Rudolf Rademacher

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Rudolf Rademacher
File:Rudolf Rademacher.jpg
Rudolf Rademacher
Nickname(s) Rudi
Born (1913-06-19)19 June 1913
Lüneburg
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Lüneburg
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Rank Leutnant
Unit JG 54, EJG 1, JG 7
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudolf "Rudi" Rademacher (19 June 1913 – 13 June 1953) was a German World War II fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Rademacher was credited with 97, potentially up to 126, aerial victories—that is, 97 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in over 500 combat missions.

Career

Rademacher was born on 19 June 1913 in Lüneburg, Province of Hanover, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia in the German Empire. On 1 December 1941, Rademacher, holding the rank of Unteroffizier (Staff Sergeant), was posted to 3. Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) on the Eastern Front.

As of 1 February 1943, Walter Nowotny, his wingman Karl Schnörrer, Anton Döbele and Rademacher, formed a team known as the "chain of devils" (Teufelskette) or the Nowotny Schwarm, which during the course of the war was credited with 524 combined kills, making them the most successful team in the Luftwaffe.[1]

He was severely wounded in a Defense of the Reich mission against the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 18 September 1944. Following a period of convalescence, he joined 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 7 (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing) on 30 January 1945.[2] There on 1 February 1945, flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 first operational jet fighter, he claimed a Supermarine Spitfire shot down near Braunschweig.[Note 1] The Allies reported a Hawker Tempest lost in the vicinity of the action.[3]

Rademacher was credited with 126 victories in over 500 combat missions.[Note 2] 90 of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, including 21 Il-2 Stormoviks. At least eight of his victories claimed over the Western Front were gained flying the Me 262. Rademacher was killed in a glider crash at Lüneburg on 13 June 1953.

Awards

Notes

  1. For a list of Luftwaffe Jet aces see List of German World War II Jet aces
  2. According to Spick, Rademacher is credited with 126 aerial victories, 90 of which claimed over the Eastern Front and 36 in the western theatre of operations, including 10 heavy bombers.[4] According to Obermaier, he is credited with 97 aerial victories, 76 of which claimed over the Eastern Front, including 21 Il-2s and 7 Pe-2s. He also claimed 23 further victories on the Eastern Front without witnesses supporting his claim.[5]

References

Citations

  1. Held 1998, p. 69.
  2. Forsyth 2008, p. 30.
  3. Forsyth 2008, p. 32.
  4. Spick 1996, p. 230.
  5. Obermaier 1989, p. 183.
  6. Patzwall 2008, p. 165.
  7. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 364.
  8. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 348.
  9. Scherzer 2007, p. 610.

Bibliography

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Weal, John (1998). Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-518-7.
  • Weal, John (2001). Jagdgeschwader 54 'Grünherz'. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-286-5.

External links

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.


<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>