>>3969451Hartmann's story:
Q: You flew with Krupinski as his wingman often. What was that like, and how different was it from flying with Rossmann?
A: Well, the partnership was a little uneasy at first, but we found that we worked well together. We both had strengths and weaknesses and managed to overcome these problems. It worked out well. Besides, I had to make sure that he came home due to his many girlfriends always waiting on him to come down. I won the Iron Cross 2nd Class while flying with "Krupi." The one thing I learned from him was that the worst thing to do was to lose a wingman. Kills were less important than survival.
Q: Tell about your first meeting with Krupinski. I have heard Krupi's version, but I would like your version.
A: I was being addressed by Hrabak when a fighter came in smoking, and suddenly landed, flipped over and exploded. We were sure the pilot was dead. One of the men said that ‘it is Krupinski’, and out of the blinding smoke this man walked out of the wreckage with a burned uniform, but no other damage. He was smiling and complained about the flak over the Caucasus, but without any real surprise on his face. This was my first meeting with “The Count.”
