By the early spring of 1945, the war for Germany was coming to an inevitable, brutal end. Her cities lay in ruins after years of day and night bombardment had destroyed every possible military target. There was little hope of a turn around in battle conditions, as the allies continued forging ahead on all fronts, pressing home their attacks, seeking capitulation.

The Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, noted in his personal diary of March 27, 1945, that Hitler considered the end of the war was near, short of a last minute reversal. He wrote that the Fuhrer commented, "We are two seconds from midnight," meaning that the war was almost over. The next morning, the diary entry also noted a raid the previous night by British night fighting Mosquitos attacking the west side of the capital, and that one of them had been shot down.

One of the night fighter squadrons defending Berlin at the time was 10./NJG-11, which mostly flew the Me262A single seat, non-radar jets. On the night of March 27, 1945, Leutnant Jorg Czypionka was 'scrambled' to intercept marauding Mosquitos.

Directed into the general area by ground controllers, he was usually able to spot the enemy with the help of searchlights. But on this occasion, a Mosquito of 139 'Jamaica' Squadron passed within 200 feet of his nose! He immediately engaged and set its number two engine on fire. The navigator bailed out to captivity, but the pilot went down with the plane and was listed as 'missing in action.'

Satisfied that he had neutralized the intruder, Jorg turned to seek another adversary above the flack-torn skies of Berlin.

In Robert Bailey's newest painting, Lt. Jorg Czypionka flying 'Red Six' is seen over flying the Mosquito while its navigator 'hits the silk.'

For Germany and for the war, it is almost midnight.

Writer: Mike Coenen

Flight Lieutenant Marie Wright (nee Sylvester) began her flying career at the tender age of sixteen and a half. She earned her wings with the R.C.A.F. after training on a variety of aircraft. Marie was eventually posted to Hornchurch Station near London, England. Mosquitos are among the 65 different types she flew in the A.T.A., which was a part of Tactical Air Command. Along with numerous other women, she flew aircraft to and from many stations in England and, after D-Day, in France. Consequently, some were inadvertently engaged by the Luftwaffe and shot down. She has a particular fondness for the de Havilland Mosquito, which she says was a delight to fly. She wishes to keep alive the memory of those valiant R.A.F. Mosquito crews who gave their lives in night combat during World War II, and the A.T.A. girls whose dedication and sacrifice meant so much.