Luftwaffe ace who finally got his hands on a Spitfire – aged 95!
Nearly 75 years after his first combat mission, the world’s greatest living flying ace went up in a Spitfire for the first time on Tuesday and returned to deliver his resounding verdict: ‘Wunderbar!’
Hugo Broch was a 21-year-old luftwaffe new boy when he shot down his first enemy plane in January 1943 on his very first operation. He flew 324 sorties, won Germany’s highest military decoration, the Knight’s Cross, and shot down 81 aircraft.
His tally is unsurpassed by anyone alive, and more than double the 38 of Britain’s top World War II ace, ‘Johnnie’ Johnson.
But in all those bitter air battles, Herr Broch never encountered the most famous plane in British aviation history because he did all his fighting against russia.
He might have heard other pilots speaking with awe of the agility and panache of the British fighter, but he could only guess how he might have tackled one himself. Until this week.
For at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar was a Spitfire with his name on it. also at the former RAF base in South london were distinguished RAF veterans who were thrilled to meet their first luftwaffe pilot — and rather thankful that they’d never bumped in to him in their youth. Not that it was ever anything personal.
‘I was only ever fighting the machine, not the man,’ explained Herr Broch, inspecting a Spitfire that had shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 just like the one he used to fly.
‘It is very nice to be flying over english territory without a war going on down below.’
THIS week has been emotional for this modest and nimble 95- year- old from leverkusen. He had not been at the controls of a plane since 1960, when he gave up flying on the orders of his wife, renata, and he has never spoken in public about his wartime career.
yet he feels the time is right to share his story. On Monday, he received a standing ovation at the Chalke Valley History Festival in Wiltshire after he spoke.
The next day, he was brought to Biggin Hill by the new History Hit TV channel to find out what it was like to fly a Spitfire.
Herr Broch needed no assistance climbing into the rear cockpit of the Mk IX Spitfire. The fighter, flown by former royal Navy Harrier pilot Don Sigournay, downed a Bf 109 over arnhem in 1944. It was converted to its twoseater training role after the War.
The luftwaffe ace was treated to a victory roll over north Kent and given control of the aircraft for several minutes before returning to land.
‘That was wonderful,’ he said in German after pulling back the cockpit hood. ‘It makes me feel young again. I want to take one home for my personal use!’
Herr Broch was full of praise for his pilot who, in turn, pointed out that his passenger had been a safe pair of hands, too.
among those applauding was former Flight lt Colin Bell DFC, who flew 50 operations in his de Havilland Mosquito. Upon being introduced to Herr Broch, he gave him a hug.
‘He was only defending his country just like I was defending mine,’ said Mr Bell, who will address the Chalke Valley History Festival this weekend.
also present was former Spitfire pilot Flight lt rodney Scrase DFC, who served in North africa and Italy. He was delighted to see Herr Broch climb into a Bf 109 after his turn in the Spitfire.
Biggin Hill has one of just two still flying, though it was not operational on the day.
The German looked mesmerised as he reacquainted himself with the workhorse he had not sat in since the War.
The big question we all wanted answered, of course, was whether Herr Broch would rather have fought in a Spitfire or a Bf 109.
‘They were both excellent,’ he said diplomatically. and which would he take home if he had the choice? ‘I would like to have an hour in one and then the other!’
The former pilots wanted to know how he had survived all his missions. ‘you had to make sure the enemy was never behind you or you were in danger,’ explained Herr Broch. What happened when they were? ‘It never happened,’ he said with an impish smile.
Herr Broch’s trip to the UK was organised by German historian robin Schafer, who said that a day like this would be inconceivable in Germany.
‘Veterans like Hugo are caught between the left who call them murderers and the right who want to stir up trouble,’ he said.
BRITAIN’S left may bang on about our ‘ little englander’ obsession with World War II, but this could hardly have been a more open-minded exercise in international reconciliation.
‘How fabulous that a luftwaffe ace with 324 missions to his name should spend his 325th over Britain in a Spitfire without anyone shooting at him,’ said aviation historian Paul Beaver.
The day before, Herr Broch was close to tears after the reception he received at Chalke Valley along with two other German veterans. One of them, anti-tank gunner Gunter Halm, is also a holder of the Knight’s Cross.
He received the decoration in person from Field Marshal rommel for his actions against the British during the Battle of el alamein in the North african desert. Both men had planned not to wear their decorations, but the organisers persuaded them to do so since they were awarded for gallantry and are recognised by the modern German state.
Herr Halm recalled that after being taken prisoner in Normandy, he met a British officer wounded during the desert battle. ‘We talked for hours and as I returned to my quarters, he said: “Comrade, it is sad we were born in different fatherlands.” ’
There were laughs when Herr Broch recalled the dos and don’ts of life in the air — ‘no bean soup for lunch; too explosive’ — and that very first victory.
‘I saw the enemy and so I shot him down, but when I got back I was punished for breaking formation. They discredited the kill and put me on manual duties. Typical Germans!’
In other words, the world’s highest scoring ace, with a score of 81, actually had 82 victories.
So now he has ticked off a flight in a Spitfire, what else does Herr Broch have on his to-do list?
‘There is one other thing,’ he said. ‘I want to go to the moon.’
TO FIND out about the Chalke Valley History Festival and to purchase remaining tickets, visit www.cvhf.co.uk.
Tickets can also be bought by calling 01722 781133. Friends of the festival have access to the Friends Car Park, early entry into the talks and other special offers.
Details of the Festival Friends scheme can also be found on the festival website.