Trondheim. On 21 March, IV./JG 1 was renamed to III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) and placed under the command of Hauptmann Günther Scholz. In consequence, Huppertz became the Staffelkapitän of 9. Staffel of JG 5. On 2 April 1942, Huppertz attacked the de Havilland Mosquito W4056 aerial reconnaissance aircraft from the RAF No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (No. 1 PRU) on a mission to Trondheim. The crew made a forced landing at the German Ørland Airfield and was taken prisoner of war. On 10 April, Huppertz shot down the Spitfire fighter AB307 from the No. 1 PRU. Its pilot, Flighing Officer Peter Geoffrey Charles Gimson was on an aerial reconnaissance mission searching for the German battleship . Although Gimsaon bailed out, his parachute failed to deploy and he fell to his death. On 1 May, 9. Staffel was renamed and became the 10. Staffel which was subordinated to IV. Gruppe of JG 5. On 10 May, Huppertz shot down Spitfire AB127 from No. 1 PRU. Flying Officer Ian Malcolm was also searching for Tirpitz when he was shot down and killed by Huppertz. Huppertz left his 10. Staffel on 15 September to receive conversion training to the Focke Wulf Fw 190. He received his training at the Værløse Air Base near Copenhagen. That day, he was injured when his Fw 190 A-2 (Werknummer 122208) suffered engine failure resulting in a forced landing near Mogensbæk. He was hospitalized at Frederikshavn and released on 1 October. With Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" On 9 November 1942, Huppertz was transferred and appointed Staffelkapitän of 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Elmar Resch who was injured in a flight accident the day before. At the time, I. Gruppe of JG 2 under command of Hauptmann Erich Hohagen, the Gruppe to which his Staffel was subordinated, was based in Triquerville on the English Channel. Huppertz was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) on 1 April 1943. On 20 April 1943, Huppertz was transferred to III. Gruppe of JG 2 which was led by Hauptmann Egon Mayer. There, Huppertz was tasked with the formation of a new 10. Staffel. The former 10. Staffel was a fighter-bomber unit and had been detached from JG 2 on 6 April. Huppertz reformed 10. Staffel was initially based at Beaumont-le-Roger and equipped with Fw 190 A-5. In late June, the Staffel was declared