Rommel and Luftwaffe Ace Joachim Müncheberg

 

 

 

The meeting between Oberleutnant Joachim Müncheberg (Staffelkapitän 7.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 26) and the "Desert Fox" General der Panzertruppe Erwin Rommel (Kommandierender General Deutsches Afrikakorps) in North Africa, June-July 1941. Behind them parked a Heinkel He 111 H4 VG+ES (WNr 4085) medium bomber which served as the "Kurierstaffel vbz Africa" ​​(Rommel's private transport plane). Here Rommel seems to be or has already made an air trip, which can be seen from the schwimmweste (life jacket) he is wearing. Meanwhile, not visible from this angle is the bandage on Müncheberg's left knee that he received after he got injured in a sport competition in Erfurt in May 1941 (he fell during a 110-meter hurdles race!). Oberleutnant Müncheberg and his leading Staffel are the only elements of the Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) operating in North Africa, and that too only during June and July. During his brief existence, 7. Staffel was recorded to have shot down eight British aircraft, with five of them being recorded by the Staffelkapitän! This photo was taken by Kriegsberichter Opper of KB-Kp. Lw. 7 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 7). Notice the field-modified sandals from the shoes worn by Joachim Müncheberg!

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_M%C3%BCncheberg