Rolf Pingel was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
13 Facts About Rolf Pingel
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Rolf Pingel is credited with six aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War and further 22 aerial victories on the Western Front of World War II.
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Rolf Pingel flew about 550 combat missions, including approximately 200 in Spain.
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Rolf Pingel joined the military service in the Luftwaffe and was trained as a fighter pilot.
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Rolf Pingel was released in 1947 as a prisoner of war.
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Rolf Pingel was born 1 October 1913 in Kiel, at the time in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia.
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Rolf Pingel was later awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords on 14 April 1939 for his service in the Spanish Civil War.
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Rolf Pingel accounted for two Spitfire fighters, shot down near Dungeness.
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Rolf Pingel claimed his last aerial victory in 1940 on 5 November.
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In combat with the No 12 Group's Duxford Wing, Rolf Pingel claimed a No 19 Squadron Spitfire shot down east of Gravesend.
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Rolf Pingel then came under attack of a Spitfire which resulted in him making a forced landing near Dover and St Margaret's at Cliffe.
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Rolf Pingel was taken prisoner by a detachment of Home Guard.
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Rolf Pingel was credited with 28 aerial victories, six in the Spanish Civil War and another 22 in World War II.