Lonnie Ortega Aviation Art

After success in the Battles of Poland and France with III./JG-54, Hans-Ekkehard Bob took over leadership of 9./JG-54 during the Battle of Britain, and the following spring was awarded the Knight's Cross. Transferring to the Eastern Front with JG-54, his victories rose steadily to 50 by September 1942. His Group later transferred back to the west for a short period, where in April 1943, he rammed a B-17 Fortress. Returning to the east as a Kommandeur of IV./JG-51 he later led II./JG-3 in the west until August 1944. The following month he was transferred to the newly formed Erprobungskommando Lechfeld on the Me-262 jet fighter, before being summoned to join Galland's JV-44 until the end of the war.