WILHELM GANSLER - COMMEMORATIVE ENVELOPE SIGNED CO-SIGNED BY: ERICH WEISSFLOG, FRITZ RUMPELHARDT, WILHELM JOHNEN, HANS-JOACHIM JABS - HFSID 74829

WORLD WAR II LUFTWAFFE: HANS-JOACHIM JABS, ERICH WEISSFLOG, WILHELM GANSLER, FRITZ RUMPELHARDT and WILHELM JOHNEN
1971 British commemorative envelope signed by Luftwaffe aces Hans-Joacham Jabs and Wilhelm Johnen and Jabs' radio operator Erich Weissflogl. Also signed by Wilhelm Gansler and Frtiz Rumpelhardt, who were crewmen for Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, the most successful night fighter ace in history. Accompanied by small b/w photos of all five signers in uniform.
Commemorative envelope signed "[illegible] Jabs", "Wm Johnen/Kom . III N.J.g.6", "Fritz Rumpelhardt/NJg1 &N.J.g.4", "Erich Weißflog" and "Wilhelm Gansler 4 N.J.G.1" in blue and black ink.Purple and red ink stamps on verso and under flap. Color, 6½x4¼. Commemorating the joint American/British BMEWS (Ballistic Missile Early Warning System) operation and the 70th anniversary of the Royal Aero Club. With a color cachet of a Handley Page Halifax four-engine bomber. Postmarked on Aug. 25, 1971, at Goose Airport in Newfoundland, Canada and New York City on Sept. 2, 1971 and at RAF Fylingsdales, Yorkshire, England, Sept. 4, 1971. One 3p color stamp horning the 50th anniversary of the British Legion affixed. Envelope contains eight unsigned photos of all five signers and Bf 110 fighters with purple and red ink stamps on verso. This envelope was carried on a Gyro Steer Polar Navex mission over the magnetic north pole. JABS (1917-2003) was a German pilot in Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe (1937-1945), where he claimed 50 air victories in the twin-engine Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter. These victories included eight British Spitfires and four Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain - quite an achievement in the relatively clumsy Bf 110. 28 of his victories were in a night fighter version of the Bf 110. Jabs appears to have been shot down only once. This was on April 29, 1944 by six Spitfires, and he still managed to shoot one down before being forced to land. Jabs rose to the rank of Oberstleutnant and was made a Gechwaderkommodore, the equivalent of a wing commander in the U. S. Air Force, in March of 1944, and was awarded the Iron Cross and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. After the war, he became a businessman and public servant. JOHNEN (1921-2002) was a German pilot during World War II. He was made a night fighter pilot in 1941 and shot down 34 Allied planes in 200 missions, all at night. In 1944, he received the Knight's Cross and was made a group commander. After the war, he worked with Willi Messerchmitt before going into business for himself as a construction engineer. Johnen also wrote several books after the war, including his autobiography Duel Under the Stars. WEISSFLOG (1919-1999) was a German Luftwaffe radio operator during World War II. He joined the Lufwaffe in 1940 and became the radio operator for Hans-Joachim Jabs, an ace in the Messerschmitt BF 110. Weissflog fought during the Battle of Britain and was awarded the Knights Cross in 1944. GANSLER was a gunner and flight mechanic on the Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighter, while RUMPLEHARDT, born in 1920,was a Bf 110 radio operator. Both men were members of the crew of Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, the highest scoring night fighter ace in history. Gansler was present for 98 of Schnaufer's 121 victories, while Rumplehardt was present for 100. Both were awarded the Kinght's Cross with Oak Leaves. Lightly toned. Adhesive residue in bottom right corner. Photos are lightly toned and bowed and have red ink stains, light impressions and scuffmarks and negative and reproduction errors. Otherwise in fine condition.