Albin Wolf
Encyclopedia
Albin Wolf was a German
World War II
Luftwaffe
144 victories Flying ace
and a posthumous recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator
credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft
during aerial combat. He was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and killed in action
on 2 April 1944.
(JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in May 1942 on the Eastern front.For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization
He achieved his aerial victories 37–40 on 3 August 1943. By 4 September 1943 he had accumulated 78 victories. Wolf received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 117 victories on 22 November 1943. Wolf crash landed on a transfer flight on 29 December 1943 and was severely wounded. He was appointed Staffelkapitän
(squadron leader) of the 6./JG 54 on 11 March 1944.
Albin Wolf's 135th aerial victory claimed on 23 March 1944 was also Jagdgeschwader 54
's 7000th of the war. Wolf was killed in action
south-east of Pskov
on 2 April 1944. His Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6
(Werknummer 551142—factory number) took a direct hit from an anti-aircraft shell. He was posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant
and honoured with the 464th Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 27 April 1944.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
144 victories Flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
and a posthumous recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
during aerial combat. He was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
on 2 April 1944.
Military career
Wolf was transferred to the 6th squadron of Jagdgeschwader 54Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54 Grünherz was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during the Second World War. It was known as the Green Hearts Wing, and it was the second highest scoring wing of all time, JG 52 being the highest...
(JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in May 1942 on the Eastern front.For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization
Luftwaffe Organization
Between 1933 and 1945, the organization of the Luftwaffe underwent several changes. Originally, the German military high command decided to use an organizational structure similar to the army and navy, treating the branch as a strategic weapon of war...
He achieved his aerial victories 37–40 on 3 August 1943. By 4 September 1943 he had accumulated 78 victories. Wolf received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 117 victories on 22 November 1943. Wolf crash landed on a transfer flight on 29 December 1943 and was severely wounded. He was appointed Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
(squadron leader) of the 6./JG 54 on 11 March 1944.
Albin Wolf's 135th aerial victory claimed on 23 March 1944 was also Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54
Jagdgeschwader 54 Grünherz was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during the Second World War. It was known as the Green Hearts Wing, and it was the second highest scoring wing of all time, JG 52 being the highest...
's 7000th of the war. Wolf was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
south-east of Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
on 2 April 1944. His Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
(Werknummer 551142—factory number) took a direct hit from an anti-aircraft shell. He was posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
and honoured with the 464th Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 27 April 1944.
Awards
- Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(30 April 1943) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the 6./JG 54 - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (1 October 1942)
- 1st Class (22 January 1943)
- Knight's Cross with Oak LeavesKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 22 November 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 6./JG 54
- 464th Oak Leaves on 27 April 1944 (posthumously) as Leutnant and pilot in the 6./JG 54