Ernst Schröder was a colorful person, outspoken and witty. We also have a common interest, plastic model building, and a hobby that Ernst excelled in. Especially making his own machines and the machines of his unit, JG 300. When sending him my draft profiles for his approval, he definitely shown that had an eye for details and put me strait when needed.

In an interview he told me by others: "A fortress could any "Esel" (Donkey/Ass) shoot down, just positioned close behind him, and then bang on with everything you had". My next question was if he wasn't scared? He replied: "Scared, what? the machine-guns on the American bombers were always pointing strait up into the skies, the gunners simply left their positions and had rushed further forward into the fuselage when they saw us commence the attack. However to down a Mustang, that was a completely different matter".

Uffz. Ernst Schröder was one of the many Jagdfliegers that entered combat in 1944 and one of the very few to survive the onslaught to tell his story. He finally emerged as an accomplished fighter pilot and is accredited with a total of seven confirmed victories.

Please note that this profile is the second version of his machine made, this vesrion had an added fuselage camouflage. It would be included in my upcoming Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft book, Profile Book No 17.