Walter Zellot
Encyclopedia
Walter Zellot was a World War II
fighter ace
from Germany
. He was born on 6 October 1920 in Spittal an der Drau
in the Austria
n state
of Carinthia
. Zellot is credited for shooting down 86 Allied
aircraft in 296 different missions. Among these 83 were achieved over the Eastern Front
.
. He achieved his first victory on 22 June 1941 when he shot down a Soviet
Polikarpov I-16
over the Eastern front
. On 11 July 1941 he shot down three enemy aircraft. By early August 1941, he had a total of 12 victories.
In the autumn of 1941, I./JG 53 was shifted to the Mediterranean theatre
and he operated from the bases in Sicily
. Zellot shot down two Supermarine Spitfire
s of the Royal Air Force
(RAF) over Malta
in April 1942. This included the aircraft of British fighter ace and Squadron Leader
John Bisdee (credited for destroying 9 aircraft) of the 601 Squadron
who bailed out, landed in the sea and was rescued.
In May 1942, Zellot accompanied I./JG 51 back to the Soviet Union and within only three months achieved 69 victories. He was appointed Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 53 on 19 August 1942 replacing Hauptmann
Klaus Quaet-Faslem. In August 1942, he shot down several Soviet aircraft including three victories on August 1, three on August 2, three on August 7, four on August 9, five on August 13, four on August 23 and three on August 28. Leutnant Zellot received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
on 3 September 1942 for a reported 84 victories (although his actual total kill on that date was 78). However, earlier on the same day of his appointment on 19 August 1942, his Bf.109G-2
WNr.14189 was shot-up by a Soviet fighter, probably the Yak-1 flown by future ace Boris M. Vasilyev (929 IAP).
"Gustav" was hit by anti-aircraft fire, which blew off the tail of the aircraft. Some sources claim that Zellot may have been victim of friendly fire. He bailed out at very low altitude. There was insufficient height for his parachute to open and he was killed.
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...
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...
from Germany
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...
. He was born on 6 October 1920 in Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau is located in the western part of the Austrian federal state of Carinthia and the administrative centre of the federal state's second largest district, Spittal an der Drau. It lies between the Lurnfeld area and the Lower Drava Valley. The city consists of the seven...
in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n state
States of Austria
Austria is a federal republic made up of nine states, known in German as Länder . Since Land is also the German word for a country, the term Bundesländer is often used instead to avoid ambiguity. The Constitution of Austria uses both terms...
of Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
. Zellot is credited for shooting down 86 Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
aircraft in 296 different missions. Among these 83 were achieved over 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...
.
World War II
Zellot was assigned to the Jagdgeschwader 53Jagdgeschwader 53
Jagdgeschwader 53 Pik-As was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated in Western Europe and in the Mediterranean.Jagdgeschwader 53 - or as it was better known, the "Pik As" Geschwader - was one of the oldest German fighter units of World War II with its origins going back to 1937...
. He achieved his first victory on 22 June 1941 when he shot down a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Polikarpov I-16
Polikarpov I-16
The Polikarpov I-16 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of revolutionary design; it was the world's first cantilever-winged monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear. The I-16 was introduced in the mid-1930s and formed the backbone of the Soviet Air Force at the beginning of World War II...
over 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...
. On 11 July 1941 he shot down three enemy aircraft. By early August 1941, he had a total of 12 victories.
In the autumn of 1941, I./JG 53 was shifted to the Mediterranean theatre
Mediterranean Theatre of World War II
The African, Mediterranean and Middle East theatres encompassed the naval, land, and air campaigns fought between the Allied and Axis forces in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and Africa...
and he operated from the bases in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Zellot shot down two Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) over 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...
in April 1942. This included the aircraft of British fighter ace and Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
John Bisdee (credited for destroying 9 aircraft) of the 601 Squadron
No. 601 Squadron RAF
No. 601 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in London. The squadron battle honours most notably include the Battle of Britain and the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of this squadron.-History:...
who bailed out, landed in the sea and was rescued.
In May 1942, Zellot accompanied I./JG 51 back to the Soviet Union and within only three months achieved 69 victories. He was appointed Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 53 on 19 August 1942 replacing Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann 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...
Klaus Quaet-Faslem. In August 1942, he shot down several Soviet aircraft including three victories on August 1, three on August 2, three on August 7, four on August 9, five on August 13, four on August 23 and three on August 28. Leutnant Zellot 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...
on 3 September 1942 for a reported 84 victories (although his actual total kill on that date was 78). However, earlier on the same day of his appointment on 19 August 1942, his Bf.109G-2
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
WNr.14189 was shot-up by a Soviet fighter, probably the Yak-1 flown by future ace Boris M. Vasilyev (929 IAP).
Death
On 10 September 1942, Zellot was killed while engaged in a low-level attack on Soviet troops northwest of Stalingrad. His Messerschmitt Bf 109Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
"Gustav" was hit by anti-aircraft fire, which blew off the tail of the aircraft. Some sources claim that Zellot may have been victim of friendly fire. He bailed out at very low altitude. There was insufficient height for his parachute to open and he was killed.
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...
(24 August 1942) - 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...
on 3 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot in the I./JG 53