During March of 1944 the I./JG 5 would fly their first combat missions from their base at Herzogenaurech. The first interceptions was carried on on 6 march when the Gruppe intercept 8th USAAF bombers on their way bombing the capital Berlin. However this mission was without any successes or own losses.

This would drastically change on the 16 March and, two days later on 18 March, when during two days of action against USAAF targeting southern part of the Reich. During those clashes the pilots in the I./JG 5 would file claims for no less than four B-17 bombers and two P-51 Mustangs.

However the losses for the Gruppe during those clashes was significant, with four plots killed in action and another five wounded, and with them 13 Messerschmitts was lost with another six receiving damage.

The most noticeable loss during the clashes was the Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 5, Major Erich Gerlitz an veteran ace with 20 victories under his belt. He had joined the Luftwaffe as an pilot of the Austrian air force already in April 1938. On 16 March Gerlitz was seen entering aerial combat near Waldhausen, with a P-47 when his Bf 109 G-6 with W.Nr 162471 was badly hit, however he managed to bail out, but was too low for his chute to deploy.

Another loss was Unteroffizier Bruno Thoms two days later, on 18 March. During the fighting his "White 6" was hit in combat while dog-fighting with 9th USAAF P-51 Mustangs from the 354 FG, forcing him to belly-land his machine at a field near Altheim close to the town of Ulm.

Although his Bf 109 was a total wreck he manage to survive without an scratch. When leaving his battered crate he was promptly strafed by the 9th AF P-51 pilots. Uffz. Thoms luck was however on his side once more, due to the fact that he had put down his machine close to a forest where he manage to rush and hide from the attacking US pilots.

Not much more is know of Bruno Thoms others than he flew in 1./JG 5 and later in 9./JG 6 and that he was lucky to survive the war. He was also accredited with two abschusse. His first victim was a P-51 Mustang that he downed over St.Die/Voges on 27 May. The second a P-47 Thunderbolt that he shot down North of Chaulnes on 7 July 1944.

Please note that the W.Nr. 162464 is a bit speculative, although this block was the most common in the I./JG 5 during this period.

I would like to thank my dear friend and researcher Fritz Braun for the support enabling me to make this profile and write this caption.

This was one of five new Luftwaffe fighters made by me during the week, this one would be included in my profile book No 19.