Ehrler claimed his second victory on 19 February 1942. He led a patrol of three aircraft of 4. "Staffel" and shot down a Polikarpov I-18. In early May, Ehrler was transferred to 6. "Staffel" of JG 5. The Allied Convoy PQ 16, consisting of 35 merchant vessels and protected by 15 escort ships, was sighted by German reconnaissance aircraft on 16 May 1942. Over the following days, the convoy came under multiple attacks from "Kampfgeschwader" 30 (KG 30–30th Bomber Wing) and "Kampfgeschwader" 26 (KG 26–26th Bomber Wing). On 30 May 1942, JG 5 engaged in combat as well. In aerial combat, JG 5 claimed 43 fighter aircraft and 7 bombers shot down. That morning at 09:20, Ehrler, "Feldwebel" Rudolf Müller, "Unteroffizier" Hans Döbrich and another pilot each claimed a Hawker Hurricane shot down. At the time and in the same area of this encounter, "Podpolkovnik" (lieutenant colonel) Boris Safonov, commander 2nd Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment of the Soviet Naval Aviation, was shot down in his Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and killed in action. Between 12:35 and 14:00 on 2 June, Ehrler flew on mission providing fighter escort for Ju 87 attacking Murmansk. On this mission, the Germans encountered Hurricane and P-40 fighters. Ehrler claimed a P-40 destroyed. However, Soviet record only document the loss of two Hurricanes from 2 GvSAP ("Gvardeyskiy Smeshannyy Aviatsionnyy Polk"—Guards Composite Aviation Regiment).