"Rudel alone is worth an entire division."

From Rudel´s book I remember that he used to wipe out the Russian AA first if possible and then get going with the targets.

He was not afraid of Russian fighters.If necessary he had the Ju-87´s going the usual circle where planes would cover each other´s tail ( Marseille knew how to break this system with his skills ) and one plane at a time would make its bombing and return in the circle.I don´t remeber Rudel once saying this failed.

It´s amazing the Russians did not get him.there was a huge award on his head and every time he was noticed with the Ju-87G there was a radio message that the Ju with poles ( 37 mm cannons ) was around...He truly was skilful but **** lucky as well.

 

Rudel flew 2,530 missions. 500 tanks "killed". The numbers could be a little inflated, but that's to be expected with so many missions.
Have to remember Rudel was air combat support. Almost everytime he went into the air he was gonna have targets, unlike fighter pilots who may or not see the enemy on any given "sortie".
1 tank for every 5 missions....I wouldn't say that was urealistic.

Anyone have the figures on the missions flown by the runner-ups in the kill department? Just curious as to how many they flew comapred to Rudel.

 

I think my posts need to be re-read again....

Kai mentioned survivabilty which is a big key. anyone close to Rudel in missions was either killed in action or a permanent resident in the hospital. There are pilots that amassed huge missions of over 1000 but nothing close to Rudel's.

Soviet AA was to be rendered useless either by boms or by wing mounted 2cm wepons of the D-5's or Fw 190's, thus allowing the Panzerstaffel with the long rods to attack soviet armor with their tungsten cored 3.7cm's.

here's 1 chap.

Major Horst Kaubisch killed February of 45, 1000 missions KC in November of 42, EL in June of 44.

another:

Oberleutnant Johann Klaus, KC in March of 44 812 missions, 150 with Fw 190, 65 tank kills, 2 aerial victories.

E

 

Thanx Erich for the tip, pics and short German story on both of these guys:

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/KlausJ-R.htm

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/KaubischH-R.htm

 

Oberfahnrich Heinz Meyer

One of the most successful of the younger Stuka pilots, Heinz Meyer joined the Luftwaffe in January 1940, and completed his Stuka pilot training in 1942. In July of that year he first saw action with 3./St.G 102 in Foggia, Italy whilst flying on an armed reconnaissance mission. In February 1943 he joined 8./SG2 'Immelmann' on the Eastern Front. With his Staffel he was one of the most highly regarded pilots on the entire Eastern Front and took part in the Battle of Kursk with Rudel. Heinz flew his 500th combat mission on 31 May, 1944 and received the German Cross in August 1944. By the end of the war he had completed 618 combat missions (including 30 in the Fw190) and destroyed 40 tanks, 40 gun positions, 100 vehicles, 3 bridges, 2 ammunition dumps and 2 supply trains. He was awarded the Knight's Cross on 17 April, 1945.




http://www.wings-fine-arts.com/trudgian/kursk.htm

 

In Robert Bailey's latest painting, titled Bear Trap, German field artillery has surprised an advancing Russian armored column near the town of Smolensk during October, 1943. Above the ground battle, Stukas from Schlachtgeschwader 2 (Oberst Hans Ulrich Rudel), escorted by Focke Wulf 190's of JG-51 (Horst Petzschler), pound the Russian armor with Cannon and bombs, effectively halting the advance of their foe. All Prints come with two co-signatures.

The Signatures:
Horst Petzschler began his Lufwaffe career on the Russian front in September 1943 and flew over 100 missions. Hit once by Soviet flak, he bailed out but was saved by German troops. On many occasions during his service with JG-51, he supported Stuka attacks on Russian ground forces, including attacks led by Oberst Hans Ulrich Rudel. Horst scored 22 Soviet victories in addition to four more victories on the western front by war's end (flying the Bf-109). He was awarded the Day Fighter Operational Flying Clasp (Gold) in March 1944 after his 110th operational flight. He also received the Iron Cross First and Second Class.an, Flight Officer Gordon Ockenden, Flight Officer Don Murchie, and Flight Officer Douglas Gaudin.

Oscar Boesch joined the Lufwaffe in August 1942 and volunteered for Sturm Staffel 1, a special unit which attacked American daylight bombers. During his mission in April 1944 he crash landed and flipped his 190 onto its back. He was shot down in May but went on to reach a score of 18 victories, earning him the Iron Cross First and Second class. While with JG-3, Oscar escorted Oberst Hans Ulrich Rudel's Stukas on the eastern front during ground support missions for the Battle of Berlin, April 1945.

http://www.aviatorart.com/bailey/b-bear.html

 

On 8 May 1945, Kitzingen, Germany, was home to the Republic P-47s of the 405th FG, but before the day was out, it was also to be the home of a number of Luftwaffe Ju 87s and FW 190s. S.G.2 had continued to support German ground forces in the east until the final days of the war, but with hostilities to cease on 8 May 1945, and facing capture by the Russians, Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel and his unit decided to try to reach the West.

Stab and II./S.G.2 were based at Kummer, in northern Bohemia, I./S.G.2 was in Austria, and III./S.G.2 was near Prague. I. and III.Gruppe both escaped westwards. Although Stab and II./S.G.2 had few serviceable aircraft, it was decided to fly as many men out as possible, while a vehicle convoy would try to reach the west with the rest of the unit's personnel. This ground column was later attacked and destroyed, with few survivors.[1] But this was in the future when Rudel led the three Ju 87s and four FW 190s westwards in the afternoon. The unit made radio contact with the US XIX Tactical Air Command, and was directed to the airfield at Kitzingen. Allied anti-aircraft defenses were made aware of the approach of the aircraft.[2]

During the two-hour flight, S.G.2 had encountered Soviet aircraft, but had escaped unharmed, and arrived at Kitzingen late in the afternoon. After circling the airfield, the seven German aircraft landed to surrender, quickly being surrounded by their excited captors.
Seven aircraft in all landed, with a total of six officers, six NCOs, and one civilian female.[3] Known personnel included:
Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel - Kommodore S.G.2, RK mit Gold EL, 9 LS, 2530 ff.
Oblt. Karl Bierman - Staka. 5./S.G.2
Oblt. Hans Schwirblat - Staka. 10.(Pz.)/S.G.2, RK
Major Kurt Lau - Kommandeur II./S.G.103, RK
Hptm. Ernst-August Niermann - war correspondent and pilot, DKiG
Major Karl Kennel - Kommandeur II./S.G.2, RK mit EL, 34 LS, 957 ff.

At least three aircraft were deliberately damaged on landing, with Rudel - who was first to land - smashing the undercarraige and the propeller blades of his Ju 87G-2. Oblt. Schwirblatt crashed his Ju 87D-5, and another aircraft deliberately damaged was the FW 190A-8 of Major Karl Kennel. Kennel wrecked the right wing and sheared off the undercarriage in a crash-landing. Other aircraft could not be damaged because they carried passengers.

http://www.geocities.com/bookie190/Kitzingen.htm

 

Nice story on Rudels final flight. Heh heh heh--I wonder what happened to that Felds Girlfriend? Allowed to go on her way I suppose?

I wonder how long Rudel was held in captivity?

 

Carl,

Don't have the official date of his release as a POW...his captivity wasn't long though.
I too have wondered if that couple ever got a chance to marry?

Did you ever see Calvin Hall's photograph of the group just after their surrender? It was a great photo, Calvin said he picked it up from the grandson of one of the american airman that was there that day.

 

Hi Mike--Come to think of it-I did see some pics. As a matter of fact--there were several pictures he showed right?

All I can say is that he is lucky to have them. Ive a few Originals of Werner Molders, Johann Mohr, and Wolfgang Luth. I missed out on a chance to get one original snap-shot sized pic of Molders that was on ebay.de about 6 months ago. I had bid on it and bid high but--lost out because at that time--I had little time to be able to use a computer due to my work schedule. It turns out I was sniped at the last minute.

The foto didnt go for as much as I figured it would--all I bid was $40.00 and the sniper got it for $40.50--I WAS a bit irritated. At least at that time tho--I was compansated with a Propaganda Press foto of Wolfgang Luth on the Conning tower of U 181 just aftey they got back from that patrol--flying I think about 20++ victoyr pennants from the mast.

This was in October 1943--and this was the last official foto taken of Wolfgang Luth on U 181. He is looking to his right a bit--not directly at the camera--and is wearing a large beard. It closely resembles my Kriegsmarine PK press foto of Johann Mohr who is also on the conning tower of his U boat--flying several victory pennants. Clear shot of his RK and directly to his right side is another officer who resembles the Commander of U 995--Dr Hans-Georg Hess.