Club member, who was a navigator on a B-17, and became a pharmacist after the war, and my boss, mentor, and friend. I believe they became acquainted through the health concerns of Horst, while trading with the pharmacy.
@@dougburright7275sometimes I forget anyone can get online. You don't know shit about my father and your comment about Hitler was far from anything he ever spoke. I remember those lion clubs meetings cause I drove him
Get your facts right. Mölders was a passenger on a He-111 on a flight to Berlin when the aircraft crashed in inclement weather. Mölders was on his way to the funeral of Ernst Udet who had commited Suizide.
Unfortunatley, I do not have time to fact check all my interviews. Interviewing these guys was a labor of love, and was done as an unpaid volunteer. All of the guys I interviewed were in their 80s, so they may not have had the best memories. I apologize for any historical inaccuracies. All I can offer is the unfiltered and un-fact checked oral histories of these guys. I do appreciate your corrections, and thank you for watching.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I'll look into this. Maybe what he meant was the American Eagles, who flew for the RAF. I think 7 of the Eagles flew in the Battle of Brittain. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Those were volunteers from various countries who fought and took sides in the Spanish civil war! The Lincoln Brigade was mostly Americans . I don’t know if any of those were pilots .
@@adambane1719 Thank you for your feedback. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better!
I have not deleted ANY comments. If a comment has been deleted, it was done by TH-cam. I have chosen not to respond to some comments, but I have not deleted any.
What a interesting life......shame about the "i am a 12 year old gamer" type interview techneque, which to be honest i find wrong on a number of levels, massively disrespectful for starters......im mean really, its kinda taking the piss, this was not fun and games, who are you playing pilot.!?
Thank you for your feedback. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better! And by the way, I am a pilot, too.
He was not a member of any political party. This will come out in part 2. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
@@AirCombatJournal he was raised in nazi germany and served for nazi germany having nazi command and doing nazi acts. head of luftwaffe was old nazi herman goering and they went for a nazi war for nazi purpose with nazi symbols. probably he was also in nazi h-jugend
I am a glider pilot from Germany and had the honor of having a BF-109 pilot as a meteorology teacher! Great man who told us a lot about the war. Everyone always listened eagerly! I still remember when he was visited by a former RAF Spitfire pilot! The two were the best of friends! It's hard to believe that they were worst enemies back then! May they rest in peace!
I think that most of these pilots were simply doing their duty to protect their respective countries. I don't think there was a lot of animosity between them even during the war. There are a number of tales of chivalry between pilots from WWII during combat.
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
Not enemies, sportsmen
@AirCombatJournal Of course I also know that they didn't all hate each other. However, it was so unreal to me! You know the madness of World War II and then you see yourself these two men hugging and drinking beer like old friends! That really touched me and you just think about it! Do you know what i mean?
I don't know the interview with Gottfried Dulias yet! I'll definitely check it out! Thanks for the suggestion! I have now subscribed to your channel! Best regards!
Great story! It makes you realize how futile War is. When will we learn
@AirCombatJournal
I think that what you're talking about is entirely accurate in the ETO.
I mean if I think about it, and not to make it too much of a racial thing, but it was largely Caucasians versus Caucasians, Germanic people versus largely Germanic people.
So the hatred that was so apparent in the Pacific Theater did not exist to that extent in the European theater. With the exception of the burning hatred the Nazis had for the Jews.
But in both theaters you had the arrogance of opposing ideologies.
The Nazis had the Aryan race ideology. Therefore Jews, gypsies, Russians Etc were all subhuman and treated as such.
The Japanese had their God Emperor with the perverted form of Bushido and Samurai where anybody other than the Japanese was subhuman, therefore they were treated as such in battle, in the POW camps, and against civilians. There was zero chivalry in the Pacific Theater. No Quarter was asked and no quarter was given.
I meet this man on line in about 1990 and we became sort of "PEN PALS",,,,,we wrote many times to each other and he talk about the war ( particularly air combat )....he was very generous with his time and would sent me many photos with his autograph on them....unfortunately I didn't save all his letters....but I did save some, I did save all of his photos and have them in my pilots album..while we were talking, he told me that he was the" wing man" for Walter Bohatsch... who was living in Canada...Bohatsch also mention in this video was his commander... Through these 2 men, I've had the honor to meet many other WW2 German pilots....Horst die in 2011....I found him to be a gentleman of the highest order.....may he rest in peace....
YOu were lucky to have corresponded with him for so long! He was a great man. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. Please check ot my other WWII interviews on this channel.
My best experiences as a young American officer in West Germany in the early 80s was meeting German WWII veterans.
You are very fortunate! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Defininitely one of the most engaging and humorous interviews I've seen with a Luftwaffe pilot. I love the 'He had haemorrhoids while he waited for the Me-262' story.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments. It was interesting how "health concerns" could change your fate in the Luftwaffe. As you heard, Horst also gamed the system. He was a delightful man. I hope you will check out my other interviews, and please subscribe if you have not already done so.
I could listen to these guys talk forever
Me too! I'm glad you appreciate this format. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Thanks, I appreciate interviews with people who 'were there'.
I'm glad you like this format. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that your will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Horst is well spoken and a pleasure to listen to!! Great story teller!!!!!
I'm glad you appreciate this format. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
My dad had great respect for the German pilots, he felt they had a job to do and they were good at it. However he never chuckled or laughed talking about his wartime experiences as a Lancaster tail gunner. His plane was badly shot-up on one mission by a night fighter over Berlin and suffered damage and injuries on others. I guess there are different coping mechanisms for some veterans, my dad had a much simpler one, he was called ‘the fighting Irishman’ by his crew, and trust me it was a well deserved title.
I met Horst in Dallas TX sometime in the 1990's at a gun show. He had a table was was selling a book about The Luft in Sweden that featured him and his ME-109 on several pages. Very interesting gentlemen. He signed is book to me and had a couple of other pieces of artwork that he signed.
Very good video contribution. Many thanks to Herr Petzschler for the very interesting memories that he told as a contemporary witness in an exciting and entertaining way.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Jesus..my Grandfather was taken prisoner by the German 90th Light at Alemein (he was a "mere" Rifleman in The Rifle Brigade..the 2nd Bn) and from a child he spoke openly ("warts an' all") about the war and especially about his treatment by the Germans. He was a man of his generation that felt as a Rifleman..he had done little in the war..HOWEVER..His experiences inspired me to become soldier from a very early age..the more dreadful the story(ies) he told me..the more I wanted it!
The comradeship, the humour (humor for you across the pond) both light and black...I joined the British Army in 1987 and served on tanks and reconnaissance armour...and I TOO experienced THAT feeling of being AT ONE....
Now where am I going with this you may ask?
Well having had my Grandfather on "both sides of the fence" He spoke incredibly well of his treatment by the front line Germans AND Italians..he was always dismayed and upset that German Veterans could not celebrate (due to laws etc prohibiting their meetings due to "Nazi" soldiers having a meeting etc)
This man here has spoken openly and honestly..listen back at his Spanish Civil War chat about the "Lindon" lot..no one knows about them do they?
What about hearing about the ones that went to fight the war FOR Franco? (Remember..Franco of the Fascists WON! and still people went there to Spain for holidays until and after his death)
Look at Tito...a Communist..all their HARD currency was Deutche Marks! Because Germans went there...
This man..a true fighter..and a pilot has opened his mind and heart to you (as the internet world) It is humbling as well as educational.
Vast majority of American and British POWS survived the war, and considered their treatment fair by the Germans.
You know your history! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Thanks excellent comment !
"Lincoln", not "Lindon".
i can recommend the interview with stuka pilot heinz migoed , very engaging and a honest speaker like this guy
Gathering this content is such important work. There will come a time when the generation from the war is no longer around, and the world will then only have what is left in terms of interviews and documents. Good work.
Thank you for your encouragement. I saw the value of recording these oral histories years ago, but could never find a venue for them. PBS told me they already had too much WWII content. I'm happy to have now found a home on TH-cam where I can share these stories with the people who appreciate our history and those who made it. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
@@AirCombatJournal No problem, such content and work demands respect and also appreciation.
In future years such content will matter more, so keep going!
A wonderful interview! Horst's story about exciting but difficult times was told with humour. History from one who was there.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I believe that the best history is that which comes straight from the mouths of those who lived it. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
A brilliant interview.
Survived Eastern and Western Front late war combat, survived Soviet imprisonment. No safe spaces then!
He was an extremely resilient man! Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
Outstanding content thank you very much
As a retired pilot i love these interviews with old pilots of germany and Japanese air force, i enjoyed listening to this German pilot tell his story,they like the us do what they have to when pilots are needed to fill ranks
Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Steely-eyed, tough old bird, who knew what he was doing, even under the extreme pressure that was Luftwaffe Air Defence at the end of WW2. Must also have had the luck of the devil to survive all that.
He was an extremely resilient man. I think most of our WWII veterans (here and abroad) had a certain amount of resiliency that is rarely seen today outside some of our current military people.
Excellent interview, very insightful.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Jaa! My relative here in Finland flow your me 109´s against russians during that fateful year 1944. He visited Germany to pick up the planes couple of times far as I know.Who knows you and him past each other there back then. I was not there but that horror of war should not be forgotten.
Thay may have crossed paths, who knows!?
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
There was a Finn who flew a 109,had an 82 planes tally.
@@jonathansteadman7935 That pilot whom Im related had 42 air victories and one of them was whit jammed guns. Fiat had that problem sometimes.
Outstanding interview man.
I have had several complaints about the "pilot on the microphone" sound effects, and I appreciate every comment! Doing the "radio voice" actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. It will save me a little more production time. Thank you for helping to make this program better!
Someone also complained that I deleted someone's comment. I have not deleted ANY comments, and to be truthful, I don't even know HOW to delete a comment. I'm guessing it was something hateful or non-PC and the TH-cam algorithm deleted it.
I am absolutely fine with this "pilot on the microphone" effect. People complain about everything.
Yes it does not bother me at all ! People complain about everything !
I like it
Y6 5@@korgen-rock
I loved the radio voice. Makes it more immersive for me 😊
Excellent video , incredible interesting insight into Lufwafa viiewpoint , GB . Cant wait for part 2 . Thank you bothe ..
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
Thank you for posting such an important piece of history.
It is my goal to let you hear the history from the guys who lived it; not from a historian with all the opinions and politics. This is the real deal! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
This was excellent! Very good questions. Well done research and presentation!
AAA
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
Just stumbled on your channel! I love it! New subscriber here!
Thank you for stumbling to my channel! I'm glad you found it. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Me too ! I just stumbled upon this site !
Big Respect to the German Pilots of the Luftwaffe of whom most were gentleman just like RAF pilots. 🇩🇪🇬🇧🏴
I totally agree. There was a certain amount of chivalry in the air war during WWII. These guys loved flying, and they were all just defending their respective countries. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments. I hope you will check out my other interviews and subscribe to this channel.
@@AirCombatJournal
I totally agree. Thank you for your reply and suggestion. I have indeed subscribed and switched on the bell.
God Bless All. Over n Out.
Pierre Clostermanns book The Big Show (1951) is an epic read and he mentions an ME 262 flight that surrendered at his station airfield in the final days of the war. They entertained the pilots in the Chateau in which they were billeted including swimming in the owners Pool ! Pierre commented that while bathing he noticed on German pilot had scars criss crossing his back from crash landings and bailouts, he had been shot down something like 13 or 14 times ! .
Thank for your comments. I'll have to check the book out! Thank you for watching, and please check out muy other WWII stories on this channel.
Is fascinating hearing the detailed content from these magnificent pilots. Yes, they were the enemy during the war. Though in my humble opinion, were of the highest calibre people.
Yes, they were. I think there was a certain amount of chivalry in the air war; NOT so much in the ground war. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
thank you for publishing History
My goal is to let you hear it from the guys who actually lived it; not from a historian who packs history with opinions and politics. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Great videl clip. Very well done (and he was so well spoken)
Horst was a delight to interview; he was so full of life. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
@@AirCombatJournal Will do. I'm a Yank who's lived most of his life in Switzerland & speak German (I'm a professional tandem paragliding pilot here in Zermatt - my father was a Major in the US Air Force, flew B-52s in Vietnam - very similar sounding stories to Horst, although Horst sounded utterly amazing).
We were enemies in another time. I'm glad there is peace between us now.
Amen! Thank you for your comments. Thank you for watching, and please check out my other WWII stories on this channel.
Very interesting and thank you to all involved.
Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
I met him in San Jose CA in 1998 at a convention.
Udet was the one who took a handkerchief off the ground with his planes wingtip ?
Your videos are simply the very best I have ever saw.Thank you sir for making these videos possible.❤😊😊😊
Thank you for your encouragement, thanks for watching, and thank you also for your positive comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
A very interesting and entertaining account from Herr Petzschler 👍
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
Great video
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out my other interviews and subscribe to this channel!
In the fragment about the Allied attack on the refinery in Upper Silesia (it was probably about Blachownia Ślaska, German name Blechahammer) in the 1980s, my older workmate told me that as a little boy he observed a large stream of Allied bombers over Silesia, undisturbed by the Lufwaffe, flying towards the bombing sites and at one point 2 German fighters appeared, one of which immediately turned back and the other flew after it in about half a minute. Maybe it was Horst's plane?
It could have been! Who knows... Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
A math professor at the University of Arizona (circa 1980) was Bristish citizen and his job in the RAF during the war was to test fly captured German aircraft. One day, he had to test fly a recovered Stuka dive bomber. He put it in a dive, but then couldn't pull out (it wouldn't let him), until he got below a certain low altitude. They discovered that it had a lock mechanism that was based upon an altimeter. After that flight, he began drinking heavily for the rest of the war.
It's sad when flying airplanes causes one to turn to the bottle. I hope whe was able to keep flying but give up drinking. Thank you for your comments. Also thank you for watching, and please check out my other WWII stories on this channel.
I always get a kick out of listening to a German trying to pronounce a word with a "w" in it. You had a couple of great questions (they were all at least good, just incase anyone thinks otherwise) that caught my ear, like whether or not he'd roam around looking for loose formations, just an interesting question. Another that caught my attention was...hell I don't what you asked but it got him talking about the Lincoln Brigade and the stigma they faced. I'd never herd of them. It's odd how they weren't remembered for fighting the Fascists/Nazis but for fighting with the Communists. That McCarthy was one sorry S.O.B, he didn't care who he hurt or lives he ruined. Ohh, you got my Sub.:-)
The question regarding looking for loose formations was to support the claim by the members of the Bloody 100th Bomb Group that they flew loose formations, and THAT'S why the Germans singled them out...NOT because one of their pilots faked a surrender to 3 German fighters and then proceeded to shoot them down when they were at point blank range... It is a known fact that this fake surrender did occur.
It is also a known fact that if you fly a very tight formation, the Germans cannot fly through it to break up the formation and single out bombers. Also a tight formation gave the groups incredible defensive firepower. The German fighters wanted nothing of tight formations.
THANK YOU for subscribing! I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel.
When Horst is speaking about flying air support for Hans U. Rudel, why would you show generals Molders and Udet pictures?
I met him in Kansas sitting next to the man that shot him down.
THAT would have been an AWESOME interview! What a great experience for you! I'm wondering which of his 13 shoot-downs it was.
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
incredible
Verry high class pilot..veri agressive ..i know hes biografy bravo !
Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
He seems at peace with his past.
I'm not!
He was extremely resilient; a survivor. I think it took a certain kind of mindset to live through what he did and not lose his sanity. It could also have to do with his faith. He was a very tough and courageous man.
Have you seen the interview from my other Me-109 pilot, Gottfried Dulias? He had a similar story on the Russian front and in a Soviet prison. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comments!
@@kenmartin861cope harder
@@kenmartin861 With his or with yours?
I think that most of these WWII veteran are at peace with their pasts, despite horrible treatment during the war. My heart goes out to those vets who never could get past their war experiences. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Once again this German speaks excellent English !!
He lived in Canada and the U.S. for a very long time. His German accent still gives him away! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Horst says “ Werner Molders lost a leg and a half and was climbing mountains in Argentina “.
Well, he was forbidden to participate in combat (and still did in a training fashion) .
His transport 111 crashed … as inspector of the fighters…. They tried to land in a thunderstorm… going to Udets funeral. After Udet committed suicide
So… the story here is history… would be a wonderful thing , if only it were true.
Listen to it again, he was talking about Hans-Ulrich Rudel, and he was correct, Rudel even wrote a book about his adventures in Argentina called "Von den Stukas zu den Anden", he talked about Werner Mölders earlier in the video.
Your probably correct… I’ll listen to it again and try to get a time when I thought I heard him say that
Thanks for your comments. Thank you, @R.Lennartz for your clarification! Thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews and subscribe to this channel.
Finest video !
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Stop the background music please
...geht das auch auf deutsch ??
Thanks for this other side to the story. My father-in-law was two and one-half years in Russia, six months on the western front and a year and a half in various hospitals, discharged as 50% fit. Medical care in Germany at that time was primitive or non-existent.
I'm glad he survived. He must have been really tough! It is sad, however, that his health was taken from him by the Russians. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Meet this guy on several occasions as I went to school with his kids. Thought he was a dick until I heard his story.. he went through a lot in life.
He still alive ? Very funny man and a true Experten.
Horrido !!!!
Part 2 is coming out tomorrow and will answer your question. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so. Horrido!
Great interview, recommend dropping the background music.
I'm delighted that you like the interview format, and I appreciate your comment regarding the background music. All cable and broadcast programming today has a music bed in the background. I have music for two reasons: 1, it augments the narrative, and 2, it makes it harder for unscrupulous people to rip off my interview footage, as they cannot match the music under it. Although the interviews are copyrighted, this does not keep some people from trying to clone the footage for their own use.
So far I have had about 50,000 views on my 9 programs. I did ramp the music down after the first two programs (I did not mix the music on them, and it was way too loud). Since mixing the music myself, I have only had 3 out of 50,000 complain about the music. I appreciate your comment, but for now, the music will stay.
I think you will find that Molders was killed in a Heinkel He 111 that was taking him to the funeral of Udet, who had committed suicide. At the time Molders was the Inspector of Fighters.
Thank you for the clarification on the demise of both Molders and Udet. Also thank you for watching! Please check out muy other WWII stories on this channel.
Werner Mölders died age 28, 115 Victories. R.I.P
There to fight a war but doesn't miss the sightseeing part. Weird.
Boys will be boys! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
May I make a suggestion. The radio voice was cool for a minute but loses it's novelty quickly. Maybe don't use it for every voiceover, maybe the first ones then the last and in between just have the words up for a few seconds. Love the content tho!!!
I really appreciate your feedback on this! I had several others who said they could do without it, and as it takes extra effort in the production process, I stopped doing the "radio" voice effect with Horst's second part. There are nine preceeding interviews on my channel with the effect, but from here out it will be clean audio. Yes, I do respond to all my viewers, and where appropriate, I will make changes to the show. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
@@AirCombatJournal Subscribed! Looking forward to to more content. Im jelous of the fact you got to talk to these vets. I spoke to Galland at an art show for Robert Taylor once. My family knew Papy Boyington so I got to see and talk to him on a few occasions.
Would be better if you get rid of the background noise.
Thank you for your feedback. If you are referring to the static and radio effects in the title pages, I will gladly get rid of it. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better!
I am getting rid of the radio effect/static over my narration. I think this will help a lot. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
German pilots were excellent piots of the highest order, for them there were no limits for missions they flew until the war was over, or they were killed or incapacitated.
It was pretty much the same for the British pilots defending England. The American pilots were in and out (or shot down and/or killed.)
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
A true Berliners humor
He was a jolly guy and full of life. I had a very enjoyable interview with him. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
One thing that would help your videos is to get rid of the annoying "pilot-on-the-microphone" talk! Otherwise, it's interesting to hear retired German pilots talk!
Thank you for your feedback. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better!
Bf-109 not Me -109.
The designer of the 109 was Willi Messerschmitt, which is why the aircraft is also called the Me 109 and was manufactured by Bayrische Flugzeugwerke (Bf). In 1938, Bayrische Flugzeugwerke was renamed Messerschmitt AG. (from @achim3866)
I did some research from my collection of WWII air combat non-fiction books, and this is what I learned. All the books that were written by American pilots or authors refer to the aircraft as "ME-109" or Me-109." Those books authored or co-authored by German pilots refer to the aircraft as "Bf-109." The United States Air Force Museum also refers to the aircraft as a Bf-109, and this is probably because their research into the aircraft was based on German perspectives.
In short, if it is an American source, the aircraft is referred to as "ME-109 or Me-109" and if it is a German source, it is "Bf-109." I will stand by my designation as ME-109, but concede that if I were a German producer (and half of my heritage is German) I would designate it as Bf-109.
Here is the list of books that refer to ME-109 (or Me-109):
Another Bowl of Kapusta (Gottfried's book)
Jimmy Steward: Bomber pilot
B-17s over Berlin: Personal Stories from the 95th Bomb Group
Yeager
Fortress without a Roof
Target Berlin
The Wild Blue
Maurader Man
The War in the Air
Here is the list with the designation Bf-109
Gunther Rall: a Memoir
A Higher Call
United States Air Force Museum
Say what you will, German pilots was bad ass. Going up against odds, low fuel. Still doing numerous more missions than allied pilots.
The German fighter pilots (as well as the British fighter pilots) didn't get any breaks until the war was over. They were flying non-stop to protect their homelands. The American pilot shad it much easier. At least their duty tours had an end in sight.
Thank you for your feedback, and thank you for watching. I believe that the best history is that which comes straight from the mouths of those who lived it. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
The latter American B-17G had a “chin turret” to combat the Luftwaffe’s head-on attacks.
Yes the American 8th Air Force initially suffered heavy losses, but then they could afford too.
In sustaining heavy loses, the Germans lost the cream of their best fighter pilots.
The chin turret was what pretty much turned the tide of the air war; plus, of course, the external drop tanks on the fighters that permitted them to escort the bombers to the target and back. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching! Please check out my other WWII stories on this channel.
He kind of reminds me of Robin Olds, who also had kind of crazed look in his eye when talking about shooting down enemies.
I never saw the interview with Robin Olds, but now I kinda feel like I should! Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
What an interesting recount of his experiences, sadly spoilt by the unnecessary musical backtrack.
I'm delighted that you like the interview format, and I appreciate your comment regarding the background music. All cable and broadcast programming today has a music bed in the background. I have music for two reasons: 1, it augments the narrative, and 2, it makes it harder for unscrupulous people to rip off my interview footage, as they cannot match the music under it. Although the interviews are copyrighted, this does not keep some people from trying to clone the footage for their own use.
So far I have had about 60,000 views on my 9 programs. I did ramp the music down after the first two programs (I did not mix the music on them, and it was way too loud). Since mixing the music myself, I have only had 4 out of 60,000 complain about the music. I really do appreciate your feedback, but for now, the music will stay.
Surviving the Gulag 😳
He was a tough old bird! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe! Did you see my interview with Gottfried Dulias, another Me-109 pilot? He had an even more harrowing Gulag story.
No break in operations. Loss of life or injury the release.
Amen! Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Das ist sehr interessant.
Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen und für Ihre Ermutigung! Haben Sie eines meiner anderen Videos über Flugzeugbesatzungen aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg gesehen?
Its still just like a game of sports for him.
I think a lot of these vets had no animosity after the war. Perhaps that is a bit like sports. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Please accept my comment as non-critical ... The fighter was a Bf-109 not a Messerschmitt Me-109.
And yes, I did see you comment in the description.
No, it isn't a Bf-109 it is a Bf 109.
@@DannyBoy777777 Ok, no Dash, just a habit of mine. Thank you.
I'm not sure if you saw this comment, so here it is again if you already saw it...
The designer of the 109 was Willi Messerschmitt, which is why the aircraft is also called the Me 109 and was manufactured by Bayrische Flugzeugwerke (Bf). In 1938, Bayrische Flugzeugwerke was renamed Messerschmitt AG. (from @achim3866)
I did some research from my collection of WWII air combat non-fiction books, and this is what I learned. All the books that were written by American pilots or authors refer to the aircraft as "ME-109" or Me-109." Those books authored or co-authored by German pilots refer to the aircraft as "Bf-109." The United States Air Force Museum also refers to the aircraft as a Bf-109, and this is probably because their research into the aircraft was based on German perspectives.
In short, if it is an American source, the aircraft is referred to as "ME-109 or Me-109" and if it is a German source, it is "Bf-109." I will stand by my designation as ME-109, but concede that if I were a German producer (and half of my heritage is German) I would designate it as Bf-109.
Here is the list of books that refer to ME-109 (or Me-109):
Another Bowl of Kapusta (Gottfried's book)
Jimmy Steward: Bomber pilot
B-17s over Berlin: Personal Stories from the 95th Bomb Group
Yeager
Fortress without a Roof
Target Berlin
The Wild Blue
Maurader Man
The War in the Air
Here is the list with the designation Bf-109:
Gunther Rall: a Memoir
A Higher Call
United States Air Force Museum
@@AirCombatJournal Thank you. With a strong German background I find that most of my perspective comes from a European angle. My mom was born in Berlin and lived through WWII as a child. Dad's older brothers fought in the war and all of that played into my interest and research into the air war.
I will continue my education into that subject matter as I thoroughly enjoy that part of our history in flight.
Why is the narrator talking on a walkie talkie?
That sound effect went away on the next video (part 2 of Horst's interview) and will not re-appear. Thank you for your feedback.. I hope you will watch the other interviews on this AIr Combat Journal Channel.
Always surprises me how rare it is for German vets to show any remorse or regrets about fighting in WW2. For them, it really was just a game of cricket I guess.
Great to hear the German Vet…but as for the commentator, it sounded like they were talking thur a toilet paper tube…very annoying.
That voice effect has been cancelled starting with Horst's second part. I had a few others complain about it. Truthfully, it adds another step to the production process, and I was glad to discontinue it. Yes, I DO read my viewers' feedback, and when appropriate, I do make changes to better the program. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
Schon zu sehen das der Mann immer noch so klarsinning ist mit seinem Alter.
Yes, he is! Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching!
@@AirCombatJournal Gerne geschehen.
Difference between a REAL pilot like this guy (an many others) and a DEI pilot in a current airline.
DEI pilot history:
Uhh... I was hangin about at a 7 eleven and someone said "hey girl, why aint you pickin up on that airplane thing that's goin on?!
And guess what?
They gonna put me in a big jet front seat no matter what I do!
So true (sadly)!
Hey we’re dealing with the Best Generation here . All of these guys were “Over Achievers” no one in this day and age could come close to what these guys were !
Good video except for those awful interruptions at each section.
Can you be more specific? If there is a problem with the playback, I need to know what to fix. Thank you for your feedback, and thank you for watching. I believe that the best history is that which comes straight from the mouths of those who lived it. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this Air Combat Journal channel.
@@AirCombatJournal that first video the interruptions were very distracting because it sounded like you were talking into a can. I'm assuming you were trying to make it sound like you were a pilot making announcements. Just a normal voice was much much better. These are really some great videos.
Hate the silly radio style questions. Ruined the interview
That voice effect has been cancelled starting with Horst's second part. I had a few others complain about it. Truthfully, it adds another step to the production process, and I was glad to discontinue it. Yes, I DO read my viewers' feedback, and when appropriate, I do make changes to better the program. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for watching. I hope you will check out my other interviews on this channel, and if you have not already done so, please subscribe!
He spoke at our LIONS Club quite a few years ago. He spoke of his defection to Sweden, then being sent to a Russian P.O.W. camp. Forced to build ships, or railroads. Was released after the war, and emigrated to Canada, because it was closer to America than the alternative of Australia. He worked for aviation companies, and settled in Wichita, Kansas, working for Boeing. He said he admired Hitler, and thought that was a great thing for the world. Apparently, he changed his Nazi ideals for capitalism. During the war, he remarked about the many, many women he was intimate with.
I guess by the time I intervewed him, he filtered his comments a bit, leaving out the political affiliations and women, which was wise. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for watching! Please check out muy other WWII stories on this channel.
@@AirCombatJournal
Our LIONS Club is in Wichita, and we came to know him through another Club member, who was a navigator on a B-17, and became a pharmacist after the war, and my boss, mentor, and friend. I believe they became acquainted through the health concerns of Horst, while trading with the pharmacy.
@@dougburright7275sometimes I forget anyone can get online. You don't know shit about my father and your comment about Hitler was far from anything he ever spoke. I remember those lion clubs meetings cause I drove him
Get your facts right. Mölders was a passenger on a He-111 on a flight to Berlin when the aircraft crashed in inclement weather. Mölders was on his way to the funeral of Ernst Udet who had commited Suizide.
Unfortunatley, I do not have time to fact check all my interviews. Interviewing these guys was a labor of love, and was done as an unpaid volunteer. All of the guys I interviewed were in their 80s, so they may not have had the best memories. I apologize for any historical inaccuracies. All I can offer is the unfiltered and un-fact checked oral histories of these guys. I do appreciate your corrections, and thank you for watching.
No member o Abraham Lincoln brigade were pilot.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I'll look into this. Maybe what he meant was the American Eagles, who flew for the RAF. I think 7 of the Eagles flew in the Battle of Brittain. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
Those were volunteers from various countries who fought and took sides in the Spanish civil war! The Lincoln Brigade was mostly Americans . I don’t know if any of those were pilots .
that introduction to each segment ,like your speaking through a radio is quite annoying
* you're ... ffs !
@@adambane1719 Thank you for your feedback. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better!
You need to stop deleting comments here.
If you dont like peoples basic opinions... then don't post videos.
I have not deleted ANY comments. If a comment has been deleted, it was done by TH-cam. I have chosen not to respond to some comments, but I have not deleted any.
What a interesting life......shame about the "i am a 12 year old gamer" type interview techneque, which to be honest i find wrong on a number of levels, massively disrespectful for starters......im mean really, its kinda taking the piss, this was not fun and games, who are you playing pilot.!?
Thank you for your feedback. I have had a couple other similar responses and I appreciate this! Doing the radio voice actually adds a huge hassle factor to producing these, and I will gladly stop it. Thank you for helping to make this program better! And by the way, I am a pilot, too.
nazzie boy
He was not a member of any political party. This will come out in part 2. Thank you for watching, and thank you for your comment. I hope you will check out some of my other interviews, and that you will subscribe to this channel if you haven't already done so.
@@AirCombatJournal he was raised in nazi germany and served for nazi germany having nazi command and doing nazi acts. head of luftwaffe was old nazi herman goering and they went for a nazi war for nazi purpose with nazi symbols. probably he was also in nazi h-jugend
Hope you're not a Trump supporter, with an attitude like that.