On one mission, flying only with his wingman, Marcel came upon a Focke Wulf 190. Coming in on the German’s blind side, Marcel pulled in quickly on the right wing flying along side with the German. The German looked to his right and saw Marcel, wingtip to wingtip. Marcel said that the German’s mouth flew open and his eyes were large as saucers.

Laughing, Marcel waved at the German pilot. After the shock wore off, the German pilot smiled and Marcel pulled his Yak straight up and away. His wingman was very up set telling Marcel “You had that on cornered!” But that did not bother Marcel, who had proved himself over and over and a superb pilot and aerial combatant.

Marcel had the opportunity to fly the American P-51 and the P-47. In comparing these allied aircraft with the Yak, he clearly said that the Yak was a superior aircraft. When Marcel flew for the RAF flying the Spitfire, he was not impressed with the English aircraft at all.

In test flying the German Focke Wulf 190, he found the controls very stiff and hard to work. The Yak was a fast aircraft, built mostly out of wood. Marcel said that some of the pilots that flew the later models of the Yak actually tore off wings during high speed maneuvering.