Rudolf Müller (pilot)
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]
Rudolf Müller | |
|---|---|
Müller, 6./JG 5, ca. Sept 1942 | |
| Born | 21 November 1920 Frankfurt, Germany |
| Died | 21 October 1943 (aged 22) Temnikov, Russia |
| Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
| Service/ | Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1939–1943 |
| Rank | Oberfeldwebel (staff sergeant) |
| Unit | JG 77, JG 5 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
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]
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 GvSAP (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 GvIAP (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] The Allied Convoy PQ 16, consisting of 35 merchant vessels headed from Hvalfjörður in Iceland to Murmansk from 21 to 30 May. At the same time, Convoy QP 12 with 15 freighters left Murmansk heading for Iceland. The convoys were sighted by German reconnaissance aircraft on 25 May 1942.[8] Over the following five days, the convoys came under multiple attacks. On 30 May, JG 5 claimed 43 fighter aircraft and 7 bombers shot down. Matching these claims against Soviet records, the figures appear to be inflated.[9] That morning at 09:20, Müller, Leutnant Heinrich Ehrler, Unteroffizier Hans Döbrich and another pilot each claimed a Hurricane fighter shot down. At the time and in the same area of this encounter, Podpolkovnik (lieutenant colonel) Boris Safonov, commander 2 GvSAP of the Soviet Naval Aviation, was shot down in his Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and killed in action.[10]
On 13 June, Müller claimed three aerial victories over Hurricane fighters from 78 IAP, one of which was the 500th claim filed by II. Gruppe.[11] 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.[12][13] By the end of September 1942, Müller was credited with 81 aircraft shot down. Müller injured his leg in a skiing accident in December that year, and after recovery was granted leave in Germany, returning to his unit in February 1943. On 8 March, Müller was carrying out a familiarization flight on the new Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2, which his Staffel was in the process of converting to, when the aircraft suffered an engine failure and crashed, with Müller suffering a concussion.[14] 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][15] He was the highest-scoring German fighter pilot in the Arctic theater at the time of his capture.[14] Müller talked freely about himself and tactics during interrogation by his captors, and as a result was taken to nearby Soviet airfields to discuss fighter tactics with Soviet pilots before being sent to a Prisoner of War camp at Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast.[16] On 21 October 1943 Müller was shot during an escape attempt while being moved to a camp in Mordovia.[17][18]
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Müller was credited with 94 aerial victories.[19] Spick also lists Müller with 94 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[2] Mathews 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 over the Western Allies.[20]
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 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[21]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Müller an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day. This and the ? (exclamation mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mombeek, Mathews, and Foreman. | |||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | ||
| – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 –[22] Eastern and northern Norway — 22 June – 5 December 1941 | |||||||||||
| 1 | 12 September 1941 | — | I-16[23][24] | 5 | 28 September 1941 | — | Pe-2[25]?[Note 2] | ||||
| 2 | 15 September 1941 | — | DB-3[23][24] | 6 | 2 November 1941 | — | SB-2[26][24] | ||||
| 3 | 17 September 1941 | — | DB-3?[Note 3] | Litsa[25] | 7 | 2 November 1941 | — | SB-2[26][24] | |||
| 4 | 27 September 1941 | — | Hurricane[25][24] | 8 | 4 November 1941 | — | I-16[26][24] | ||||
| – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 –[22] Southern and western Norway — 1 January – 16 March 1942 | |||||||||||
| 9 | 1 February 1942 | — | Hudson[27][28] | 10 | 16 February 1942 | — | Hudson[27][28] | ||||
| – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –[29] Eastern Front and northern Norway, and Finland — 6 December 1941 – 31 December 1942 | |||||||||||
| 11?[Note 4] | 24 March 1942 | 18:15 | Hurricane | PQ 3078[30] Ura-Guba[28] | 48 | 17 June 1942 | 17:30 | Hurricane?[Note 5] | 8 km (5.0 mi) southeast of Murmansk[32] | ||
| 12♠ | 23 April 1942 | — | Hurricane[33][34] | vicinity of Vayenga | 49 | 23 June 1942 | — | I-16 | 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Murmansk[35][36] | ||
| 13♠ | 23 April 1942 | — | Hurricane[33][34] | vicinity of Vayenga | 50 | 5 August 1942?[Note 6] | — | I-61 (MiG-3)[38]?[Note 7] | |||
| 14♠ | 23 April 1942 | — | SB-2[33][34] | vicinity of Luostari | 51 | 5 August 1942?[Note 6] | — | Hurricane[37][38] | |||
| 15♠ | 23 April 1942 | — | Hurricane[33][34] | vicinity of Luostari | 52 | 5 August 1942?[Note 6] | — | Hurricane[37][38] | |||
| 16♠ | 23 April 1942 | — | Hurricane[33][34] | vicinity of Luostari | 53 | 13 August 1942 | — | I-153[37][38] | |||
| 17 | 24 April 1942 | — | Hurricane[33][34] | 54 | 13 August 1942 | — | I-180 (Yak-7)[38]?[Note 7] | ||||
| 18 | 26 April 1942 | 16:13 | Pe-2 | 30–40 km (19–25 mi) south of Petsamo airfield[33] 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Petsamo[34] | 55 | 13 August 1942 | — | MiG-3[37][38] | |||
| 19 | 26 April 1942 | — | Hurricane | 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Murmansk[33][34] | 56 | 21 August 1942 | — | I-180 (Yak-7)[38][39] | |||
| 20 | 28 April 1942 | — | Hurricane | Litsa Bight[40][34] | 57 | 21 August 1942 | — | Yak-1[39][41] | |||
| 21 | 28 April 1942 | — | Hurricane | east of the Litsa Bight[40][34] | ?[Note 8] | 21 August 1942 | — | Yak-1[39] | |||
| 22 | 28 April 1942 | — | Hurricane | east of the Litsa Bight[40][34] | 58 | 22 August 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 23 | 28 April 1942 | — | Hurricane | east of the Litsa Bight[40][34] | 59 | 22 August 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 24 | 29 April 1942 | — | Hurricane | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Litsa Bight[40][34] | 60 | 22 August 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 25 | 29 April 1942 | — | Hurricane | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Litsa Bight[40][34] | 61 | 25 August 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 26 | 29 April 1942 | — | I-153 | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Litsa Bight[40][34] | 62 | 25 August 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 27 | 18 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Murmansk[45][46] | 63 | 29 August 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 28 | 18 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Murmansk[45][46] | 64 | 29 August 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 29 | 18 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Murmansk[45][46] | 65 | 2 September 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | |||
| 30 | 18 May 1942 | — | Hurricane[45][46] | 66 | 4 September 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[39] | ||||
| 31 | 19 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | Murmashi[45][46] | 67 | 8 September 1942 | — | Hurricane[39][41] | |||
| 32 | 19 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of Murmashi[45][46] | 68 | 9 September 1942 | — | unknown[39] | vicinity of Kola | ||
| 33 | 19 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | Murmashi[45][46] | 69 | 9 September 1942 | — | unknown[39] | vicinity of Kola | ||
| 34 | 25 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | Murmashi[45][46] | 70 | 9 September 1942 | — | unknown[39] | vicinity of Kola | ||
| 35 | 26 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 3 km (1.9 mi) west of Taybola[45][46] | 71 | 9 September 1942 | — | unknown[39] | vicinity of Kola | ||
| 36 | 26 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Taybola[45][46] | ?[Note 10] | 12 September 1942 | — | fighter[42] | |||
| 37 | 26 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Taybola[45][46] | 72 | 15 September 1942 | — | unknown[47] | |||
| 38 | 28 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Kola[45][46] | 73 | 15 September 1942 | — | unknown[47] | |||
| 39 | 28 May 1942 | — | P-40 | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Kola[45][46] | 74 | 15 September 1942 | — | unknown[47] | |||
| 40 | 30 May 1942 | — | Hurricane | eastern exit of the Kola Bay[45][31] | 75 | 15 September 1942 | — | unknown[47] | |||
| 41 | 2 June 1942 | — | Hurricane | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Murmansk[31][32] | 76♠ | 27 September 1942 | — | P-40[47][48] | |||
| 42 | 2 June 1942 | — | Hurricane | 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Murmansk[31][32] | 77♠ | 27 September 1942 | — | P-40[47][48] | |||
| 43 | 13 June 1942 | — | Hurricane | 20 km (12 mi) west of Murmansk[31][32] | 78♠ | 27 September 1942 | — | P-40[47][48] | |||
| 44 | 13 June 1942 | — | Hurricane | 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Murmansk[31][32] | 79♠ | 27 September 1942 | — | P-40[47][48] | |||
| 45 | 13 June 1942 | — | Hurricane | 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Murmansk[31][32] | 80♠ | 27 September 1942 | — | P-40[47][48] | |||
| 46 | 17 June 1942 | 10:20 | Hurricane | 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Murmansk[31][32] | 81♠ | 27 September 1942 | — | P-39[47][48] | |||
| 47 | 17 June 1942 | 10:22 | Hurricane | Murmansk[31][32] | 82?[Note 11] | 27 September 1942?[Note 9] | — | unknown[47] | |||
| – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –[49] Eastern Front and northern Norway, and Finland — 1 January – 21 October 1943 | |||||||||||
| 83 | 8 February 1943?[Note 9] | — | unknown[50] | 85?[Note 12] | 19 February 1943 | — | Hurricane[51] | ||||
| 83 | 8 February 1943?[Note 9] | — | unknown[50] | 86?[Note 12] | 19 February 1943 | — | Hurricane[51] | ||||
| 84 | 17 February 1943 | — | Hurricane[50][51] | 87?[Note 12] | 21 February 1943 | — | LaGG-3[51] | ||||
| According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Müller claimed five undocumented aerial victories in February to March 1943.[44] Some of these claims are also not listed by Mombeek or by Mathews and Foreman.[52][49] | |||||||||||
| 93 | 13 March 1943 | — | P-39[49] | 94 | 13 March 1943 | — | P-39[53] | ||||
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Wound Badge in Black
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
- Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 July 1942 as Unteroffizier and pilot[54]
- German Cross in Gold on 27 May 1943 as Feldwebel in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 5[55][Note 13]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 June 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 5[57][58]
Notes
- ^ Toliver and Constable list Müller with 101 aerial victories while Spick lists him with 94.[1][2]
- ^ According to Mombeek claimed as a Tupolev SB.[24]
- ^ According to Mombeek claimed as a Polikarpov I-153.[24]
- ^ According to Mathews and Foreman this claim is unconfirmed.[22]
- ^ According to Mombeek claimed as a I-180, a German designator for a Yakovlev Yak-7.[31]
- ^ a b c According to Mombeek claimed on 4 August 1942.[37]
- ^ a b According to Mombeek claimed as a Polikarpov I-16.[37]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock,[41] nor by Mathews and Foreman.[42]
- ^ 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.[43][44]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock,[41] nor by Mombeek.[47]
- ^ This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[42]
- ^ a b c This claim is not listed by Mombeek.[50]
- ^ Obermaier lists Müller with a presentation date of 8 June 1942.[56]
References
Citations
- ^ Toliver & Constable 1998, p. 389.
- ^ a b Spick 1996, p. 234.
- ^ a b c Stennman & Keskinen 2015, p. 8.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 421.
- ^ a b Bergström & Mikhailov 2001, p. 146.
- ^ Mombeek 2003, pp. 97–98.
- ^ Bergström & Mikhailov 2001, pp. 144, 146.
- ^ Mombeek 2003, p. 181.
- ^ Bergström & Mikhailov 2001, p. 174.
- ^ Mombeek 2003, p. 185.
- ^ Bergström & Mikhailov 2001, p. 177.
- ^ Stennman & Keskinen 2015, p. 9.
- ^ Weal 2016, p. 47.
- ^ a b Zamansky & Rybin 2022, p. 93.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 231.
- ^ Zamansky & Rybin 2022, pp. 95–96.
- ^ Zamansky & Rybin 2022, p. 96.
- ^ Mombeek 2010, p. 27.
- ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1614.
- ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 884–886.
- ^ Planquadrat.
- ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 884.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2003, p. 428.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Mombeek 2011, p. 257.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 429.
- ^ a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 430.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2004, p. 166.
- ^ a b c Mombeek 2011, p. 258.
- ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 884–885.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 421.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mombeek 2011, p. 262.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 425.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 422.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Mombeek 2011, p. 259.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 426.
- ^ Mombeek 2011, p. 263.
- ^ a b c d e f Mombeek 2011, p. 264.
- ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 428.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Mombeek 2011, p. 265.
- ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 423.
- ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 429.
- ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 885.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 431.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 230.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Prien et al. 2006, p. 424.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Mombeek 2011, p. 261.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mombeek 2011, p. 266.
- ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2006, p. 430.
- ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 886.
- ^ a b c d Mombeek 2011, p. 267.
- ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 223.
- ^ Mombeek 2011, pp. 267–268.
- ^ Mombeek 2011, p. 268.
- ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 151.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 317.
- ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 171.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 318.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 557.
Bibliography
- Bergström, Christer. . 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 [in German] (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). No. 66. pp. 4–9. ISSN 1243-8650.
- Mathews, 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.
- Weal, John (2016). Arctic Bf 109 and Bf 110 Aces. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78200-799-9.
- Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
- Zamansky, Dan; Rybin, Yuriy (April 2022). "Fate of an Arctic Ace". Aeroplane. Vol. 50, no. 4. pp. 92–96. ISSN 0143-7240.