▁that ▁day ▁were ▁armed ▁with ▁an ▁experimental ▁under ▁wing ▁ro cket ▁which ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁can non ▁am mun ition ▁Stein hoff ▁was ▁carrying , ▁made ▁an ▁escape ▁all ▁the ▁more ▁difficult ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁amount ▁ord n ance ▁expl oding ▁around ▁him . ▁According ▁to ▁ace ▁f ighter ▁pilot ▁and ▁member ▁of ▁J V - 4 4 ▁Franz ▁St ig ler , ▁" In ▁a ▁matter ▁of ▁seconds , ▁Stein hoff ▁had ▁turned ▁into ▁a ▁human ▁tor ch ." ▁Stein hoff ▁was ▁left ▁with ▁hor rible ▁sc arring ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁and ▁his ▁ch ances ▁of ▁surv ival ▁were ▁sl im , ▁but ▁he ▁pulled ▁through ▁in ▁the ▁end ; ▁ret iring ▁as ▁a ▁four ▁star ▁general ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁German ▁Air ▁Force ▁at ▁age ▁ 5 9 . ▁ ▁Stein hoff ▁joined ▁the ▁West ▁German ▁government ' s ▁R ear m ament ▁Office ▁as ▁a ▁consult ant ▁on ▁military ▁av iation ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁and ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁principal ▁officials ▁task ed ▁with ▁building ▁the ▁German ▁Air ▁Force ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁German ▁Military ▁Represent ative ▁to ▁the ▁NAT O ▁Military ▁Committee ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁served ▁as ▁Act ing ▁Commander ▁Al lied ▁Air ▁Forces ▁Central ▁Europe ▁in ▁NAT O ▁ 1 9 6 5 – 1 9 6 6 , ▁as ▁Ins pect or ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁ 1 9 6 6 – 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁NAT O