Knight's Cross to a fighter pilot

[Bob Lyons]

Good morning Gents,

I have this RK in my collection, it was awarded to a pilot from JG 51, the details are: Awarded to Oberfeldwelbel Otto Wuerfel.

Finding out some information on him is a bit difficult as it is a late war group, but this is what I know about him so far,
Born 3 December 1920 in Uelzen/Niedersachsen, was posted missing from 23 Feb 1944 around Rogatschew in Russia,
and died on the 22nd December 1944. His rank at that time was an Oberfeldwebel.

Posted in to 9./JG 51 mid 1942 as an Unteroffizier, mid 1943 he had around 9 victories, was involved in many dive bombing
operations.

Posted for a short period of time to Erg. Gr. Ost as an instructor (training pilot is what is written). so ??? he could have been
under training perhaps.

Within 5 months of returning to 9./JG 51 he had 70 victories to his credit, on the 21 Feb 1944 he shot down 6 enemy
aircraft, and was transferred to 8./JG 51.

On the 23rd Feb, 1944 he collided in mid air with his wingman Ofw Dittlmann, northwest of Rogatschew. Both aircraft came
down, Dittlmann was killed in the crash, Wuerfel was captured and interned in camp 280/5 in the area of Stalino. He
died in captivity of Typhus.

Promoted to Leutnant posthumously, and his final victory tally was 79 victories.

RK awarded 4 May 1944.

DKiG awarded February 1944.

[Bob Lyons]

The documents have been seperated from the group, this is how it looked when it first surfaced,
I never saw the pilots badge but apparently that was added, and it was later seperated from the group
as it was never the one worn by Wuerfel, but the rest is all his stuff, I also have the DKiG from him too,
this is a Deschler made piece.
(the documents are still in Australia, so maybe I stand a chance of getting them.).

If anyone has any extra details about Otto Wuerfel, and the aircraft that he flew, I sure would love to see and hear about them.

Best wishes

Bob

Attached image(s)

[Rob Romero]

Great Stuff Bob,

some larger photos of Otto would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rob

[Andy Fletcher]

Hi Bob,

Is it possible that you could post larger images of the EP and DKiG certificates please.

Die Träger Des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold by Veit Scherzer lists the date for his DKiG as 26Dec43

I've got him as flying FW 190A-5 (152599; Black 4+) when he collided with Dittlmann who was flying FW 190A-5 (2555; Black 6+)

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Bob Lyons]

Rob and Andy,

Thanks for the input, I am currently at work, but will see if I can enhance that photo of the documents when I get home, but that is all I have on the documents, the guy who still owns the docs lives in Queensland and I don't have any current contact with him, so can't get better shots, I hope he surfaces again, as he no longer collects this sort of stuff, and as he sold off the DKiG and RK, I am hoping that he moves the docs as well eventually. the only photo that I have of him is in the Obermaier book with some bio details of him, and the original photo used in the book is the photo of him with the documents, I have been going through my books looking for other photos but no luck so far finding him.

Frustrating, but all I have at the moment is the RK and DKiG, I am still looking though!

Bob