▁to ▁fly ▁the ▁Mess ersch mitt ▁Me ▁ 2 6 2 ▁jet ▁f ighter ▁in ▁combat ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Jag d verband ▁ 4 4 ▁ ▁squad ron ▁led ▁by ▁Adolf ▁Gall and . ▁Stein hoff ▁was ▁decor ated ▁with ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁and ▁S words , ▁and ▁later ▁received ▁the ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Mer it ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁Republic ▁of ▁Germany ▁and ▁several ▁foreign ▁awards ▁including ▁the ▁American ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Hon our . ▁He ▁played ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁so - called ▁F ighter ▁Pil ots ▁Cons pi racy ▁when ▁several ▁senior ▁air ▁force ▁officers ▁confront ed ▁Hermann ▁G ör ing ▁late ▁in ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Jag d verband - 4 4 ▁( J V - 4 4 ) ▁Stein hoff ▁was ▁perman ently ▁dis fig ured ▁after ▁receiving ▁major ▁burn s ▁across ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁body ▁after ▁crash ing ▁his ▁Me - 2 6 2 ▁after ▁a ▁failed ▁take off . ▁ ▁His ▁flight ▁leader ' s ▁left ▁wheel ▁had ▁blow n ▁out ▁causing ▁him ▁to ▁turn ▁and ▁make ▁a ▁sharp ▁left ▁turn , ▁care ening ▁into ▁Stein hoff ▁and ▁causing ▁him ▁to ▁run ▁off ▁the ▁run way ▁and ▁have ▁the ▁fuel ▁t anks ▁located ▁in ▁front , ▁under ▁and ▁behind ▁him ▁ru pt ure . ▁On ▁that ▁f ateful ▁day , ▁Stein hoff ▁and ▁the ▁men ▁he ▁was ▁going ▁up ▁with