Wolfgang Falck
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Falck was a German Luftwaffe
fighter ace
during World War II. He was one of the key organisers of the German night fighter
defences.
(German Air Transport School) at Schleißheim
. The course he and 29 other trainees attended was called Kameradschaft 31, abbreviated "K 31". Among the members of K 31 were men like Hannes Trautloft
and Günther Lützow
. Falck graduated from the Deutsche Verkehrfliegerschule 19 February 1932. In February 1933 he attended the Infantry School at Dresden
for officer training and made Leutnant in October 1934. In March 1935, Leutnant Falck became an instructor at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule at Schleissheim and in April 1936 promoted to Oberleutnant and transferred to JG 132 'Richthofen' based at Jüterbog-Damm, as Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel. In July 1938, Falck was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8. Staffel of the new JG 132, based at Fürstenwalde. The new unit was later redesignated I./ZG 76 and equipped with the Bf 110 Zerstörer fighter.
Falck was a friend of Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg and came under suspicion by the Gestapo
after the July 20 Plot
.
, gaining three victories over Polish Air Force aircraft. The unit was then relocated to Jever
to protect the northern seaboard and the Kriegsmarine naval bases. On 18 December 1939 he claimed two Vickers Wellington
twin-engine bombers attacking Wilhelmshaven
. Falck force-landed his aircraft after return fire from the bombers damaged his engines. In February 1940 Hauptmann Falck was appointed Gruppenkommandeur
I./Zerstörergeschwader 1
(ZG 1), based at Düsseldorf
. The Gruppe was relocated to the Baltic coast in April and on 9 April, Falck led the unit during the invasion of Denmark. He recorded his seventh (and final) victory, shooting down a Danish Fokker C.V
taking off from Værløse
.
While based at Aalborg in Northern Denmark Falck prepared a comprehensive tactical appraisal report on night interception. Thus after I./ZG 1's participation in the Battle of France
General Albert Kesselring ordered Falck to take his unit to Düsseldorf and reform for the night fighter role.
in June 1940, and received the Ritterkreuz in October 1940. He was to command NJG 1 for three years and in partnership with General Josef Kammhuber develop a highly effective night fighter force.
In July 1943, Falck was promoted to Oberst and transferred to the Generalstab as Kammhuber's representative at the Luftwaffenführungsstab. Falck was then sent to Berlin and appointed within the Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte, as overall responsible for the day and night fighter defence of the Reich.
He was then appointed Jagdfliegerführer Balkan based at Pančevo
from June 1944. Falck then became General Flieger-Ausbildung, responsible for all Luftwaffe training schools, shortly after.
In March 1945 he was given command of fighters based in the Rhineland, but did not take up the role, becoming a prisoner of the American Forces on 3 May 1945 in Bavaria
.
In 1961, he was approached by North American Aviation
to undertake an aviation consultancy post. In 1966 he joined McDonnell Douglas
.
On retirement from business in 1986, he lived in St Ulrich in Austria. He continued flying post war, being a member of many flying clubs.
, named Fighting to the end. Falck was amongst several German war veterans who explained what motivated them to continue fighting late in the war, when any hope a favourable outcome to the war was gone. Falck himself explained the motivations of the Nachtjagdgeschwader (Night Fighter Wings) during the Defence of the Reich campaign.
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...
during World War II. He was one of the key organisers of the German night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
defences.
Military career
On 7 April 1931, he began his pilot training at the Deutsche VerkehrsfliegerschuleDeutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule
The Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule , German Air Transport School, was a covert military-training organization operating as a flying school in Germany...
(German Air Transport School) at Schleißheim
Schleißheim
Schleißheim is a municipality in the district Wels-Land in the Austrian state of Oberösterreich. Its population is 940....
. The course he and 29 other trainees attended was called Kameradschaft 31, abbreviated "K 31". Among the members of K 31 were men like 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...
and 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...
. Falck graduated from the Deutsche Verkehrfliegerschule 19 February 1932. In February 1933 he attended the Infantry School at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
for officer training and made Leutnant in October 1934. In March 1935, Leutnant Falck became an instructor at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule at Schleissheim and in April 1936 promoted to Oberleutnant and transferred to JG 132 'Richthofen' based at Jüterbog-Damm, as Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel. In July 1938, Falck was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8. Staffel of the new JG 132, based at Fürstenwalde. The new unit was later redesignated I./ZG 76 and equipped with the Bf 110 Zerstörer fighter.
Falck was a friend of Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg and came under suspicion by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
after the July 20 Plot
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
.
War Service
Falck led 2./ZG 76 during the Polish campaign from Ohlau in SilesiaSilesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, gaining three victories over Polish Air Force aircraft. The unit was then relocated to Jever
Jever
Jever is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer which is produced here, the city is also a popular holiday resort. Jever was granted city status in 1536. Unofficially Jever is sometimes referred to as...
to protect the northern seaboard and the Kriegsmarine naval bases. On 18 December 1939 he claimed two Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
twin-engine bombers attacking Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
. Falck force-landed his aircraft after return fire from the bombers damaged his engines. In February 1940 Hauptmann Falck was appointed Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur 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...
I./Zerstörergeschwader 1
Zerstörergeschwader 1
Zerstörergeschwader 1 or ZG 1 was a Luftwaffe heavy/destroyer Fighter Aircraft-wing of World War II.-History:...
(ZG 1), based at Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. The Gruppe was relocated to the Baltic coast in April and on 9 April, Falck led the unit during the invasion of Denmark. He recorded his seventh (and final) victory, shooting down a Danish Fokker C.V
Fokker C.V
Fokker C.V was a Dutch light reconnaissance and bomber biplane aircraft manufactured by Fokker. It was designed by Anthony Fokker and the series manufacture began in 1924 at Fokker in Amsterdam.-Development:...
taking off from Værløse
Værløse
Værløse was a municipality consisting of only one parish also named Værløse in the former Copenhagen County on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covered an area of 34 km², and in 2005 had a total population of 18,649...
.
While based at Aalborg in Northern Denmark Falck prepared a comprehensive tactical appraisal report on night interception. Thus after I./ZG 1's participation in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
General Albert Kesselring ordered Falck to take his unit to Düsseldorf and reform for the night fighter role.
Father of the Nachtjagdwaffe
Major Falck became Kommodore of the first dedicated night fighter unit Nachtjagdgeschwader 1Nachtjagdgeschwader 1
Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 was a German Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II. NJG 1 was formed on 22 June 1940 in Mönchengladbach.By the end of the war it was the most successful night fighter unit and had claimed some 2,311 victories by day and night, for some 676 aircrew killed in...
in June 1940, and received the Ritterkreuz in October 1940. He was to command NJG 1 for three years and in partnership with General Josef Kammhuber develop a highly effective night fighter force.
In July 1943, Falck was promoted to Oberst and transferred to the Generalstab as Kammhuber's representative at the Luftwaffenführungsstab. Falck was then sent to Berlin and appointed within the Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte, as overall responsible for the day and night fighter defence of the Reich.
He was then appointed Jagdfliegerführer Balkan based at Pančevo
Pancevo
Pančevo is a city and municipality located in the southern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina, 15 km northeast from Belgrade. In 2002, the city had a total population of 77,087, while municipality of Pančevo had 127,162 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the South Banat...
from June 1944. Falck then became General Flieger-Ausbildung, responsible for all Luftwaffe training schools, shortly after.
In March 1945 he was given command of fighters based in the Rhineland, but did not take up the role, becoming a prisoner of the American Forces on 3 May 1945 in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
Awards
- 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...
on 1 October 1940 as MajorMajor (Germany)Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
and GeschwaderkommodoreGeschwaderkommodoreGeschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
of NJG 1
Post-war career
Released in June 1945, Falck had a variety of jobs, including farming, working for a pharmaceutical company, and working for the British Army as a Civil Officer at the stores section of the 47th Royal Engineers. He attended night school and studied business, which resulted in a job selling playing cards.In 1961, he was approached by North American Aviation
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
to undertake an aviation consultancy post. In 1966 he joined McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
.
On retirement from business in 1986, he lived in St Ulrich in Austria. He continued flying post war, being a member of many flying clubs.
Documentary
In 1997, Falck appeared in the last episode of the documentary The Nazis: A Warning from HistoryThe Nazis: A Warning from History
The Nazis: A Warning from History is a 1997 BBC documentary film series that examines Adolf Hitler and the Nazis' rise to power, their zenith, their decline and fall, and the consequences of their reign. It featured archive footage and interviews with eye witnesses and was shown in six...
, named Fighting to the end. Falck was amongst several German war veterans who explained what motivated them to continue fighting late in the war, when any hope a favourable outcome to the war was gone. Falck himself explained the motivations of the Nachtjagdgeschwader (Night Fighter Wings) during the Defence of the Reich campaign.