Fighter Pilots Conspiracy
Encyclopedia
The Fighter Pilots Conspiracy Legend refers to the poorly documented verbal rebellion of the leading officers of the Luftwaffe
against the incompetence of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
.
had lost the air war over Europe. Hermann Göring
, Reich Marshal and Chief of the German Air Force, accused and blamed the fighter pilots for the bombing of Germany and the losing of the war. All of the senior Luftwaffe
Commodore
s (Kommodore
s) brought their concerns to Adolf Galland
, Commander of Germany's Fighter Force (General der Jagdflieger).
arranged for a meeting with Göring
. However, Galland
was not invited to this meeting. Instead, he was kept informed of the proceedings by Hannes Trautloft
. The group of the most decorated and valiant Luftwaffe
leaders, led by spokesman Günther Lützow
, confronted Göring
with a list of demands for the survival of their service. Their main concern was the Reichsmarschall
s lack of understanding and unwillingness to support his pilots against accusations of cowardice and treason, which existed since the Battle of Britain
.
and Hermann Göring
for the collapse of Germany's air defense against Anglo-American bombing raids, Adolf Galland
was relieved of his command. Johannes Steinhoff
was threatened with court-martial and sent to Italy, and Göring
told Günther Lützow
that he was going to be shot for high treason. Similar penalties were imposed upon others in the so called "mutiny". Subsequently Gordon Gollob
was appointed General der Jagdflieger.
Adolf Galland
was given the opportunity to form his own elite JV 44
flying the Messerschmitt Me 262
. Galland
was wounded in combat and Steinhoff
severely burned in a takeoff accident before the end of the war. Günther Lützow
was killed in action on 24 April 1945.
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....
against the incompetence of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
.
Background
By 1944, the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
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....
had lost the air war over Europe. Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
, Reich Marshal and Chief of the German Air Force, accused and blamed the fighter pilots for the bombing of Germany and the losing of the war. All of the senior 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....
Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
s (Kommodore
Kommodore
Kommodore is a German rank equivalent to Commodore. Kommodore originated as a title used by some Captains in World War I. A German Commodore could hold any naval rank between Lieutenant and Captain and the title of Commodore was held by those officers who held tactical control over more than one...
s) brought their concerns to Adolf Galland
Adolf Galland
Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
, Commander of Germany's Fighter Force (General der Jagdflieger).
Meeting with Göring
GallandAdolf Galland
Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
arranged for a meeting with Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
. However, Galland
Adolf Galland
Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
was not invited to this meeting. Instead, he was kept informed of the proceedings by Hannes Trautloft
Hannes Trautloft
Johannes "Hannes" Trautloft was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1932 until the end of the war and again from 1957-1970. He flew 560 combat sorties and was credited with 58 victories. He was regarded as a very competent leader, and much respected from those...
. The group of the most decorated and valiant 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....
leaders, led by spokesman Günther Lützow
Günther Lützow
Colonel Günther Lützow was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and a leader in the "Fighter Pilots Revolt". Lützow was credited with 110 victories achieved in over 300 combat missions. He scored 5 victories during the Spanish Civil War...
, confronted Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
with a list of demands for the survival of their service. Their main concern was the Reichsmarschall
Reichsmarschall
Reichsmarschall literally in ; was the highest rank in the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II after the position of Supreme Commander held by Adolf Hitler....
s lack of understanding and unwillingness to support his pilots against accusations of cowardice and treason, which existed since the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
.
Outcome
The outcome was devastating. In 1945, blamed by German dictator Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
for the collapse of Germany's air defense against Anglo-American bombing raids, Adolf Galland
Adolf Galland
Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
was relieved of his command. Johannes Steinhoff
Johannes Steinhoff
Johannes Steinhoff was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II, and later a senior West German air force officer and military commander of NATO. Steinhoff was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole of the war period 1939-45...
was threatened with court-martial and sent to Italy, and Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
told Günther Lützow
Günther Lützow
Colonel Günther Lützow was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and a leader in the "Fighter Pilots Revolt". Lützow was credited with 110 victories achieved in over 300 combat missions. He scored 5 victories during the Spanish Civil War...
that he was going to be shot for high treason. Similar penalties were imposed upon others in the so called "mutiny". Subsequently Gordon Gollob
Gordon Gollob
Gordon M. Gollob was an Austrian-born German fighter pilot and flying ace in the Luftwaffe from 1938 to 1945 during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
was appointed General der Jagdflieger.
Adolf Galland
Adolf Galland
Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
was given the opportunity to form his own elite JV 44
JV 44
Jagdverband 44 was a special fighter unit of top German fighter ace pilots in the Luftwaffe during the last months of World War II. The main aircraft used by the unit was the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter...
flying the Messerschmitt Me 262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
. Galland
Adolf Galland
Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts...
was wounded in combat and Steinhoff
Johannes Steinhoff
Johannes Steinhoff was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II, and later a senior West German air force officer and military commander of NATO. Steinhoff was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole of the war period 1939-45...
severely burned in a takeoff accident before the end of the war. Günther Lützow
Günther Lützow
Colonel Günther Lützow was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and a leader in the "Fighter Pilots Revolt". Lützow was credited with 110 victories achieved in over 300 combat missions. He scored 5 victories during the Spanish Civil War...
was killed in action on 24 April 1945.
Participants
- Günther LützowGünther LützowColonel Günther Lützow was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and a leader in the "Fighter Pilots Revolt". Lützow was credited with 110 victories achieved in over 300 combat missions. He scored 5 victories during the Spanish Civil War...
- Josef PrillerJosef PrillerJosef "Pips" Priller was a German World War II fighter ace. He has become famous because of the publicity regarding his Focke-Wulf's Fw 190A-8's single strafing pass attack on Sword Beach on June 6, 1944 , accompanied by his wingman Herbert Huppertz...
- Hermann GrafHermann GrafColonel Hermann Graf was a German Luftwaffe World War II fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts...
- Gustav RödelGustav RödelOberst Gustav Rödel was a German World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He scored all but one of his 98 victories against the Western Allies in over 980 combat missions whilst flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.-Biography:Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 in Merseburg, Saxony...
- Johannes SteinhoffJohannes SteinhoffJohannes Steinhoff was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II, and later a senior West German air force officer and military commander of NATO. Steinhoff was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole of the war period 1939-45...
- Hannes TrautloftHannes TrautloftJohannes "Hannes" Trautloft was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1932 until the end of the war and again from 1957-1970. He flew 560 combat sorties and was credited with 58 victories. He was regarded as a very competent leader, and much respected from those...
- Eduard NeumannEduard NeumannEduard 'Edu' Neumann was a German Luftwaffe Officer and commanded the famous Jagdgeschwader 27 ‘Afrika’ during the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943.-Early life:...
- Gerhard MichalskiGerhard MichalskiGerhard Michalski was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.-Military career:...
- Helmut BennemannHelmut BennemannDr. med. dent. Helmut BennemannIn German a Doctor of Medical Dentistry is abbreviated as Dr. med. dent. . was a German Oberstleutnant....
See also
- History of the Luftwaffe during World War IIHistory of the Luftwaffe during World War IIThe German Luftwaffe was one of the strongest, most doctrinally advanced, and most battle-experienced air forces in the world when World War II started in Europe in September 1939. Officially unveiled in 1935, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, its purpose was to support Adolf Hitler's...
- Strategic bombing during World War IIStrategic bombing during World War IIStrategic bombing during World War II is a term which refers to all aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 involving any nations engaged in World War II...