Order Enquiries (UK) : 01436 820269

You currently have no items in your basket


Buy with confidence and security!
Publishing historical art since 1985

Don't Miss Any Special Deals - Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
Product Search         

ALWAYS GREAT OFFERS :
20% FURTHER PRICE REDUCTIONS ON HUNDREDS OF LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS
BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE ON THOUSANDS OF PAINTINGS AND PRINTS
FOR MORE OFFERS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Heinrich Ehrler - Pilot Profile - Heinrich Ehrler

Heinrich Ehrler

Victories : 209
-----------------------------
Country : Germany
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Axis
Died : 4th April 1945


Awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron CrossAwarded Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross
Knights
Cross
Oak Leaves

Heinrich Ehrler started his career in the Luftwaffe in early 1940, when he started his Pilot training after transferring from a Flak-artillery unit. Ehrler joined 4./Jagdgeschwader 77 on his first operational posting and achieved his first victory in May 1940. JG 77 was based in Norway and he spent most of the war on the Northfront. JG 77 was restructured as JG 5 Eismeer in January 1942. JG 5 operated from bases in northern Norway and Finland, and they mostly engaged Russian aircraft, but were also given the task of intercepting British raids on Norway.

Ehrler did not achieve his second victory until 19 February 1942. He was promoted to Leutnant and made Staffelkapitän(Squadron Leader) in 6./Jagdgeschwader 5 after his 11th victory on 20 July. On 4 September, he was awarded the Knights Cross for 64 aerial victories. By 1 June 1943 he was promoted to Hauptmann and appointed Gruppenkommandeur for II./JG 5. During this period he was also awarded the Oak Leaves to his Ritterkreuz. On 25 May 1944 he achieved nine victories in one day, bringing his tally up to 155. On 1 August he was appointed to Geschwaderkommodore of JG 5 and at the same time was promoted to Major.


Latest Axis Aviation Artwork !
 In early May 1941, in conditions of strict secrecy because the United States was not yet at war, seventeen pilots of the US Navy had arrived in Britain and been attached to Catalina squadrons of Coastal Command.  These experienced PBY pilots were there to assist the Royal Air Force to become familiar with the Catalina, and also to gain operational experience for the US Navy.  On 26th May 1941 Catalina Z of No.209 Sqn, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs RAF, with Ensign Leonard B Smith USN as co-pilot, joined the search for the Bismarck.  At 1015 the aircraft was being flown in poor visibility at an altitude of 500ft when Ensign Smith sighted the Bismarck at a range of eight miles.  The Catalina was flown towards the contact so that a positive identification could be made and emerged from the cloud only 500 yards from the German ship.  The aircraft met a hail of anti-aircraft fire but was able to make its escape.  As a result of the sighting report from Catalina Z the Bismarck was again engaged by ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and was sunk at 1040 on 27th May 1941.  Leonard Smith can be considered therefore, the first American to be directly involved in action in World War Two.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (American) for his actions.

The Aircraft That Found the Bismarck by Ivan Berryman.
 One of the all time great fighter aces, Adolf Galland is depicted flying Bf 109E-4/N of Stab/JG26 in September 1940.  Galland flew 705 combat missions during World War Two and was credited with a final tally of 104 aerial victories. He survived the war and died peacefully in February 1996.

Tribute to Generalleutnant Adolf Galland by Ivan Berryman.
 Walter Briegleb is shown in his Ju88 G.7 4R+BR as he stalks his prey - on this occasion a Lancaster.  Flying below their target, his crew would aim upward firing cannon at the inner wing of the bomber, igniting the fuel tanks.  For the bomber crews, they were very much defenceless against this type of attack, and often had no idea of the presence of an enemy aircraft in the dark.

Tribute to Walter Briegleb by Ivan Berryman.
 The attack by Leutnant Walter Briegleb and his crew on Lancaster Mk.III ND960 DX-I of No.57 Sqn early on 22nd May 1944.  Flying Me110 with codes D5+BV with his crew of Feldwebel Walter Bräunlich and Bordfunker Feldwebel Brandt, Briegleb flew undetected beneath the bomber and used the deadly 'Schräge Musik' - upward firing cannon - to hit the fuel tanks in the port wing between the fuselage and inner engine.  Pulling away, he watched the aircraft burn and could see both gunners in their turrets but no return fire came.  He wondered why none of the crew escaped by parachute with the bomber doomed - it disintegrated in the air over the coast of the island of Fyn, Denmark, impacting near Emtekær at 00:44hrs.<br><br><center>All of the crew were killed :<br>Flight Lieutenant Arthur Richards (Pilot)<br>Flying Officer William Woodall (Navigator)<br>Pilot Officer Athur Bugden (Flight Engineer)<br>Sergeant Thomas Edwards (Wireless Operator)<br>Flying Officer George Ferguson (Air Bomber)<br>Sergeant Harold Griffiths (Air Gunner)<br>Sergeant Cyril Woodmass (Air Gunner)

The Hunted and the Hunter by Ivan Berryman.

Heinrich Ehrler

Squadrons for : Heinrich Ehrler
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Heinrich Ehrler. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

JG5


Country : Germany
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG5
JG5

Eismeer was a Luftwaffe fighter Wing that served during World War II. As the name Eismeer (Ice Sea) implies, it was created to operate in the far North of Europe, namely Norway, Scandinavia and northern parts of Finland, all nearest the Arctic Ocean. Just over two dozen fighter aircraft that once served with JG 5 during the war still survive in the 21st century, more than from any other combat wing of any of the Axis air forces of World War II.

JG7


Country : Germany
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG7
JG7

Nowotny was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II and the first operational jet fighter wing in the world.

It was created late in 1944 and served until the end of the war in May 1945, and it operated the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter exclusively.

JG 7 was formed under the command of Oberst Johannes Steinhoff, with Kommando Nowotny (the initial Me 262 test wing ) renumbered III./JG 7. Under the command of Major Erich Hohagen III./JG 7 was the only element of JG 7 ready to operate against the Allies. Throughout its existence JG 7 suffered from an irregular supply of new aircraft, fuel and spares. With such a radically new aircraft, training accidents were also common, with 10 Me 262s being lost in six weeks.

The technical troubles and material shortages meant initial tentative sorties were only in flight strength, usually no more than 4 or 6 aircraft. Flying from Brandenburg-Briest, Oranienburg and Parchim, the Geschwader flew intermittently against the huge USAAF bomber streams.

By the end of February 1945 JG 7 had claimed around 45 four-engine bombers and 15 fighters, but at this stage of war this success rate had no affect whatsoever on the Allied air offensive. During March JG 7 finally began to deliver larger scale attacks against the heavy bomber streams. 3 March saw 29 sorties for 8 kills claimed (one jet was lost). On 18 March III./JG 7 finally managed their biggest attack numerically thus far, some 37 Me 262s engaging a force of 1,200 American bombers and 600 fighters. This action also marked the first use of the new R4M rockets. 12 bombers and 1 fighter were claimed for the loss of 3 Me 262s.

The total numbers of aircraft shot down by JG 7 is difficult to quantify due to the loss of Luftwaffe records, but at least 136 aircraft were claimed, and research indicates as many as 420 Allied aircraft may have been claimed shot down.

JG77


Country : Germany
Founded : May 1939
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG77
JG77

Herz As (Ace of Hearts) was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II. It served in all the German theaters of war, from Western Europe to the Eastern Front, and from the high north in Norway to the Mediterranean.

JG 77 was formed in May 1939 with I. and II. Gruppe. III./JG 77 was formed on 5 July 1940 in Trondheim from the II(J)./JG 186. I./ JG 77 was reorganized on 21 November 1940 into IV./JG 51 and a new I./JG 77 was established. In January 1942 I./JG 77 was transferred to I./JG 5 and a new I./JG 77 was created.

In April 1942 1. Staffel was transferred to Romania and designated the defence unit for the Ploie?ti oil fields at Mizil. (This staffel was redesignated 1./JG 4 in August 1942.)

Known Victory Claims - Heinrich Ehrler

DATE

PILOT

UNIT

JG

CLAIMED

LOCATION

TIME

FRONT

02/09/1941Ltn. Heinrich Ehrler2JG 77BeaufortSW Stavanger-Western Front
08/11/1941Ltn. Heinrich Ehrler13JG 77SB-2NW Louhi-Eastern Front
08/06/1943Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler6JG 5Typhoon36 Ost 3917: 3000m17.29Eastern Front
08/06/1943Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler6JG 5Typhoon36 Ost 3917: 3000m17.3Eastern Front
18/08/1943Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler6JG 5I-153NE Fl.Pl. Louchi I: 50m14.35Eastern Front
18/08/1943Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler6JG 5Curtiss P-40N. Fl.Pl. Louchi I: 600m14.36Eastern Front
18/08/1943Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler6JG 5LaGG-5NE Fl.Pl. Louchi I: 100m16.13Eastern Front
24/09/1943Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Curtiss P-4036 Ost/AG: 3000m8.5Eastern Front
25/11/1943Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Curtiss P-406km SW Fl.Pl. Petsamo: 400m11.55Eastern Front
25/11/1943Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Curtiss P-408km SE Fl.Pl. Petsamo UE-8.3: 700m11.58Eastern Front
25/11/1943Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Il-218km E. Fl.Pl. Petsamo TD-7.2: 50m12.03Eastern Front
25/11/1943Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Il-227km E. Fl.Pl. Petsamo TD-8.8: 30m12.05Eastern Front
29/01/1944Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler8JG 5Jak-736 Ost/ E. AG 7-7a 00m12.17Eastern Front
13/03/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Curtiss P-40Fischer Halbinsel: 500m13.35Eastern Front
13/03/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5AiracobraS. Majda-Guba: 500m13.37Eastern Front
13/03/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Il-2SW Tobowka13.4Eastern Front
12/04/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Jak-937 Ost/ TE-6.2.l: tiefst.14.17Eastern Front
12/04/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Jak-937 Ost/ TF-5.3.g: tiefst.14.19Eastern Front
23/04/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Airacobra37 Ost/ AD-1.6.g: 100m10.46Eastern Front
23/04/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Curtiss P-4037 Ost/ AD-3.8.e: tiefst.10.49Eastern Front
23/04/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Il-237 Ost/ RE-4.1.b: tiefst.10.5Eastern Front
23/04/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Il-237 Ost/ RE-45.f: tiefst.10.5Eastern Front
11/05/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Il-237 Ost S/QE-75.d: tiefst.3.17Eastern Front
11/05/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Jak-937 Ost S/RE-11.b: tiefst.3.19Eastern Front
11/05/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Jak-937 Ost S/RE-5.6.f: tiefst.3.2Eastern Front
11/05/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Airacobra37 Ost S/RC-2.3.f: tiefst.7.34Eastern Front
11/05/1944Hptm. Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Airacobra37 Ost S/RD-2.4.l: teifst.7.36Eastern Front
25/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5AiracobraNE Berlevaag: 1500m21.43Eastern Front
25/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5AiracobraNE Berlevaag: 1000m21.45Eastern Front
25/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5BostonNNE Berlevaag: 200m21.47Eastern Front
25/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Curtiss P-40NNE Berlevaag: 150m21.48Eastern Front
26/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5BostonNW Vardö: tiefflug4.54Eastern Front
26/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5BostonNW Vardö: tiefflug4.59Eastern Front
26/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5Curtiss P-40NE Hamningberg: tiefflug5.02Eastern Front
26/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5AiracobraN. Vardö: tiefflug5.05Eastern Front
26/05/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStab III.JG 5AiracobraN. Vardö: tiefflug5.06Eastern Front
17/08/1944Major Heinrich Ehrler11JG 5Jak-937 Ost/TB-4: 2000m9.45Eastern Front
17/08/1944Major Heinrich Ehrler11JG 5Boston37 Ost/RA-6.7: 3000m10.07Eastern Front
17/08/1944Major Heinrich Ehrler11JG 5Boston37 Ost/RA-5: 3000m10.08Eastern Front
17/08/1944Major Heinrich Ehrler11JG 5Boston37 Ost/RB-7: 3000m10.06Eastern Front
23/08/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 5Airacobra37 Ost/2666: 1500m12.37Eastern Front
23/08/1944Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 5Airacobra37 Ost/RD-49: 1000m12.38Eastern Front
21/03/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7B-17NW Dresden09.15±Western Front
22/03/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7B-17Raum Cottbus-Bautzen-Dresden12.45±Western Front
23/03/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7B-24Chemnitz-Western Front
23/03/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7B-24Chemnitz-Western Front
24/03/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7B-17Raum Dessau-Western Front
31/03/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7P-51--Western Front
04/04/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7B-17bei Berlin-Western Front
04/04/1945Major Heinrich EhrlerStabJG 7B-17bei Berlin-Western Front

Known Claims : 50

Contact Details
Shipping Info
Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy
Privacy Policy

Join us on Facebook!

Sign Up To Our Newsletter!

Stay up to date with all our latest offers, deals and events as well as new releases and exclusive subscriber content!

This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts.  Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE

Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269.  Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com

Follow us on Twitter!

Return to Home Page