Wolfgang Falck Wolfgang Falck ( 19 August 1910 in Berlin – 13 March 2007 ) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II . He was one of the key organisers of the German night fighter defences . Military career . On 7 April 1931 , he began his pilot training at the " Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule " ( German Air Transport School ) at Schleißheim . The course he and 29 other trainees attended was called " Kameradschaft 31 " , abbreviated " K 31 " . Among the members of " K 31 " were men like Hannes Trautloft and Günther Lützow . Falck graduated from the Deutsche Verkehrfliegerschule 19 February 1932 . In February 1933 he attended the Infantry School at Dresden for officer training and made Leutnant in October 1934 . In March 1935 , Leutnant Falck became an instructor at the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule at Schleissheim and in April 1936 promoted to Oberleutnant and transferred to JG 132 ' Richthofen ' based at Jüterbog - Damm , as Staffelkapitän of 5 . Staffel . In July 1938 , Falck was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8 . Staffel of the new JG 132 , based at Fürstenwalde . The new unit was later redesignated I . / ZG 76 and equipped with the Bf 110 " Zerstörer " fighter . Falck was a friend of Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg and came under suspicion by the Gestapo after the July 20 Plot . War Service . Falck led 2 . / ZG 76 during the Polish campaign from Ohlau in Silesia , gaining three victories over Polish Air Force aircraft . The unit was then relocated to Jever to protect the northern seaboard and the Kriegsmarine naval bases . On 18 December 1939 he claimed two Vickers Wellington twin - engine bombers attacking Wilhelmshaven . Falck force - landed his aircraft after return fire from the bombers damaged his engines . In February 1940 Hauptmann Falck was appointed " Gruppenkommandeur " I . / Zerstörergeschwader 1 ( ZG 1 ) , based at Düsseldorf . The Gruppe was relocated to the Baltic coast in April and on 9 April , Falck led the unit during the invasion of Denmark . He recorded his seventh ( and final ) victory , shooting down a Danish Fokker C . V taking off from Værløse . While based at Aalborg in Northern Denmark Falck prepared a comprehensive tactical appraisal report on night interception . Thus after I . / ZG 1 ' s participation in the Battle of France General Albert Kesselring ordered Falck to take his unit to Düsseldorf and reform for the night fighter role . Father of the Nachtjagdwaffe . Major Falck became Kommodore of the first dedicated night fighter unit Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 in June 1940 , and received the Ritterkreuz in October 1940 . He was to command NJG 1 for three years and in partnership with General Josef Kammhuber develop a highly effective night fighter force . In July 1943 , Falck was promoted to Oberst and transferred to the Generalstab as Kammhuber ' s representative at the Luftwaffenführungsstab . Falck was then sent to Berlin and appointed within the Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte , as overall responsible for the day and night fighter defence of the Reich . He was then appointed " Jagdfliegerführer Balkan " based at Pančevo from June 1944 . Falck then became General Flieger - Ausbildung , responsible for all Luftwaffe training schools , shortly after . In March 1945 he was given command of fighters based in the Rhineland , but did not take up the role , becoming a prisoner of the American Forces on 3 May 1945 in Bavaria . Post - war career . Released in June 1945 , Falck had a variety of jobs , including farming , working for a pharmaceutical company , and working for the British Army as a Civil Officer at the stores section of the 47th Royal Engineers . He attended night school and studied business , which resulted in a job selling playing cards . In 1961 , he was approached by North American Aviation to undertake an aviation consultancy post . In 1966 he joined McDonnell Douglas . On retirement from business in 1986 , he lived in St Ulrich in Austria . He continued flying post war , being a member of many flying clubs . Documentary . In 1997 , Falck appeared in the last episode of the documentary " " , named " Fighting to the end " . Falck was amongst several German war veterans who explained what motivated them to continue fighting late in the war . Falck himself explained the motivations of the " Nachtjagdgeschwader " ( Night Fighter Wings ) during the Defence of the Reich campaign .