Willi Reschke
Encyclopedia
Willi Reschke was a German
Luftwaffe
ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with 28 aerial victories in 70 missions.
. He joined the Luftwaffe in February 1941 and began training with the Flieger-Ausbildung-Regiment at Königsberg
. He trained as a pilot in spring 1942.
In June 1943 Reschke served with Jagdgruppe 102, in Zerbst
to undergo operational training. On completion of training, Unteroffizier Reschke was posted to 1 staffel, Jagdgeschwader 302
, based near Vienna
in June 1944.
On 2 July he achieved his first successes when he claimed two United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) 15th Air Force B-24 Liberator bombers shot down over Budapest
. On 7 July Reschke downed another B-24, this time by ramming when his guns malfunctioned, and successfully baled out of his crippled fighter. On 24 August Reschke claimed a B-24 near Jindřichův Hradec
but during an attack on a second his aircraft was hit by return fire and he attempted to force-land while under attack by P-51 fighters, having to use his parachute. On 29 August he shot down a B-17 bomber south of Zlín
, although another Bf 109 fired on his Bf 109 G-6 and Reschke had to force-land damaged.
By the end of August 1944 Reschke had 14 victories to his credit. Re-equipping with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190
A-8, I./JG 302 was redesignated III./JG 301 on 30 September 1944. In October the unit transferred to Stendal
near Berlin. On 1 January 1945 Feldwebel Reschke downed a B-17 for his 22nd victory claim but again, hit by return fire, he baled out of his Fw 190 near Gardelegen
. On 13 March he was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold. In March 1945 Reschke transferred to the Geschwaderstab, JG 301. On 14 April he flew the new Focke-Wulf Ta 152
for the first time and claimed a Hawker Tempest
of No. 486(NZ) Squadron shot down (pilot W/O O.J.Mitchell who was killed). On 20 April Oberfeldwebel Reschke received the Ritterkreuz. He claimed his last two victories of the war on 24 April when he downed two Soviet Yak-9s near Berlin.
Willi Reschke flew about 70 missions during his career in which he recorded 28 victories. He claimed 26 victories over the Western front, including 18 four-engine bombers. 3 claims were made flying the Ta 152. He was shot down 8 times, baling out five times, and was wounded once.
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...
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....
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...
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 was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with 28 aerial victories in 70 missions.
Career
Reschke was born on 3 February 1922 at Mühlow near BrandenburgBrandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
. He joined the Luftwaffe in February 1941 and began training with the Flieger-Ausbildung-Regiment at Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
. He trained as a pilot in spring 1942.
In June 1943 Reschke served with Jagdgruppe 102, in Zerbst
Zerbst
Zerbst is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until the administrative reform of 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the Anhalt-Zerbst district. Since the 1 January 2010 local government reform, Zerbst has about 24,000 inhabitants.It is not clear when was it founded;...
to undergo operational training. On completion of training, Unteroffizier Reschke was posted to 1 staffel, Jagdgeschwader 302
Jagdgeschwader 302
Jagdgeschwader 302 was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. JG 302 was formed on 1 November 1943 in Stade with a theoretical establishment of Stab and three Gruppen known as a "Wilde Sau" single-seat night fighter unit...
, based near Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in June 1944.
On 2 July he achieved his first successes when he claimed two United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
(USAAF) 15th Air Force B-24 Liberator bombers shot down over Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. On 7 July Reschke downed another B-24, this time by ramming when his guns malfunctioned, and successfully baled out of his crippled fighter. On 24 August Reschke claimed a B-24 near Jindřichův Hradec
Jindrichuv Hradec
Jindřichův Hradec is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has approximately 22,700 inhabitants.- History :The first written mention of the town is in 1220. Before that, it was probably a Slavic settlement. At the end of the 12th century more people arrived...
but during an attack on a second his aircraft was hit by return fire and he attempted to force-land while under attack by P-51 fighters, having to use his parachute. On 29 August he shot down a B-17 bomber south of Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
, although another Bf 109 fired on his Bf 109 G-6 and Reschke had to force-land damaged.
By the end of August 1944 Reschke had 14 victories to his credit. Re-equipping with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190
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...
A-8, I./JG 302 was redesignated III./JG 301 on 30 September 1944. In October the unit transferred to Stendal
Stendal
Stendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of Stendal District and unofficial capital of the Altmark. Its population in 2001 was 38,900. It is located some west of Berlin and around east of Hanover...
near Berlin. On 1 January 1945 Feldwebel Reschke downed a B-17 for his 22nd victory claim but again, hit by return fire, he baled out of his Fw 190 near Gardelegen
Gardelegen
Gardelegen is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Milde, 20 m. W. from Stendal, on the main line of railway Berlin-Hanover....
. On 13 March he was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold. In March 1945 Reschke transferred to the Geschwaderstab, JG 301. On 14 April he flew the new Focke-Wulf Ta 152
Focke-Wulf Ta 152
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a World War II German high-altitude fighter-interceptor designed by Kurt Tank and produced by Focke-Wulf. The Ta 152 was a development of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft...
for the first time and claimed a Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
of No. 486(NZ) Squadron shot down (pilot W/O O.J.Mitchell who was killed). On 20 April Oberfeldwebel Reschke received the Ritterkreuz. He claimed his last two victories of the war on 24 April when he downed two Soviet Yak-9s near Berlin.
Willi Reschke flew about 70 missions during his career in which he recorded 28 victories. He claimed 26 victories over the Western front, including 18 four-engine bombers. 3 claims were made flying the Ta 152. He was shot down 8 times, baling out five times, and was wounded once.
Awards
- FlugzeugführerabzeichenAviator BadgeAn Aviator Badge is an insignia used in most of the world’s militaries to designate those who have received training and qualification in military aviation...
- Front Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeFront Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeThe Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft...
- 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
- 1st Class
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
(1939)- in Black
- 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 13 March 1945 as Oberfeldwebel in the 1/Jagdgeschwader 301 - 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 20 April 1945 as Oberfeldwebel and Flugzeugführer in the Stab/Jagdgeschwader 301