Best Luftwaffe Ace

Logan Hartke · Post by **Logan Hartke** » 06 Apr 2002 21:02

I have the book he wrote, "Stuka Pilot", and in it he says he flew at lest one (a D-9).

Logan Hartke

Erich · Post by **Erich** » 06 Apr 2002 21:42

There are reported pics of this plane in someone's collection but from what I understand no pic of Rudel in the cockpit or anywhere near it. Interesting too because I sure don't see the D-9 as an effective jabo a/c

E

Logan Hartke · Post by **Logan Hartke** » 06 Apr 2002 22:02

The book says that he ended the war in a FW190 (not the same D-9, probably a different variant).

Logan Hartke

Erich · Post by **Erich** » 06 Apr 2002 22:22

Well Logan that is intersting statement since he was performing ground attack missions against the advancing soviets with his Kanonvogel along with his Panzerstaffel. Note too that he flew his personal Ju into the airfield at Kitzingen occupied by the Thundermonsters-405th fighter group. His Ju 87 was ripped fairly well as he personally did not want anyone testing his a/c after surrender. In fact he also wanted everyone to agree to this with the other Ju's as well as the Fw 190's but it wasn't done obviously by the photos on the web-sites mentioned and in my possession.

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Logan Hartke · Post by **Logan Hartke** » 06 Apr 2002 23:01

Erich wrote:Well Logan that is intersting statement since he was performing ground attack missions against the advancing soviets with his Kanonvogel along with his Panzerstaffel. Note too that he flew his personal Ju into the airfield at Kitzingen occupied by the Thundermonsters-405th fighter group. His Ju 87 was ripped fairly well as he personally did not want anyone testing his a/c after surrender. In fact he also wanted everyone to agree to this with the other Ju's as well as the Fw 190's but it wasn't done obviously by the photos on the web-sites mentioned and in my possession.

E

I know, I've read that, too. I also read somewhere that he had all of his medals stolen from his plane after he surrendered, but he deidn't see who did it. I was just flipping through the book. I've never read it fully, before, but on the back cover it says that he "finished the war flying an FW190". I don't know, I'm just telling you what it says.

Respectfully,
Logan Hartke

Erich · Post by **Erich** » 06 Apr 2002 23:03

Logan :

who is the author of this memory (Rudel's) ?

Danke

E

Logan Hartke · Post by **Logan Hartke** » 06 Apr 2002 23:20

Erich wrote:who is the author of this memory (Rudel's) ?

Danke

You mean memoirs? "Stuka Pilot" was written by Hans-Ulrich Rudel himself. The part on the back cover about how he "finished the war flying an FW190" was written by the publisher of this edition (Bantam). I assumed that they found that in the reading of the book somewhere. I don't have the time to confirm that by reading it right now. I was flipping through it and read somewhere that he flew an FW190D-9, so I can confirm that, but I don't know if he flew it on a combat mission or not. Wish I had more time, sorry.

Respectfully,
Logan Hartke

BTW - Bitte.

Anders Schmidt · Post by **Anders Schmidt** » 07 Apr 2002 04:25

Och! I can't believe I forgot Rudel and Marseilles!

Forgive me.

Erich · Post by **Erich** » 07 Apr 2002 04:33

Logan :

Rudel scored 9 air victories, 7 Soviet fighters and 2 IL-2's. He flew the Fw 190A and later F series from November 1, 1944 onward. I am not sure just when he was able to fly the D-9 but with his high standing and connections it was most undoubtedly one of the first D-9's in production I would assume.

I still search for the dates of these air to air victories. Rudel's last gunner for his Ju 87G Kanonvogel, had 4 victories to his credit.

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Logan Hartke · Post by **Logan Hartke** » 07 Apr 2002 04:39

Cool, good job Erich. Where did you find that out?

Logan Hartke

Erich · Post by **Erich** » 07 Apr 2002 05:03

The photo/text album by Günter Just and some materials I have had since the 1960's. Back when I was a wee lad I was building up a data base/file for the ground attack winners and trying to find out their overall tank victories. Of course Rudel was number 1

8) E

Logan Hartke · Post by **Logan Hartke** » 07 Apr 2002 05:23

Okay, well, I guess our riddle was answered. Thanks again.

Repsectfully,
Logan Hartke

Victor · Post by **Victor** » 07 Apr 2002 12:47

It would be interesting to try to compare Hartmann’s results with Rudel’s. Which one of them had more impact in the battles.
Some may say that Rudel did. He probably saved thousands on the ground from certain death or capture. However, without the air cover provided provided by the Jagdfliegern, such as Hartmann or Rall or any other over 100 German ace, many of the strikes made by the Stukas or Hs-129s wouldn’t have taken place or would have missed much of their targets. The fighters also stopped or at least prevented many Il-2s from attacking helpless ground troops. It’s a close call.

So far, most of the attention is focused on the fighter aces, since this job is more glamorous, has more “chivalry” (at least theoretically) involved in it. I for one would very much like to know more on the others, the men in the Schlacht Geschwadern (is the plural form right?). Do you guys know of a site dedicated to them?

Erich · Post by **Erich** » 07 Apr 2002 18:53

Victor :

Please check this German/English web-site

http://www.schlachtflieger.de/indexgb.htm

viele Glück !

he is working on it, and I see great potential here.

E

Victor · Post by **Victor** » 07 Apr 2002 20:57

It has great potential, but so far it doesn't have too much. Thanj you. I will have to check it up in a month or so to see more probably.

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