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Though undoubtedly one of the Luftwaffe's great fighter leaders, Gunther Lutzow is probably best remembered for confronting Hermann Goering at the famous "Wing Commanders Conference" held in Berlin in January 1945.
Having led I./JG 3 through the Battles of France and Britain, by the summer of 1941 Lutzow was Kommodore of JG 3 contesting the great air battles on the Western Front. He then took his wing to Russia where, after two long hard-fought years, and with his personal tally standing at 107 victories, he was promoted to take command of all day and night fighter operations in north western Germany.
Called to Goering's meeting of high ranking fighter staff to air their grievances, the fearless Gunther Lutzow didn't hesitate to lay these on the line. Adolf Galland had been dismissed as General of the Fighter Arm for his outspoken criticism of the Luftwaffe High Command and Lutzow opened with a valiant attempt to have him reinstated, at the same time forcefully raising the matter of Goering's abuse and stated mistrust of his fighter pilots. Goering exploded, claimed mutiny and stormed out of the meeting threatening to have everyone attending either shot or court-marshalled.
The gallant Gunther Lutzow was saved by his record and reputation, but relieved from his command and banished to Italy. Itching to get back into the combat arena, when hearing Galland was forming a new wing to fly the Me262 jet fighter, Lutzow pulled every string he knew to get himself transferred. After recording two victories flying the Me262, Gunther Lutzow went missing on 24 April 1945 while attempting to intercept one of the huge formations of USAAF bombers roaming over Germany on that day.
Gerald Coulson's atmospheric painting shows Gunther Lutzow, with his aircraft still carrying the markings of a short stint with JG51, and Me 109s taking off from a snow covered airfield at Schatalowka in December 1941, and with prints signed by no less than four veteran Me 109 pilots who fought on the cruel Eastern Front, this is sure to be a valuable addition to any aviation art collection.
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