Hubert Strassl Explained

Hubert Straßl
Birth Date:	24 May 1918
Birth Place:	Linz, Austria
Death Place:	Ponyri, Russia
Branch:	Luftwaffe
Serviceyears:	1939–43
Rank:	Oberfeldwebel (staff sergeant)
Unit:	JG 51
Battles:	World War II Eastern Front Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kursk
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hubert Straßl^[1] (24 May 1918 – 8 July 1943) was an Austrian-born German fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe and fought during World War II. He was credited with 67 aerial victories—that is, 67 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in 221 combat missions. He was "ace-in-a-day" four times, shooting down five or more aircraft on a single day. On 8 July 1943, during the Battle of Kursk, Straßl was killed in aerial combat with Soviet fighters near Ponyri.

Career

Straßl was born on 24 May 1918 at Linz, Austria. Following completion of flight and fighter pilot training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) in late 1941.

On 5 July 1943, he became a triple-ace in a day when he shot down 15 enemy aircraft in four missions south of Orel in Russia during the Battle of Kursk. Over the course of the three days, Straßl shot down 30 enemy aircraft. He was forced to bail out of his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 (Werknummer 2351—factory number) following combat with a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 south of Ponyri on 8 July. His parachute failed to fully deploy and he fell to his death. On 12 November 1943, Straßl was awarded a posthumous Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Straßl was credited with 67 aerial victories. Spick also lists Straßl with 67 enemy aircraft shot down, claimed in 221 combat missions, all of which on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 67 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47722". The Luftwaffe grid map (German: 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 360sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3x in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
1	6 July 1942	06:35	Pe-2		8	19 August 1942	18:37	Pe-2	PQ 47722 5km (03miles) southwest of Rzhev
2	4 August 1942	12:25	Il-2	PQ 37832 45km (28miles) northeast of Bely	9	19 August 1942	18:40	Pe-2	PQ 47762 15km (09miles) southwest of Zubtsov
3	4 August 1942	17:07	Pe-2	20km (10miles) northeast of Bely	10	19 August 1942	18:41	Pe-2	PQ 47762 15km (09miles) southwest of Zubtsov
4	5 August 1942	11:58	LaGG-3	PQ 57782 40km (30miles) southeast of Zubtsov	11	26 August 1942	06:10	LaGG-3	PQ 47824 10km (10miles) east of Zubtsov
5	12 August 1942	09:45	Pe-2	PQ 47561 15km (09miles) north of Rzhev	12	2 September 1942	08:50	Il-2	east-northeast of Sychyovka
6	13 August 1942	09:40	Pe-2	PQ 47562 15km (09miles) north of Rzhev	13	26 November 1942	12:27	Il-2	PQ 46132 20km (10miles) north of Konaja
7	19 August 1942	18:35	Pe-2	PQ 47583 10km (10miles) west of Rzhev
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 4 February – June 1943
14	30 May 1943	16:15	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 64183 5km (03miles) southeast of Belyov	17	2 June 1943	04:02	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63883 20km (10miles) southeast of Zolotukhino
15	1 June 1943	16:40	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ot 63854 20km (10miles) east-southeast of Zolotukhino	18	2 June 1943	04:10	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63782 20km (10miles) southwest of Zolotukhino
16	1 June 1943	16:42	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63851 20km (10miles) east-southeast of Zolotukhino	19	2 June 1943	07:35	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 62133 25km (16miles) north-northeast of Kursk
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — June – 8 July 1943
20	6 June 1943	14:55	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63884 20km (10miles) southeast of Zolotukhino	44♠	5 July 1943	10:36	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63544 10km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna
21	6 June 1943	14:58	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63842 5km (03miles) southeast of Zolotukhino	45♠	5 July 1943	10:42	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 63542 10km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna
22♠	8 June 1943	10:47	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63573 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	46♠	5 July 1943	10:46	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63551 15km (09miles) west of Maloarkhangelsk
23♠	8 June 1943	10:50	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63721 20km (10miles) west of Zolotukhino	47♠	5 July 1943	10:49	Boston	PQ 35 Ost 63564 10km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
24♠	8 June 1943	10:51	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 63722 20km (10miles) west of Zolotukhino	48♠	5 July 1943	10:51	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63532 15km (09miles) west of Maloarkhangelsk
25♠	8 June 1943	19:04	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64722 15km (09miles) south of Telchje	49♠	5 July 1943	18:24	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63562 10km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
26♠	8 June 1943	19:06	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 64751 20km (10miles) northeast of Oryol	50♠	5 July 1943	18:27	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63621 15km (09miles) east-northeast of Maloarkhangelsk
27♠	8 June 1943	19:17	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63171 10km (10miles) west of Zmiyekka	51♠	5 July 1943	18:31	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63551 15km (09miles) west of Maloarkhangelsk
28	11 June 1943	10:58	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64352 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Belyov	52♠	5 July 1943	18:33	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63522 20km (10miles) west-northwest of Maloarkhangelsk
29	11 June 1943	11:05	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64354 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Belyov	53	6 July 1943	12:34	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63654 15km (09miles) east-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk
30	11 June 1943	11:11	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64382 20km (10miles) northeast of Bolkhov	54	6 July 1943	12:37	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63652 15km (09miles) east-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk
31	14 June 1943	08:12	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64383 20km (10miles) northeast of Bolkhov	55	6 July 1943	12:40	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63653 15km (09miles) east-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk
32	20 June 1943	18:12	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 64643 10km (10miles) north of Mtsensk	56	6 July 1943	19:35	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63582 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
33	28 June 1943	07:06	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 635571 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	57♠	7 July 1943	04:20	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63751 20km (10miles) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
34	28 June 1943	07:08	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63581 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	58♠	7 July 1943	04:25	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 63527 20km (10miles) west-northwest of Maloarkhangelsk
35	28 June 1943	07:15	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63592 15km (09miles) south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	59♠	7 July 1943	09:10	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63561 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
36	30 June 1943	06:25	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54121 20km (10miles) south-southwest of Sukhinichi	60♠	7 July 1943	09:24	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63583 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
37	3 July 1943	17:38	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 64521 15km (09miles) north of Telchje	61♠	7 July 1943	09:26	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63573 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna
38♠	5 July 1943	03:48	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63651 15km (09miles) east-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk	62♠	7 July 1943	18:36	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63714 vicinity of Zalegoshch
39♠	5 July 1943	03:50	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63631 25km (16miles) east-northeast of Maloarkhangelsk	63♠	8 July 1943	12:20	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63387 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
40♠	5 July 1943	07:18	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63651 15km (09miles) east-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk	64♠	8 July 1943	12:25?	Boston	PQ 35 Ost 63675
41♠	5 July 1943	07:25	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63613 5km (03miles) northeast of Maloarkhangelsk	65♠	8 July 1943	17:35	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63584 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
42♠	5 July 1943	07:28	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63652 15km (09miles) east-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk	66♠	8 July 1943	17:50	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63582 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk
43♠	5 July 1943	10:34	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63543 10km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	67♠	8 July 1943	17:51	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63582 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (22 July 1943)
• German Cross in Gold on 16 August 1943 as Feldwebel in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 51
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 November 1943 (posthumously) as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"

References

Bibliography

• Book: Aders . Gebhard . Held . Werner . 1993 . Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders' Eine Chronik – Berichte – Erlebnisse – Dokumente . Fighter Wing 51 'Mölders' A Chronicle – Reports – Experiences – Documents . de . Stuttgart, Germany . Motorbuch Verlag . 978-3-613-01045-1.
• Book: Bergström . Christer .

  sv:Christer Bergström

  . Antipov . Vlad . Sundin . Claes . 2003 . Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces . Hamilton MT . Eagle Editions . 978-0-9721060-4-7.
• Web site: Bergström . Christer .

  sv:Christer Bergström

  . Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat . Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website . 9 January 2022 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20181222042030/http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm . 22 December 2018 . dead.
• Book: Fellgiebel , Walther-Peer .

  de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

  . 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 . German . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Book: Harvey , James . 2011 . Sharks of the Air: Willy Messerschmitt and How He Built the World's First Operational Jet Fighter . Havertown, Pa . . 978-1-61200-023-7.
• Book: Mathews . Andrew Johannes . Foreman . John . 2015 . Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z . Walton on Thames . Red Kite . 978-1-906592-21-9.
• Book: Obermaier , Ernst . 1989 . Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945 . de . Mainz, Germany . Verlag Dieter Hoffmann . 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Book: Page , Neil . 2020 . Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943–45 . Philadelphia, PA . . 978-1-61200-879-0.
• Book: 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 . de . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Book: 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 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-77-9.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2012 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Buchverlag Rogge . 978-3-942943-05-5.
• Book: 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 . de . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Book: Spick , Mike . 1996 . Luftwaffe Fighter Aces . New York . . 978-0-8041-1696-1 . registration .
• Book: Stühring , Henning . 2014 . Von Stalingrad bis Kursk: Als der Osten brannte, Teil II . From Stalingrad to Kursk: When the East was Burning, Part II . de . epubli GmbH . 978-3-8442-7609-1.
• Book: Weal , John . 2006 . Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" . Aviation Elite Units . 22 . Oxford, UK . Osprey Publishing . 978-1-84603-045-1.
• Book: Weal , John . 2007 . More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front . Aircraft of the Aces . 76 . Oxford, UK . . 978-1-84603-177-9.
• Book: Zabecki . David T. . David T. Zabecki . Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History . Santa Barbara, California . . 2014 . 978-1-59884-981-3.

External links

Web site: Aces of the Luftwaffe . Hubert Strassl . 23 January 2014.

Notes and References

1. His name, in German, is spelled with a "sharp S"; see ß.