A Research On Scores Of Pilots

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

On the Eastern Front in 1944 a Luftwaffe day fighter pilot had to have at least 75 air victories to win the Knight's Cross. That wasn't always the case. Two of them Fritz Luddecke (51 victories) and Heinz Leber (54 victories) won theirs posthumously in 1944. Their score were in their fifties. I can think of three more Eastern Front pilots who should have have been awarded the Knight's Cross after they were killed in 1944. All three of them had their Eastern Front scores in the fifties. They were Heinrich Dittlmann (57 victories),Horst Forbig (58 victories including some from the Western Front),and Gabriel Tautscher (55 victories). If Luddecke and Leber won their KC posthumously after their Eastern Front victories totaled in the 50s in 1944,Dittlmann,Forbig,and Tautscher should've been awarded the same. I wonder if these three were at least recommanded for the Knight's Cross after they were killed? I don't know if you gentlemen get it or not for what I wrote but this is my thought.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Heinz Leber

Gentlemen,

Heinz Leber was killed in action over the Soviet Union on June 1,1943 after 54 victories. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on Feb. 29th,1944. That was nine months after Leber's death.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Edward,

Fritz Lüddecke served with the Stabsstaffel of Jagdgeschwader 51, and flew a lot of successful ground-attack missions, so that is why he received the Ritterkreuz with such a "low" number of aerial victories.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Somthing Besides Shooting Down Planes

Dear Sir,

Yes you're quite right about fighter-bomber missions that would add to the 50 plus victories for a Luftwaffe ace to get his Knight's Cross. I wonder however if Dittlmann,Forbig,and Tauscher had plenty of ground attack missions as well? Of course they had to something besides air to air combat. All three of the German aces' scores are really a lot you know.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao