Rudolf Wagner (pilot)

Lt. Rudolf Wagner (29 October 1921 – 11 December 1943) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Rudolf Wagner was credited with 81 aerial victories all over the Eastern Front (World War II). He was missing in action over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine, in 1943 during WWII.

This article is about German World War II fighter pilot. For others with the same name, see Rudolf Wagner.

Leutnant

Rudolf Wagner
Born(1921-10-29)29 October 1921
Essingen (Württemberg), Germany
Died11 December 1943(1943-12-11) (aged 22)
Missing in action over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine
Buried
Unknown
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1941–1943
RankLeutnant
UnitJG 51
Commands held12./JG 51
Battles/wars
World War II
Awards

Career
Wagner scored many of his victories while piloting his Messerschmitt Bf 109[Note 1]

Wagner entered the military on May 11, 1941, as an Oberfeldwebel. When he completed his training he was assigned to o IV./JG 51 - Jagdgeschwader 51.[1] In early 1942 and he served as Otto Gaiser's wingman.[2] Wagner scored 81 aerial victories most of then while he was piloting a Messerschmitt Bf 109; he also may have recorded kills while flying a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in 1943.[3]

Squadron leader and missing in action

In October 1943, when Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz was transferred, Wagner succeeded him as Staffelführer (squadron leader) of 12. Staffel of JG 51.[4]

On 11 December, Wagner was posted as missing in action following aerial combat in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140232—factory number) 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) north of Weprin, present-day Vepryk.[5] He was succeeded by Oberleutnant Hugo Brönner as commander of 12. Staffel of JG 51.[4]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, he was credited with 81 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions.[6] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 79 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[7]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47594". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[8]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Wagner an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
1 10 August 1942 15:45 LaGG-3 PQ 47594[9]
vicinity of Rzhev		 2 16 December 1942 08:20 Il-2 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Velikiye Luki[10]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –[11]
Eastern Front — 4 February – October 1943
3 9 February 1943 10:12 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 26713[12]
20 km (12 mi) northwest of Moschna		 40 26 August 1943 13:40 La-5 southeast of Komyschij[13]
4 16 March 1943 15:35 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 35 Ost 36732[12] 41 30 August 1943 16:26 Pe-2 southwest of Taranivka[13]
5 16 March 1943 15:55 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 16882[12]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Demydiv		 42 1 September 1943 07:50 Yak-1 west of Yelnya[13]
6 3 April 1943 14:15 Boston 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Nowaiki[12] 43 5 September 1943 06:41 Yak-9 southeast of Yartsevo[13]
7 13 April 1943 14:13 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 45574[12]
15 km (9.3 mi) south of Spas-Demensk		 44 5 September 1943 06:43 Yak-9 southeast of Yartsevo[13]
8 23 April 1943 13:52 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63372[12]
25 km (16 mi) southwest of Glazunowka		 45 6 September 1943 09:50 Yak-9 south of Medvedevo[13]
9 24 April 1943 04:45 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54554[12]
20 km (12 mi) north-northwest of Bryansk		 46 14 September 1943 12:55 La-5 Nowo Kriwoshoje[14]
10 24 April 1943 04:49 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 44654[12]
30 km (19 mi) northeast of Bryansk		 47 19 September 1943 14:10 Yak-9 west of Ssurjakowo[14]
11 8 June 1943 05:58 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63461[15]
5 km (3.1 mi) east of Kromy		 48 19 September 1943 15:10 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] west of Lubjanki[14]
12 10 June 1943 19:09 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 34274[15]
20 km (12 mi) east-northeast of Seschtschinskaja		 49 20 September 1943 13:20 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northwest of Perwoswanowka[14]
13 10 June 1943 19:19 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 35861[15]
20 km (12 mi) west of Kirov		 50 21 September 1943 06:35 Yak-9 west of Sagassnaja[14]
14 5 July 1943 09:36 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63553[16]
15 km (9.3 mi) west of Maloarkhangelsk		 51 24 September 1943 13:31 Pe-2 north of Kremenchuk[14]
15 5 July 1943 09:50 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63642[16]
5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Maloarkhangelsk		 52 24 September 1943 13:39 Pe-2 east of Koselschtschina[14]
16 5 July 1943 18:37 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63531[16]
vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk		 53♠ 26 September 1943 06:10 Yak-1 south of Fukaschewo[14]
17 5 July 1943 18:50 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 63544[16]
10 km (6.2 mi) south-southeast of Trosna		 54♠ 26 September 1943 08:25 Yak-1 east of Jelenowka[14]
18♠ 6 July 1943 07:40 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63571[16]
20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Trosna		 55♠ 26 September 1943 13:27 Yak-1 north of Orljansk[14]
19♠ 6 July 1943 08:14 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63583[16]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 56♠ 26 September 1943 16:35 Yak-1 Burtschak[14]
20♠ 6 July 1943 08:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63544[16]
10 km (6.2 mi) south-southeast of Trosna		 57♠ 26 September 1943 16:50 Yak-1 north of Ssadowy[14]
21♠ 6 July 1943 08:16 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63573[17]
20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Trosna		 58♠ 27 September 1943 10:25 Yak-1 north of Domotkan[14]
22♠ 6 July 1943 08:22 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63543[17]
10 km (6.2 mi) south-southeast of Trosna		 59♠ 27 September 1943 10:31 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northeast of Lichovka[14]
23 7 July 1943 04:25 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63611[17]
5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Maloarkhangelsk		 60♠ 27 September 1943 13:30 La-5 northwest of Borodajevka[14]
24 9 July 1943 12:10 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63561[17]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk		 61♠ 27 September 1943 13:40 Pe-2 north of Mischurin-Rog[14]
25 12 July 1943 05:17 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63252[17]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch		 62♠ 27 September 1943 15:20 La-5 west of Mischurin-Rog[14]
26 13 July 1943 13:37 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63252[18]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch		 63♠ 27 September 1943 15:34 Pe-2 northwest of Grigoryewk[14]
27 13 July 1943 13:41 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63253[18]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch		 64 29 September 1943 14:08 P-39 northeast of Tiefenbrunn[14]
28 15 July 1943 17:03 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63222[18]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Zalegoshch		 65 29 September 1943 14:10 P-39 east of Ukrainka[14]
29 17 July 1943 05:00 Yak-1 south of Anachina[18] 66 29 September 1943 16:45 Yak-1 west of Wischnewskij[14]
30 17 July 1943 05:02 Yak-1 west of Massalskaya[18] 67 30 September 1943 16:00 Yak-1 southwest of Schulgowka[19]
31 11 August 1943 07:20 La-5 south of Izium[20] 68 1 October 1943 10:37 Yak-1 east of Domotkan[19]
32 12 August 1943 13:30 La-5 southeast of Bogodukhov
[20]		 69 2 October 1943 15:05 La-5 west of Domotkan[19]
33 13 August 1943 14:05 La-5 southwest of Bogodukhov[20] 70 2 October 1943 17:05?[Note 3] La-5 southeast of Yakymivka[19]
34 18 August 1943 05:55 P-39 west of Ssemenowka[13] 71 3 October 1943 11:03 Yak-1 south of Borodayevka[19]
35 18 August 1943 15:45 Yak-1 east-northeast of Kuibyschevo[13] 72 3 October 1943 13:45 Yak-1 south of Borodayevka[19]
36 18 August 1943 17:50 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] southeast of Ssemenowskij[13] 73 5 October 1943 12:30 Yak-9 east of Domotkan[19]
37 19 August 1943 06:10 La-5 west of Novosselovka[13] 74 5 October 1943 12:39 Yak-9 east of Proletarka[19]
38 21 August 1943 16:28 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] east-northeast of Gubarovka[13] 75 6 October 1943 06:47 La-5 south of Borodayevka[19]
39 22 August 1943 18:08 Yak-1 east of Kasarowka[13] 76 6 October 1943 12:42 La-5 west of Karpenki[19]
– 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –[11]
Eastern Front — November – 11 December 1943
77 30 November 1943 11:05 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 91538[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Radomyshl		 79 13 December 1943 14:10 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 91336[22]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Malyn
78 12 December 1943 09:15 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 91328[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Malyn

Awards

Notes
  1. It is not known how many different aircraft Wagner flew while accumulating his 81 kills, his unit was known for flying the Bf 109. The Luftwaffe also used the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft over the eastern front by 1943.
  2. The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 17:02.[21]
  4. According to Obermaier, posthumously on 10 January 1944.[26]
  5. According to Scherzer as pilot in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders".[28]

References
  1. deZeng IV, Henry L.; Stankey, Douglas G. "Career Summaries - Luftwaffe Officers 1935 - 1945" (PDF). ww2.dk. Michael Holm. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  2. Page 2020, p. 45.
  3. Weal, John (24 April 2007). More BF 109 aces of the Russian front. United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. p. 62. ISBN 9781846031779. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  4. Prien et al. 2012, p. 143.
  5. Prien et al. 2012, p. 160.
  6. Spick 1996, p. 236.
  7. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1365–1367.
  8. Planquadrat.
  9. Prien et al. 2006, p. 355.
  10. Prien et al. 2006, p. 358.
  11. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1057–1058.
  12. Prien et al. 2012, p. 147.
  13. Prien et al. 2012, p. 153.
  14. Prien et al. 2012, p. 154.
  15. Prien et al. 2012, p. 148.
  16. Prien et al. 2012, p. 149.
  17. Prien et al. 2012, p. 150.
  18. Prien et al. 2012, p. 151.
  19. Prien et al. 2012, p. 155.
  20. Prien et al. 2012, p. 152.
  21. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1367.
  22. Prien et al. 2012, p. 156.
  23. "Wagner, Rudolf". Traces of War. Traces of War. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  24. Patzwall 2008, p. 210.
  25. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 493.
  26. Obermaier 1989, p. 219.
  27. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 434.
  28. Scherzer 2007, p. 765.

Bibliography
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Page, Neil (2020). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943–45. Philadelphia, PA: Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-61200-879-0.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
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