Erich Rudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the whole of World War II. He was one of the most successful fighter pilots in the history of air warfare, with 222 victories claimed. Rudorffer fought in all the major German theaters of war, including the European and Mediterranean Theater of Operations and the Eastern Front. During the war he flew more than 1000 combat missions, engaging in aerial combat over 300 times. Rudorffer was shot down by flak and enemy fighters 16 times and had to take to his parachute nine times.

Early life

Rudorffer was born on 1 November 1917 in Zwochau, at the time in the Kingdom of Saxony of the German Empire. After graduation from school, he received a vocational education as an automobile metalsmith specialized in coachbuilding. He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe with Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 61 (Flier Replacement Unit 61) in Oschatz on 16 April 1936. From 2 September to 15 October 1936, he served with Kampfgeschwader 253 (KG 253—253rd Bomber Wing) and from 16 October 1936 to 24 February 1937 was trained as an aircraft engine mechanic at the Technische Schule Adlershof, the technical school at Adlershof in Berlin. On 14 March 1937, Rudorffer was posted to Kampfgeschwader 153 (KG 153—153rd Bomber Wing), where he served as a mechanic until end October 1938. He was then transferred to Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 51 (Flier Replacement Unit 51) based at Liegnitz in Silesia, present-day Legnica in Poland, for flight training. There he was first trained as a bomber pilot and then as a Zerstörer, a heavy fighter or destroyer, pilot. According to Berger, Rudorffer then worked as an airline pilot for the Deutsche Luft Hansa. On 1 October 1939, Rudorffer was transferred to the Jagdwaffe (fighter force) and was posted to the Jagdfliegerschule 2 (fighter pilot school) at Schleißheim. Following this conversion training, he was transferred to the Jagdergänzungsstaffel Döberitz, the supplementary fighter squadron based at Döberitz, on 6 December 1939. On 28 December 1939, he was transferred to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Merseburg, another supplementary training unit stationed at Merseburg, where newly trained fighter pilots received instruction from pilots with combat experience. He stayed there until 7 January 1940, one day later, Rudorffer, now an Oberfeldwebel (staff sergeant), was posted to the 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), named after the World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen. At the time, 2. Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Karl-Heinz Greisert and subordinated to I. Gruppe of JG 2 based at Frankfurt-Rebstock Airfield.

World War II

On 10 May 1940, the first day of the Battle of France, I. Gruppe of JG 2 moved to an airfield at Kirchberg. Here, the Gruppe supported the advancing German armor of Army Group A crossing the Ardennes mountain range. On 14 May, I. Gruppe relocated to Bastogne, Belgium. That day, Rudorffer claimed his first aerial victory, a Curtiss Hawk 75 fighter. Following two further aerial victories claimed, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) on 22 May 1940. In total, he claimed nine aerial victories before the Armistice of 22 June 1940. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, and it is claimed he was pursued down Croydon High Street below rooftop level by a Hawker Hurricane fighter. On 1 May 1941, Rudorffer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz of the Iron Cross). At the time, he had claimed nineteen aerial victories and had flown 145 combat missions. On 19 May, Rudorffer and his wingman attacked a diving submarine off the Isle of Portland. It was observed that both bombs struck close and that the submarine went down vertically. On 18 June 1941, II. Gruppe moved from Beaumont-le-Roger to Abbeville-Drucat where it stayed for the next six months. From this point on, the Gruppe defended against the RAF Fighter Command "non-stop offensive" over France. In July 1941, while flying with the Stab (headquarters unit) of JG 2, Rudorffer claimed six aerial victories. This figure includes two Spitfires on 7 July, a Spitfire and a Hurricane on 9 July, one Spitfire on 10 and 11 July each. He then served with 6. Staffel of JG 2 and claimed fifteen further aerial victories by the end of 1941, taking his total to 41. Rudorffer was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 6. Staffel of JG 2 on 1 November 1941, thus succeeding Oberleutnant Frank Liesendahl who was transferred. In March 1942, II. Gruppe began converting to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-2. Conversion training was done in a round-robin system, Staffel by Staffel, at the Le Bourget Airfield near Paris. The conversion completed by end-April. From then on, the Gruppe was equipped with the Fw 190 A-2 and A-3 variant. In 1942, Rudorffer participated in Operation Donnerkeil. The objective of this operation was to give the German battleships GERMAN BATTLESHIP Scharnhorst and GERMAN BATTLESHIP Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser GERMAN CRUISER Prinz Eugen fighter protection in the breakout from Brest to Germany. The Channel Dash operation (11–13 February 1942) by the Kriegsmarine was codenamed Operation Cerberus by the Germans. In support of this, the Luftwaffe, formulated an air superiority plan dubbed Operation Donnerkeil for the protection of the three German capital ships. During the Dieppe Raid on 19 August, Rudorffer claimed two Supermarine Spitfire fighters shot down north of Dieppe

Mediterranean Theater

In early November 1942, the Western Allies launched Operation Torch, the Anglo–American invasion of French North Africa. On 17 November, II. Gruppe of JG 2 was withdrawn from the English Channel Front and ordered to San Pietro Clarenza, Sicily. At the time, the Gruppe was equipped with the Fw 190 A-3, some Fw 190 A-2s, and received the A-4 variant in early December. This made II. Gruppe of JG 2 the only Fw 190 equipped fighter unit in the Mediterranean Theater. The Gruppe flew its first missions on 19 November, securing German air and sea transportation to Tunis. That day, elements of II. Gruppe began relocating to Bizerte Airfield. On 1 January 1943, Rudorffer was promoted to Hauptmann (captain). On 8 January 1943, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Kairouan. On 9 February, Rudorffer claimed eight aerial victories during a 32-minute aerial battle, six Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and two Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighters, and for the first time became an "ace-in-a-day". On 15 February, he claimed seven aerial victories, four P-38s and three Spitfires. On 4 March, II. Gruppe of JG 2 received orders to relocate to France. On 17 April, Rudorffer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of JG 2. He replaced Hauptmann Adolf Dickfeld in this capacity who had been transferred to II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing). Consequently, command of 6. Staffel was passed to Leutnant Fritz Karch.

On the Eastern Front

On 30 June, Rudorffer was transferred again, tasked with the creation of a newly formed IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) on the Eastern Front. Command of II. Gruppe of JG 2 was handed over to Hauptmann Kurt Bühligen. The Gruppe was created at Jesau near Königsberg and planed for deployment in the combat area of Army Group North, roughly in the area south of Lake Ilmen, Leningrad and along the Volkhov. When on 30 July Hauptmann Heinrich Jung, the commander of II. Gruppe of JG 54 was killed in action, Rudorffer was again transferred, taking command of II. Gruppe on 1 August. Command of IV. Gruppe was temporarily assigned to Hauptmann Alfred Teumer before it officially was handed to Hauptmann Rudolf Sinner on 14 September. In early August, II. Gruppe was based at an airfield near Siversky, located approximately 65 km south-southwest of Leningrad. He claimed his first victory in that theater on 7 August. Due to the experience gained in combat with the Royal Air Force (RAF) he achieved considerable success. During his first sortie on 24 August 1943, 5 Soviet aircraft were downed in 4 minutes. On 11 October 1943, Rudorffer was also credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 55th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve this. In aerial combat near Teremky and Glychow, he claimed a Yak-7, his 100th victory, at 12:22, a LaGG-3 at 12:22, and three more Yak-7 shot down at 12:24, 12:25 and 12:27 respectively. On 3 November, Soviet forces launched the strategic operation leading to the Battle of Kiev. Three days later, Rudorffer was credited with 13 aerial victories, eight Yak-7s and five Yak-9s from 13:00 to 13:17, taking his total to 122 aerial victories. On 1 January 1944, Rudorffer was promoted to Major (major), with a rank age dated 1 May 1944. Rudorffer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 11 April 1944, the 447th soldier to receive this distinction. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Berghof, Hitler's residence in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps, on 5 May 1944. Also present at the ceremony were Anton Hafner, Otto Kittel, Günther Schack, Emil Lang, Alfred Grislawski, Martin Möbus, Wilhelm Herget, Hans-Karl Stepp, Rudolf Schoenert, Günther Radusch, Otto Pollmann and Fritz Breithaupt, who all received the Oak Leaves on this date. On 10 June, Soviet forces launched the Karelian offensive against Finland on the Karelian Isthmus as part of the Continuation War. In response to the Finnish ask for assistance, the Luftwaffe formed Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Detachment Kuhlmey) on 12 June, named after Oberstleutnant Kurt Kuhlmey, the commander of Schlachtgeschwader 3 (SG 3—3rd Combat Wing). Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey was made up of the Stab and I. Gruppe of SG 3, I. Gruppe of Schlachtgeschwader 5 (SG 5—5th Combat Wing), elements of Nahaufklärungsgruppe 5, a reconnaissance unit, and II. Gruppe of JG 54 under command of Rudorffer. Consequently, Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey moved to Immola Airfield on 17 June. On 19 September, II. Gruppe began its relocation to Libau, present-day Liepāja, where they were based at an airfield named Grobin. During the Soviet Riga offensive, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo, on 21 October. Here on 28 October, Rudorffer claimed eleven aerial victories, including his 200th aerial victory in total. On 26 January 1945, Rudorffer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern), the 126th presentation of the award, for 212 aerial victories claimed.

Flying the Messerschmitt Me 262

JG 7 "Nowotny" was the first operational jet fighter wing in the world and was named after Walter Nowotny, who was killed in action on 8 November 1944. Nowotny, a fighter pilot credited with 258 aerial victories and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), had been assessing the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet aircraft under operational conditions. JG 7 "Nowotny" was equipped with the Me 262, an aircraft which was heavily armed and faster than any Allied fighter. General der Jagdflieger (General of the Fighter Force) Adolf Galland hoped that the Me 262 would compensate for the Allies' numerical superiority. On 12 November 1944, the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL—Air Force High Command) ordered JG 7 "Nowotny" to be equipped with the Me 262. Galland appointed Oberst Johannes Steinhoff as its first Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander). In the winter of 1944 Rudorffer was trained on the Me 262 jet fighter. On 14 January 1945, he was recalled to command I. Gruppe JG 7 "Nowotny" from Major Theodor Weissenberger who replaced Steinhoff as Geschwaderkommodore. By 12 February, Rudorffer had twelve operational aircraft and every pilot had converted to the Me 262. Lacking was experience with close formation flying and low-level navigation using FuG 16 Z and FuG 25a. In early March, I. Gruppe was still based at Brandenburg-Briest. Rudorffer claimed ten heavy bombers flying the Me 262, seven of which were downed in April 1945.

After the war

Rudorffer started out flying DC-2s and DC-3s in Australia. Later on he worked for Pan Am and the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, Germany's civil aviation authority. Rudorffer was one of the characters in the 2007 Finnish war movie Tali-Ihantala 1944. A Fw 190 participated, painted in the same markings as Rudorffer's aircraft in 1944. The aircraft, now based at Omaka Aerodrome in New Zealand, still wears the colours of Rudorffer's machine. Rudorffer died on 8 April 2016 at the age of 98 in Bad Schwartau, Germany. At the time of his death, he was the last living recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Rudorffer was credited with 224 aerial victories. Spick however lists him with 222 aerial victories, 136 of which claimed over the Eastern Front and 86 in the western theatre of operations, of which 26 were claimed over North Africa and 10 were heavy bombers, achieved in over 1,000 combat missions. Morgan and Weal list Rudorffer with 220 aerial victories of which 12 were claimed flying the Me 262 jet fighter. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 219 aerial victory claims, plus two further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 134 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 85 on the Western Front, including 11 four-engined heavy bombers and 12 victories with the Me 262 jet fighter. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 53224". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 x in size.

Awards

Dates of rank

Citations