Rudolf Schoenert Explained

Rudolf Schoenert
Birth Date:27 July 1911
Birth Place:Glogau, Silesia
Death Place:province Manitoba, Canada
Serviceyears:1933–45
Rank:Major of the Reserves
Commands:4./NJG 2, Nachtjagdgruppe 10
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Rudolf Schoenert (27 July 1911 – 30 November 1985) was the seventh highest scoring night fighter flying ace in the German Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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.

Early life and career

Schoenert was born on 27 July 1911 in Glogau in the Province of Silesia, a province of the German Kingdom of Prussia, today it is Głogów in Poland. On 22 May 1933, he started flight training as a civil pilot with the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule (German Air Transport School) in Braunschweig. From 4 December 1936 to 26 February 1937, he received his recruit training. On 1 April 1937, Schoenert started working as a civil flight instructor.

World War II

After five years in the Merchant Navy, Schoenert began flight training in 1933 and went on to fly commercial aircraft for Lufthansa. He was commissioned as a Leutnant in the Luftwaffe's Reserve in 1938.

Night fighter career

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Royal Air Force (RAF) attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign. By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.

In June 1941, Schoenert joined 4./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) at Bergen in northern Holland. He was credited with his first aerial victory on the night of 8/9 July 1941 when he claimed an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber shot down at 02:51 60km (40miles) northwest of Vlieland. His total stood at 22 by 25 July 1942 and he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).

Schoenert is recognized as the instigator of upward-firing armament in German night fighter force. The concept, dubbed Schräge Musik (Jazz Music) was first suggested by him in 1941. Kammhuber initially rejected the idea based on reports filed by Helmut Lent and Werner Streib. Following the Knight's Cross presentation, Schoenert again petitioned the idea to Kammhuber who approved the installation of upward-firing armament in three Dornier Do 217J, one of which issued to Schoenert.

Group commander

On 1 December 1942, Schoenert was made Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the newly formed II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5—5th Night Fighter Wing). The Gruppe was equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter. Schoenert brought to the Gruppe his modified Do 217 fighter which was inspected by Oberfeldwebel Paul Mahle, an armorer attached to II. Gruppe. Mahle analyzed the concept and installed upward-firing guns into the cockpit of two Bf 110 night fighters.

Schoenert claimed the first aerial victory with Schräge Musik in May 1943.

On 5 August 1943, Schoenert was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 100 (NJG 100—100th Night Fighter Wing), replacing Hauptmann Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein who was transferred. NJG 100 was operating on the Eastern Front, where he claimed to have shot down 30 Soviet aircraft by early 1944. While there, he utilised a Junkers Ju 87D-5 "Stuka" dive-bomber with the configuration in an effort to target the slow-flying Soviet biplane fighter-bombers. On 1 January 1944, Schoenert was appointed commander of Nachtjagdgruppe 10 (NJGr 10—10th Night Fighter Group) and transferred command of I. Gruppe of NJG 100 to Major Alois Lechner.

On 11 April 1944, Schoenert was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), the 450th soldier to receive this distinction. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Berghof, Hitler's residence in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps, on 5 May 1944. Also present at the ceremony were Anton Hafner, Otto Kittel, Günther Schack, Emil Lang, Alfred Grislawski, Erich Rudorffer, Martin Möbus, Hans-Karl Stepp, Wilhelm Herget, Günther Radusch, Otto Pollmann and Fritz Breithaupt, who all received the Oak Leaves on this date.

On 15 November, Schoenert and Leutnant Karl Schnörrer, Oberst Gordon Gollob, Major Georg Christl, Hauptmann Heinz Strüning, Major Josef Fözö formed the guard of honor at Walter Nowotny funeral at the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna. Nowotny had been killed in action on 8 November 1944. The eulogy was delivered by Generaloberst Otto Deßloch.

On 6 March 1945, Schoenert succeeded Oberstleutnant Walter Borchers as Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of NJG 5. During a sortie east of the Elbe on 27 April 1945, an electrical fault rendered Schonert's radar unserviceable and his Junkers Ju 88G was shot down by a Royal Air Force (RAF) de Havilland Mosquito. He survived and was rescued by German troops.

Schoenert survived the war. Schoenert's radio and wireless operator was usually Oberfeldwebel Johannes Richter.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schoenert was credited with 64 aerial victories. Obermaier lists Schoenert with 65 aerial victories claimed in 376 combat missions, including 35 Soviet aircraft on the Eastern Front. Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 59 nocturnal victory claims. Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Schoenert with 62 claims.

Chronicle of aerial victories
ClaimDateTimeTypeLocationSerial No./Squadron No.
– 4. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
19 July 194102:51Whitley60km (40miles) northwest of VlielandWhitley Z6555/No. 78 Squadron RAF
29 July 194103:40Whitley55km (34miles) northwest of Vlieland
317 July 194100:50Wellington5km (03miles) west of Lemmer
44 August 194100:14Wellingtonsouthwest of Stavoren
52 September 194123:34Wellington15km (09miles) northeast of Wangerooge
631 October 194121:37Halifaxnorth of Wangerooge
731 October 194122:05Halifax15km (09miles) north of Langeoog
– 5. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
81/2 November 1941Hampden
95/6 November 1941Hampden
1030 November 194120:52Whitley10km (10miles) west of AurichWhitley Z9299/No. 77 Squadron RAF
1110 January 194223:15Wellington17km (11miles) northwest of Langeoog
1214 January 194220:50Manchester5km (03miles) southwest of JeverManchester L7309/No. 207 Squadron RAF
1326 January 194220:56WhitleyWhitley Z9423/No. 51 Squadron RAF
– 4. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
1428 March 194223:21Halifax
1526 April 194200:24Wellington25km (16miles) southwest of Helgoland
1618 May 194200:24Stirling15km (09miles) northeast of LeeuwardenStirling N6071/No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF
177 June 194202:27WellingtonBorkum
1820 June 194201:49Wellingtonwest of EmdenWellington Z1256/No. 300 Polish Bomber Squadron
1923 June 194201:17Wellingtonnorthwest of Baltrum
2023 June 194202:07Stirlingnorth of Aurich
– 5. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
2120 July 194202:51Halifaxnear Borkum
2226/27 July 1942HalifaxHalifax W1164/No. 158 Squadron RAF
2329 July 194203:28WellingtonWellington X3488/No. 419 Squadron RCAF
Stab II. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 –
2430 March 194301:30Lancasternorthwest of RerikLancaster W4931/No. 207 Squadron RAF
2521 April 194302:23LancasterGedser harbourLancaster W4756/No. 460 Squadron RAAF
262 August 194302:23HalifaxRussia
Stab I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 100 –
2716 August 194322:08TB-7Russia
2816 August 194323:36R-5Russia
2916 August 194323:56R-5Russia
3027 August 194320:20TB-7Krotovko
3131 August 194322:01MitchellRussia
3231 August 194322:21MitchellRussia
3331 August 194322:37MitchellRussia
3431 August 194323:00MitchellRussia
353 September 194322:34MitchellPoltava
366 September 194321:03R-5Russia
377 September 194320:58DB-3east of Slobodka
387 September 194321:48DB-3Brünischlschi
397 September 194322:17PS-84Grischany
407 September 194322:29PS-84Mischaly
4120 September 194323:27DB-3Kislyaki
4220 September 194323:57DB-3west Mirgorod
43?
4411 October 194320:54PS-84north of Charvovo
4511 October 194321:00PS-84southeast of Sapolye
4611 October 194321:37PS-84north of Alexejevo
4712 October 194322:43U-2southeast of Alexandroka
4813 October 194301:07DB-3Babinovitski
4913 October 194317:46DB-3Berseja
5013 October 194321:24DB-3Russia
5114 October 194318:21DB-3west of Demenino
5214 October 194318:26DB-3west of Demenino
5314 October 194318:37DB-3west of Demenino
5414 October 194320:56DB-3Naravoki
5515 October 194320:17PS-84Haschuki
5627 October 194319:37DB-3Warafina
5727 October 194322:37R-5Russia
Stab of Nachtjagdgruppe 10 –
5915 February 194421:08Halifaxnorth-northwest of Berlin
6020 February 194404:33HalifaxNaNkm (-2,147,483,648miles) southwest of Leipzig

Awards

References

Bibliography