1. Erich Rudorffer was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the whole of World War II.
21 Facts About Erich Rudorffer
1. 2.
Erich Rudorffer was one of the most successful fighter pilots in the history of air warfare, with 222 victories claimed.
3.
Erich Rudorffer was shot down by flak and enemy fighters 16 times and had to take to his parachute nine times.
4.
Erich Rudorffer was born on 1 November 1917 in Zwochau, at the time in the Kingdom of Saxony of the German Empire.
5.
Erich Rudorffer joined the military service of the Luftwaffe with Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 61 in Oschatz on 16 April 1936.
6.
On 14 March 1937, Erich Rudorffer was posted to Kampfgeschwader 153, where he served as a mechanic until end October 1938.
7.
Erich Rudorffer was then transferred to Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 51 based at Liegnitz in Silesia, present-day Legnica in Poland, for flight training.
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Adolf Dickfeld 8.
Erich Rudorffer stayed there until 7 January 1940, one day later, Rudorffer, now an Oberfeldwebel, was posted to the 2.
9.
That day, Erich Rudorffer claimed his first aerial victory, a Curtiss Hawk 75 fighter.
10.
Erich Rudorffer 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.
11.
On 1 May 1941, Erich Rudorffer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
12.
On 1 January 1943, Erich Rudorffer was promoted to Hauptmann.
13.
Erich Rudorffer replaced Hauptmann Adolf Dickfeld in this capacity who had been transferred to II.
14.
On 11 October 1943, Erich Rudorffer was credited with his 100th aerial victory.
15.
Erich Rudorffer was the 55th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve this.
16.
Three days later, Erich 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.
17.
On 1 January 1944, Erich Rudorffer was promoted to Major, with a rank age dated 1 May 1944.
18.
Erich Rudorffer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 11 April 1944, the 447th soldier to receive this distinction.
19.
On 26 January 1945, Erich Rudorffer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the 126th presentation of the award, for 212 aerial victories claimed.
20.
Erich Rudorffer was one of the characters in the 2007 Finnish war movie Tali-Ihantala 1944.
21.
Erich Rudorffer died on 8 April 2016 at the age of 98 in Bad Schwartau, Germany.