RK winner Otto wuerfel's Cross

[Matt starr]

Good evening all,
I have in my posession the fieldmade Knights cross owned by Otto Wuerfel. The cross was either made for Wuerfel by his groundcrew men awaiting his return from the Gulag (he was awarded his RK while in the Gulag, the cross was also obtained from a groundcrew man who knew wuerfel), Made before the official RK award date because wuerfel knew of his RK awarding before it was officially done, or finally made in the gulag for wuerfel. So at the moment I am trying to work out which scenario is most likely. I am also desperatley searching for photos and extra info on wuerfel. I did a quick search for some books on jg51 but couldnt seem to find one that suited my needs or was likely to have info and pics of wuerfel in it

Here is the information on Wuerfel that I have so far:

Geboren 3.12.1920 Uelzen/Niedersachsen. MIA since 23.2.1944 on Rogatschew (Russia).
Died 22.12.1944 as an Oberfeldwebel. DKIG in Februar 1944.
He came mid 1942 as an Unteroffizier at the 9./JG51 and until the summer of 1943 he shot down 9 aeroplanes. In the same time he flew many dive bomber operations.
After that he was a training pilot at the Erg. Gr. Ost but returned to his staffel on the 3.9.1943.
Within 5 months, he had 70 kills, which is, also for the eastern front, a huge number. On the 21.2.1944 he shot down 6 aeroplanes and was in the meantime transfered to the 8./JG51.
On the 23.2.1944 his own comrade, Ofw. Dittlmann flew with his plane, into the plane of Wurfel, northwest of Rogatschew. Both planes fell down. He managed to get out of his plane with his parachute, but unfortunately, he float behind Russian lines. Only later, it came out, that he died in a Russian camp on the 22.12.1944 in the camp 280/5 in the area of Stalino on the Ruhr on a illnes (Fleckfieber, I don't know the english word for that).
After his dead he was promoted to Leutnant.
79 kills on the eastern front.


So far that is all I know of Wuerfel! I have only ever seen two pictures of him and they are portrait shots.

If anyone could offer any assistance I would be very very appreciative!

All the best
Matt





RK in this picture is airbrushed on to the photo

[Matt starr]

........Btt!

[Matt starr]

last plea for help
Matt

[Bob Lyons]

PM sent

Bob

[Jim P.]

FW 190A-5, 5846, WÜRFEL, Fw. Otto, 79, , 8., JG 51, schwarze, 8 + |, , , 18-Sep-43, Injured, overturned during landing due to Flak., RK., Lfl.6/Eins.Osten, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #11)-Vol.22; Ring, JG 51 loss list, p.51, , ostnordöstlich Smolensk (PlQu. 25 28), 90%, F, , ,
FW 190A-5, 2599, WÜRFEL, Ofw. Otto, 79, , 8., JG 51, schwarze, 4 + |, , , 23-Feb-44, POW after midair collision with Dittlmann's Fw 190A-5 WNr. 2555. DOW on 22-Dec-44., RK., Ostfront, Ring, JG 51 loss list, p.52; Obermaier, p.227, , nordwestlich Rogatschew, 100%, F, , ,

[Bob Lyons]

Originally Posted by Jim P.

FW 190A-5, 5846, WÜRFEL, Fw. Otto, 79, , 8., JG 51, schwarze, 8 + |, , , 18-Sep-43, Injured, overturned during landing due to Flak., RK., Lfl.6/Eins.Osten, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #11)-Vol.22; Ring, JG 51 loss list, p.51, , ostnordöstlich Smolensk (PlQu. 25 28), 90%, F, , ,
FW 190A-5, 2599, WÜRFEL, Ofw. Otto, 79, , 8., JG 51, schwarze, 4 + |, , , 23-Feb-44, POW after midair collision with Dittlmann's Fw 190A-5 WNr. 2555. DOW on 22-Dec-44., RK., Ostfront, Ring, JG 51 loss list, p.52; Obermaier, p.227, , nordwestlich Rogatschew, 100%, F, , ,

Thanks Jim, I have Wuerfel's awarded Knight's Cross, which went to his family as he was already a POW, and I too have been chasing any information or photos of him to add to the cross I have, thanks for the additional information.

Best wishes

Bob