During the first months of 1945 the number of missions flown by the I./JG 27 decreased significantly due to the lack of fuel. As a consequence, on 14 February the Gruppe's 4. Staffel was dissolved.

On March 19, the Gruppe moved from Rheine to Störmede near Lippstadt, and then on 30 March when the British reached the Paderborn area, they was forced to transfer to Helmstedt. By this time the Gruppe flew mostly ground-attack missions in the West in support of hard-pressed German ground troops.

Later when the Wehrmacht's front lines began to collapse the I./JG 27 was forced to move to Stendal, then on 12 April to Grossenhain. On 19 April, I./JG 27 was to be transferred to Czechoslovakia and Prague-Gbell to continue the fight from there. The Red Army however was quickly closing in on Prague and the Gruppe was ordered instead to fly to the West ending up in Salzburg in Austria.

Finally by 3 May, the remains of JG 27 were based near Salzburg the JG 27 Kommandeur Major Ludwig Franzisket surrendered to the US Army forces nearby.

Although official records were lost at the end of the war, research suggests Jagdgeschwader 27 claimed over 3 100 abschusse for some 1 400 aircraft lost due to all causes. With that the Geschwader lost a staggering 827 pilots killed, missing or taken POW. In the process no less than twenty four JG 27 pilots earned the covered Ritterkreuz.

This "Kurfürst" "Weisse 24" with the W.Nr. 3322314 was original flown by Uffz. Heinz Brinkmann in III./JG 27 as "Yellow 4". On 30 January 1945 he severely damage the machine in a accident. By that time the III Gruppe was commanded by Hptm. Dr. Peter Werff based at Hesepe situated close to the Dutch border.

However later it was refurbished and put back into service, however this time it went into the first Gruppe of JG 27. This machine was later found at Rheine airbase 30 km north of Münster by British forces, where was documented in a derelict state.

White 24 was probably left behind at Rheine after a belly landing and stripped of spare parts. It had a typical camouflage for a machine from the 332XXX series with a fuselage camouflage consists of the late war RLM 81/82 colors. However the engine power-egg has been taken from a another machine, or being extracted for a new one, probably when being refurbished. The camouflage of the engine cowling is definitely of a lighter shade in the B/W photos found, and probably consist of the earlier RLM 74/75 Gray combination.

Note that one could clearly seen a over painted numeral under the white 24 but also a overpainted third Gruppen bar on the Green JG 27 Home defense fuselage band. Note also the high number on the fuselage, typical for the first Gruppe.