Rudolf Wagner (pilot) explained

Honorific Prefix:	Leutnant
Rudolf Wagner
Birth Date:	29 October 1921
Birth Place:	Essingen (Württemberg), Germany
Placeofburial:	Unknown
Serviceyears:	1941–1943
Commands:	12./JG 51
Battles:	Eastern Front
Awards:	German Cross Iron Cross x2 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Lt. Rudolf Wagner (29 October 1921 – 11 December 1943) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Rudolf Wagner was credited with 81 aerial victories all over the Eastern Front (World War II). He was missing in action over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine, in 1943 during WWII.

Career

Wagner entered the military on May 11, 1941, as an Oberfeldwebel. When he completed his training he was assigned to o IV./JG 51 - Jagdgeschwader 51.^[1] In early 1942 and he served as Otto Gaiser's wingman. Wagner scored 81 aerial victories most of then while he was piloting a Messerschmitt Bf 109; he also may have recorded kills while flying a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in 1943.^[2]

Squadron leader and missing in action

In October 1943, when Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz was transferred, Wagner succeeded him as Staffelführer (squadron leader) of 12. Staffel of JG 51.

On 11 December, Wagner was posted as missing in action following aerial combat in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140232—factory number) 3abbr=offNaNabbr=off north of Weprin, present-day Vepryk. He was succeeded by Oberleutnant Hugo Brönner as commander of 12. Staffel of JG 51.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, he was credited with 81 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 79 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47594". 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
1	10 August 1942	15:45	LaGG-3	PQ 47594 vicinity of Rzhev	2	16 December 1942	08:20	Il-2	30km (20miles) northwest of Velikiye Luki
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" – Eastern Front — 4 February – October 1943
3	9 February 1943	10:12	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 26713 20km (10miles) northwest of Moschna	40	26 August 1943	13:40	La-5	southeast of Komyschij
4	16 March 1943	15:35	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 35 Ost 36732	41	30 August 1943	16:26	Pe-2	southwest of Taranivka
5	16 March 1943	15:55	MiG-3	PQ 35 Ost 16882 20km (10miles) southeast of Demydiv	42	1 September 1943	07:50	Yak-1	west of Yelnya
6	3 April 1943	14:15	Boston	5km (03miles) west of Nowaiki	43	5 September 1943	06:41	Yak-9	southeast of Yartsevo
7	13 April 1943	14:13	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 45574 15km (09miles) south of Spas-Demensk	44	5 September 1943	06:43	Yak-9	southeast of Yartsevo
8	23 April 1943	13:52	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 63372 25km (16miles) southwest of Glazunowka	45	6 September 1943	09:50	Yak-9	south of Medvedevo
9	24 April 1943	04:45	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 54554 20km (10miles) north-northwest of Bryansk	46	14 September 1943	12:55	La-5	Nowo Kriwoshoje
10	24 April 1943	04:49	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 44654 30km (20miles) northeast of Bryansk	47	19 September 1943	14:10	Yak-9	west of Ssurjakowo
11	8 June 1943	05:58	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63461 5km (03miles) east of Kromy	48	19 September 1943	15:10	Il-2 m.H.	west of Lubjanki
12	10 June 1943	19:09	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 34274 20km (10miles) east-northeast of Seschtschinskaja	49	20 September 1943	13:20	Il-2 m.H.	northwest of Perwoswanowka
13	10 June 1943	19:19	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 35861 20km (10miles) west of Kirov	50	21 September 1943	06:35	Yak-9	west of Sagassnaja
14	5 July 1943	09:36	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63553 15km (09miles) west of Maloarkhangelsk	51	24 September 1943	13:31	Pe-2	north of Kremenchuk
15	5 July 1943	09:50	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63642 5km (03miles) southeast of Maloarkhangelsk	52	24 September 1943	13:39	Pe-2	east of Koselschtschina
16	5 July 1943	18:37	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 63531 vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk	53♠	26 September 1943	06:10	Yak-1	south of Fukaschewo
17	5 July 1943	18:50	P-39	PQ 35 Ost 63544 10km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	54♠	26 September 1943	08:25	Yak-1	east of Jelenowka
18♠	6 July 1943	07:40	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63571 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	55♠	26 September 1943	13:27	Yak-1	north of Orljansk
19♠	6 July 1943	08:14	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63583 20km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	56♠	26 September 1943	16:35	Yak-1	Burtschak
20♠	6 July 1943	08:15	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63544 10km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	57♠	26 September 1943	16:50	Yak-1	north of Ssadowy
21♠	6 July 1943	08:16	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63573 20km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	58♠	27 September 1943	10:25	Yak-1	north of Domotkan
22♠	6 July 1943	08:22	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63543 10km (10miles) south-southeast of Trosna	59♠	27 September 1943	10:31	Il-2 m.H.	northeast of Lichovka
23	7 July 1943	04:25	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 63611 5km (03miles) northeast of Maloarkhangelsk	60♠	27 September 1943	13:30	La-5	northwest of Borodajevka
24	9 July 1943	12:10	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 63561 10km (10miles) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk	61♠	27 September 1943	13:40	Pe-2	north of Mischurin-Rog
25	12 July 1943	05:17	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 63252 15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch	62♠	27 September 1943	15:20	La-5	west of Mischurin-Rog
26	13 July 1943	13:37	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 63252 15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch	63♠	27 September 1943	15:34	Pe-2	northwest of Grigoryewk
27	13 July 1943	13:41	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 63253 15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch	64	29 September 1943	14:08	P-39	northeast of Tiefenbrunn
28	15 July 1943	17:03	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 63222 10km (10miles) east of Zalegoshch	65	29 September 1943	14:10	P-39	east of Ukrainka
29	17 July 1943	05:00	Yak-1	south of Anachina	66	29 September 1943	16:45	Yak-1	west of Wischnewskij
30	17 July 1943	05:02	Yak-1	west of Massalskaya	67	30 September 1943	16:00	Yak-1	southwest of Schulgowka
31	11 August 1943	07:20	La-5	south of Izium	68	1 October 1943	10:37	Yak-1	east of Domotkan
32	12 August 1943	13:30	La-5	southeast of Bogodukhov	69	2 October 1943	15:05	La-5	west of Domotkan
33	13 August 1943	14:05	La-5	southwest of Bogodukhov	70	2 October 1943	17:05?	La-5	southeast of Yakymivka
34	18 August 1943	05:55	P-39	west of Ssemenowka	71	3 October 1943	11:03	Yak-1	south of Borodayevka
35	18 August 1943	15:45	Yak-1	east-northeast of Kuibyschevo	72	3 October 1943	13:45	Yak-1	south of Borodayevka
36	18 August 1943	17:50	Il-2 m.H.	southeast of Ssemenowskij	73	5 October 1943	12:30	Yak-9	east of Domotkan
37	19 August 1943	06:10	La-5	west of Novosselovka	74	5 October 1943	12:39	Yak-9	east of Proletarka
38	21 August 1943	16:28	Il-2 m.H.	east-northeast of Gubarovka	75	6 October 1943	06:47	La-5	south of Borodayevka
39	22 August 1943	18:08	Yak-1	east of Kasarowka	76	6 October 1943	12:42	La-5	west of Karpenki
– 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" – Eastern Front — November – 11 December 1943
77	30 November 1943	11:05	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 91538 10km (10miles) southeast of Radomyshl	79	13 December 1943	14:10	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 91336 15km (09miles) southeast of Malyn
78	12 December 1943	09:15	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 91328 10km (10miles) south of Malyn

Awards

Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 September 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot
German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Feldwebel in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51.
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the 12./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"

References

Bibliography

Web site: Bergström . Christer .
sv:Christer Bergström
. Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat . Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website . 23 January 2023 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20181222042030/http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm . 22 December 2018 . dead.
Book: Dixon , Jeremy . 2023 . Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945 . Barnsley . . 978-1-39903-073-1.
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 . de . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
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: Patzwall . Klaus D. . 2008 . Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg . The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War . de . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-08-3.
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 Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
Book: Spick , Mike . 1996 . Luftwaffe Fighter Aces . New York . . 978-0-8041-1696-1 . registration .

Notes and References

Web site: deZeng IV . Henry L. . Stankey . Douglas G. . Career Summaries - Luftwaffe Officers 1935 - 1945 . ww2.dk . Michael Holm . 23 October 2021.
Book: Weal . John . More BF 109 aces of the Russian front . 24 April 2007 . Osprey Publishing . United Kingdom . 9781846031779 . 62 . 22 October 2021.