february february world war luftwaffe flying ace flew combat missions eastern claiming aerial victories making fourth highest scoring ace aviation history claimed victories flying joined luftwaffe age flew combat missions spring joined supporting eastern claimed victory june opening day took time personal tally aerial victories february reached kills relatively insignificant compared german aces tally began increase began operate earned knight des october reaching aerial victories time awarded decoration tally victories soviet aircraft shot remainder world war credited aerial victories awarded knight oak leaves swords february flying combat mission shot killed air gunner successful german fighter pilot killed action personal life born february near austria-hungary father farmer contrary public perception fighter pilots author describes reserved soft spoken fascinated flight early age working briefly auto mechanic joined luftwaffe age completing training february posted based germany assigned squadron rank training described good account calm presence mind sense duty owing attributes superior officers treated respect training early career role model offered advice techniques formed friendship german ace shared advice aerial combat later served pastor married fiancé june travelled occupied soviet territory couple son born world war operations air superiority missions assigned support german invasion yugoslavia bombing belgrade wing credited aerial victories time surrender april course campaign acted leader engage enemy aircraft saw limited air combat combat actions missions forces handed old fighters fighter wing began intensive training new operation operation german invasion soviet_union began june fortnight prior moved airfield near present day tasked supporting advance baltic states unit began combat operations shortly june claimed aerial victories bombers shot early morning mission june downed victory earned second class time german advance taken south remain nearly years winter victories awarded iron cross class october mid march claimed aerial victories suffered damage returned base resisting urge chase risk life motto piece avoid risks safe route avoid ill considered wild offensive tactics end produced success single victory way months tally risen claimed victories bomber fighter sortie combat involved experienced opponents soviet pilots tried force trap chasing attempt cut aircraft fired times hit managed shoot soviet fighters escape summer aerial victories rare operating northern sector usually meant little action soviet air activity summer offensive recounts frustrated time ground crew worked spirits february achieved 39th victory war wing commander congratulated decreed longer assigned role instead allowed conduct lone combat patrols early withdrawn convert stronger conditions eastern greater firepower speed agility fighter popular pilots particular pleased ideal tough heavily armoured favourite target point returning combat victory tally climbed rapidly mid march reached victories encompassing types aircraft march mission pocket suffered engine failure kilometers soviet lines removed precision board clock engineered instrument orders secure landed slid meters stop snow covered field landing fellow pilot shot similar circumstances advised radio hide landing travel night march compass bearing degrees north west base german lines exiting aircraft ran nearest forest landing locals began emerging nearby houses got forest found left emergency rations having chocolate bar continued forest dense vegetation able day unseen resting raided houses found clothes food determined find food dressed russian peasant passed soviet looking eat spoke czech russian managed evade detection route stopped points given food eventually edge nightfall crossed frozen lake german lines days crash landing following return promoted staff sergeant march took leave march april time returned taken left command germany later killed action october scored aerial victories return claiming soviet aircraft operation machine gun fire bomber rear gunner damaged aircraft forced crash land june achieved aerial victory taking total baltic fighting took spring battles regions spring battles ended germans prepared led air battles followed unit escorted iii group dive bomber wing commanded july germans launched attack date claimed victories day citadel ace day claiming victories day shot soviet aircraft point achieved recognition prominent german aces german defeat combat career continued german_army retreated achieved kill day average reach victories september days later september claimed 100th aerial victory fighter 53rd luftwaffe pilot achieve century mark received knight des october time awarded october tally aerial victories presentation november promoted rank second lieutenant january served chief instructor france providing instructor fighter pilots unhappy teaching role filed applications return combat march request approved subsequently returned eastern early april achieved aerial victory april awarded knight oak leaves des mit aerial victory claimed april received adolf hitler german receive award transferred augment iii 3rd group fighting western provide air defense amidst increasing allied aerial attacks august new formed remnants appointed squadron leader continued increase tally shooting aircraft august bringing overall total time converted flying designated yellow october achieved victories total months earned mit und november victories german receive award flew hitler headquarters receive award continued germany spend leave returned january took second squadron added victories time leader february personal total aerial victories february took wing flying black factory number engage formation aircraft later reported contact formation low altitude meters attacked firing damaging damaged aircraft chased closed kill hit return fire rear gunner descended ground fire probably unable use parachute bail crashed flames site crash believed kilometers south west witnesses formation reported shot killed air battle having scored final victory awards der luftwaffe december pilot luftwaffe gold pennant combined pilots observation badge german cross gold march 2nd class june 1st class october knight oak leaves swords knight cross october master sergeant sergeant pilot oak leaves april second lieutenant pilot swords november lieutenant war officer
Otto Kittel