Erwin Sawallisch, participated in Spanish Civil War operations where he shot down three Republican aircraft. At the beginning of World War Two he was in the Jagdgeschwader 77 ranks. In the mid 1941, he was transferred to JG 27. He first flew as a staff pilot within this squadron and then he was transferred to 4th Staffel, where he was taken for an expert, along with Ofw. Bendert, Ofw. Stiegler and Olt. Vögl (“die Experten“). These four pilots were supposed to achieve a large number of shot downs during the course of August, though, such deed is considered by some “a debatable deed” – there were objections coming from pilots of neighbouring squadrons. The commander of the II. Gruppe (4th Staffel belonged to this Gruppe) later sent these four pilots to several different squadrons. On August 19th, 1942 the aircraft of Ofw. Sawallisch did not return from a test flight above the Mediterranean … This aircraft has all surfaces of the sides of the fuselage, all the way to the bottom edge of the fuselage, camouflaged by RLM 79. The camouflage was accompanied by the marking of the aircraft serving in the Southern Front – i.e. white wingtips, white propeller spinner and a white band on the tail of the fuselage. The engine cover had an emblem of II. Gruppe JG 27 on both sides.
