Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

More crash landings, bail-outs and injuries than aerial victories, an easy-going daredevil both in combat and on the ground – Johannes Steinhoff, his first front-line commander, considered Walter Krupinski a hopeless case til, under Günther Rall, he turned to be one of Germany’s outstanding fighter leaders. “All I needed to succeed as a youngster, I’ve learned from this man”, said Erich Hartmann about his 23 year old superior. After three years in the east, Krupinski fought over the Reich and northern France. Side by side with Adolf Galland, he scored the last of his 197 kills flying the Me 262 out of München-Riem.

From 1946, Krupinski worked for the CIA to establish postwar Germany’s own secret service. Being retrained as a fighter pilot by the Royal Air Force, he became one of the key figures in forging the new Luftwaffe. Krupinski was the first German to test-fly and recommend the F-104, and the first to lead a German fighter-bomber wing equipped with nucelar weapons at the height of the cold war. Being appointed the armed force’s youngest General in 1966, he rose to deputy air chief. Adored by his men in war and peacetime, he was feared for his uncompromising and challenging clarity on the carpet floors of the Ministry of Defence until his dismissal in 1976. He died in 2000.

Now here is his biography: Walter Krupinski – Jagdflieger, Geheimagent, General. From Stalingrad, the Normandy beaches and the balls-out flying of the 50s and 60s to the previously undisclosed, nightmarish details of nuclear warfare, it reflects a life packed with drama, hardships, glory and passion. More on www.neunundzwanzigsechs.de

Cheers,
Kurt

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Including details on his sometimes strange behaviour on the Western Front in 1944/1945?

John

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Hello,

Does this include any operational flying during the 1939-40 period?

Regards,

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

John - all the facts are there. No stone unturned.
Larry - Krupinski's first front line unit was 6./JG 52, Feb 01. 1941, on the Channel coast.

Best,
Kurt

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

any chance of posting a Leseproben on the site?

Is it still bank transfer only or is Paypal possible..?

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Please excuse my ignorance, could you provide a few hints or even examples on Krupinski's "sometimes strange behaviour on the Western Front"?

Thanks,
Kenneth

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Let me say that he did not put himself as much "in the line of fire" as might be expected....

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Clearly an intelligent man then....

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Maybe....but not so nice if you expect from your men something else.

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

I don't think "nice" is a word of much value when it comes down to personal survival. Getting your arse shot off does little to further your military or indeed post war career.

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Hartman did the same thing when he served with I/JG 53

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

As in he suffered a nervous breakdown or couldn't cope anymore with the stress of combat?

In the Final Hours, Steinhoff describes meeting him in a bar with Krupinski saying ''it's the best occupation I can think of at the moment''.

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Is there going to be a english edition????

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

unless I'm mistaken we are still waiting for the English edition of Feindberührung

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

I met Krupinski and some other Luftwaffe veterans in the mid 80s. He was as approachable as Rall but seemed to have a subtle sense of humor; Rall had absorbed American humor learning to fly 104s at Luke AFB. Anyway, I asked K. about his gunnery training, and he said the first time he fired air to air was at an Anson over the Channel. He and his element leader "fired out" while the Anson motored away. The specifics are foggy but IIRC he had about 100 sorties before scoring his first victory.

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

Although I started reading this book almost as soon as it was available, I stopped just before Krupinski rejoined the Bundesluftwaffe, only to resume reading earlier this week and finishing it.

Kurt Braatz has delived another high caliber biography, perhaps his best when it comes to post war history.

The WW2 part is as good as I've come to expect with Kurt, no surprises here. Combined with the other JG 52 biographies the author is able to give a pretty exclusive insight into the workings and personalities of this Jagdgeschwader.

Personalities and aircraft of the Bundesluftwaffe get plenty of attention as Krupinski's career in the post war air force gives us a critical insight into policy, politics and controversy during the cold war years.

Through all of this you get a good idea of what kind of man Walter Krupinski must have been.

Re: Saluting the Count: Krupinski Biography
 

As for the point made by John Manrho, it would be interesting (and fair) to elaborate on the matter.

iirc this comment has to do with Krupinski's actions during Bodenplatte. Kurt's book does cover this episode on page 155. According to the sources used in the book the engine cowling of Krupinski's Bf 109 was hit by light Flak near the frontline. His aircraft was difficult to control, but he decided to fly on to the target without actually strafing.

He also describes the way the gruppe fell apart during take off (indicative of the low standard of profiency within the unit) and that Stab and Gruppe flew separated by a about a kilometer.

Kurt uses Priller and Krupinski's wingman Karl-Georg Genth as the source for this episode.