1. Emil Lang, nicknamed "Bully", was a Luftwaffe flying ace during World War II.
25 Facts About Emil Lang
1. 2.
Emil Lang was credited with 72 victories in a three-week period, among them an unsurpassed total of 18 on 3 November 1943.
3.
Emil Lang received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 November 1943 for his 119 victories to that time.
4.
Emil Lang scored his last three victories on 26 August 1944; on 3 September 1944, he was killed in action over Belgium.
5.
Emil Lang was born on 14 January 1909 at Thalheim, now part of Fraunberg in the Isar region near Freising in Bavaria, Germany.
6.
Emil Lang was a well-known track-and-field athlete who ran the middle distances.
7.
Emil Lang earned the nickname "Bully" from his 'bulldog-like' looks, characterized by his barrel-chested physique.
8.
Emil Lang joined the Luftwaffe as a member of the military reserve force on 4 January 1938.
9.
Emil Lang was 33 years old when he was accepted for fighter pilot training in 1942.
10.
Emil Lang undertook courses at the Jagdflieger Vorschule 1 and Jagdfliegerschule 5.
11.
Emil Lang was then assigned to Jagdgruppe Ost on 6 January 1943 and then to Jagdgeschwader 54 on the Eastern Front on 11 February 1943.
12.
Emil Lang had already briefly served as acting Staffelkapitan of 5.
13.
Emil Lang was the 58th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.
14.
Emil Lang was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after 119 aerial victories on 22 November 1943, followed three days later by the German Cross in Gold.
15.
On 9 April 1944, Oberleutnant Emil Lang was appointed Staffelkapitan of the 9.
16.
Emil Lang became the 448th recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 11 April 1944 after 144 aerial victories, all claimed on the Eastern Front.
17.
Hauptmann Emil Lang was then made Gruppenkommandeur of the II.
18.
Between 24 May and 28 August 1944, Emil Lang had claimed 29 aerial victories on the Western Front, including nine P-51 Mustangs.
19.
On 3 September 1944, Emil Lang was killed in action when his Fw 190 A-8 "Green 1" hit the ground and exploded in a field at Overhespen.
20.
Emil Lang had experienced mechanical trouble on the runway when he and the other aircraft of his flight took off at Melsbroek at 1.20 pm.
21.
Ten minutes later, Emil Lang was still having difficulties raising his landing gear.
22.
On 28 September 1944, Emil Lang's commanding officer, Geschwaderkommodore Josef Priller, submitted a request for posthumous promotion to Major.
23.
Captain Emil Lang is a fully matured character, serious and calm in his demeanor, yet definite and energetic when strength was needed.
24.
Captain Emil Lang possesses an exemplary concept of service, has initiative and talent for improvisation to a large degree, well rooted in the National Socialist ideas.
25.
Emil Lang was succeeded by Hauptmann Georg-Peter Eder as commander of II.