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WWII:
What do you recall about the death of ace Walter Nowotny, and
do you feel that his death had any impact on Germany's Messerschmitt
Me-262 jet fighter program?
Galland:
I had been telling Hitler for over a year, since my first flight
in an Me-262, that only Focke Wulf Fw-190 fighter production
should continue in conventional aircraft, to discontinue the
Me-109, which was outdated, and to focus on building a massive
jet-fighter force. I was in East Prussia for a preview of the
jet, which was fantastic, a totally new development. This was
1943, and I was there with Professor Willy Messerschmitt and
other engineers responsible for the development. The fighter
was almost ready for mass production at that time, and Hitler
wanted to see a demonstration. When the 262 was brought out
for his viewing at Insterburg, and I was standing there next
to him, Hitler was very impressed. He asked the professor, "Is
this aircraft able to carry bombs?" Well, Messerschmitt
said, "Yes, my Führer, it can carry for sure a 250-kilogram
bomb, perhaps two of them." In typical Hitler fashion,
he said "Well, nobody thought of this! This is the Blitz
(lightning) bomber I have been requesting for years. No one
thought of this. I order that this 262 be used exclusively as
a Blitz bomber, and you, Messerschmitt, have to make all the
necessary preparations to make this feasible." This was
really the beginning of the misuse of the 262, as five bomber
wings were supposed to be equipped with the jet. These bomber
pilots had no fighter experience, such as combat flying or shooting,
which is why so many were shot down. They could only escape
by outrunning the fighters in pursuit. This was the greatest
mistake surrounding the 262, and I believe the 262 could have
been made operational as a fighter at least a year and a half
earlier and built in large enough numbers so that it could have
changed the air war. It would most certainly not have changed
the final outcome of the war, for we had already lost completely,
but it would have probably delayed the end, since the Normandy
invasion on June 6, 1944, would probably not have taken place,
at least not successfully if the 262 had been operational. I
certainly think that just 300 jets flown daily by the best fighter
pilots would have had a major impact on the course of the air
war. This would have, of course, prolonged the war, so perhaps
Hitler's misuse of this aircraft was not such a bad thing after
all. But about Nowotny....
WWII:
Yes, how did you come to choose him as commander of the first
jet-fighter wing in history?
Galland:
I was looking for the right type of pilot, someone daring and
successful who could lead by example of his courage and determination,
and Walter Nowotny had all of these qualities. The jet was being
tested by some pilots at Achmer and other places, so after Walter
finished as an instructor at the fighter pilots school in France,
he was detailed to take over the jets and train pilots. We wanted
to prove to Hitler that the jet was indeed a fighter, and to
show what we believed would be the best results possible. This
unit became known as Kommando Nowotny in July of 1944.
WWII:
What were the initial results?
Galland:
Fairly good. They had shot down a few bombers, and losses had
been minimal, as long as top cover was flown by conventional
aircraft to protect the jets on takeoffs and landings. American
fighters would hang around to try and catch them at those weak
moments.
WWII:
What brought you to Achmer on November 8?
Galland:
I arrived on that day to inspect the unit and write a report,
plus I spoke with Nowotny that evening, and he was going to
give me his pilots' reports concerning their actions. The next
day, a flight of B-17 bombers was reported heading our way,
so the unit took off, about six jets, if I remember correctly,
in the first wave, then another. The Fw-190Ds were waiting on
the runway to take off and cover their return, engaging the
Allied fighters that were sure to follow. I was in the operations
shack, where we monitored the radio transmissions and could
get an idea of what was happening. Several bombers were called
out as shot down, and Nowotny radioed that he was approaching.
The flight leader on the ground, Hans Dortenmann, requested
permission to take off to assist, but Nowotny said no, to wait.
The defensive anti-aircraft battery opened fire on a few (North
American P-51) Mustangs that approached the field, but they
were chased away, from what I could understand, and the jets
were coming in. One Me-262 had been shot down, and Nowotny reported
one of his engines was damaged. He was flying on the right engine
alone, which made him vulnerable. I stepped outside to watch
his approach to the field, when an enemy fighter pulled away
not far from us. I heard the sound of a jet engine, and we saw
this 262 coming down through the light clouds at low altitude,
rolling slightly and then hitting the ground. The explosions
rocked the air, and only a column of black smoke rose from behind
the trees. We took off in a car and reached the wreckage, and
it was Nowotny's plane. After sifting through the wreckage,
the only salvageable things found were his left hand and pieces
of his Diamonds decoration.
WWII:
What impact did that have on the progress report to Hitler concerning
the jet fighters?
Galland:
Hitler, from what I understand, was upset about his loss, but
I don't think he really said anything about it to me. Well,
the remains of that unit went to form JG.7, commanded by our
friend Johannes Steinhoff. Steinhoff recruited other great aces
to command the various groups.
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