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Josef Priller - Pilot Profile - Josef Priller

Josef Priller

Victories : 101
-----------------------------
Country : Germany
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Axis
Died : 20th May 1961

This pilot scored 5 or more victories during the Battle of Britain, 10th July - 31st October 1940.

Awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron CrossAwarded Oak Leaves to the Knights CrossAwarded Swords to the Knights Cross
Knights
Cross		Oak LeavesSwords

Latest Axis Aviation Artwork !
In early May 1941, in conditions of strict secrecy because the United States was not yet at war, seventeen pilots of the US Navy had arrived in Britain and been attached to Catalina squadrons of Coastal Command. These experienced PBY pilots were there to assist the Royal Air Force to become familiar with the Catalina, and also to gain operational experience for the US Navy. On 26th May 1941 Catalina Z of No.209 Sqn, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs RAF, with Ensign Leonard B Smith USN as co-pilot, joined the search for the Bismarck. At 1015 the aircraft was being flown in poor visibility at an altitude of 500ft when Ensign Smith sighted the Bismarck at a range of eight miles. The Catalina was flown towards the contact so that a positive identification could be made and emerged from the cloud only 500 yards from the German ship. The aircraft met a hail of anti-aircraft fire but was able to make its escape. As a result of the sighting report from Catalina Z the Bismarck was again engaged by ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and was sunk at 1040 on 27th May 1941. Leonard Smith can be considered therefore, the first American to be directly involved in action in World War Two. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (American) for his actions.

The Aircraft That Found the Bismarck by Ivan Berryman.		 One of the all time great fighter aces, Adolf Galland is depicted flying Bf 109E-4/N of Stab/JG26 in September 1940. Galland flew 705 combat missions during World War Two and was credited with a final tally of 104 aerial victories. He survived the war and died peacefully in February 1996.

Tribute to Generalleutnant Adolf Galland by Ivan Berryman.		 Walter Briegleb is shown in his Ju88 G.7 4R+BR as he stalks his prey - on this occasion a Lancaster. Flying below their target, his crew would aim upward firing cannon at the inner wing of the bomber, igniting the fuel tanks. For the bomber crews, they were very much defenceless against this type of attack, and often had no idea of the presence of an enemy aircraft in the dark.

Tribute to Walter Briegleb by Ivan Berryman.		 The attack by Leutnant Walter Briegleb and his crew on Lancaster Mk.III ND960 DX-I of No.57 Sqn early on 22nd May 1944. Flying Me110 with codes D5+BV with his crew of Feldwebel Walter Bräunlich and Bordfunker Feldwebel Brandt, Briegleb flew undetected beneath the bomber and used the deadly 'Schräge Musik' - upward firing cannon - to hit the fuel tanks in the port wing between the fuselage and inner engine. Pulling away, he watched the aircraft burn and could see both gunners in their turrets but no return fire came. He wondered why none of the crew escaped by parachute with the bomber doomed - it disintegrated in the air over the coast of the island of Fyn, Denmark, impacting near Emtekær at 00:44hrs.<br><br><center>All of the crew were killed :<br>Flight Lieutenant Arthur Richards (Pilot)<br>Flying Officer William Woodall (Navigator)<br>Pilot Officer Athur Bugden (Flight Engineer)<br>Sergeant Thomas Edwards (Wireless Operator)<br>Flying Officer George Ferguson (Air Bomber)<br>Sergeant Harold Griffiths (Air Gunner)<br>Sergeant Cyril Woodmass (Air Gunner)

The Hunted and the Hunter by Ivan Berryman.

Josef Priller

Squadrons for : Josef Priller
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Josef Priller. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

JG26


Country : Germany
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG26		JG26

Jagdgeschwader 26 Schlageter was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated mainly in Western Europe against Great Britain, France and the United States but also saw service against Russia. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran and Freikorps member arrested and executed by the French for sabotage in 1923.

Commanders of II. Gruppe JG 26

Hptm. Werner Palm, 1 May 1939 – 27 June 1939
Hptm Herwig Knüppel, 28 June 1939 – 19 May 1940
Hptm Karl Ebbighausen, 20 May 1940 – 31 May 1940
Hptm. Erich Noack, 1 June 1940 – 24 July 1940
Hptm Karl Ebbighausen, 25 July 1940 – 16 August 1940
Hptm Erich Bode, 17 August 1940 – 3.10.40
Hptm Walter Adolph, 4 October 1940 – 18 September 1941
Hptm Joachim Müncheberg, 19 September 1941 – 21 July 1942
Hptm Conny Meyer, 22 July 1942 – 2 January 1943
Maj Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland, 3 January 43 – 17 August 1943
Hptm Hans Naumann, 18 August 1943 – 8 September 1943
ObLt Johannes Seifert, 9 September 1943 – 25 November 1943
Maj Wilhelm Gäth, 26 November 1943 – 1 March 1944
Hptm Hans Naumann, 2 March 1944 – 28 June 1944
Hptm Emil Lang, 29 June 1944 – 3 September 1944
Hptm Georg-Peter Eder, 4 September 1944 – 8 October 1944
Maj Anton Hackl, 9 October 1944 – 29 January 45
ObLt Waldemar Radener, 30 January 1945 – 22 February 1945
Hptm Paul Schauder, 23 February 1945 – 1 May 1945

JG51


Country : Germany
Founded : August 1939
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG51		JG51

Jagdgeschwader 51 Mölders was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II, named after the fighter ace Werner Mölders in 1942. JG 51's pilots won more Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes than any other Jagdgeschwader, and flew combat from 1939 in all major theatres of war. Flying Bf 109s and then FW 190s, the wing claimed over 8,000 air victories. Experten included 'Toni' Hafner, Heinz Bär, Richard Leppla, Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, Günther Schack and the legendary Mölders.

Formed in August 1939, and commanded by 48-year-old World War I ace Onkel Theo Osterkamp, the early months of the war JG 51 was based in the West, fighting in the French campaign, and in the Battle of Britain. From late June to mid July JG 51 was the only fighter Geschwader engaged against the RAF constantly. During the whole battle JG 51 lost 68 pilots, the highest casualty rate of the Luftwaffe fighter units engaged. JG 51 was one of the two Geschewader that had four Gruppen. The other being JG 1.

Four Bf 109 of JG 51 in France 1940Whilst based out of the Belgian airfield at Mardyik in late 1940, the German ace Josef Pips Priller was a Staffelkapitän with JG 51, flying Bf 109-E Yellow One. Josef Priller went on to score over 100 victories, the third highest scoring Luftwaffe day fighter ace on the Western Front, fighting solely against the Western Allies.

Against the Western Allies JG 51 had claimed 345 aircraft destroyed by May 1941. JG 51 were therefore one of the Jagdwaffe's elite units, with 'top ten' aces at this time including Werner Mölders with 68 claims, Walter Oesau with 34 claims, and Hermann-Friedrich Joppien with 31. Major Werner Mölders became unit Geschwaderkommodore during July 1940 and led the unit into the invasion of Russia in June 1941.

Barbarossa (1941)

Claiming 69 kills on the first day of the offensive, by 30 June 1941 JG 51 became the first fighter Geschwader to claim 1,000 air victories (113 kills in 157 sorties were claimed for the day). On 24 June JG 51 claimed 57 bombers shot down for the day. Mölders became the first fighter pilot to reach 100 claims in August and in the same month JG 51's Oberfeldwebel Heinz Bär reached 60 claims and was decorated with the Oak Leaves. A total of 500 Soviet claims was reached on 12 July 1941, although 6 pilots had been lost by JG 51 in the intervening 3 weeks since the offensive had started.

After Mölders' departure in September 1941 (and death later that year) the Geschwader adopted his name as a title of honor in early 1942. Jagdgeschwader 51 Mölders was to remain on the centre sector of the Russian front throughout the rest of 1941. However Oberstleutnant Friedrich Beckh ( one of the few fighter pilots to wear spectacles) proved an uncharismatic commander after Mölders, and it was not until Major Karl-Gottfried Nordmann took over in April 1942 that a worthy successor to Mölders was found. In the period 22 June - 5 December 1941 the unit destroyed 1,881 Soviet aircraft, in return for 84 losses in aerial combat and a single aircraft on the ground.

Air support for the Wehrmacht's Army Group Centre was entrusted to General Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen's VIII. Fliegerkorps. In early January 1942, among the fighter units available to von Richthofen were II, III and IV/ JG 51. With the onset of the sub-zero conditions of the Russian winter, the majority of JG 51's available aircraft became grounded.

The Russian winter counter offensive forced III./ JG 51 into flying numerous fighter-bomber operations in direct support of the infantry, and the gruppe filed few aerial 'kill' claims through January 1942. II./ JG 51 however, accounted for most of VIII. Fliegerkorps's aerial victories during the Soviet offensive. Particularly successful was the duo of Lt. Hans Strelow and Ofw. Wilhelm Mink, both of 5. JG 51. They claimed five MiG-3s of 16 IAP on 4 January (Mink claimed three) and 9 days later Mink claimed a Pe-2 and Strelow destroyed two R-Z biplanes for his 30th and 31st victories. On 4 February, Strelow increased his victories to 36 by shooting down four Russian aircraft. The 19 year-old Strelow claimed his 40th victory on 28 February and claimed 4 victories on both 6 March and 17 March. The next day he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes and also shot down seven Soviet aircraft. He was awarded the Eichenlaub on 24 March, his claims total at 66.

Normandy (1944)

7./JG 51, (with Bf 109G-6's) was attached to II./JG 1 in May 1944 from Brest-Litovsk, with pilots arriving at Störmede late in May and hurriedly converting to the FW-190. (It was later renamed 8./JG 1 on 15 August 1944 when the four-Staffeln Gruppe became standard) 7. Staffel was led by Ritterkreuzträger (Knight's Cross winner) Hptm. Karl-Heinz Weber with 136 confirmed kills. Its two other experten were Lt. Friedrich Krakowitzer (23 kills) and Ofhr. Günther Heckmann with 12 kills.

7./JG 51 joined II. Gruppe with 15 pilots on strength at the end of May, and during the first two months of the Normandy campaign the staffel was decimated, with twelve pilots killed, one POW and one severely wounded.

As the war turned against Germany JG 51 was forced to operate closer and closer to Germany, finally staging out of East Prussia.

Known Victory Claims - Josef Priller

DATE

PILOT

UNIT

JG

CLAIMED

LOCATION

TIME

FRONT

28/05/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51SpitfireNW Dünkirchen13.07Western Front
28/05/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51HurricaneNW Dünkirchen13.1Western Front
02/06/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51CurtissSW Dünkirchen21.15Western Front
08/06/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51BlenheimAbbéville19.06Western Front
08/06/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51BlenheimAbbéville19.05Western Front
25/06/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Spitfire8km NW Desvres18.2Western Front
14/07/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51HurricaneSE Dover16.25Western Front
20/07/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Hurricane5km E. Folkestone19.2Western Front
29/07/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Spitfire5km N. Dover8.4Western Front
14/08/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51SpitfireNW Dover13.45Western Front
15/08/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Hurricane1km E. Clacton16.15Western Front
16/08/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Spitfire10km E. Canterbury13.35Western Front
24/08/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Hurricane7km E. Margate13.55Western Front
24/08/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Hurricane2km E. Margate14.1Western Front
26/08/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Spitfire5km W. Boulogne18.57Western Front
07/10/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Spitfire20km N. Canterbury11.35Western Front
07/10/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51SpitfireThemesmündung17.4Western Front
15/10/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Hurricane10km SW Dover13.1Western Front
15/10/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51Hurricane15km W. Dover13.15Western Front
17/10/1940Oblt. Josef Priller6JG 51HurricaneTunbridge Wells16.35Western Front
16/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireW. Boulogne16.35Western Front
16/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26BlenheimSW Boulogne16.45Western Front
17/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26HurricaneW. Cap Gris Nez19.42Western Front
21/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireSW Ramsgate12.4Western Front
23/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireS. Sommemündung13.35Western Front
25/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireW. Gravelines13Western Front
27/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireSW Gravelines10Western Front
30/06/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire10km NW St. Inglevert18.56Western Front
02/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire10km W. Lille12.45Western Front
04/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire10km SW St. Omer14.55Western Front
05/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireNW Dünkirchen13.4Western Front
07/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireN. Gravelines10Western Front
07/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireW. Sommemündung10.47Western Front
08/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire10km N. St. Omer15.3Western Front
09/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireS. Aire14Western Front
09/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire2km S. Calais14.1Western Front
10/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireN. St. Omer12.3Western Front
10/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireNW Boulogne12.4Western Front
11/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireW. Calais16.1Western Front
14/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireS. Dünkirchen10.3Western Front
19/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire5km vor Dover14.35Western Front
22/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire10km NW Gravelines13.4Western Front
23/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire16km NW Gravelines-Calais14.05Western Front
24/07/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire7km NW Dünkirchen14.45Western Front
07/08/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire5km NW Calais11.3Western Front
07/08/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire8km W. Calais18.2Western Front
04/09/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireNW Béthune17.3Western Front
17/09/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire5km S. Calais15.35Western Front
18/09/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire5km W. Dungness16.25Western Front
01/10/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireKanalmitte14.57Western Front
01/10/1941Oblt. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireW. Boulogne: 5000m15.35Western Front
12/10/1941Hptm. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire5km E. Berck-sur-Mer13.25Western Front
13/10/1941Hptm. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire15km W. Berck-sur-Mer15.3Western Front
21/10/1941Hptm. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire15km NNW Le Touquet13.05Western Front
21/10/1941Hptm. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire4km W. Etaples12.55Western Front
27/10/1941Hptm. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire5km N. Watten13.15Western Front
08/11/1941Hptm. Josef Priller1JG 26SpitfireN. Béthune: 4000m12.5Western Front
08/11/1941Hptm. Josef Priller1JG 26Spitfire3-5km vor Gravelines-Calais: 10m13.1Western Front
03/01/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Hurricane5km NW Calais: 10m15.38Western Front
27/03/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire10km W. Ostend16.4Western Front
28/03/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireCap Gris Nez - Blanc Nez18.5Western Front
04/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireKanal: Calais-Dover14.15Western Front
12/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireW. Boulogne13.2Western Front
12/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireN. Gravelines13.45-50Western Front
16/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire5km N. Calais18.26Western Front
25/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire10km W. St. Etienne16.54Western Front
27/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireS. Ardres12.25Western Front
27/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire15km NW Gravelines: 2500m12.3Western Front
28/04/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireDünkirchen-Gravelines11.55Western Front
01/05/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire5km N. Calais19.3Western Front
05/05/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 2611km S. Ypern15.4Western Front
09/05/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire3km N. Gravelines13.4Western Front
17/05/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireS. Guînes-Audembert11.33-35Western Front
01/06/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire5km W. Blankenberge13.45Western Front
22/06/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire30km N. Gravelines: 8500m12.10-15Western Front
15/07/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire8km NE Dover15.38Western Front
30/07/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26SpitfireGravelines19Western Front
21/08/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire50km N. Gravelines11.1Western Front
29/08/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire15km NW Cap Gris Nez: 4000m11.46Western Front
09/10/1942Hptm. Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26B-24SW Roubaix-Wevelgem [Lille]10.4Western Front
04/12/1942Major Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire20km SE Dover: 4000m14.4Western Front
06/12/1942Major Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26Spitfire5-6km S. Lille: 4000-2000m12.1Western Front
20/12/1942Major Josef PrillerStab III.JG 26B-24Baie de la Seinebogen: 6000-7000m [NW Paris]12.02Western Front
20/01/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26SpitfireN. Canterbury: 3000-4000m11.35Western Front
08/03/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26Spitfire8km NW St. Valéry-en-Caux: 7000-8000m14.15Western Front
05/04/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-17Ostende: 7500m15.12Western Front
04/05/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26SpitfireNW Antwerpen: 7000m18.42Western Front
13/05/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26Spitfire8km NW Etaples: 6000m16.46Western Front
13/05/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-17Amplier: 7500m [12km SSE Frévent]16.24Western Front
16/05/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26P-47Scheldemündung: 7000-2000m13.12Western Front
24/06/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-17Terneuzen: 8000-20m9.32Western Front
26/06/1943Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-17Le Tréport-Dieppe: 7000m18.54Western Front
17/08/1943Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-17M- 7: 7000m [2km NE Diest]17.45Western Front
19/08/1943Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-17Middelburg-Vlissinghen: 7000m19Western Front
21/09/1943Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26MitchellN. St. Pol: 4000m10.45Western Front
20/10/1943Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-17SE Arras-Cambrai13.45Western Front
13/04/1944Major Josef PrillerStabJG 26P-51NE-36: 4000-5000m [Bourbourg-Watten]14.10-15Western Front
07/06/1944Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26P-51TU-7-8: 600m [Thaon NW Caen]13.5Western Front
07/06/1944Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26P-47UC-3-6: 3500m [Seinebogen]19Western Front
11/06/1944Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26P-38SF-TF: 3000m tiefflug [Roye-Compiègne]15.35Western Front
15/06/1944Obstltn. Josef PrillerStabJG 26B-24AB-BB: 6000-7000m [Raum L'Aigle]7.1Western Front
12/10/1944Obstlt. Josef PrillerStabJG 26P-51GT-6: 6-7000m [E. Petershagen]11.23Western Front

Known Claims : 102

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