When II./JG 27 was transferred to North Africa in late 1941 the 30 year old Oberfeldwebel Otto Schulz was one of the oldest pilots in JG 27. While fighting in the "der schwarze Kontinent" he would together with the "Star of Africa" Joachim Marseille emerge as one of the top scorers on the German side.

He started his career serving with II./JG 27 in 1940 and his first victory was achieved on 15 August 1940, during the Battle of Britain. He scored two more kills over the Balkans in the spring of 1941, followed by another three on the Eastern Front during the following summer.

But the bulk of his successes were achieved over North Africa, where he on 6 October 1941, he carried out his 200th combat sortie and shot down three British fighters over Libya, his 10th through 13th Abschüsse. Over the next weeks, he stunned his comrades by achieving an impressive victory streak, starting with three kills on 30 October 1941.

On 17 November 1941, Schulz took-off, shot down an RAF No. 216 Squadron Bombay transport plane, and landed, all within three minutes. For this feat, the men of JG 27 nick-named him "One-Two-Three-Schulz."

He scored three victories again on 28 November, and two each on 30 November, 6 December. However on 19 December, probably flying in this machine he was on the receiving end when Schultz was shot down in by an Italian fighter.

However obviously not affective by that ordeal as he was able to claim his next double, no 31-32 the next day, when downing two P-40s within three minutes, both enemy fighters fell West of Maraua.

Otto Schulz's greatest day was 15 February 1942, when he knocked down five Kittyhawks of RAF Nos. 94 and 112 squadrons in ten minutes. On this day, Squadron Leader Ernest "Imshi" Mason led 20 P-40 Kittyhawks in an attack on II./JG 27's fighter base at Martuba, Libya. Only one Messerschmitt managed to take-off during the attack to intercept the enemy formation, the machine flown by Obfw. Otto Schulz.

Within a couple of minutes, five British pilots were shot down. When he landed Schulz stated he was certain that he had come across a group of British novice pilots, but RAF records reveal that among his victims in that combat was the Allied top ace in North Africa, "Imshi" Mason who was credited with 17 kills.

The other pilots downed were Sergeant Wightman, Sergeant Belcher, Pilot Officer Marshall, and Sergeant McQueen, who was however able to force-land his brand-new P-40.

It is interesting to note that "Imshi" Mason was by this time one of the most successful British pilots combatting the Italian Regia Aeronautica over North Africa.

As the leading "Experte" on the German side he was promoted to officer rank while on a well-deserved leave in Germany. He would return to Africa in May of 1942, and on 17 June fly his last combat mission, a fighter sweep over Sidi Rezegh.

On this day he claimed a Hurricane of RAF No. 274 Sqn. piloted by Flt/Lt. Conrad, and was making his second strafing run to destroy the downed aircraft when he was attacked, shot down and killed by a P-40 piloted by RCAF F/Sgt. James Edwards of No. 260 Sqn. At the time of his death Oberleutnant Schulz had 51 confirmed victories.

Note that this newly delivered Bf 109 F-4 trop would soon be transferred from Italy to North Africa. Although a spanking new machine its left wing has been exchange with a "European" Gray camouflage dito.

Sorry for the late update, due to me beeing in Germany on a research trip!