Hapt. Wolfgang Kosse,DKiG

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

Wolfgang Kosse's total kill score is uncertain. Plenty of soarces said that Kosse's kill score could be a high as 46. Most of his air fights were against the Western Allies over Germany. He was killed on Christmas Day of 1944 after he shot down two RAF fighter planes on a wild air fight. I believe he was recommended for the German Cross In Gold in the middle of 1944 but finally was awarded to Kosse after his death on Jan. 1st of 1945. He really had a up and down career as a fighter pilot. He was demoted from Oberleutnant to Flieger in Nov.1943 for unauthorized flight and damaging an aircraft. I don't know how he managed to get back up to officer rank again. Plus that he made Hauptmann before his death. His score of four engined bombers is unknown. His kill score includes six Soviet planes over the Eastern Front. If his kill score against the Western Allies was over 40,Kosse would have been recommended for the Knight's Cross. Who can tell me more about this Luftwaffe fighter pilot.
His last flying unit was JG-3 "Udet".

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[Doug Stankey]

Here is what information we have concerning the career of this fellow:

KOSSE, Wolfgang. (DOB: 27.09.18 in Berlin). (DKG). 17.05.40 Lt., with 7./JG 26. 05.40 in 6./JG 26. 01.06.40 Lt., 6./JG 26. 23.08.40 Oblt., appt Staka 5./JG 26 (to 04.05.42). 09.08.41 Lt., 5./JG 26. 01.01.42 Oblt., Staka 5./JG 26 (to 04.05.42). 12.04.42 Oblt., with 5./JG 26. 04.05.42 trf to Schiessschule Grove. 05.05.42 appt Staka 1./JG 5 (to 15.05.43 then trf to Schiesschule Grove/Denmark). 10.42 Oblt., Staka 1./JG 5. 01.04.43 in I./JG 5, promo to Hptm. (RDA to be determined). 30.11.43 demoted to Flieger and relieved of his command for making an unauthorised flight and damaging an aircraft. 01.44 volunteered for posting to Sturmstaffel 1. 11.02.44 Flg., Sturm./JG 3. 01.06.44 appt Staka 5./JG 5 (to 13.10.44). 14.10.44 Hptm., appt Staka 10./JG 3 (to 24.12.44). 17.12.44 Hptm., 13./JG 3. 24.12.44 Hptm., 13./JG 3 MIA – in Fw 190 (< 0 +) or (White 6)? shot down during combat with Typhoon fighter-bombers near Liège/Belgium. Body never recovered. 01.01.45 Uffz., JG unspecified awarded the DKG. Credited with c.10 (some sources claim at least 28) air victories.


We hope that this answers most of your questions.

LdZ
DGS

[ju55dk]

There is something wrong around Schiesschule! Schiesschule der Luftwaffe was stationed at Vaerlöse/DK. If he was i Grove in 1942 it was with Jgr. Drontheim/JFS 3.

Junker

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

His first eleven claims were all in the West between 17th May 1940 and 12th April 1942 before he moves onto 1./JG 5 for a year. Mentioned were you say six Soviet aircraft, but though not sure I think that this unit only maid claims over Western aircraft! Unfortunately the micro films daily entries for 1./JG 5 do not start until later in 1943, so he may very well have made claims with 1./Jg5. After that he confirmed just seven with JG3 including three heavy bombers. A total of forty-six is probably based on the points system, he got at least eighteen.

Regards

Johannes

[Leo Etgen]

Hi guys

Not much that I can add to what has been posted here but I have noticed that there is a photograph usually described as being of his Fw 190 A-4 "White 10" while serving as Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 5 in October 1942. However, looking through the Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen of I./JG 5 would indicate that the unit was entirely equipped with the Fw 190 A-2 and A-3 at the time. The first Fw 190 A-4 fighters did not appear until February 1943. Are there any other photographs of this particular machine that include the tail to see what sort of antenna attachment was fitted?

Horrido!

Leo

[Tom Semenza]

Kosse had 11 claims with II./JG 26 from May 1940 to April 1942 (Caldwell and Prien). 6 x 4-mots claimed with Sturmstaffel 1 from Feb. to April 1944. These are listed as claim nos. 18-23 (Mombeek and Prien). Finally 5 fighters (nos. 24-28) with IV./JG 3 Sept. to Dec. 1944 (Prien). So apparently claims 12 to 17 were with I./JG 5.

Tom

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the answers you gave me. Wolfgang Kosse remained a Hauptmann before his death on Dec. 25,1944. I don't know why some information regarded Kosse as an unteroffizier and awarded the DKiG on Jan. 1st 1945. I must admit that there were bits and pieces that aren't clear to me. Especially his number of air kills are still in doubt.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[Kapper]

Edward

The date of Jan 1st 1945 for the DKG is not the award date – this is the date of publishing of the award in the Ehrenliste (list of award winners). The date of the actual award was earlier. Of the awards on this particular Ehrenlist (01/01/1945), that I have actually been able to find the actual award dates (on the certificates) the dates range from 10 July 1944 to 26 October 1944, so Kosse’s DKG was likely awarded sometime during that time period. Now if you look at Doug’s profile on Kosse, you will note that he lost his command and was demoted from Hauptmann to Flieger on 30 November 1943 for an unauthorised flight and damaging an aircraft. Personally I think there was more to this than that because it seems a particular harsh punishment for the crime.

Anyway, Kosse volunteered for the SturmStaffel in early 1944 as a Flieger and by 14 October 1944 all was forgiven and he was reinstated with his old rank of Hauptmann and made Staffelkapitan of 10./JG3. In consideration of his earlier indiscretion, to be awarded the DKG as an Uffz suggests that this was awarded just before he was reinstated as a Hptm. – probably in September or October 1944. See the attached timeline I’ve put together on Kosse from various bits and pieces including Doug's data. Note that though the claims in April-July has him as a Feldwebel – this could be a mistake as he seemed to virtually skip the Uffz rank.

Hope this clears things up a little.

Regards,

Craig…

[Brian Bines]

In the book "The Typhoon and Tempest Story" it states that on the 24th Dec. a lone Fw190 shot down two Typhoons of 440 Sqd ( F/Os Dunkeld and Cummings). The two Typhoons had been returning from a mission to the Malmedy area and had been acting as top cover, they fell S/E of Eindhoven . The Fw190 was then attacked and shot down by S/L Mackie in a Tempest of 274 Sqd., adding this "Expert" Luftwafe pilot was not identified. The book "To Win the Winters Sky" mentions the same incident adding that Mackie dived on the 190 and that it spun in and exploded at 12.45 hrs. Mackie had led his mission to the Julich-Malmedy area.
Whether or not this shows the loss of Hpt. Kosse can only be considered a possibility without further evidence, is there a German document giving the time of his loss ?

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for more information concerning this "mixed up" Luftwaffe fighter pilot. Its answers are more clear to me. There were several incidents concerning Luftwaffe officers being demoted to Flieger only to get his original officer rank back.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao