Franz-Josef Beerenbrock, joined a flak artillery unit on 1 October 1938 and in 1939 was trained as a pilot. In March 1941 and was transferred to 12./JG 51. Based at the Channel front at Le Touquet base his first combat mission was flown against the RAF.

For the upcoming assault on the USSR dubbed "Operation Barbarossa" the IV. Gruppe of JG 51 was withdrawn from the Channel in early June 1941 for rest and refit at Mönchengladbach where the unit was equipped with a full complement of Bf 109 Filip.

On 15 June, IV. Gruppe began transferring east and was located at the airfield Krzewicze, approximately 70 km west Brest-Litovsk on the western bank of the Bug River. On 22 June, when the invasion commenced the JG 51 was tasked to protect the right flank of Army Group Center. Two days into the fighting, on 24 June 1941 Uffz. Beerenbrock claimed his first aerial victory, a SB-2 bomber.

During this period he frequently flew as wingman of Karl-Gottfried Nordmann and Heinz Bär. During the following seventeen months he took part in the air combats with great entusiasm and was able to achieve considerable successes. Following his 42nd Abschuss, Franz-Josef Beerenbrock was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 6 October 1941.

When returing to the Eastern front and the Dugino base on 20 May 1942 he had a total of 62 confirmed victories under his belt. And here Fw. Beerenbrock would claim a MiG-1 on 27 May. His 65-66th Abshusse was filed one day later on 28th in two separate missions, the first during the early morning hours, a U-2, the second in the afternoon he bagged another MiG-1.

On 1 June while flying another morning sweep he would add a LaGG-3 for his 67th. However when landing at Dugina he crashed his machine, a Bf 109 F-2, W.Nr. 9585, the aircraft sustained 35% damage. It was well documented when salvaged, then lifted on a truck and transported away for repairs.

Beerenbrock´s most favored tactic was to approach an enemy aircraft formation undetected from below, and then attained the aircraft one by one. His most successful day was on 1 August 1942, when he carried out three combat sorties and brought down nine VVS aircraft in the Rzhev area, nine Il-2s and two MiG-3s and one Pe-2.

Beerebrock hereby surpassed the 100-victory mark, reaching a total of 102. Following this success he was two days later, on 3 August awarded with the Oak Leaves to the Ritterkreuz, and after receiving the covered reward from the Führer he was granted a long home leave.

Leutnant Franz-Josef Beerenbrock returned to the Eastern Front and in October 1942 and was appointed Staffelkapitän of 10. Staffel. He would fly his last combat mission on 9 November, when his Bf 109 F-2 suffered engine failure after being hit in the radiator combatting Soviet fighters, forcing him to make a force landing behind enemy lines where was promptly taken prisoner.

While imprisoned, he became a founding member of the "League of German Officers" an anti-fascist political and military organisation. Oblt. Franz-Josef Beerenbrock was credited with 117 aerial victories in approximately 400 combat missions, all on them on the Eastern Front.

The Bf 109 F-2 from 1 June 1942 was made yesterday, however the updated Bf 109 from 1 August was first published in my Profile Book No 1, published in 2013. The RLM 76/75/74 camouflaged profile would be published in my upcoming Profie Book No 16.