After participate in the conquest of France the III./JG 3 could look back on a very successful campaign, claiming a total of 45 Allied aircraft for an own loss of 12 Messerschmitts in air-combat. While relocated to the Chanel and their new base at Le Mans close to Dieppe on 29 June 1940 to protect the French coastline from intruding RAF bombers and fighters.

Already the next day, on the 30th the Gruppe would file their first four claims, all Hurricanes. However only one of the claimed was later confirmed, the Hurricane shot down by Gefreiter Otto Wessling west of St. Omer. This was to be his first abschuss of a total of six RAF machines that he claimed during the Battle of Britain, thereby making him one of the most successful noncommissioned officers in the Gruppe.

The second fell before his guns ten days alter, on 10 July, a Blenheim claimed 20 km west of Arras. Undoubtedly Otto Westling was a "good shot" as well as a great pilot, one testament of his skill was clearly evident on this day, on 15 September 1940, when he after combat over the channel manage to land his machine on the French beach at Ambleteuse, with the landing gears extended, often an overwhelming and highly risky procedure.

Furthermore, his third, a Spitfire was claimed 12 days later, on 27 September. His forth, probably another Blenheim downed over Ramsgate on 1 November. His fifth, Fw. Westling last abshusse while posted to the channel front was filed on 21 May 1941, one more Blenheim that was shot down North of St. Pol.

Finally on 9 June the Gruppe was ordered to the East, flying first to Straubing and later ending up at Breslau. Here they could finally rest and refit but also look back to another successful, although definitely more costly campaign, the Battle over the British Isle and the channel area.

During the period from July 1940 to June 1941, 10 moths of fighting the RAF they have claimed a total of 91 enemy machines for an own loss of 30 Messerschmitts. The personal losses ended up to 13 KIA, 9 WIA and 3 MIA and a further eight pilots taken prisoner.

losses ended up to 13 KIA, 9 WIA and 3 MIA and a further eight pilots taken prisoner. Oberleutnant Otto Westling would fly his last combat mission on 19 April 1944, by then Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 3 and the recipients of the Eichenlube of the Ritterkreuz he entering combat with P-51 Mustangs over Eschwege and was shot down and killed.

In all Westling is accredited with a total of 83 confirmed victories amassed in over 350 combat missions, 65 of them was claimed on the Eastern front. ¨

Note that Wesslings Emil had the full arrays of marking, A yellow engine cowling, the Gruppe badge in front, and the 9th Staffel badge aft the cockpit. Note also the two abshussblaken on the Yellow rudder, one Black and one painted in White.

This caption is one of the twenty written by me during the week, this text is of cause provisional and should be tweeked during the process of finishing this the newly renamed Profile Book No 14.

PS, Besides writing the captions during this week I also manage to make an additonal profile, A Fw 190 A-6 from JG 2.

Regarding Profile Book No 14. A book I will writing the profile captions for during the following five weeks. Unfortunatly I have to pospone the Profile Book about the JG 52, and instead published book No 15 as Book No 14 as my next profile book in June this year.

Includes in the Profile Book No 14, the reader would find, Four Bf 109 A and B:s, 17 Bf 109 Emils, 27 Bf 109 Fs, 23 Bf 109 Gs, and another 13 late war Bf 109 Gs including K-4s. When it comes to the Focke Wulfs: 30 Fw 190 A-1 to A-8 would be included and seven Fw 190 Doras, another late war Fw 190 prototyp, one He 162, and another Me 163, This together with a Macchi 202 flown by Marseille. Finally, four Me 262 and a captured P-51B Mustang is included.