Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen

[CJE]

Son of the well-known Generalfeldmarschall, he was a NCO member of II./SG 2.
It is said that he started his career as a fighter pilot but was too reckless in his father's eyes, so he had him transfered to the Schlachtgruppen, where his talents for low-flying would be best used.
Does anyone has more on this man?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

[James A Pratt III]

There is a bio of Wolfram VR that has no mention of his son's low flying. It does have him MIA after his first or first few missions. There is another book Stormbird has a little more on his fate, I believe.

[researcher111]

His son NCO Wolfgang was shot down in Moldova on June 5th by the Soviet air ace Sereda Y.Emelyanovitch ,he was low on hours and experience as such was an easy target for Sereda . He departed Leipzig ( SE Ukraine at Bessarabian boundary) and not clear on whether was flying a FW-190 or JU-87 on that day, eventhough Sereda's claim was a FW-190 . Seen here on the left near a FW-190 at Leipzig April or May 1944.

[CJE]

Thanks a lot.
I have this photo but I had not recognized WvR.

[udf_00]

http://www.amazon.com/Stormbird-Flyi.../dp/1902109007
p96 : account of the loss of WvR, HB & WvR encountered 15 Yak 9s over Sassy [Jassy, Iași ?], HB shot down a Yak, saw another Yak shot down but could'nt raise WvR on the R/T.
Ground unit reported a combat between 2 Fw 190 and Yaks, 2 Yaks shot down and 1 Fw 190 heading north.
p97 : picture of HB after his 600th Feindflug. (think the pic was taken at Bacău just before WvR fateful flight - see below)
p167 : fac-simile of HB's FB
600 Feindflug, Fw 190, X, Bacau, 4.6, 6.50, Bacau, 4.6, 7.40, 50,
601 Feindflug, Fw 190, X, Bacau, 4.6, 8.35, Bacau, 4.6, 9.20, 45, 1 Jak 9 abschuß (40)

http://cieldegloire.fr/sg_002.php#victoires1944
31.05.44 Fhj.Fw. Wolfram(sic) von Richthofen 6./SG 2 Airacobra £ 78 592: at 4.500 m. 17.55
04.06.44 Ofw. Hermann Buchner 6./SG 2 Yak-9 £ 78 463: at 20 m. 08.55

[researcher111]

on June 5, 44 Sereda shot down two FW-190 one at Zahorna an other one South of Benderi , Zahorna and Benderi are North of Leipzig airfield where SG-2 was based at that time. He also shot down a ME-109 South of Larga. Sereda flew LAGG-5, the other FW-190 and ME-109 shot down I could not identify . Both sides were overclaiming victories WvR is seen middle on the shot taken at Iasi ,Romania sometime March / April 44. Sereda was an expert of his regiment and one of the best recon pilots of the 3rd Air Corps each time when the boss of 3rd Air Corps Gen.Podgorney had to fly , Sereda was selected as wigman . From what he describes on his memoirs abve Moldova's skies ,both FW-190 downed on 5/6/ 44 were no match to him which is a clear indication that the Germans were newbys or simply lacking combat experience. While born in Moscow , in 1970 Sereda chose to move closer to his glorious past and live in Chisinau / Moldova where he died in 1988 and where was also buried.

On the eve of his life ,he traveled the country as a lecturer actively worked as freelancer with "Chişinău's Evenings", "Soviet Moldavia" newspapers , he often met with his older Romania / Moldavia skies comrades aces and their wives such as Kozhedub, Evstigneev ,Bryzgalyov, Retschkalov etc.