Rudolf Müller (pilot)

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This article is about the German World War II fighter pilot. For the bishop, see Rudolf Müller (bishop).
Rudolf Müller
German-aces.jpg
Theodor Weissenberger (left), Heinrich Ehrler (center) and Müller (right)
Born(1920-11-21)21 November 1920
Frankfurt, Germany
Died21 October 1943(1943-10-21) (aged 22)
Temnikov, Russia
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1939–43
RankOberfeldwebel
UnitJG 77, JG 5
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudolf "Rudi" Müller (21 November 1920 – 21 October 1943) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Müller was credited with 94 victories, though one source lists 101 victories.[Note 1]

Müller was born on 21 November 1920 in Frankfurt am Main.[3]

World War II[]

When Müller first joined the German army he served with the signal corps. In 1940, he transferred to the Luftwaffe, and underwent pilot training. Müller was transferred to 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) in August of 1941. At the time, this squadron was commanded by Oberleutnant Horst Carganico.[4] His first claimed victory came on 12 September 1941 when he shot down a Soviet Air Forces Polikarpov I-16 fighter.[5]

JG 5 Emblem

In January 1942, Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) was newly created and placed under the command of Oberst Carl-Alfred Schumacher. On 3 January, I. Gruppe of JG 77 was renamed and became the I. Gruppe of JG 5. In consequence, Carganico's 1. Staffel became the newly created 1. Staffel of JG 5. On 21 March, 1. Staffel was subordinated to II. Gruppe of JG 5, commanded by Strümpell, and became the 6. Staffel of JG 5.[6] On 23 April 1942, he became an "ace-in-a-day".[3] That day, 6. Staffel escorted Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers from I. Gruppe of Sturzkampfgeschwader 5 and Junkers Ju 88 bombers from Kampfgeschwader 30 on a bombing mission to the Soviet airfield at Vayenga, present-day Severomorsk. The flight was intercepted by Hawker Hurricane fighters from 3 AE/2 GSAP (Aviation Squadron of Guards Composite Aviation Regiment—Aviatsionnya Eskadrilya; Gvardeskiy Smeshannyy Aviatsionnyy Polk). In this encounter, Müller shot down Serzhant Anatoliy Semyonov and Serzhant N. F. Yepanov. Returning to the airbase Petsamo-Luostari Airfield, 6. Staffel intercepted Soviet aircraft on a mission to bomb Petsamo-Luostari Airfield. In this aerial battle, Müller shot down two Hurricanes piloted by Starshiy Leytnant I. Ya and Serzhant A. I. Chibsov from 20 GIAP (Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment—Gvardeskiy Istrebitelny Aviatsionny Polk), and a Tupolev SB bomber piloted by Mladshiy Leytenant Golovanov from 137 SBAP (High-Speed Bomber Aviation Regiment—Skorostnoy Bombardirovochnyy Aviatsionny Polk)[7]

On 26 April, seven Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers, escorted by fighters from the 95 IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment—Istrebitelny Aviatsionny Polk), attacked the Kirkenes Airfield. The attack force failed to inflict any damage to the airfield as five of the attackers were shot down, including two by Müller and two by Carganico.[5] Müller received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 19 June 1942 for 41 aerial victories. The presentation was made by Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff at Petsamo, present-day Pechenga in Murmansk Oblast.[8] He was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 14810—factory number) by a Hurricane from 609 IAP on 19 April 1943 and was captured by Soviet forces.[3][9] Müller was later shot in the escape attempt from a prisoner of war camp.[10]

Summary of career[]

Aerial victory claims[]

Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and states that Müller was credited with 94 aerial victories, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes 92 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and another two on the Western Front.[11]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 3078". 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.[12]

Awards[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Toliver and Constable list Müller with 101 aerial victories while Spick lists him with 94.[1][2]
  2. ^ According to Mombeek claimed as a Tupolev SB.[15]
  3. ^ According to Mombeek claimed as a Polikarpov I-153.[15]
  4. ^ According to Matthews and Foreman this claim is unconfirmed.[13]
  5. ^ According to Mombeek claimed as a I-180, a German designator for a Yakovlev Yak-7.[22]
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c According to Mombeek claimed on 4 August 1942.[28]
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b According to Mombeek claimed as a Polikarpov I-16.[28]
  8. ^ This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock,[32] nor by Matthews and Foreman.[33]
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l Listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock as an aerial victory with an unknown date.[34][35]
  10. ^ This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock,[32] nor by Mombeek.[38]
  11. ^ This claim is not listed by Matthews and Foreman.[33]
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c This claim is not listed by Mombeek.[41]
  13. ^ Obermaier lists Müller with a presentation date of 8 June 1942.[47]

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ Toliver & Constable 1998, p. 389.
  2. ^ Spick 1996, p. 234.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c Stennman & Keskinen 2015, p. 8.
  4. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 421.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Bergström & Mikhailov 2001, p. 146.
  6. ^ Mombeek 2003, pp. 97–98.
  7. ^ Bergström & Mikhailov 2001, pp. 144, 146.
  8. ^ Stennman & Keskinen 2015, p. 9.
  9. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 231.
  10. ^ Mombeek 2010, p. 27.
  11. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 884–886.
  12. ^ Planquadrat.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 884.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2003, p. 428.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Mombeek 2011, p. 257.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 429.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 430.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2004, p. 166.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b c Mombeek 2011, p. 258.
  20. ^ Matthews & Foreman 2015, pp. 884–885.
  21. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 421.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Mombeek 2011, p. 262.
  23. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 425.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 422.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Mombeek 2011, p. 259.
  26. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 426.
  27. ^ Mombeek 2011, p. 263.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Mombeek 2011, p. 264.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 428.
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Mombeek 2011, p. 265.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 423.
  32. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 429.
  33. ^ Jump up to: a b c Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 885.
  34. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 431.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 230.
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Prien et al. 2006, p. 424.
  37. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m Mombeek 2011, p. 261.
  38. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l Mombeek 2011, p. 266.
  39. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Prien et al. 2006, p. 430.
  40. ^ Jump up to: a b c Matthews & Foreman 2015, p. 886.
  41. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Mombeek 2011, p. 267.
  42. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 223.
  43. ^ Mombeek 2011, pp. 267–268.
  44. ^ Mombeek 2011, p. 268.
  45. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 151.
  46. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 317.
  47. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 171.
  48. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 318.
  49. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 557.

Bibliography[]

  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  • Bergström, Christer; Mikhailov, Andrey (2001). Black Cross / Red Star Air War Over the Eastern Front, Volume II, Resurgence January–June 1942. Pacifica, California: Pacifica Military History. ISBN 978-0-935553-51-2.
  • 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.
  • Martin, Pierre (September 1998). "Les as de la Luftwaffe: Rudolf Müller" [Aces of the Luftwaffe: Rudolf Müller]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (66): 4–9. ISSN 1243-8650.
  • Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 3 M–R. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-20-2.
  • Mombeek, Eric (2003). Eismeerjäger—Zur Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 5—Band 2 [Fighters in the Arctic Sea—The History of the 5th Fighter Wing—Volume 2]. Linkebeek, Belgium: ASBL, La Porte d'Hoves. ISBN 978-2-9600236-4-0.
  • Mombeek, Eric (2010). Eismeerjäger—Zur Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 5—Band 3 [Fighters in the Arctic Sea—The History of the 5th Fighter Wing—Volume 3]. Linkebeek, Belgium: ASBL, La Porte d'Hoves. ISBN 978-2-930546-02-5.
  • Mombeek, Eric (2011). Eismeerjäger—Zur Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 5—Band 4 [Fighters in the Arctic Sea—The History of the 5th Fighter Wing—Volume 4]. Linkebeek, Belgium: ASBL, La Porte d'Hoves. ISBN 978-2-930546-05-6.
  • 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.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 7—Heimatverteidigung—1. January bis 31 Dezember 1942—Einsatz im Westen—1. Januar bis 31. Dezember 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 7—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1942—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-73-1.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—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/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
  • 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.
  • Stennman, Kari; Keskinen, Kalevi (2015). Luftwaffe over Finland. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78438-155-4.
  • Toliver, Raymond F.; Constable, Trevor J. (1998) [1977]. Die Deutschen Jagdflieger-Asse 1939–1945 [The German Fighter Pilot Aces 1939–1945] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-193-0.
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