Herman Graf enjoyed unparalleled successes as a fighter pilot in the skies over the Eastern Front, scoring multiple victories daily including ten Abschüsse over Stalingrad on 23 September 1942, thus increasing his total score from 58 to 100 in just seventeen days. And the 62 victories he claimed in that single month of September remain a record unbeaten in aviation history.

He was the first fighter pilot to reach the milestone of 200 victories on 29 September 1942. Hermann Graf was then elevated to hero status by the Luftwaffe, promoted to Major and forbidden from flying further combat missions. The whole of JG 52 then gathered at Soldatskaja to congratulate him before he flew back to Berlin a few days later.

Back in Germany the rather shy and reserved Graf was raised to the skies by the propaganda machine, receiving the very highest award for his achievements, the Diamonds to his Ritterkreuz. After home leave, Graf was sent on propaganda tours across Germany for the following several months.

Being a keen football player and accomplished goal-keeper Hermann Graf also took the opportunity to meet the German national football team and went to several of their international matches.

Finally on 28 January 1943 Graf took command of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost (Fighter Training Group East) based in occupied France. Here newly trained fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front received their final training from experienced Eastern Front pilots.

Without the stress of aerial combat, Graf was again able to indulge his other great passion, football. Soon he became involved in a complicated game with the Nazi authorities, trying to save as many of the most talented football players in Germany from the battlefields. Instead of soldiering, Germany's best players started to emerge as ground personnel and "mechanics" on the unit command by Graf.

However as a consequence over the Luftwaffes inability to protect the German cities against the British Bomber Offensive the Führer was furious. Hitler especially was ranging over the resent RAF fast-flying Mosquitos daylight attack on Paderborn, deep inside Germany, without having been intercepted by any German fighters.

Richsmarchall Herrman Göring who attended the meeting with the leader of the Third Rich already nurture a blend of hatred and admiration for the "wooden wonder" had already accused the top German aircraft manufacture for not producing an fighter who was capable of deal with the treat.

However at the fashionable Alp villa in Berchtengarten Göring discussed the matter with Hitler, in fact this thoughts is preserved in his notebook: " A special mandated by a particular able officer" he scribbled down. Somewhat later, he added. "Graf and Ihlefeld - task: intercept Mosquitos".

A few days later Graf, on 11 March 1943 Herrman Graf was summoned to the "Wolf´s Lair", where he met the Führer and Göring. Soon Göring came down to business, telling Graf that: "I get completely mad when think about that dammed Mosquito" Göring confined: "It makes me turn green and yellow out of jealously!"

He told Graf that he wanted him and Major Herbert Ihlefeld to lead the formation of two new high-altitude fighter units with the special intention of fighting the intruding Mosquitos over Germany. "Graf, you will be subjected only to me personally", Göring said: "Tell me what you would require for such a task, and I will provide you with it!".

The first thing that came into his Graf´s mind was his pals from "the old Good days" His Karaya Staffel, pilots such as Grislawski, Süss and Füllgrabe and he replied: "Sir, in that case I would like to pick twenty experts, and than he added: "Plus my driver and my three mechanics."

Where upon Göring quickly replied: "Agree! Anything else?" Well, Graf replied thinking about all the top notch German football players had collected while in France. "There are a couple of other men that I could use"

Göring looked him strait in his face. It was obvious that Graf´s excited appearance revealed him. "What kind of people do you have in mind?"

Graf chose to be straight; "Oh, nothing but ordinary brave soldiers. It´s only that they also are good football players. I've gather such a nice group of them, and I would like to spare them."

Göring quickly replied: "All right, you can bring your football players along!"

When Füllgrabe and Süss finally was released from the Eastern front and arrive at their new JG 50 base at Weisebaden-Erbenheim Airdrome in July 1943, Füllgrabe laughed and comment to Süss: "What is this, A fighter unit or a soccer team?" The former circus artist Süss ment that it was neither replied: "It is Circus Graf!".

Note that this "Special Bf 109 G-6 had the landing gears covers, Like on the later K-4s, equipped with the later Revi 16 sight, and a bubble for the rear view mirror on top of the cockpit. Problebly it also had a souped-up engine.

The first version of this profile was included in my Profile book No 1, published in February 2013 as profile No 56. Now updated to my latest standard.

Talking about latest standard, I have been working with updating some 3o Messerschmitts for the upcoming Profile Book No 15. A book I will start writing the captions during the following week. Unfortunatly I have to pospone the Profile Book No 14, the JG 52, and instead published book No 15 as my next profile book in May this year.

Includes in the Profile Book No 15, 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.