When the III./JG 54 transferred to the west from the Eastern from on 1 February 1943 arriving at Lille in France, the pilots met with their colleges in the JG 26 "Schlageter". The pilot of the old "Western Geschwader" told the newcomers from the East wild stories about the USAAF four-engine bombers, and how heavily armed these were. Oblt. Hans Ekkehard Bob, the Staffelkapitän of the 9. Staffeln had heard the stories before, the phenomenon was known as "Wiermotorschreck", "the fear of four engines"

Luckily for the Eastern front pilots the first months in France proved to be quite calm, placed on defensive alert, not much intercepting missions was to be flown. It was not still the Gruppe moved to Oldenburg in north western Germany that things started to heat up. As from 14 April the USAAF started to dispatched large number of bombers towards target within the Reich. However it was not untill 17 April that the pilots in the III./JG 54 was able to file their first abschusse in the west.

This day when the USAAF targeted the Focke Wulf factories situated in Bremen that the III. Gruppe took off from Oldenburg and at 12.40 the enemy formation of 120 to 150 bombers was sited. When the battle ended the pilots filed a total of five B-17 including one out-shoting (HSS), all for an own loss of two Bf 109 G-4 with another four Messerschmitts damaged. Oblt. Bob that was leading his 9th Staffeln this day tried to outflank the USAF bombers for an head on attack, however as the American formations changed course this proved to be difficult.

It was not until the bombers had dropped their bombs over Bremen and made a 270-degree turn for home that Bob´s Staffel attacked. Defying the heavy FLAK barrage Bob flew just ahead of the US bombers, then made a 180 degree turn and commenced his frontal attack on one of the B-17s, named "Hellsapoppin". Closing in at over 800 km/h Bob let the gigantic bomber filing the whole windscreen before opening fire, he observed 20 mm canon hits in the canopy, the nose and the left engine.

At the last moment Bob attempted to dive under the stricken bomber, but his maneuver was carried out a fraction to late. When Bob flashed beneath the bomber, he heard a crash and he felt a terrible jolt, looking back he saw that his Bf 109 G-4 had lost its tail section. Bob´s tailless Messerschmitt went into a violent spin, he released his canopy and his seat harness, only to be thrown out of his aircraft by the violent G-forces.

One of the crew members in "Hellsapoppin" Technical Sgt. Thomson rushed forward to the cockpit and discovered that the two pilots was covered in blood, and with their oxygen masks torn off, then as the B-17 still flew in level flight he jumped out of the bomb-bay. Immediately afterwards the B-17 broke up. Incredibly another four wounded crew members also manage to leave the doomed bomber.

Hans-Ekkehard Bob released his parachute at 4.900 meters and could during his decent see the parachuting Americans all around him. Fifteen minutes later he finally, swinging wildly reached the ground, the landing impact was so hard that he lost his consciousness.

Soon Bob and the Americans was rounded up by Home Gard Soldiers and taken prisoners. Still dazed by the heavy landing it was not util Bob opens his overall to be able to breath freely, that the soldiers noticed his Ritterkreuz hanging around his neck, where upon one of them shouted: "Da its ein Ami, der hat ja das Rirtterkreuz" -" Hey there´s an Ami with the Knight´s Cross!".

Amazedly his downing of the B-17 "Hellsapoppin" was not confirmed by the RLM and not added to H-E Bob´s total of 56 victories. His 57th, was however a Spitfire downed 20 km west of Zandvoort was filed by him on 27 July 1943. Bob´s vicim this day was probably the Spitfire V flown by F/Sgt. Pittock from 65 Sqn. RAAF.

This Bf 109 G-6 is one of five new profiles made during the week, five Bf 109s and one Fw 190 A. Please note that this profile would be included in another Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft book, Profile Book No 18.