Photo and info request RK ace

[Matt Starr]

Hi everyone,
I am searching for pictures of JG51 ace (79 kills) Otto Würfel. I am also trying to find out where the other half of his awards are, they all sold a few years back so the're in one of your collections!! I ask beacuse I have something of his that the owner might want to see!! So if you happen to have a book on JG51 could you please have a flick through it for me to find any pics of Würfel, perhaps you have some in your collection. There must be some pictures and details of this ace!
All the best and thanks for your help
Matt

[necker]

Well, here is a picture of him.

[Matt Starr]

Thansk for that!! Very very useful, could I see what the writing says about him aswell. I would be very interested in a date for that picture
Matt

[VtwinVince]

Sorry, I don't have a photo, but I have him as Oberfeldwebel in 9. Staffel, received RK posthumously on 4.5.44.

[Matt Starr]

I am really confused about all this, I have seen it written that he was MIA and captured and taken to a russian POW camp (which I believe) and then every so often I see something about him being killed on the 23rd of feburary 1944 (or a date similar to that???)
Matt

[Matt Starr]

here we go! He was not KIA on the 23rd of feb!

Otto Würfel
04/05/44
79
Oberfeldwebel
JG52 e JG51
--
POW 22.12.1944

[Matt Starr]

Here is a pic of one of the grupings of his, EK1 is not consistent with War time picture

[Dave Kane]

Matt..my information suggests that he was shot down over Rogatschew (Russia) on Feb. 23, 1944 and DIED as a POW on Dec. 22, 1944 in Lager 280/5 in Stalino, Russia.


Official award date for the Knight's Cross was May 4, 1944.

[Matt Starr]

More help needed guys! Just a quick search for me could help a lot

matt

[necker]

Hello Matt,

Here we go. Geboren 3.12.1920 Uelzen/Niedersachsen. MIA since 23.2.1944 on Rogatschew (Russia).
Died 22.12.1944 as an Oberfeldwebel. DKIG in Februar 1944.

He came mid 1942 as an Unteroffizier at the 9./JG51 and until the summer of 1943 he shot down 9 aeroplanes. In the same time he flew many dive bomber operations.

After that he was a training pilot at the Erg. Gr. Ost but returned to his staffel on the 3.9.1943.

Within 5 months, he had 70 kills, which is, also for the eastern front, a huge number. On the 21.2.1944 he shot down 6 aeroplanes and was in the meantime transfered to the 8./JG51.

On the 23.2.1944 his own comrade, Ofw. Dittlmann flew with his plane, into the plane of Wurfel, northwest of Rogatschew. Both planes fell down. He managed to get out of his plane with his parachute, but unfortunately, he float behind Russian lines. Only later, it came out, that he died in a Russian camp on the 22.12.1944 in the camp 280/5 in the area of Stalino on the Ruhr on a illnes (Fleckfieber, I don't know the english word for that).

After his dead he was promoted to Leutnant.

79 kills on the eastern front.

Best,
Necker.

[Matt Starr]

Thanks for that Necker! your help is greatly appreciated, now if I could just find some pics!
Matt