Otto Weßling

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Otto Weßling
Born23 September 1913
Bad Harzburg
Died19 April 1944(1944-04-19) (aged 30)
Eschwege
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1937–44
RankHauptmann of the Reserves
UnitJG 3, EJGr Ost
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Otto Weßling (23 September 1913 – 19 April 1944) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Otto Weßling claimed 83 victories, in 500 missions. He was shot down by a P-51 Mustang near Kassel on 19 April 1944. He managed to crash-land his damaged Messerschmitt Bf 109 and was killed by a strafing P-51.[1] On 20 July 1944 he was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann der Reserves and received the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.

Early life and career[]

Wessling, the son of a laborer in a quarry, was born on 23 September 1913 in Bad Harzburg in the Duchy of Brunswick of the German Empire. Following graduation from school, he received a vocational education as a merchant. Trained as a pilot with the German Air Sports Association (Deutscher Luftsportverband), he joined the Luftwaffe in 1937, serving in the military reserve.[2]

World War II[]

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. Wessling was posted to the 9. Staffel (9th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) in March 1940.[3] At the time, 9. Staffel, headed by Oberleutnant Heinz Kupka was subordinated to III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 3 under the leadership of Hauptmann Walter Kienitz.[4] The Gruppe had been newly created on 1 March at the airfield in Jena-Rödingen as part of the Luftwaffe expansion plan of 11 October 1939. Wessling was one of 28 pilots assigned to the Gruppe which was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 and E-3. On 28 March, the Gruppe was ordered to Detmold Airfield where it stayed until 10 April, when it relocated to Hopsten Airfield in preparation for the Battle of France.[5]

On 23 July 1943, Wessling was severely wounded during a bombing attack on the airfield at Leverano in southern Italy.[6]

Squadron leader and death[]

On 10 February 1944, Leutnant Hermann Schmied, the commander of 11. Staffel of JG 3, was killed in action. In consequence, following his convalescence and return to active duty, Wessling was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 11. Staffel later that month.[7]

Summary of career[]

Aerial victory claims[]

According to Spick, Weßling was credited with 83 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions.[8] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 80 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes 55 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 25 over the Western Allies, including 15 four-engined bombers.[9]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 39364". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) 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 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.[10]

Awards[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ This unconfirmed claim is not listed by Matthews and Foreman.[11]
  2. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 16:23.[11]
  3. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1.[22]
  4. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman this claim in unconfirmed.[22]
  5. ^ According to Scherzer on 4 September 1942 as pilot in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet".[31]

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ Weal 2012, p. 71.
  2. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 108.
  3. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 68.
  4. ^ Prien et al. 2001, p. 124.
  5. ^ Prien et al. 2001, p. 123.
  6. ^ Prien 1996, pp. 12–14, 333.
  7. ^ Prien 1996, pp. 59, 331.
  8. ^ Spick 1996, p. 235.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1407–1408.
  10. ^ Planquadrat.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 1407.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2002, p. 244.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2002, p. 247.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2003, p. 148.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Prien et al. 2005, p. 34.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k Prien et al. 2005, p. 35.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Prien et al. 2005, p. 36.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 97.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 99.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 100.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 98.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 1408.
  23. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2006, p. 102.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 103.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2010, p. 136.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k Prien 1996, p. 355.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien 1996, p. 356.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b Thomas 1998, p. 440.
  29. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 509.
  30. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 444.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b Scherzer 2007, p. 781.
  32. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 85.

Bibliography[]

  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
  • Forsyth, Robert (2011). Luftwaffe Viermot Aces 1942–45. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-438-3.
  • Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
  • 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.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard (1996). Messerschmitt BF 109 im Einsatz bei der III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945 [Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-33-5.
  • Prien, Jochen (1996). IV./Jagdgeschwader 3—Chronik einer Jagdgruppe—1943 – 1945 [IV./Jagdgeschwader 3—Chronic of a Fighter Group—1943 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-36-6.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2001). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 2—Der "Sitzkrieg"—1.9.1939 bis 9.5.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 2—The "Phoney War"—1 September 1939 to 9 May 1940] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-59-5.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-63-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-69-4.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2010). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 11/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 11/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-95-3.
  • 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.
  • Stockert, Peter (2012). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 6 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 6] (in German) (3rd ed.). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. OCLC 76072662.
  • Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.
  • Weal, John (2012). Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-349-5.

Further reading[]

  • Weal, John (2013). Aces of Jagdgeschwader 3 'Udet'. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78096-300-6.
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