Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber
Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber (10 August 1914 – 13 May 1996) was a German Luftwaffe pilot of World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Eichel-Streiber participated both in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Early life and career. Von Eichel-Streiber was born on 10 August 1914 in Oppershausen, at the time in the Province of Saxony within the German Empire, present-day in Thuringia. In November 1937, he joined the Condor Legion and was posted to "Kampfgruppe" 88 as an air observer on a Heinkel He  111. On 14 April 1939, he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (), for his service in the Spanish Civil War. World War II. With "Jagdgeschwader" 51. In early October 1942, II. "Gruppe" of "Jagdgeschwader" 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and sent to Jesau, near present-day Bagrationovsk, to Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo, to be reequipped with the Focke Wulf Fw 190 A. While undergoing training on this aircraft, the "Gruppe" received orders on 4 November to transfer to the Mediterranean theatre flying the Bf 109 again. 6. "Staffel" was exempt from  this order, was detached from II. "Gruppe", and continued its training on the Fw 190. In late November, 6. "Staffel" was renamed to "Stabsstaffel" (headquarters squadron) of JG 51 and placed under the command of von Eichel-Streiber on 30 November. Group commander. Von Eichel-Streiber was appointed "Gruppenkommandeur" (group commander) of III. "Gruppe" of JG 51 on 1 May 1944. He succeeded "Hauptmann" Fritz Losigkeit in this capacity who was made "Geschwaderkommodore" (wing commander) of JG 51 the day before. On 25 August 1944, von Eichel-Streiber was transferred and appointed "Gruppenkommandeur" of I. "Gruppe" of "Jagdgeschwader" 27 (JG  27—27th Fighter Wing). Command of his former III. "Gruppe" of JG 51 was passed on to "Hauptmann" Joachim Brendel. Summary of career. Aerial victory claims. According to US historian David T. Zabecki, von Eichel-Streiber was credited with 96 aerial victories. Spick also lists von Eichel-Streiber with 96 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions. This figure includes 94 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further two victories over the Western Allies. Matthews and Foreman, authors of "Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims", researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 91 aerial victory claims , plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 90 claims on the Eastern Front and one over the Western Allies. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = "Planquadrat"), for example "PQ 35 Ost 36121". The "Luftwaffe" grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.