Wolfgang Schellmann Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Schellmann ( 2 March 1911 – 22 June 1941 ) was German World War II Luftwaffe Ace , commander of JG 2 and JG 27 and a winner of the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross ( ) . The Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership - for the fighter pilots , it was a quantifiable measure of skill and combat success . Wolfgang Schellmann was credited with 25 victories in over 150 combat missions . He recorded 12 victories during the Spanish Civil War . Of his 13 victories recorded during World War II , 12 were claimed over the Western front and one over the Eastern front . Career . Wolfgang Schellmann started his combat training as one of the select few German pilots at the Lipetsk fighter - pilot school in the Soviet Union . After his return and upon the official announcement of the new Luftwaffe , he was given command of the new 2 . / JG 135 squadron , in March 1935 . Two years later , on 19 December 1937 , " Oberleutnant " Schellmann took over command of the 1st " Staffel " of " Jagdgruppe " 88 , in the " Condor Legion " , fighting in the Spanish Civil War . Over the next year he became one of the leading aces in the theatre with 12 victories , second only to Werner Mölders . Upon his return to Germany he was awarded the Spanish Cross with Swords and Diamonds ( ) and promoted to " Hauptmann " ( Captain ) . He then served on the Stab ( Headquarters ) flight of the newly formed IV " Gruppe " of the Jagdgeschwader 132 , gaining command experience . Over the next year , it was renamed I . / JG 331 , then finally I . / JG 77 . At the outbreak of war in September 1939 , he led this unit in the invasion of Poland , then afterward took up an administrative post for a short term , in the headquarters of " Luftflotte " 2 . On 15 December 1939 , the now " Hptm " Schellmann , was made " Gruppenkommandeur " of the newly formed II . / Jagdgeschwader 2 " Richthofen " ( JG 2 — 2nd Fighter Wing ) , but he only scored his first victory in World War II after the invasion of France , on 15 May 1940 . By the end of the campaign he had amassed six further victories . Scoring another victory on 18 July in the Battle of Britain , on 3 September he was promoted to " Geschwaderkommodore " of JG 2 " Richthofen " as part of Göring ' s policy to replace the ' Old Guard ' fighter commanders with young lions like Werner Mölders ( JG 51 ) , Adolf Galland ( JG 26 ) , Günther Lützow ( JG 3 ) and Hannes Trautloft ( JG 54 ) . Soon after , on 18 September , he was awarded the ' Ritterkreuz ' for his 23 victories ( including the 12 in Spain ) . A month later he made way for the charismatic Helmut Wick ( at the time in a 3 - way battle with Galland and Mölders , as top - scoring pilot ) and moved to take command of JG 27 . Promoted to Major , he led this " Geschwader " into the Balkan campaign in Spring 1941 , scoring a 24th victory in Greece ( 20 April 1941 ) , before the unit was pulled out , to central Poland in June , to prepare for the invasion of the Soviet Union . On 22 June 1941 , Major Schellmann was probably the highest profile German casualty of the opening day of Operation Barbarossa . Schellmann ' s Messerschmitt Bf 109 - E ( " Werknummer " 4189 — factory number ) was rammed by an I - 153 " Chaykahe " piloted by a Lt Kuzmin just after he had shot down his 25th victim , an I - 16 , near Grodno . Kuzmin was killed in the collision but Schellmann managed to bail out over Soviet territory but was never seen again . It was believed that while attempting to make his way back to German lines he was captured and later killed by NKVD troops . Wolfgang Schellmann scored 25 victories in 150 missions ( including 12 over Spain ) , and was posthumously promoted to " Oberstleutnant " ( Lieutenant Colonel ) .