Open Assault - by Robert Taylor

The Signatories

General Johannes Steinhoff

‘Macky’ Steinhoff’ commanded 4./JG52, and flew throughout the Battle of Britain. In June 1941 he transferred to the East and commanded 11./JG52. He later served in Italy, moving to France after the Normandy invasion. In late 1944 he commanded the first Me262 unit, JG7, before joining Galland’s JV44, where he scored 6 jet victories before being seriously burned in a crash. He had scored 178 victories, and was awarded the Knight’s Cross, with Oak Leaves, and Swords. After the war he rejoined the German Air Force, and in 1966 became Chief of Air Staff.

Generalleutnant Günther Rall

Günther Rall was with III./JG52 at the outbreak of war, and scored his first air victory early in the Battle of Britain. By July 1940 he was leading 8./JG52. After transfer to the East his victories quickly mounted, but a crash hospitalised him. Within nine months he was back in action again.
Commanding III./JG52, he gained the Wings 500th victory. Günther fought throughout the war to become the 3rd highest Ace in history, with 275 victories. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He too rejoined the German Air Force after the war, and became Chief of Air Staff in 1974

Leutnant Wilhelm Noller

Wilhelm Noller joined the Luftwaffe in 1939 and trained as a bomber pilot. In May 1942 he was posted to join 2./StG 2 fighting on the Eastern Front. He took part in the Battles of Kursk and Stalingrad, and became one of the most successful pilots of St.G.2. By early 1943 his combat mission total passed the 500 mark, rising to over 800 by the end of the year. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross in April 1944, a few weeks after passing the 1000 mission mark. After a period instructing, he returned to combat in February 1945, flying the Fw190 with 7./SG. 10 in Czechoslovakia. Wounded in April 1945, and hospitalised in Prague, he was taken prisoner by the Soviets when they took over the city in May. Transported east by rail towards Russia, he jumped from the moving train and escaped back to Germany. During the war he had flown 1058 missions, destroyed 86 tanks, 2 armoured trains, plus many vehicles, boats and bridges. He also gained 2 victories in aerial combat.

Major Eric Rudorffer

Erich Rudorffer joined I./JG2 ‘Richthofen’ in November 1939, and was soon flying combat patrols. He took part in the Battle of France, and the Battle of Britain, becoming Adjutant of II./JG2 in June 1941. In December 1942 he was transferred to North Africa, and in July 1943 he was posted to command II./JG54 in Russia. In February 1945 he took command of I./JG7 flying the Me262. Erich Rudorffer was the master of multiple scoring – scoring more multiple victories than any other fighter pilot. This included 8 RAF aircraft in 32 minutes in December 1943, and 7 in 20 minutes a few days later. In Russia he shot down 5 aircraft in only 4 minutes. He ended the war with 222 victories from over 1000 combat missions. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Oberleutnant Günther Seeger

In February 1940 Günther Seeger was an Unteroffizier with 3./JG2, scoring his first victory in the early days of the Battle of Britain. He served on the Channel Front until December 1942, including several months with the Geschwaderstabsschawm. He transferred to the Mediterranean theatre with 11./JG2, before joining 6./JG53. In February 1943 he joined 7./JG53, becoming Staffelkapitan in September 1944. Awarded the Knight’s Cross, Günther Seeger flew over 500 combat missions and scored 56 victories, all of them in the West.

Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC

Byron Duckenfield joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch in April 1940, flying Spitfires, and on 22 July was posted to 501 Squadron flying Hurricanes first at Middle Wallop, then to Gravesend, scoring his first victory, a Ju87, on the 29th. During August and September he scored three more victories. After a spell instructing, he was posted to command 66 Squadron, and in February 1942 to command 615 Squadron, which he took to the Far East. In late December 1942 he was shot down in Burma and captured by the Japanese. He remained a POW until release in May 1945.

Wing Commander Tony Pickering

With the RAFVR just before the war commenced. Tony Pickering joined 32 Squadron at Biggin Hill in July 1940, flying Hurricanes; and in August 1940 went to 501 Squadron at Gravesend. In September he was shot down unhurt in a duel with a Me109, destroying another 109 a few weeks later. In December he joined 601 Squadron at Northolt. After a spell instructing, he joined 131 as a Flight Commander in February 1943, and later served as a Squadron Commander in the Middle East.

Squadron Leader Douglas Nicholls DFC

Doug Nicholls joined the RAFVR in 1938, and was called up at the outbreak of war. Converting to Hurricanes he had brief stays with 85 and 242 Squadrons, before joining 151 Squadron in September 1940. At the end of the month he shared in the destruction of a Ju88 and returned to base with his Hurricane badly damaged by return fire. In August 1941 he was posted to 258 Squadron, and went to Singapore, via the Middle East, flying their first combat operation on 31 January 1942. By 10 February only three Hurricanes survived, and 258 was withdrawn to Palembang with the fifteen surviving pilots. Six remained behind to fly with 605 Squadron, and Nicholls, being one of the rest was evacuated from Java to Ceylon, where 258 Squadron was reformed. Awarded the DFC in May 1944, he remained with the squadron until August, when he was posted away to HQ 224 Group, in Burma.

400	Limited edition	Signed by one Stuka pilot and two Hurricane pilots.	$320
250	Collectors edition	Signed by one Stuka pilot, three Hurricane pilots and two Me109 pilots.	$395
25	Collectors edition a/p	Signed by one Stuka pilot, three Hurricane pilots and two Me109 pilots.	$595
150	Generals edition	Signed by one Stuka pilot, three Hurricane pilots and four Me109 pilots.	$520

Limited edition signatures
Leutnant Wilhelm Noller	Grp. Capt. Byron Duckenfield AFC	Wing Co. Tony Pickering

Collectors edition signatures
Leutnant Wilhelm Noller	Grp. Capt. Byron Duckenfield AFC	Wing Co. Tony Pickering
Sqdn. Ldr. Douglas Nicholls DFC	Major Eric Rudorffer	Oberleutnant Günther Seeger