List of German World War II jet aces
German jet aces
Table:
Name

Rank

Victories flying jets

Jet fighter unit(s)

Total wartime victories

Notes

Kurt Welter

Oberleutnant

20+[6] [7]

Kdo Welter, 10./NJG 11

63

Possible all-time leading jet ace, but he did overclaim up to 10.

Heinrich Bär

Oberstleutnant

16

EJG 2, JV 44
220

Started jet combat in 1945; flew the only Me 262 A-1a/U5 with 6-30mm MK108's

Franz Schall*
Hauptmann
14
Kdo Nowotny, JG 7
137
Killed in flying accident 10 April 1945[5]

Hermann Buchner
Oberfeldwebel
12
Kdo Nowotny
JG 7
58

Georg-Peter Eder
Major
12
Kdo Nowotny
JG 7
78
Wounded 16 February 1945[5]

Erich Rudorffer
Major
12
JG 7
222

Karl Schnörrer
Leutnant
11
EKdo 262
Kdo Nowotny
JG 7
46
Wounded 30 March 1945[5]

Erich Büttner*
Oberfeldwebel
8
EKdo 262
Kdo Nowotny
JG 7
8
Killed in action 20 March 1945[5]

Helmut Lennartz
Feldwebel
8
EKdo 262
Kdo Nowotny
JG 7
13
First aerial victory over a B-17 Flying Fortress by a jet fighter on 15 August 1944.[8]

Rudolf Rademacher
Leutnant
8
JG 7
126

Walter Schuck
Oberleutnant
8
JG 7
206

Günther Wegmann
Oberleutnant
8
EKdo 262
JG 7
14
Wounded 18 March 1945[5]

Hans-Dieter Weihs
Leutnant
8
JG 7
8
Midair collision with Hans Waldmann on 18 March 1945, killing Waldmann.[9]

Theodor Weissenberger
Major
8
JG 7
208

Alfred Ambs
Leutnant
7
JG 7
7

Heinz Arnold*
Oberfeldwebel
7
JG 7
49
Killed in action 17 April 1945[5]
Arnold's Me 262 A-1a W.Nr.500491 "Yellow 7" of II./JG 7 bearing his personal victory marks is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.[10]

Karl-Heinz Becker
Feldwebel
7
10./NJG 11
7
Suspect, as This unit overclaimed

Adolf Galland

Generalleutnant

7

JV 44

104

Assigned to create JV44 in March 1945. Wounded 26 April 1945[5]

Franz Köster
Unteroffizier
7
EJG 2
JG 7
JV 44
7

Fritz Müller
Leutnant
6
JG 7
22

By analysing the accompanying table along with the textual context listed at the end.

Answer the following question: What is the birth location of the flier with 208 total wartime conquers ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

Kurt Welter ( 25 February 1916 - 7 March 1949 ) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and the most successful Jet Expert of World War II . [ Note 1 ] A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat . He claimed a total of 63 aerial victories - that is , 63 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft - achieved in 93 combat missions . He recorded 56 victories at night , including 33 Mosquitos , and scored more aerial victories from a jet fighter aircraft than anyone else in World War II and possibly in aviation history . However this score is a matter of controversy ; research of Royal Air Force losses suggests Welter overclaimed Mosquito victories considerably . Welter was born in Cologne-Lindenthal on 25 February 1916 . He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe in 1934 and was trained as a pilot . He showed a strong natural ability as a pilot and was subsequently selected for flight instructor training and served many years as a flight instructor . In 1943 Welter transferred to an operational night fighter unit flying contemporary piston engine fighter aircraft . On 18 October 1944 , after 40 combat missions , Welter was awarded the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross . In early 1945 , Welter transferred to an experimental jet night fighter unit flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 . On 11 March 1945 he was awarded the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for 48 aerial victories .
Oberleutnant ( OF-1a ) is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the armed forces of Germany ( Bundeswehr ) , Austrian Armed Forces , and Military of Switzerland .
An Erprobungskommando ( EKdo ) ( Testing-command ) was a variety of Luftwaffe special-purpose unit tasked with the testing of new aircraft and weaponry under operational conditions . Similarly-named Erprobungs-prefixed squadron ( staffel ) and group ( gruppe ) sized units also existed at various times in the Luftwaffe during 1939-1944 to service-test new designs , usually numbered with the RLM aircraft designation system airframe number matching the aircraft they were meant to test , with the three digit number following the 8-xxx RLM airframe number designating the unit , as with Erprobungsstaffel 177 ( contracted to E-Staffel 177 ) , charged with testing the A-0 production prototypes of the Heinkel He 177A heavy bomber . The similarly-prefixed Erprobungsgruppe 210 was meant to have service-tested the Messerschmitt Me 210 twin-engined destroyer and light bomber , but that design 's early aerodynamic problems caused the unit 's transformation and expansion into SKG 210 , a dedicated fast bomber unit using Bf 110s instead .
Nachtjagdgeschwader 11 ( NJG 11 ) was a Luftwaffe night fighter-wing of World War II . NJG 11 was formed on 20 August 1944 with one Gruppe ( group ) consisting of 2 Staffeln .
Heinrich Pritzl Bär ( pronounced [ ˈhaɪnʁɪç bɛːɐ̯ ] ; 25 May 1913 - 28 April 1957 ) was a German Luftwaffe flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe . Bär flew more than one thousand combat missions , and fought in the Western , Eastern and Mediterranean theatres . On 18 occasions he survived being shot down , and according to records in the German Federal Archives , he claimed to have shot down 228 enemy aircraft and was credited with 208 aerial victories , 16 of which were in a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter . Bär , a native of Saxony , joined the Reichswehr in 1934 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 . Serving first as a mechanic , then as a pilot on transport aircraft , he was informally trained as a fighter pilot . He claimed his first aerial victory in September 1939 on the French border . By the end of the Battle of Britain , his tally of victories had increased to 17 . Transferred to the Eastern Front to participate in Operation Barbarossa , he quickly accumulated further victories , a feat that earned him the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords for 90 aerial victories in February 1942 . During the remainder of World War II , Bär was credited with 130 other aerial victories , including 16 while flying one of the first jet fighters , the Me 262 , an achievement which would normally have earned him the coveted Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves , Swords and Diamonds . Hermann Göring 's personal dislike of Bär , coupled with Bär 's insubordinate character and lack of military discipline , deprived him of this award . After World War II , Bär continued his career as an aviator . He was killed in a flying accident on 28 April 1957 near Braunschweig .
Oberstleutnant ( German pronunciation : [ ˈʔoːbɐstlɔʏtnant ] ) ( abbr . OTL ) is a rank of commissioned officer in the armed forces of German-speaking countries , including the German Bundeswehr , Austrian Bundesheer and the Swiss Army . It was in use in past militaries like the German Wehrmacht , German Imperial Army and Austro-Hungarian Army . It is equivalent to the Lieutenant colonel rank of English-speaking countries . It is below the Oberst ( equivalent of Colonel ) and above the Major . The rank should not be confused with the lower-ranked but similar-sounding Oberleutnant , which is the equivalent of the First lieutenant . Typically , suffixes can be applied to the word Oberstleutnant to specify the individual type of officer . Retired officers that are not incapacitated ( i.e . theoretically available for reactivation ) from service continue to use their title with the suffix a.D. ( Germany ) or aD ( Switzerland ) , an abbreviation of außer Dienst , 'out of service ' . Suffixes that specify military specialization in active service include Oberstleutnant i.G . ( 'im Generalstabsdienst ' ) for general staff officers or Oberstleutnant d.R . ( 'der Reserve ' ) for reservists .
A Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader ( EJG ) was a Luftwaffe replacement training unit which was part of a larger operational Jagdgeschwader . The Germans were sometimes forced to undertake operations and training simultaneously . Its commanders included Viktor Bauer and Werner Andres . [ citation needed ]
Jagdverband 44 ( JV 44 ) was a German air unit during World War II . It was formed during the last months of World War II to operate the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter . The commander of JV 44 was General Adolf Galland , the former General der Jagdflieger ( General of Fighter pilots ) who had recently been sacked from his staff post by Hermann Göring for criticizing the operational policies , strategic doctrine , and tactics mandated by the Luftwaffe High Command . Galland was charged with setting up a small Me 262 unit to demonstrate the capabilities of the jet fighter . [ citation needed ] JV 44 comprised a core of experienced pilots ( Experten ) chosen from Galland 's former staff or recruited from units which had been disbanded or were being re-equipped . JV 44 performed well during its brief history , achieving a 4-to-1 kill ratio . However , it had relatively few operational jet planes available for any single sortie and was repeatedly forced to relocate due to the approach of Allied ground forces . Its complement included 50 pilots and 25 airplanes .
The MK 108 ( German : Maschinenkanone - machine cannon ) was a 30 mm caliber autocannon manufactured in Germany during World War II by Rheinmetall - Borsig for use in aircraft .
Franz Schall ( 1 June 1918 - 10 April 1945 ) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II . As a fighter ace , he flew approximately 550 combat missions and claimed 137 aerial victories - that is , 137 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft . He was also a recipient of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross , the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II .
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer 's rank in the German , Austrian , and Swiss armies . While Haupt in contemporary German means 'main ' , it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head ' , i.e . Hauptmann literally translates to 'head-man ' , which is also the etymological root of captain ( from Latin caput , 'head ' ) . It equates to the rank of captain in the British and US Armies , and is rated OF-2 in NATO . ( For the German maritime counterpart to captain , see Kapitän . ) More generally , it can be used to denote the head of any hierarchically structured group of people , often as a compound word . For example , a Feuerwehrhauptmann is the captain of a fire brigade , while Räuberhauptmann refers to the leader of a gang of robbers . Official Austrian and German titles incorporating the word include Landeshauptmann , Bezirkshauptmann , Burghauptmann , and Berghauptmann . In Saxony during the Weimar Republic , the titles of Kreishauptmann , and Amtshauptmann were held by senior civil servants . Hauptmann ( from Early Modern High German Heubtmann ) is cognate with the Swedish hövitsman , which also has the root meaning 'head-man ' or 'the man at the head ' , and is closely related to hövding , meaning 'chieftain ' . Since medieval times , both titles have been used for state administrators rather than military personnel . Heubtmann may also be the origin of the title hetman , used in Central and Eastern Europe .
Kommando Nowotny was a Luftwaffe fighter Gruppe formed during the last months of World War II for testing and establishing tactics for the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter , and was created and first commanded by Walter Nowotny , from whom it drew its name .
Jagdgeschwader 7 ( JG 7 ) Nowotny was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II and the first operational jet fighter unit in the world . It was created late in 1944 and served until the end of the war in May 1945 , and it operated the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter exclusively .
The Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German : Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes ) and its variants were the highest awards in the military of the Third Reich during World War II . The Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks , from successful military leadership to extreme battlefield bravery . A total of 7,321 awards were made between its first presentation on 30 September 1939 and its last bestowal on 17 June 1945 . [ Note 1 ] This number is based on the analysis and acceptance of the order commission of the Association of Knight 's Cross Recipients ( AKCR ) . Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the Wehrmacht - the Heer ( Army ) , Kriegsmarine ( Navy ) and Luftwaffe ( Air Force ) - as well as the Waffen-SS , the Reichsarbeitsdienst ( RAD - Reich Labour Service ) and the Volkssturm ( German national militia ) . There were also 43 recipients in the military forces of allies of the Third Reich . These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel 's book , Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 - Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile - The Bearers of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945 - The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches . Fellgiebel was the former chairman and head of the order commission of the AKCR . In 1996 a second edition of this book was published with an addendum delisting 11 of these original recipients . Author and historian Veit Scherzer has cast doubt on a further 193 of these listings . The majority of the disputed recipients had received the award in 1945 , when the deteriorating situation of the Third Reich during the final days of World War II left a number of nominations incomplete and pending in various stages of the approval process . For many years Fellgiebel 's book was considered the main reference work on this topic , and it has now been succeeded by Scherzer 's work .
Oberfeldwebel ( OFw or OF ) is the fourth-lowest non-commissioned officer ( NCO ) rank in German Army and German Air Force .
Georg-Peter Schorsch Eder ( 8 March 1921 - 11 March 1986 ) was a German fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe during World War II . He was a recipient of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany . Eder flew 572 combat missions claiming 78 enemy aircraft shot down in total . He was the leading day scorer against four-engined bombers , and with 56 air victories the leading ace against the USAAF .
Major is a military rank of commissioned officer status , with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world .
Erich Rudorffer ( 1 November 1917 - 8 April 2016 ) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the whole of World War II . He was the 7th most successful fighter pilot in the history of air warfare , with 222 victories claimed . Rudorffer fought in all the major German theaters of war , including the European and Mediterranean Theater of Operations and the Eastern Front . During the war he flew more than 1000 combat missions , engaging in aerial combat over 300 times . Rudorffer was shot down by flak and enemy fighters 16 times and had to take to his parachute nine times .
Karl Quax Schnörrer ( 22 March 1919 - 25 September 1979 ) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II . He was a recipient of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross , awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership . Schnörrer flew a total of 536 missions and claimed 46 aerial victories . Of his 11 aerial victories claimed in Defense of the Reich , all were made flying the Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter and included nine four-engine bombers .
The German noun ( with the meaning Stellvertreter ( in English deputy ) from Middle High German « locum tenens » Platzhalter ( in English place holder ) was derived from the French word « Lieutenant » about 1500 . In most German-speaking armies it is the lowest officer rank ( in German-speaking navies « Leutnant zur See » ( English Lieutenant at sea ) . In the German Bundeswehr the ranks Leutnant OF1b and Oberleutnant OF1a belong to the Leutnant rank group . In some other armed forces ( such as the former National People 's Army ) there is the lower grade of Unterleutnant ( OR1c ) . From about 1500 until the middle of the 17th century the designation of « Leutnant » was commonly used for any deputy to a commanding officer . So at the army level there was the appointment of General-Leutnant ( English lieutenant-general ) , at the regimental level there was that of Oberst-Leutnant ( English lieutenant-colonel ) , and at the company level the Leutnant was deputy to a Hauptmann ( English captain ) . With the formation of standing armies in the second half of the 17th century , the term commonly came to designate the rank of the least senior commissioned officer . In the 18th and 19th century , at the unit level several Leutnants served as platoon leaders . At that time the ranks of Premier-Lieutenant and Seconde-Lieutenant came into existence . With effect from January 1 , 1899 in the German Empire these ranks were renamed as Oberleutnant and Leutnant .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .
Killed in action ( KIA ) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own combatants at the hands of hostile forces . The United States Department of Defense , for example , says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to hostile attack . KIAs include those killed by friendly fire in the midst of combat , but not from incidents such as accidental vehicle crashes , murder and other non-hostile events or terrorism . KIA can be applied both to front-line combat troops and to naval , air and support troops . Someone who is killed in action during a particular event is denoted with a † ( dagger ) beside their name to signify their death in that event or events . [ citation needed ] Further , KIA denotes a person to have been killed in action on the battlefield whereas died of wounds ( DOW ) relates to someone who survived to reach a medical treatment facility . The North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) also uses DWRIA , rather than DOW , for died of wounds received in action . However , historically , militaries and historians have used the former acronym . [ citation needed ] PKIA means presumed killed in action . This term is used when personnel are lost in battle , initially listed missing in action ( MIA ) , but after not being found , are later presumed to have not survived .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .
Feldwebel ( Fw or F ) , literally field usher , is a non-commissioned officer ( NCO ) rank in several countries . The rank originated in Germany , and is also used in Switzerland , Finland , Sweden , and Estonia . The rank has also been used in Russia , Austria-Hungary , and Bulgaria . Feldwebel is a contraction of feld meaning field and weibel , an archaic word meaning usher . Weibel comes from the Old High German weibôn , meaning to go back and forth . There are variations on feldwebel , such as Oberstabsfeldwebel ( Superior Staff Field Usher ) , which is the highest non-commissioned rank in the German army and air force .
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps ( USAAC ) . Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers , the Boeing entry ( prototype Model 299/XB-17 ) outperformed both competitors and exceeded the air corps ' performance specifications . Although Boeing lost the contract ( to the Douglas B-18 Bolo ) because the prototype crashed , the air corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation . From its introduction in 1938 , the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances , becoming the third-most produced bomber of all time , behind the four-engined B-24 and the multirole , twin-engined Ju 88 . The B-17 was primarily employed by the USAAF in the daylight strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets . The United States Eighth Air Force , based at many airfields in central , eastern and southern England , and the Fifteenth Air Force , based in Italy , complemented the RAF Bomber Command 's nighttime area bombing in the Combined Bomber Offensive to help secure air superiority over the cities , factories and battlefields of Western Europe in preparation for the invasion of France in 1944 . The B-17 also participated to a lesser extent in the War in the Pacific , early in World War II , where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields . From its prewar inception , the USAAC ( by June 1941 , the USAAF ) promoted the aircraft as a strategic weapon ; it was a relatively fast , high-flying , long-range bomber with heavy defensive armament at the expense of bombload . It developed a reputation for toughness based upon stories and photos of badly damaged B-17s safely returning to base . The B-17 dropped more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II . Of approximately 1.5 million tons of bombs dropped on Nazi Germany and its occupied territories by U.S. aircraft , over 640,000 tons were dropped from B-17s . In addition to its role as a bomber , the B-17 was also employed as a transport , antisubmarine aircraft , drone controller , and search-and-rescue aircraft .
The Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German : Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes ) and its variants were the highest awards in the military of the Third Reich during World War II . The Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks , from a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle to a low-ranking soldier for a single act of extreme gallantry . A total of 7,321 awards were made between its first presentation on 30 September 1939 and its last bestowal on 17 June 1945 . [ Note 1 ] This number is based on the analysis and acceptance of the Order commission of the Association of Knight 's Cross Recipients ( AKCR ) . Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the Wehrmacht - the Heer ( Army ) , Kriegsmarine ( Navy ) and Luftwaffe ( Air Force ) - as well as the Waffen-SS , the Reichsarbeitsdienst ( RAD - Reich Labour Service ) and the Volkssturm ( German national militia ) . There were also 43 recipients in the military forces of allies of the Third Reich . These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel 's book , Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 - Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile - The Bearers of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945 - The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches . Fellgiebel was the former chairman and head of the order commission of the AKCR . In 1996 a second edition of this book was published with an addendum delisting 11 of these original recipients . Author and historian Veit Scherzer has cast doubt on a further 193 of these listings . The majority of the disputed recipients had received the award in 1945 , when the deteriorating situation of the Third Reich during the final days of World War II left a number of nominations incomplete and pending in various stages of the approval process . Listed here are the 448 Knight 's Cross recipients of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS whose last name starts with R. The AKCR named 447 recipients .
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces , comparable to NATO OF-1a rank .
Walter Schuck ( 30 July 1920 - 27 March 2015 ) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937 until the end of World War II . As a fighter ace , he claimed 206 enemy aircraft shot down in over 500 combat missions , eight of which while flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter . [ Note 1 ] Schuck was a recipient of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . Born in the Saargebiet ( Territory of the Saar Basin ) , Schuck volunteered for service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1936 and was accepted in 1937 . After a period of training at various pilot and fighter pilot schools , he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 5 ( JG 5 - 5th Fighter Wing ) , operating on the most northern section of the Eastern Front , the Arctic Front , in April 1942 . In April 1944 he was awarded the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross for 84 aerial victories . Following his 171st aerial victory he was injured in combat and received the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during his convalescence . In early 1945 Schuck transferred to Jagdgeschwader 7 ( JG 7 - 7th Fighter Wing ) which operated the then revolutionary jet fighter Me 262 . Claiming a further eight aerial victories , he was forced to bail out when his aircraft was shot down by a P-51 Mustang on 10 April 1945 . Schuck sustained minor injuries preventing him from flying further combat missions .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .
Hans Peter Waldmann ( 24 September 1922 - 18 March 1945 ) was a German Luftwaffe ( Air Force ) fighter ace and recipient of the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany . Waldmann received the award after he had shot down 85 enemy aircraft . In total , he was credited with 134 aerial victories accumulated in 527 combat missions . Born in Braunschweig , Waldmann volunteered for service in the Luftwaffe in 1940 . After training at various pilot and fighter-pilot schools , he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 ( JG 52 - 52nd Fighter Wing ) , operating on the Eastern Front , in August 1942 . Here Waldmann fought in the aerial battles over Stalingrad , the Caucasus , the Black Sea , and the Crimea . He was credited with 84 aerial victories before briefly being transferred to the Western Front , where he was credited with one aerial victory . Back on the Eastern Front , Waldmann accumulated further victories , bringing his score to 125 victories by end of May 1944 . He then fought in the skies over France after the Western Allied Invasion of Normandy , claiming seven aerial victories , before converting to the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in late 1944 . Flying the Me 262 , Waldmann shot down two North American P-51 Mustangs on 22 February 1945 before being killed in a mid-air collision with one of his squadron members on 18 March 1945 near Schwarzenbek , Holstein .
Theodor Weissenberger ( 21 December 1914 - 11 June 1950 ) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II and a fighter ace credited with 208 enemy aircraft shot down in 375 combat missions . The majority of his victories were claimed near the Arctic Ocean in the northern sector of the Eastern Front , but he also claimed 33 victories over the Western Front . He claimed eight of these victories over the Western Allies while flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter . Born in Mühlheim am Main in the German Empire , Weissenberger , who had been a glider pilot in his youth , volunteered for service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1936 . Following flight training , he was posted to the heavy fighter squadron of Jagdgeschwader 77 ( JG 77 - 77th Fighter Wing ) in 1941 . He claimed his first aerial victory over Norway on 24 October 1941 . After 23 aerial victories as heavy fighter pilot , he received the German Cross in Gold and was then posted to Jagdgeschwader 5 ( JG 5 - 5th Fighter Wing ) in September 1942 . There he received the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 November 1942 after 38 aerial victories . In June 1943 , Weissenberger was appointed Staffelkapitän of 7 . Staffel of JG 5 . Following his 112th aerial victory , he was awarded the Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 . He was appointed Staffelkapitän of 6 .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .
Heinz Arnold ( 12 February 1919 in Flöha in Saxony - 17 April 1945 ) was a former German Luftwaffe fighter ace . He is credited with 49 aerial victories including seven victories claimed flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter . Arnold joined the Luftwaffe in September 1939 , training for a technical role with the Kampffliegerschule at Tutow . Arnold began flying training in January 1940 with Flieger Ausbildungs Rgt . 12. , before advanced training with Jagdfliegerschule 5 in late 1940 . Arnold was then posted to Jagdgeschwader 5 on the Arctic Front . He claimed some 42 victories during 1942-44 , before transferring into 11 staffel , JG 7 to fly Me 262 jets . Oberfeldwebel Arnold claimed another 7 victories , ( including five four-engine bombers ) in March 1945 . Arnold 's Me 262 A-1a ( Werknummer 500491 - factory number ) Yellow 7 was unserviceable at Alt Lönnewitz when , on 17 April 1945 , Arnold took a replacement Me 262A-1a into an action from which he failed to return . Arnold was shot down and killed in aerial combat possibly by USAAF P-51 fighters , during a ground-attack mission near Großebersdorf in the Thuringer Wald area of Germany . Heinz Arnold was credited with 49 victories , 42 victories over the Eastern Front . Of the 7 victories on the Western Front , 5 were four-engine bombers .
The Messerschmitt Me 262 , nicknamed Schwalbe ( German : Swallow ) in fighter versions , or Sturmvogel ( German : Storm Bird ) in fighter-bomber versions , was the world 's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft . Design work started before World War II began , but problems with engines , metallurgy and top-level interference kept the aircraft from operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944 . The Me 262 was faster and more heavily armed than any Allied fighter , including the British jet-powered Gloster Meteor . One of the most advanced aviation designs in operational use during World War II , the Me 262 's roles included light bomber , reconnaissance and experimental night fighter versions . Me 262 pilots claimed a total of 542 Allied aircraft shot down , although higher claims are sometimes made . [ Note 1 ] The Allies countered its effectiveness in the air by attacking the aircraft on the ground and during takeoff and landing . Strategic materials shortages and design compromises on the Junkers Jumo 004 axial-flow turbojet engines led to reliability problems . Attacks by Allied forces on fuel supplies during the deteriorating late-war situation also reduced the effectiveness of the aircraft as a fighting force . Armament production within Germany was focused on more easily manufactured aircraft . In the end , the Me 262 had a negligible impact on the course of the war as a result of its late introduction and the consequently small numbers put in operational service . While German use of the aircraft ended with the close of World War II , a small number were operated by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1951 . It also heavily influenced several designs , such as Sukhoi Su-9 ( 1946 ) and Nakajima Kikka .
The Smithsonian Institution ( /smɪθˈsoʊniən/ smith-SOH-nee-ən ) , also known simply as the Smithsonian , is a group of museums and research centers administered by the Government of the United States . It was founded on August 10 , 1846 , for the increase and diffusion of knowledge . The institution is named after its founding donor , British scientist James Smithson . It was originally organized as the United States National Museum , but that name ceased to exist as an administrative entity in 1967 . Termed the nation 's attic for its eclectic holdings of 154 million items , the Institution 's 19 museums , 21 libraries , nine research centers , and zoo include historical and architectural landmarks , mostly located in the District of Columbia . Additional facilities are located in Arizona , Maryland , Massachusetts , New York City , Pittsburgh , Texas , Virginia , and Panama . More than 200 institutions and museums in 45 states , [ note 1 ] Puerto Rico , and Panama are Smithsonian Affiliates . The Institution 's 30 million annual visitors are admitted without charge . Its annual budget is around $ 1.2 billion , with two-thirds coming from annual federal appropriations . Other funding comes from the Institution 's endowment , private and corporate contributions , membership dues , and earned retail , concession , and licensing revenue . Institution publications include Smithsonian and Air & Space magazines .
Washington , D.C. , ( /ˈwɑːʃɪŋtən ˌdiːˈsiː/ ) formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as D.C. , Washington , or The District , is the capital of the United States . Founded after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country , Washington was named after George Washington , the first president of the United States and a Founding Father . As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations , Washington is an important world political capital . The city , located on the Potomac River bordering Maryland and Virginia , is one of the most visited cities in the world , with more than 20 million tourists annually . The signing of the Residence Act on July 16 , 1790 , approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the country 's East Coast . The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress , and the District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state . The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district , which included the pre-existing settlements of Georgetown and Alexandria . The City of Washington was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital . In 1846 , Congress returned the land originally ceded by Virginia , including the city of Alexandria ; in 1871 , it created a single municipal government for the remaining portion of the District . Washington had an estimated population of 702,455 as of July 2018 [ update ] , making it the 20th most populous city in the United States . Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city 's daytime population to more than one million during the workweek . Washington 's metropolitan area , the country 's sixth largest ( including parts of Maryland , Virginia and West Virginia ) , had a 2017 estimated population of 6.2 million residents .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .
Adolf Josef Ferdinand Galland ( 19 March 1912 - 9 February 1996 ) was a German Luftwaffe general and flying ace who served throughout the Second World War in Europe . He flew 705 combat missions , and fought on the Western Front and in the Defence of the Reich . On four occasions , he survived being shot down , and he was credited with 104 aerial victories , all of them against the Western Allies . Galland , who was born in Westerholt , Westphalia became a glider pilot in 1929 before he joined Lufthansa . In 1932 , he graduated as a pilot at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule ( German Commercial Flyers ' School ) in Braunschweig before applying to join the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic later in the year . Galland 's application was accepted , but he never took up the offer . In February 1934 , he was transferred to the Luftwaffe . In 1937 , during the Spanish Civil War , he volunteered for the Condor Legion and flew ground attack missions in support of the Nationalists under Francisco Franco . After finishing his tour in 1938 Galland was employed in the Air Ministry writing doctrinal and technical manuals about his experiences as a ground-attack pilot . During this period Galland served as an instructor for ground-attack units . During the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 , he again flew ground attack missions . In early 1940 , Galland managed to persuade his superiors to allow him to become a fighter pilot .
Generalleutnant , short GenLt , ( English : lieutenant general ) is the second highest general officer rank in the German Army ( Heer ) and the German Air Force ( Luftwaffe ) .
Jagdverband 44 ( JV 44 ) was a German air unit during World War II . It was formed during the last months of World War II to operate the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter . The commander of JV 44 was General Adolf Galland , the former General der Jagdflieger ( General of Fighter pilots ) who had recently been sacked from his staff post by Hermann Göring for criticizing the operational policies , strategic doctrine , and tactics mandated by the Luftwaffe High Command . Galland was charged with setting up a small Me 262 unit to demonstrate the capabilities of the jet fighter . [ citation needed ] JV 44 comprised a core of experienced pilots ( Experten ) chosen from Galland 's former staff or recruited from units which had been disbanded or were being re-equipped . JV 44 performed well during its brief history , achieving a 4-to-1 kill ratio . However , it had relatively few operational jet planes available for any single sortie and was repeatedly forced to relocate due to the approach of Allied ground forces . Its complement included 50 pilots and 25 airplanes .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .
Unteroffizier is a military rank of the Bundeswehr and of former German-speaking armed forces ( Heer and Luftwaffe ) , OR-5b on the NATO scale of ranks . There is no equivalent in the British Army , Royal Marines and various Commonwealth armies ( it is senior to an OR-4 Corporal and junior to an OR-6 Sergeant ) , although the Canadian Army equivalent is OR-5 Master Corporal . The equivalent in the United States Army and United States Marine Corps is OR-5 sergeant . However , Unteroffizier is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers .
This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II .