Since 1944 Ofw. Paul Schwerdtfeger logged many sorties as a reconnaissance pilot. In the summer 1944 he volunteered to the fighter air corps and on January 1st, 1945 took off as a member of III./JG 6 staff flight for his first combat sortie in the fighter role. JG 6 target was supposed to be Volkel airport however the unit commander led his unit much further to the south. Ofw. Schwerdtfeger’s aircraft was hit by an anti-aircraft artillery fire nearby Helmond. The pilot tried to reach German lines however he crash-landed and was killed nearby Groesbeek. Ofw. Schwerdtfeger aircraft had the same camouflage as the W. Nr. 784993 machine, 900 mm red-white-red stripe was spray-painted on the rear of the fuselage. This was Jagdegeschwader 6 recognition marking for its Reich Defense role.
