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Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the German Luftwaffe and the Air Forces of its Allies. |
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Researching Erich Rudorffer
I am attemting to establish a basic career framework around Erich Rudorffer after purchasing a document relating to his career.
I can retrieve his abschuss claims from 'Combat Claims and Casualties' site and the details of his Ritterkreuz, Eichenlaub and Schwerter however I am looking for information on the dates of the preceeding awards and also his promotion dates and the exact dates of his unit re-assignments. I would also be interested in his promotion dates (and on that subject I see that in some quarters he is listed as a Major at the wars end and by others as a Hauptmann) and anything at all deemed of interest. As always, any help whatsoever will be very well received indeed. Regards Richard. |
#2
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Re: Researching Erich Rudorffer
According to a letter to me in 1988:
To 2/JG 2 Jan 40 28 Oct 40 Lt 1 Oct 41 Oblt 1 Jun 41 Gr Adj II/JG 2 15 Jul 41 St Kap 6/JG 2 I was not interested in his subsequent career which according to him was Gr Kdr II/JG 2, Gr Kdr II/JG 54, Gr Kdr I/JG 7. I have DKiG 9 Dec 41 as a Lt with 2/JG 2 but this cannot be right |
#3
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Re: Researching Erich Rudorffer
Here is what we have in our files about this fellow:
RUDORFFER, Erich. (DOB: 01.11.17 in Zwochau/Sachsen). 01.11.39 trf from civil aviation to the Luftwaffe and assigned to 2./JG 2 in the rank of Feldwebel. 1940 Ofw., in I./JG 2. 28.10.40 promo to Lt. 01.05.41 Lt., awarded Ritterkreuz, 6./JG 2. 06.41 Oblt., appt Staka 6./JG 2 (to 06.04.43). 20.12.41 Lt., awarded DKG, 2./JG 2. 02.06.42 Oblt., appt acting Kdr. II./JG 2 (to 15.01.43). 06.04.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. II./JG 2 (to 14.06.43). c. 01.07.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. IV./JG 54 (to 30.07.43). 01.08.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. II./JG 54 (to c. 14.01.45). 11.04.44 Maj. and Kdr. II./JG 54, awarded the Eichenlaub on achieving 134 victories. 14.01.45 Maj., appt Kdr. I./JG 7 (to 04.04.45). 26.01.45 Maj., awarded the Schwerter to the Ritterkreuz on reaching 212 victories. Credited with a total of 222 air victories in over 1,000 combat missions. (n.d.) postwar,worked for the Kraftfahrbundesamt and then served in the Bundesluftwaffe. Kracker says: Rudorffer, Erich. - Maj 11/1/1917 Zwochau Sachsen - 222 victories 2./JG-2 ("39), Stafkpt 6./JG-2 (11/42), Kdr II./JG-2(5/43), Kdr II./JG-54 (7/43)S.U.), Kdr I./JG-7(2/45) Bf 109F-4 "Yel 9" Wk# 7650 w/ 6/JG-2, Fw 190A-3 & A-6, Fw 190A-4 "Yel 1" in 6./JG-2, Me 262 RK(5/1/41)-EL(4/11/44)-S(1/25/45), DK-G(12/20/41), EK 1 & 2, Wnd Bdg, Fighter Oper.Clasp w/Pend 11 Bombers. Multiple times, 7 to 11 victories in a day! Over 1000 missions, 302 with aerial combat. 136 victories in the East. One known Soviet victory, a Yak-4 on 9 August, 1943. Two Il-2's on 13 August, 1943. Two DB-3F's, an Il-2 and five La-5's on 24 August, 1943. An Il-2, three La-5's and a Yak-7 on 14 September, 1943. Seven Yak-7's in the Yerenzoy on 11 October, 1943. 13 victories on 6 November, 1943. 12 victories in the Me 262 as Kdr II/JG-7. His first victory, a Hawk-75A southwest of les Sees la Gresn, 14 May, 1940, while in 2/JG-2. His 222nd and last victory, a Tempest of RAF No. 274 Sq. near Wesel on 24 March, 1945. I found a 223rd & 224th victory, both P-51's in the Hamburg area on 30 March, 1945. Obermeier suggests he downed 9 B-17's during March, 1945. Shot down 16 times, Bailed out 9 times. A most remarkable pilot! Germany's 8th ranked fighter Ace. Survived the war. The A-3 above, Werk # 432 "Yellow 1", was flown while he was Stfkpt 6/JG-2 in August, 1942. Flew an Fw 190A-4 "Yellow 1" in Feb., 1943 while in 6/JG-2. He flew the Me 262 & Ar 234 in JG-7 at Remagen Bridge. We hope that this helps HLdZ DGS |
#4
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Researching Erich Rudorffer
Chris and Doug, many thanks indeed for your time in helping with this request.
His DKiG award according to the Ordenstrager is indeed 09-December-1941 as a Lt with 2/JG 2. I noticed in his Wiki entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Rudorffer (and have seen mention in other areas) of "He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, and legend has him being pursued down Croydon High Street below rooftop level by a Hurricane." I want to ask the question as to whether this can be verified or not, or is this just an 'urban legend' which has grown over the years? As always, I look forward to any input to expand on what has been posted already and to the 'Croyden High Street' incident accordingly. Regards Richard. |
#5
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Re: Researching Erich Rudorffer
Gentlmen:
Is it known, dates of Rudorffer's shotdowns? He bailed 9 times, so there must be atleast 9 Bf109/Fw190 with damage state 100%, lost by this pilot. I searched JG54 losslist, but failed to find even 1 lost Fw190 by him. Also, seems he was not s/d when he was in Afrika... But I know, he was s/d and wounded (hospitalized) around mid.1942... What about 1940-41?
__________________
Went to war. |
#6
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Researching Erich Rudorffer
Hello Evgeny
Prein lists three incidents that he was involved in while serving as Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 2: 12 December 1942: Fw 190 A-3 "Yellow 1" (W.Nr. 0130 432) suffered engine trouble at San Pietro, 20% 17 December 1942: Fw 190 A-4 "Yellow 1" (W.Nr. 0140 749) damaged in aerial combat, emergency landed at Tindja, <10% 20 December 1942: Fw 190 A-4 "Yellow 1" (W.Nr. 0140 749) damaged in aerial combat with Spitfire fighters over Beja, <10% In none of these incidents was he wounded or injured. I know of no incidents while serving with JG 54 but perhaps some new information may appear. Horrido! Leo |
#7
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Researching Erich Rudorffer
In continuing to research Erich Rudorffer, I am interested in the following claim retreived from Tony Wood's Combat Claims & Casualties:
12-08-1943 Hauptmann Erich Rudorffer 6./JG2 B-17 10km W. Maklar: 6500-20m 14:28 which was subsequently confirmed by the RLM. Is this a simple typing error on the date (or even the unit) of this claim? On this date Erich Rudorffer was fighting on the Eastern Front with Stab II.JG54. Have I missed something here? Regards Richard. |
#8
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Researching Erich Rudorffer
Hello Richard
This victory was actually claimed on 12 March 1943 and according to Prein at 14:25. It was the last victory recorded in North Africa by both he and II./JG 2. I have no information on which unit this aircraft belonged to. I hope this helps. Horrido! Leo |
#9
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Re: Researching Erich Rudorffer
Hi
Send me your e.mail address and I'll forward the 220 victories I have for him, and a few unconfirmed. Also many crash areas calculated from grid references. Regards Johannes |
#10
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Researching Erich Rudorffer
Quote:
Quote:
Regards Richard. |
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