At the age of 21 he became a power pilot and flew Junkers Ju 88 bombers in the Mediterranean theatre.
Grosse's free distance world record of 1,460.80 km (907.70 mi) from his home city of Lübeck (West Germany) to Biarritz (France) was set on 25 April 1972 in a Schleicher ASW 12.
After starting in Lübeck, and eleven and a half hours in flight, he landed in Biarritz in southwestern France.
Grosse has offered a €750 prize for youth pilots who manage to exceed his flight within Europe.
[4] In an interview, Grosse said he could have flown farther, but he didn't want to risk flying into Spain at dusk without the appropriate licence.
[6] His commitment to gliding is also shown by the establishment of the project, "Jugendfördernde Maßnahmen Ost" (Measures to Support Youth East).