Otto Kittel

Otto Kittel
Otto Kittel
Born	21 February 1917 Kronsdorf, Sudetenland
Died	14 or 16 February 1945 (aged 27) Džūkste, Latvia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	JG 54
Commands held	2./JG 54 EJGr Ost
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front Courland Pocket †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Otto Kittel (21 February 1917 – 14 or 16 February 1945) was a German flying ace during World War II. He flew 583 combat missions on the Eastern Front, claiming 267 aerial victories, making him the fourth highest scoring ace in aviation history according to authors John Weal and Jerry Scutts.^[1][2] Kittel claimed all of his victories against the Red Air Force.^[3]

Kittel joined the Luftwaffe in 1939, and, in spring 1941, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) supporting Army Group North on the Eastern Front. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1943, for reaching 120 aerial victories. During the remainder of World War II, Kittel was credited with 144 more aerial victories and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He was shot down by Soviet aircraft and killed in February 1945. Kittel was the most successful German fighter pilot to be killed in action.^[4]

Personal life

Kittel was born on 21 February 1917 in Sudeten Silesia, Austria-Hungary. After working briefly as an auto mechanic, Kittel joined the Luftwaffe in 1939.^[5] Kittel married his fiancé, Edith, in June 1942; the couple had a son, born in 1945.^[6]

World War II

Kittel's first operations were air superiority missions in support of the German invasion of Yugoslavia, including the bombing of Belgrade.^[7] For Operation Barbarossa, JG 54 was moved to East Prussia, in early June 1941. The unit supported Army Group North in its advance through the Baltic states towards Leningrad.^[8] On 24 June 1941, Kittel claimed his first two aerial victories, two Tupolev SB-2 bombers.^[9] His tally had risen to 19 by May 1942.^[10] On 19 February 1943, Kittel achieved his 39th victory.^[11]

During the fighting in 1943, JG 54 took part in the spring battles over the Crimea Peninsula, Vyazma-Bryansk, Vitebsk, Kharkov, Orsha and Orel regions. During the Battle of Kursk, Kittel's unit escorted Junkers Ju 87 Stukas of a dive bomber wing commanded by Hans-Ulrich Rudel.^[12] On 14 September 1943, Kittel claimed his 100th aerial victory, a Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter.^[13] The 53rd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark,^[14] he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1943.^[15] On 1 November 1943, Kittel was promoted to the rank of Leutnant (second lieutenant).^[16]

In early April 1944, Kittel achieved his 150th aerial victory. On April 14, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for his 152nd aerial victory, claimed on 12 April. Kittel received the Oak Leaves from Adolf Hitler at the Berghof on 5 May 1944.^[17] In May 1944, the 2 wing was transferred to augment the 3rd group of JG 54 fighting on the Western Front to provide air defense over Germany against Allied aerial attacks. In August 1944, Kittel was appointed squadron leader.^[18] Kittel was credited with his 200th aerial victory on 23 August 1944.^[19] He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 25 November 1944.^[20]

On 14 or 16 February 1945, Kittel took off with his wing flying Fw 190 to engage a formation of 14 Shturmovik aircraft over the Courland Pocket.^[19] His wingman later reported that his aircraft was hit, descended towards the ground on fire and crashed in flames.^[11] The site of the crash is believed to have been 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) south-west of Džūkste in Latvia.^[18]

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 21 December 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot^[19]
• German Cross in Gold on 18 March 1943 as Feldwebel in the 2./JG 54^[21]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 29 October 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the I./JG 54.^[20]
  • 449th Oak Leaves on 11 April 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the 1./JG 54^[20]
  • 113th Swords on 25 November 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 2./JG 54^[20]

References

Citations

1. Weal 2001, p. 123.
2. Scutts 1992, p. 145.
3. Sims 1970, p. 174.
4. Bergström 2008, p. 103.
5. Stockert 2007, p. 105.
6. Kurowski 2007, pp. 147–148.
7. Kurowski 2007, pp. 10–11.
8. Prien et al. 2003, p. 184.
9. Prien et al. 2003, p. 199.
10. Weal 1998, p. 16.
11. Weal 1998, p. 84.
12. Bergström 2007, p. 106.
13. Prien et al. 2012, p. 184.
14. Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
15. Scutts 1992, p. 101.
16. Stockert 2007, p. 106.
17. Stockert 2007, p. 107.
18. Stockert 2007, p. 108.
19. Obermaier 1989, p. 39.
20. Scherzer 2007, p. 444.
21. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 230.

Bibliography

• Bergström, Christer (2007). Kursk—The Final Air Battle: July 1943. Hersham, Surrey: Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1-903223-88-8.
• Bergström, Christer (2008). Bagration to Berlin—The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Burgess Hill: Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
• Kurowski, Franz (2007). Oberleutnant Otto Kittel—Der erfolgreichste Jagdflieger des Jagdgeschwaders 54 [First Lieutenant Otto Kittel—The Most Successful Fighter Pilot of Fighter Wing 54] (in German). Würzburg, Germany: Flechsig Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88189-733-4.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939–1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939–1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941–1945 History and Recipients] (in German). II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-07-9.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Scutts, Jerry (1992). JG 54: Jagdgeschwader 54 Grunherz: Aces of the Eastern Front. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks. ISBN 978-0-87938-718-1.
• Sims, Edward (1970). The Greatest Aces. New York: Ballantine Books. OCLC 1349435.
• Stockert, Peter (2007). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 5 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945] (in German). V. Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. OCLC 76072662.
• Weal, John (1998). Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front. London: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-85532-518-0.
• Weal, John (2001). Jagdgeschwader 54 'Grünherz'. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84176-286-9.

External links

• Henning, Bastian (4 April 2015). "An einem Waldrand enden die Spuren" [The Tracks end at the Edge of a Forest]. Badische Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 18 February 2016.