In October 1942 the Luftwaffe agreed to re-equip part of the Hungarian fighter force with the Bf 109. At this time the Hungarian Air Force High Command decided to replace 1 Fighter Group Command and 2/1 FS wih 5/1 Fighter Group and 5/2 FS. These designation changes would come to effect on 15 December. Up until then 5/1 Fighter Group (FG) had been responsible for the defence of Budapest. On 25 October the Hungarian pilots completed their first combat sorties in the Bf 109, and in November regular fighter-bomber missions were being flown. The 1. "Ungarische" Jabostaffel (Hungarian Fighter-Bomber Squadron) was born. The 16th. of December was a landmark day for the Hungarian unit, as its commander, Lt. Imre Panczel, downed four IL-2`s (two in the morning and two in the afternoon) to rais his score to seven, not only he was the first Hungarian to claim victories with the Bf 109, he had also become the first Hungarian ace of World War 2. From 6th May 1943 onwards, six air armies of the Soviet Air Force attacked numerous Axis airfields in order to destroy aircraft on the ground. Seventeen bases were hit in the first strikes on the 6th, although the Luftwaffe was quick to get airborne and the Soviets failed in their objective. With the arrival of 5/2 FS in the frontline just as the offensive commenced, Hungarian fighter-bomber missions ceased for the time being. The newly arrived squadron called the "Frontjager" (frontline fighter) by the Germans, was given new Bf 109 F-4`s optimised for fighter interception - during the course of May the unit recived 19 new aircraft. 5/2 FS flew both defensive patrols and escort missions, on the 30th, six Bf 109`s commanded by Major Aladar Heppes flew from Kharkov to protect German bombers heading to Valuiki. As the formation neared its target, 12 Soviet fighters scrambled from nearby Kupinsk airfield and attacked. Maj. Heppes and his wingman Lt. Liptak broke off to meet the enemy. While four escorts remained with the bombers, the two Hungarian pilots became embroiled in a dogfight, shooting down two Jak-1`s.

The struggle for air superiority was at its fiercest during the spring of 1943, reaching its peak during the German offensive at Kursk. At 05:30 hrs Operation Citadel commenced along a 40 km wide front. The Hungarian fighter force, now dubbed the "Pumas" and stationed at Varvasovka airfield, was alerted at 03:30 hrs on 5 July when observers reported the approach of Soviet bombers. 5/1 FS was held back to defend the airfield while 5/2 FS engaged the attackers. According to wartime records the Hungarian fighter group scored its 33rd kill on 20 July - 17 of these had been claimed during the Kursk offensive. Between the 3rd and 8th of August Hungarian pilots had taken part in more then 20 missions a day and several new aces had been created. On 5 September proved to be a day of celebration for 5/1 FG as future 26-kill ace Lt. Lajos Toth scored his first and the "Pumas" 50th victory. Three days later the Hungarian fighters were in action around Novaia-Vologda when 1/Lt Kohalmy and his wingman Lt Molnar let a formation of IL-2`s pass beneath them before attacking their Yak-1 escorts. The ensuing dogfight was vicious, Kohalmy getting on the tail of one of the fighters and firing a burst in its direction. The Yak disappeared in a sharp turn and it later came to light that a ground observation post had seen it crash. His wingman also downed a Yak-1 in flames. In early November the "Puma" group`s field journal published a summary of successes. The group had completed a total of 1560 missions up to the end of October. Of these 5/1 FG Staff had flown 81 and 5/1 FS 787. The rest of the missions were undertaken by 5/2 FS. Its aerial victory tally stood at 71, with 39 tons of bombs having been dropped. December was a month when the "Pumas" notched up their 100th victory. Since their first mission out of the original 37 pilots six had been lost in air combat while two had been listed as missing. By the beginning of 1944 only 5/2 FS remained in the east. Within its modest ranks the unit included a number of pilots from 5/1 FS whose tours of duty had not been completed when the unit pulled out. On 9 January the unit moved to Khalinovka. Whilst en route to their new base, Lt Molnar and wingman Cpl/Maj Erno Kiss spotted 30 IL-2`s flying towards Hungarian lines. Above them 10 La-5`s were providing cover. Despite being outnumbered 20-to-1, the Axis pilots engaged the enemy over Sugachova. A fierce fight broke out with the Russians determined to reach their target but unable to shake off the Hungarians. Taking advantage of the escort fighters late intervention Lt Molnar quickly shot down three IL-2`s to take his overall score into double figures. Defending his leader Cpl/Maj Kiss then engaged a La-5 which was trying to get into firing position behind Molnar. Kiss let off a burst and the La-5 fell away in flames. Despite the constant retreating, the "Pumas" were still fighting over Kiev it self. Up to now they had encountered only Soviet or British built aircraft but now they found them selfs against American built machines. Notoriously difficult to shoot down the P-39 was a highly prized scalp and Lt Toth shot one down for his tenth kill on 27 February near Kirowograd. 

From January 1944 onwards, British and US flights over Hungary became routine. By the following month, 2/1 FS, led by Capt Miklos Scholtz had recived 20 Bf 109 G`s and its pilots gained the necessary experience to fly them in combat. Although no such missions were flown, February the training of 1/1 FS continued at Szolnok. Between 13 April and 24 May Hungarian fighters were scrambled several times although made no contact with the enemy. With the formation of 101 FG, for the third time in World War 2 the famous "Puma head" symbol appeared on aircraft assigned to the groups trio of sqadrons. Each squadron was equipped with 12 Bf 109 G`s which combined with Group Staff`s four Gustavs to give 101 FG an overall strength of 40 aircraft. The 101 FG`s first mission took place on 24 May when 13 aircraft of 101/1 "Zongora" FS (Piano) led by Cpt Scholtz, were scrambled to intercept a large formation of B-17`s and B-24`s flying over the west of the Danube bound for oil refineries near Vienna. Lt Lajos Benko and his wingman Cpl/Maj Jozsef Nagy attacked a formation of B-24`s and shot down a bomber each. Meanwhile the rest of the squadron had attacked a scattered formation of B-17`s  near Wiener Neustadt, Cpt Scholtz claiming a B-17 and Cpl/Maj Kasza downing a B-24. Then the 101/1 FS then attempted to regroup , but the unit was bounced by a larger force of P-51`s. In the ensuing dogfight Cpt. Scholtz shot down a P-51, but Cpl/Maj Kasza was himself forced to bail out. The confirmed USAAF losses were one B-17 three B-24 and one P-51 with a fourth B-24 possibly shot down. 101/1 FS had lost two Bf 109`s. The first mission for the "Pumas" en masse came on the 30 May, although due to the losses on the 24th the group could muster only 32 aircraft. Maj Heppes led the formation aloft but made no contact with the enemy, all 32 aircraft returned to Veszprem without firing a single shot. On 16 June against the USAAF`s 658 bombers and 290 fighters, the "Pumas" scrambled just 28 aircraft at 09:04 hours. Fighting broke out over the Lake Balaton between 6000 and 7000m. The 101/1 FS singled out a formation of B-24`s but within seconds the Hungarian unit had been scattered by escorting fighters. Dogfighting both individually and in pairs, the "Pumas" took on P-38`s and P-51`s claiming 16 kills confirmed upon returning to base. Three more P-38`s were listed as probables, whilst a Lightning that went down following a mit-air collision was not awarded as a victory. Allied losses also confirmed four B-24`s lost. Despite these succeses this engagement had been the toughest so far for the "Pumas". Four pilots were dead and two wounded five aircraft lost and seven aircraft damaged. Lt Toth shot down his opponent over Simontornya altough his brave battle against numerically superior enemy proved to be futile and was forced to bail out, once on the ground Toth met up with the P-51 pilot he had just shot down, they chatted until the American was picked up by a Hungarian Army patrol. On the morning of 26 June observers reported the approach of a large American formation - 677 bombers and 300 fighters of the Fifteenth Air Force heading for Western Hungary. The entire "Puma" force of 30 fighters scrambled at 08:30 hours and headed for Gyor where the fierce battle took place between 7000 and 10000m. The 101/1 FS`s second flight spotted P-38`s carrying  out a low level attack on the road between Bodajk and Zirc, using their greater hight the Hungarians effected a textbook bounce allowing flight commander 1/Lt Iranyi to down a P-38. Besides Iranyi`s success, in 20 minutes the "Pumas" claimed five confirmed kills and group CO Maj Aladar Heppes was credited with two B-24`s, Sgt Lajos Budai another B-24 and Sgt Takacs claimed a P-51. The following day 331 USAAF bombers, escorted by 100 fighters attacked Budapest. The "Pumas" were sent into action with 24 aircraft, the brunt of the fighting falling on 101/2 and 101/3 FS`s. North of the city three bombers and one fighter was shot down, Sgt/Maj Dezso Szentgyorgyi of 101/2 FS claimed the P-51.

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