Pilots of JG 53 Posing ala Cowboy

 

This photograph of 2. Staffel pilots from Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As" was taken in the autumn of 1939. They are, from left to right, Unteroffizier Hans Kornatz (rear – 36 victories, survived), Leutnant Rudolf Schmid (two victories, killed on 15 September 1940), Leutnant Wilhelm Heidemeier (two victories, killed on 11 July 1941), Unteroffizier Franz Kaiser (nine victories, PoW from 21 April 1942), Stabsfeldwebel Ignaz Prestele (20 victories, killed on 4 May 1942), Oberleutnant Rolf Pingel (28 victories, PoW from 10 July 1941), Feldwebel Franz Gawlik (five victories, survived), Unteroffizier Josef Wurmheller (102 victories, killed on 22 June 1944), unknown, Leutnant Walter Rupp (two victories, PoW from 17 October 1940), and Leutnant Walter Radlick (four victories, killed on 2 October 1940). Two of them would become a Ritterkreuzträger: Rolf Pingel and Josef Wurmheller.

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss and Chris Davey