1/48 Eduard, Fw190 A-8, W.Nr. 732183, flown by Lt. Rudolf Linz, CO of 12./JG 5, Herdla, Norway, January – February 1945.

1/48 Eduard, Fw190 A-8, W.Nr. 732183, flown by Lt. Rudolf Linz, CO of 12./JG 5, Herdla, Norway, January – February 1945.

Rudolf Linz was born on February 14th, 1917 in Ilmenau, Thuringia. He started his pilot training in the end of 1940 and after completing it, in March 1942 he was assigned to 8./JG 5 fighting from the occupied Norway. In June 1944 he was promoted to command 12. Staffel JG 5. On February 9th, 1945 Strike Wing Beaufighters escorted by Mustangs IIIIA from 65th Squadron RAF attacked Z-33 destroyer hiding in Førde fjord. Defending it, Lt. Linz shot down a Beaufighter first followed by a Mustang. During this encounter, called Black Friday, he was shot down in this airplane and killed. Some historians give credit for this to P/O Holly, a Beaufighter gunner others prefer the theory that his victor was another Mustang pilot. Standard Focke Wulf camouflage consisting of RLM 74/75/76 colors was supplemented by a numeral 4 and III. Gruppe marking in the form of a circle, both in Staffel color. The name Gretel, painted under the windshield, belonged to Linz’s wife while the green heart under the canopy is a reference to Linz’s origins because Thuringia is called the green heart of Germany. The aircraft nose as well as the spiral on white spinner are in Staffel color. 65 kill markings are painted on white rudder.