Pixytokisaki14
Least crazy gun enthusiast
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Alright, this is part 2 after Eagles of Mercy previously. This story is about Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler.
The story starts high above the air in the skies over germany. Charlie Brown was a bomber pilot of the US Air Force during ww2. His planes, Ye Olde Pub, is one of many that is poised to target some factories over germany. As soon as they entered german airspace, the planes immediately encountered heavy flak. The pub receive enormous amounts of damage, punching a hole in the wing, knocking out the 2nd and 4th engine.
When they finally released the bombs over their target, they made a U turn to make a beeline north towards the english straight and head west for home. Thanks to the damaged engines and engine 4 failing due to mechanical issues, the pub fell back from the formation of B17s with just 1 engine at max power. Once they had fully lost their comrades one of the crew shouted something you never want to hear as a lone bomber pilot.
"Bandits 6 o clock!!"
Focke wulf 190s and BF109s came out of the cloud layer to meet the wounded bomber. They immediately open up with their gun and canons, causing a huge explosion in the fuselage, shattered the nose glass which caused many of the guns to freeze due to high altitude, killed the tail gunner while also knocking out their oxygen supply, which caused Charlie and his wingman to faint due to oxygen loss.
The fighters peeled off assuming that the bomber is done for, as the Pub spiralled towards the ground for 6.5 km (4 miles). Charlie came into consciousness as the bomber was about to slam into the ground and pulled on the stick hard. The plane responded by pitching upwards and barely scraping some treetops as it did.
Meanwhile, in an airfield, Franz Stigler was checking on his plane before he goes on patrol. Stigler has already 4 kills under his belt which means he only needs 1 more to become a fighter ace and earn the Knight's cross. Just as he approched his plane, ready to taxi and take off, he spotted the Pub flew above him. Seeing his chance to become the fighter ace, he jumped into the cockpit of his BF109 and gave case to the B17.
Once he was close enough to the rear, he was about to push the trigger when he noticed that plane was heavily damage.
Stiger said it himself in his diary.
"That B17 was so heavily damaged, it's a wonder it's still flying"
Stigler thought about it hard, before he let go of the trigger and decided that he would do something else instead.
Charlie was too focused on flying, and many of his crewmates were heavily injured, that he had just noticed a german fighter plane flying alongside them in an escort formation. Charlie didn't know Stiger's intentions, so he ordered one of his crewmates to aim at the 109 with the only remaining 50cal that was working onboard. Stigler stood firm as he gazed at the large hole in the fuselage where he could see the crew members of the pub limping towards the front.
The 50 cal on board never opened up as Stigler continued to escort the wounded B17 to the coastline. Charlie didn't know, but Stigler flew beside them so that the costal batteries and any AAA site wouldn't open up on them because they would also hit his plane.
Once they were half way across the English channel, Stigler flew one more pass by to get Charlie's attention. Once Charlie noticed him, he did a salute is his cockpit before he peeled off heading back towards germany. Charlie was confused as to why the BF109 didn't fire upon them, after all they were an easy kill.
But unknown to Charlie, there was a phrase ringing inside Stigler's mind when he escorted the B17. It came from Stigler's instructor when he was training to become a pilot.
"If you shoot at a pilot in a parachute, I'll personally shoot you myself."
Charlie eventually survived and made a landing in Brittain and will eventually survive the entire war. The whole ordeal was kept a secret until 1958 when Charlie started the search for the germany pilot who showed mercy all those years ago.
He later received a letter from Franz Stigler, who was living in canada. This video is their first meeting.
Franz also gifted charlie a book, which the inscription read.
"In 1940, I lost the only brother I have as a night fighter. In 1943, on the 21st of December, four days before Christmas, I had the chance to save a B17 from her destruction, a plane so heavily damaged a wonder she was still flying. The pilot, Charlie Brown, was to me as precious as my brother was. Thanks Charlie, Your Brother, Franz"
In 2008 within a few months of each other, the two passed away peacefully. Franz Stigler Never did get the knights cross nor he was considered a fighter ace, but as he always said, he got something even better.
Here's the full story in detail by Yarnhub if you want to know more of this incredible story.
The story starts high above the air in the skies over germany. Charlie Brown was a bomber pilot of the US Air Force during ww2. His planes, Ye Olde Pub, is one of many that is poised to target some factories over germany. As soon as they entered german airspace, the planes immediately encountered heavy flak. The pub receive enormous amounts of damage, punching a hole in the wing, knocking out the 2nd and 4th engine.
When they finally released the bombs over their target, they made a U turn to make a beeline north towards the english straight and head west for home. Thanks to the damaged engines and engine 4 failing due to mechanical issues, the pub fell back from the formation of B17s with just 1 engine at max power. Once they had fully lost their comrades one of the crew shouted something you never want to hear as a lone bomber pilot.
"Bandits 6 o clock!!"
Focke wulf 190s and BF109s came out of the cloud layer to meet the wounded bomber. They immediately open up with their gun and canons, causing a huge explosion in the fuselage, shattered the nose glass which caused many of the guns to freeze due to high altitude, killed the tail gunner while also knocking out their oxygen supply, which caused Charlie and his wingman to faint due to oxygen loss.
The fighters peeled off assuming that the bomber is done for, as the Pub spiralled towards the ground for 6.5 km (4 miles). Charlie came into consciousness as the bomber was about to slam into the ground and pulled on the stick hard. The plane responded by pitching upwards and barely scraping some treetops as it did.
Meanwhile, in an airfield, Franz Stigler was checking on his plane before he goes on patrol. Stigler has already 4 kills under his belt which means he only needs 1 more to become a fighter ace and earn the Knight's cross. Just as he approched his plane, ready to taxi and take off, he spotted the Pub flew above him. Seeing his chance to become the fighter ace, he jumped into the cockpit of his BF109 and gave case to the B17.
Once he was close enough to the rear, he was about to push the trigger when he noticed that plane was heavily damage.
Stiger said it himself in his diary.
"That B17 was so heavily damaged, it's a wonder it's still flying"
Stigler thought about it hard, before he let go of the trigger and decided that he would do something else instead.
Charlie was too focused on flying, and many of his crewmates were heavily injured, that he had just noticed a german fighter plane flying alongside them in an escort formation. Charlie didn't know Stiger's intentions, so he ordered one of his crewmates to aim at the 109 with the only remaining 50cal that was working onboard. Stigler stood firm as he gazed at the large hole in the fuselage where he could see the crew members of the pub limping towards the front.
The 50 cal on board never opened up as Stigler continued to escort the wounded B17 to the coastline. Charlie didn't know, but Stigler flew beside them so that the costal batteries and any AAA site wouldn't open up on them because they would also hit his plane.
Once they were half way across the English channel, Stigler flew one more pass by to get Charlie's attention. Once Charlie noticed him, he did a salute is his cockpit before he peeled off heading back towards germany. Charlie was confused as to why the BF109 didn't fire upon them, after all they were an easy kill.
But unknown to Charlie, there was a phrase ringing inside Stigler's mind when he escorted the B17. It came from Stigler's instructor when he was training to become a pilot.
"If you shoot at a pilot in a parachute, I'll personally shoot you myself."
Charlie eventually survived and made a landing in Brittain and will eventually survive the entire war. The whole ordeal was kept a secret until 1958 when Charlie started the search for the germany pilot who showed mercy all those years ago.
He later received a letter from Franz Stigler, who was living in canada. This video is their first meeting.
Franz also gifted charlie a book, which the inscription read.
"In 1940, I lost the only brother I have as a night fighter. In 1943, on the 21st of December, four days before Christmas, I had the chance to save a B17 from her destruction, a plane so heavily damaged a wonder she was still flying. The pilot, Charlie Brown, was to me as precious as my brother was. Thanks Charlie, Your Brother, Franz"
In 2008 within a few months of each other, the two passed away peacefully. Franz Stigler Never did get the knights cross nor he was considered a fighter ace, but as he always said, he got something even better.
Here's the full story in detail by Yarnhub if you want to know more of this incredible story.
