Re: Maj. Georg-Peter Eder-17 times shot down
 

If my grand father would talk for a min about what happened over there maybe i could tell you guys more. When i ask my family about events over seas or even to do the family tree online they get very upset and mad. "People dont need to know what was done or what we did" Does anyone here have the information for me. My name is Paul Eder and I am looking for some questions about this last name and who is who in this family. thank you

Re: Maj. Georg-Peter Eder-17 times shot down
 

That's a good Question, Peter. I asked myself the same question about another great ace, the man in my avatar and mentioned in my signature.

Eder, Kupfer, and many many others should be deserving of decent biographies. We can only hope that someday, someone will take the plunge on these gentlemen (I know one is being worked on with Kupfer) and thus enrich our libraries.

It's not a matter of "getting into their pants" as has been said before, but rather, a re-telling of the history and what made them so successful. Though to some, a standard "dry" military-only biography would not serve.

I have always found the "killing two tanks with an aircraft" recounting of Eder absolutely amazing. The first time might have been pure luck, but the second time? Baffling, and astounding.

Re: Maj. Georg-Peter Eder-17 times shot down
 

Hi guys

Quite fascinating - I wonder why no-one has written his biography when he was obviously such a colourful character about which much is known? A task for one of our talented crowd, I would have thought?

Having just read the Gladych bio as suggested, by Leo (elknet.pl/acestory/gladych) can anyone confirm that it was Peter Elder who was shot down/damaged by his own defences on 8 March 1944?

Also, what is the story behind Gladych being grounded for "almost shooting down Churchill's aircraft" in 1943?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Maj. Georg-Peter Eder-17 times shot down
 

Cori, et al--

I agree that Georg-Peter Eder is deserving of a detailed biography, being one of the premier Western front aces. In fact, most of the Western front aces have had relatively little, compared to Galland, Moelders, and Marseille, published about them in English. I'm keen to learn more about Werner Schroer, Josef Wurmheller, Kurt Buehligen, Siegfried Lemke, and Theodor Weissenberger--although the latter amasses most of his victories on the Eastern front, his reported 25 victories or so against Allied fighters in 3 weeks immediately after the Normandy invasion is an amazing feat deserving of further documentation and description. Although his record is suspect, Rudorffer also needs a good biography, and in fact his reported falsifications of some of his claims is worth investigating and would be a good read, regardless of whether history found him guilty or not.

Regarding Eder's amazing victories over two Spitfires whose crashes destroyed three Sherman tanks, I should add that Don Caldwell stated in his JG 26 War diaries that Allied records showed no documentation of these losses, for what it's worth. Inquiring partly out of ignorance, is it possible for a fighter crash between two WWII tanks to have enough force to destroy the tanks, even with the fighter exploding? For this question, I assume that the crashed fighter did not carry bombs or other external ordnance into the crash.

Thanks,
Kenneth

Re: Maj. Georg-Peter Eder-17 times shot down
 

well, don't know about Tanks, but a aircraft could do a lot of damage or sink a ship if it crashed into it (with out bombs attached)

still, sounds like a lot of luck if it happened, but depending on how the crash happened, I think it may be able to do so

plus, it may be more of a case of the tanks catching fire, which is normally viewed as a kill about to happen

Re: Maj. Georg-Peter Eder-17 times shot down
 

Thanks for your thoughts. I can see a tank being destroyed if a plane crashed directly into it, but I am having trouble comprehending two tanks being destroyed by a single-seat fighter crashing between them. Your idea of the tank catching fire is valid, though.

KL