page_title: Kurt Bühligen
section_title: Mediterranean Theater
hierarchical_section_title: Kurt Bühligen / World War II / Mediterranean Theater
context_page_description: Kurt Bühligen was a Luftwaffe wing commander and fighter ace of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was credited with 112 enemy aircraft shot down in over 700 combat missions. His victories were all claimed over the Western Front and included 14 four-engine bombers and 47 Supermarine Spitfire fighters.
  Born in Granschütz, Bühligen, volunteered for military service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1936. Initially trained as an aircraft mechanic, after the outbreak of World War II, he was trained as a pilot. In June 1940, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen". He fought in the Battle of Britain and claimed his first aerial victory in that campaign on 4 September 1940. Promoted to an officers rank, Bühligen was appointed squadron leader of the 4. Staffel of JG 2 in April 1942. In November 1942, his unit was transferred to the Mediterranean and theatre where he claimed his 50th aerial victory in February 1943. Back on the Channel Front, he was appointed commander of the II. Gruppe of JG 2 in April 1943. Following his 96th, Bühligen was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in March 1944. In April 1944, he replaced Kurt Ubben as commander of JG 2.
context_section_description: In early November 1942, the Western Allies launched Operation Torch, the Anglo–American invasion of French North Africa. On 17 November, II. Gruppe of JG 2 was withdrawn from the English Channel Front and ordered to San Pietro Clarenza, Sicily. At the time, the Gruppe was equipped with the Fw 190 A-3, some Fw 190 A-2s, and received the A-4 variant in early December. This made II. Gruppe of JG 2 the only Fw 190 equipped fighter unit in the Mediterranean Theater. The Gruppe flew its first missions on 19 November, securing German air and sea transportation to Tunis. That day, elements of II. Gruppe began relocating to Bizerte Airfield. Bühlingen claimed his first aerial victory in this theater of operations on 3 December over a Spitfire south of Tebourba
  On 5 December, his acting Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) Oberleutnant Adolf Dickfeld submitted Bühligen for preferential promotion to Oberleutnant. The nomination was reviewed by the commanding general of the II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps) General der Flieger (General of the Aviators) Bruno Loerzer, headquartered at Taormina, Sicily and by Feldmarschall (Field Marshal) Albert Kesselring, at the time Oberbefehlshaber Süd (Commander in Chief in the South). Both Loerzer and Kesselring approved the nomination leading to Bühligen's promotion on 1 February 1943. On 26 December, eighteen Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), escorted by eight Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighters, attacked the harbor of Bizerte destroying approximately 100 fuel barrels and damaged one cargo ship. II. Gruppe intercepted the USAAF formation on their return from the target area, claiming three P-38 fighters shot down, including two by Bühligen.
  In January 1943, the bulk of II. Gruppe of JG 2 was based at an airfield at Sidi Ahmed near Bizerte. On 4 January, 4. Staffel interceped a formation of Douglas A-20 Havoc "Boston" bombers, escorted by Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters, on bombing mission to Fondouk, approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) south-eastsouth of Bizerte. The bombers were already under attack by Bf 109s from I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53rd—53rd Fighter Wing) when 4. Staffel encountered the bombers west of Fondouk. In this encounter, Bühlingen shot down a P-40 and a Boston which he misidentified as a Martin B-26 Marauder bomber. On 7 January, II. Gruppe moved to Kairouan Airfield. The next day, II. Gruppe flew numerous missions and claimed twelve aerial victories, including three P-38s shot down by Bühligen, for the loss of two Fw 190s. One of the P-38s claimed by Bühligen was a 49th Fighter Squadron aircraft strafing tanks near Kairouan. On 14 January, he was credited with the destruction of another P-38. A flight of B-17s bombers, escorted by P-38s, had attacked the harbor of Sousse.
  On 30 January, five Fw 190s from 4. Staffel were scrambled at 07:30 to intercept a flight of six Spitfires spotted northwest of Kairouan. Shortly after takeoff, 4. Staffel intercepted the Spitfires and claimed three Spitfires shot down, including two by Bühligen, without loss. On 2 February, Bühligen became an "ace-in-a-day", claiming three P-40s, a Spitfire and a Bell P-39 Airacobra in combat near Kairouan. Only one Spitfire was shot down on this day and Bühligen, according to the claims list, was the only German to report one destroyed. No. 225 Squadron RAF lost Flying Officer S.H.A Short killed near Kasserine. Ten P-40s of the 33rd Fighter Group were lost—eight from the 59th Fighter Squadron and two from the 60th Fighter Squadron. Five American pilots were killed in action and one captured. German pilots claimed 13 Allied fighters; 11 were recorded lost in aerial combat.
  II. Gruppe flew its last combat missions in North Africa on 11 and 12 March 1943. At the time, the Gruppe had ten Fw 190s remaining, seven of which still serviceable. Bühligen claimed three aerial victories on 12 March, two P-38s and a B-17 near La Sebala Airfield.  On 18 March, the aircraft were handed over to III. Gruppe of Schnellkampfgeschwader 10 (SKG 10—10th Fast Bomber Wing). 
caption: II. Gruppe area of operations in Tunisia.
exif: {}