1. Adolf Dickfeld was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, an ace credited with 136 enemy aircraft shot down in about 1,072 combat missions.
21 Facts About Adolf Dickfeld
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Adolf Dickfeld was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
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Adolf Dickfeld was "ace-in-a-day" four times, shooting down five or more aircraft on a single day.
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Adolf Dickfeld made his first flights at the glider school in Grunau in Silesia, present-day Jezow Sudecki, Poland.
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From 2 July 1935 to 28 February 1937, Adolf Dickfeld was based at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule, a covert military-training organization, under the command of Alfred Keller in Braunschweig.
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In parallel, Adolf Dickfeld participated three times in the Deutschlandflug, a cross-country flight contest for pilots, and various other aviation contests.
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Adolf Dickfeld trained in the military reserve force of the newly emerging Luftwaffe.
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Adolf Dickfeld studied radio technology before officially joining the Luftwaffe on 1 January 1939, where he served in aerial reconnaissance.
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Adolf Dickfeld received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 13 December and the Iron Cross 1st Class on 12 January 1940, both during the Phoney War period in protection of Germany's western border.
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In 1940, Adolf Dickfeld flew missions during the Battle of France and Britain.
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Adolf Dickfeld was then posted to a Luftwaffe training battalion as a company commander and on 21 February 1941, he was made a war office candidate.
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Adolf Dickfeld was credited with shooting down a Soviet Ilyushin DB-3 bomber and a Tupolev SB bomber in the morning.
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Adolf Dickfeld was the 8th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.
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Adolf Dickfeld was the 94th member of the German armed forces to be so honored.
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Adolf Dickfeld was transferred to the Reich Air Ministry in December 1943.
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Adolf Dickfeld was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 June 1944 and appointed General fur Nachwuchs Luftwaffe, a position he held until the end of World War II.
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Adolf Dickfeld was officially credited with 136 victories claimed in 1072 combat missions.
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Adolf Dickfeld claimed about 128 victories over the Eastern Front.
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Adolf Dickfeld claimed one victory flying the Heinkel Adolf Dickfeld 162 Salamander jet fighter, a P-47 Thunderbolt on 11 April 1945.
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Adolf Dickfeld then lived in East Africa for many years and founded the safari-airline "Alf Air Safaris" in Dar es Salaam, flying tourists to the various African landmarks and points of interest.
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Adolf Dickfeld, who published a number of books, died on 17 May 2009 in Dreieich, Germany.