Best Tank Killer of WW2 continued

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 12-09-2005, 03:19 PM

No worries was just wondering. Let me guess the rediculous remark was saying that the He-177 was the best tank killer.

Erich · 12-09-2005, 03:37 PM

yes correct !

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 12-09-2005, 04:09 PM

Yeah he is doing that because of the best bomber thread. Very annoying is it not. He did it another thread also. He said that he though humor was allowed and I told him that was just dumb.

Erich · 12-10-2005, 02:05 PM

KK I have read the Dupue institutes forums statements on occassion but they are faulty even with well known authors making comments they have not explored all written correspondance done at the staffel let alone Geschwader levels as based at the BA/MA RL listings at Freiburg. The doubt of Rudels 12 claims is interesting saying that his staffel was part of III/StG 2 which it was not. The staffel was the 10th and independent of the rest of III. gruppe almost entirely. also of note Ron K mentioned M. Peggs tome on the Hs 129 and it is like the two gents never heard of the work before also without any hesitation to call the German claims unbalanced and approving of the Soviet 29 Korp Guards units losses is a bit un-nerving as they have consistnatly lied and covered up. so bad were the losses to German Luftw ground attack units and the W-SS Tiger I's that much of the true Soviet tank loses were hidden from Stalin on fear of retaliation, even the books till just 3 years ago made it quite clear that the Soviets won the airspace and wiped the German armor units off the field of battle..........this is far from the truth.

bis bald

Erich · 12-11-2005, 02:44 PM

getting in the mood .........

Gnomey · 12-11-2005, 02:53 PM

Nice pic Erich

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 12-11-2005, 03:10 PM

Yes I rather like that one. It gives the Stuka a real meanacing look.

Erich · 12-12-2005, 11:27 AM

Greets guys !

Hans-Joachim Jäschke

Oberleutnant
*18.07.1921 Niesky/ Schlesien

RK 26.03.1944 as Oberleutnant after 553 Feindflügen (combat missions)

There is not much known about this Stuka - and Schlachtflieger ace. Since the beginning of 1942 he flew with II./StG 1 (later II./SG 1) at the Ostfront and lead the 4th Staffel from 1944 until his death. He recieved the Ehrenpokal on 21.09.1942 and the German Cross in Gold on 02.08.1943 as Leutnant. He was awarded the RK for following achievements (among others): 78 tanks, 27 guns, over 100 trucks and 11 bridges destroyed.

On 21.07.1944 while strafing troops with his Fw 190 F-8 on the street of Kleszcsele (Hungary) and westward, he was shot down by Flak and hit in the fuel tank. Crashing from 1000m height and burning on the ground (senkrecht, brennend abgestürzt)

Exact combat mission count unknown, at least 600 mostly with Ju 87.

Gnomey · 12-12-2005, 12:13 PM

Good stuff as usual Erich. Look forward to more biographies, photos and details.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 12-12-2005, 12:39 PM

Yeap same here. I dont ever really have much to say to them though. It is just really interesting to read and learn.

Erich · 12-12-2005, 01:12 PM

the German tank aces are almost unknown and yet they and probably the Air rescue-recon gents piled up the largest amount of missions in the Luftwaffe, and still very much a part of a strong air force base, they did not get the aerial kills that are always mentioned and the men the notierity and fame that went with it even today.

SG 9 Hs 129 aces very soon.............I'm going to mix and match so to speak as there are many of them. the info collected is primarily about Panzer killers with 45-50 and more tank kills, the lesser knowns mostly nothing as there is simply nothing written about them in any historical form and with that they will be forgotten sadly.

Erich

Erich · 12-13-2005, 03:19 PM

one of the top Hs 129 pilots ........

Otto Ritz
Feldwebel
*17.08.1920 Franfurt / Main

One of the most distinguished tank hunters with the Hs 129. Volunteered for Luftwaffe and and was trained as pilot in Memmingen and Schroda-Ost. In October 1943 he was transferred to newly mustered 10.(Pz.)/SG 9 on the eastern front. With this unit, led by Hauptmann Rudolf-Heinz Ruffer, he was soon one of the most successful "Panzerknacker" and he had already 30 confirmed tanks in April 1944. He had a great share of the missions east of Tarnopol and on the northern Krim from 13.03. and 13.04.1944, which were subsequently mentioned in the OKW report. He was shot down twice beyond the HKL (Hauptkampflinie) and managed to get back to German lines.

He received the Ehronpokal 19.06.1944 and the DKiG in July 1944.

Early in August he was Schwarmführer and flew decisive missions on 3 days at the Weichselbogen where the Soviet advance would be stopped. His Schwarm achieved 25 tank kills in that battle, 11 by Ritz. Therefore he received the RK after 100 combat missions where he destroyed 60 tanks, damaged a further 34 and achieved 2 aerial victories. On the evening of the 12.02.1945 he started for a combat mission towards Striegau-Jauer and was listed MIA.

Exact combat missions unknown, approx. 70 tank kills and 2 air victories

--------------------------------

Gnomey · 12-13-2005, 03:29 PM

Interesting stuff as usual Erich. Another one of the forgotten heroes.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 12-13-2005, 04:07 PM

Yeap good stuff, as allways thanks for the info you have.

Erich · 12-13-2005, 04:35 PM

getting a scan of Rix on the morrow, maybe B. Meyer or Ruffler next for the interested SG 9 crowd