Herbert Kutscha was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.
10 Facts About Herbert Kutscha
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Herbert Kutscha was one of few Luftwaffe pilots to survive the whole war, serving from 1939 until 1945.
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Herbert Kutscha began his military career as an Unteroffizier within 5.
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Herbert Kutscha claimed his first victory during the "Phoney War" by shooting down a Royal Air Force Vickers Wellington bomber on 14 December 1939.
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In consequence, Herbert Kutscha was transferred and tasked with the leadership of II.
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On 25 December 1944, during the Ardennes offensive, Herbert Kutscha claimed two North American P-51 Mustang fighters shot down west of the Nurburgring.
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Herbert Kutscha led his fighters from Hopsten to the Schnee Eifel area where they were intercepted by USAAF fighters returning from a fighter escort mission near Adenau and the Nurburgring.
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Herbert Kutscha successfully targeted dozens of different objectives, including 41 tanks, 15 locomotives, 11 artillery positions, and 157 vehicles.
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Herbert Kutscha died 19 September 2003 in Kempten at the age of 86.
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Herbert Kutscha claimed approximately 18 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and 21 on the Western Front which includes six four-engine bombers.