Kurt Brändle
Encyclopedia
Kurt-Werner Brändle was a German
former Luftwaffe
fighter ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
with Oak Leaves during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
, Italy flying fighter operations against Malta
, claiming another 7 victories over the Southern Front.
In May 1942 his first known Soviet victory was an R-5 on 20 May 1942, and he became Gruppenkommandeur, II./JG 3 the same month, and in August took over I gruppe. When he was awarded the Knights Cross in July 1942 having flown 470 missions and with 49 victories to his credit. In August 1942 he was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross with his total at 100 victories.
Kurt Brändle was killed in action on 3 November 1943 west of Amsterdam
in the Netherlands. Brändle attacked an medium bomber formation after he had shot down two P-47 Thunderbolt
s. It is assumed that he was shot down in his Bf 109G-6 by RCAF fighters under the command of Wing Commander
Lloyd Chadburn
. His body was later washed ashore near Zandvoort on 30 December 1943 and was buried in Amsterdam on 14 January 1944.
Brändle was officially credited with shooting down 180 enemy aircraft in more than 700 combat missions, with 164 claimed on the Eastern front
.
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...
former 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....
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
and recipient of 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...
with Oak Leaves during 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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
In 1940 Brändle flew as an Oberleutnant with II./JG 53 and achieved 7 victories in the West and over the English Channel. His 1st victory was a Morane MS. 406 south of Sedan on 13 May 1940. By February 1942 Hauptmann Brandle was Staffelkapitan of 5./JG53 based in ComisoComiso
Comiso is an Italian municipality in the Province of Ragusa in Sicily.-Geography:Comiso consists of three boroughs: Comiso, Pedalino, and Quaglio. It lies some 22 km west of Ragusa in the South of Sicily...
, Italy flying fighter operations against Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, claiming another 7 victories over the Southern Front.
In May 1942 his first known Soviet victory was an R-5 on 20 May 1942, and he became Gruppenkommandeur, II./JG 3 the same month, and in August took over I gruppe. When he was awarded the Knights Cross in July 1942 having flown 470 missions and with 49 victories to his credit. In August 1942 he was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross with his total at 100 victories.
Kurt Brändle was killed in action on 3 November 1943 west of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in the Netherlands. Brändle attacked an medium bomber formation after he had shot down two P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s. It is assumed that he was shot down in his Bf 109G-6 by RCAF fighters under the command of Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Lloyd Chadburn
Lloyd Chadburn
Lloyd Vernon "Chad" Chadburn DSO & Bar, DFC was a Canadian World War II fighter pilot.-Birth:Lloyd Chadburn was born in Montreal, Quebec on 21 August 1919, later moving with his parents to Oshawa, Ontario as an infant. He grew up there and in Aurora...
. His body was later washed ashore near Zandvoort on 30 December 1943 and was buried in Amsterdam on 14 January 1944.
Brändle was officially credited with shooting down 180 enemy aircraft in more than 700 combat missions, with 164 claimed on the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
.
Awards
- 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 25 February 1942 as OberleutnantOberleutnantOberleutnant 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...
in the 5./JG 53 - 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 and 1st class - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight'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...
with Oak Leaves- Knight's Cross on 1 July 1942 as HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
and GruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of the II./JG 3 "Udet" - 114th Oak Leaves on 27 August 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./JG 3 "Udet"
- Knight's Cross on 1 July 1942 as Hauptmann