Fritz Lüddecke
Feldwebel Fritz Lüddecke | |
---|---|
![]() Fritz Lüddecke | |
Birth name | Fritz Paul Lüddecke |
Born | Brakel, Germany | 23 February 1920
Died | 10 August 1944 Wilkowischken, Lithuania | (aged 24)
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1941–1944 |
Rank | Feldwebel[1] |
Unit | JG 51 |
Battles/wars | |
Awards |
Fhj. Fritz Paul Lüddecke (23 February 1920 – 10 August 1944) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace from Brakel, Germany. He was the recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Fritz Lüddecke was credited with 50 kills all in the Eastern Front (World War II). In 1944 he was killed in action over Wilkowischken, Lithuania.
Career[]
Lüddecke began his military career on November 19, 1941. He was transferred to 6./JG 51 on the Eastern Front on August 24, 1942. During his time with JG 51 he flew 600 combat missions.[2] He scored 50 kills both in aerial combat and against ground targets.[3] On August 10, 1944 he was piloting his FW 190 aircraft over East Prussia when it was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. His plane was on fire and as he attempted an emergency landing, the plane exploded.[4][5]
Awards[]
- Iron Cross[6]
- German Cross May 25th, 1944[6]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross November 18th, 1944[7]
See also[]
- List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (L)
- List of World War II aces from Germany
- List of World War II flying aces
References[]
- ^ Scheibert, Horst (1984). Die Träger des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold: Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe, Waffen-SS ; und, Des Deutschen Kreuzes in Silber : Heer, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffen, Waffe-SS (German ed.). Germany: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag. p. 286. ISBN 978-3790902235. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ deZeng IV, Henry L.; Stankey, Douglas G. "Career Summaries - Luftwaffe Officers 1935 - 1945" (PDF). ww2.dk. Michael Holm. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ Jacobs, Peter (2014). Aces of the Luftwaffe: The Jagdflieger in the Second World War. United Kingdom: Frontline Books. ISBN 978-1848326897. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ Weal, John (2012). Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders'. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. pp. 114, 115. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ Eriksson, Patrick G. (1 February 2019). Alarmstart East: The German Fighter Pilot's Experience on the Eastern Front 1941-1945 (1st ed.). Stroud, Gloucestershir: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1445675664. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Lüddecke, Fritz". Traces of War. Traces of War. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ Walther-Peer, Fellgiebel (31 October 2006). Elite of the Third Reich: The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (1st ed.). United Kingdom: Helion and Company. p. 243. ISBN 978-1874622468. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
Notes[]
- ^ It is not known how many different aircraft Wagner flew while accumulating his 50 kills, his unit was also known for flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in 1943. The Luftwaffe used the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft over the eastern front by 1943.
External links[]
Bibliography[]
- (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
External links[]
- 1920 births
- 1944 deaths
- Luftwaffe pilots
- German World War II flying aces
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- German military personnel killed in World War II
- Aviators killed by being shot down
- People from Reutlingen
- People from the Free People's State of Württemberg