(1917-11-01)1 November 1917 Zwochau, Saxony, German Empire
Died
8 April 2016(2016-04-08) (aged 98) Bad Schwartau, Germany
Allegiance
Nazi Germany
Service/branch
Luftwaffe
Years of service
1936–45
Rank
Major
Unit
JG 2, JG 7 and JG 54
Commands held
6./JG 2, II./JG 2, I./JG 7 and II./JG 54
Battles/wars
See battles
World War II
Battle of France
Battle of Britain
Eastern Front
Defense of the Reich
Awards
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Other work
airline pilot
Erich Rudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the whole of World War II. He was one of the most successful fighter pilots in the history of air warfare, with 222 victories claimed. Rudorffer fought in all the major German theaters of war, including the European and Mediterranean Theater of Operations and the Eastern Front. During the war he flew more than 1000 combat missions, engaging in aerial combat over 300 times. Rudorffer was shot down by flak and enemy fighters 16 times and had to take to his parachute nine times.
ErichRudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the...
Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history...
The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name Eiríkr [ˈɛiˌriːkz̠] (or Eríkr [ˈeˌriːkz̠] in Old East Norse...
missions (814 sorties). III. Gruppe lost one fighter in the battles. ErichRudorffer and Erich Leie filed their first claims in the Sedan region on this day—both...
February 1945 ErichRudorffer Major 12 12 JG 7 222 Karl Schnörrer Leutnant 11 11 EKdo 262 Kdo Nowotny JG 7 46 Wounded 30 March 1945 Erich Büttner* Oberfeldwebel...
and on 1 September 1943 he claimed ten Soviet aircraft shot down. ErichRudorffer is credited with the destruction of the most aircraft ever in a single...
the veracity and formal correctness of the listing. According to Spick, Rudorffer was credited with 222 aerial victories. According to Spick, Bär was credited...
with twelve enemy fighters (including nine P-51s) to his credit , ErichRudorffer also with twelve enemy fighters to his credit, Walther Dahl with eleven...
Erich Leie (10 September 1916 – 7 March 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is...
the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow pilot Erich Hartmann. Other than Hartmann, Barkhorn is the only fighter ace to ever...
ace (to distinguish him from "Bomber" George) "Fighter of Libau" – ErichRudorffer, World War II German ace "Fish" – Herman Salmon, American test pilot...
1944 27 October 1944 Erich Hartmann 20 September 1943 13 December 1943 26 March 1944 4 June 1944 24 August 1944! ErichRudorffer 11 October 1943 26 July...
ceremony were Anton Hafner, Otto Kittel, Günther Schack, Emil Lang, ErichRudorffer, Martin Möbus, Wilhelm Herget, Hans-Karl Stepp, Rudolf Schoenert, Günther...
Frankewitz Eberhard Kinzel Mauno Koivisto Rolf Nevanlinna Carl Petersén ErichRudorffer Jorma Sarvanto Karl Schnörrer Reiner Stahel Alois Windisch 3rd Class...
Hauptmann Heinrich Jung, 21 February 1943 – 30 July 1943 Hauptmann ErichRudorffer, 1 August 1943 – February 1945 Hauptmann Herbert Findeisen, February...
Otto Kittel (267) Walter Nowotny (258) 200–249 Wilhelm Batz (237) Erich Rudorffer (222) Heinrich Bär (220) Hermann Graf (212) Heinrich Ehrler (208) Theodor...
Otto Kittel (267) Walter Nowotny (258) 200–249 Wilhelm Batz (237) Erich Rudorffer (222) Heinrich Bär (220) Hermann Graf (212) Heinrich Ehrler (208) Theodor...
down 49 aircraft – a number matched exactly by Jagdgeschwader 52's (JG 52) Erich Hartmann – bringing Nowotny's total to 161 victories. On 1 September, he...
who was killed in action on 2 November. Ensslen was replaced by Hauptmann Erich Woitke. On 22 December, II. Gruppe was ordered to Leeuwarden Airfield where...
Bäker, August 1944 Major Theodor Weissenberger, 25 November 1944 Major ErichRudorffer, 14 January 1945 Oberleutnant Fritz Stehle (acting), April 1945 Major...
ceremony were Anton Hafner, Alfred Grislawski, Günther Schack, Emil Lang, ErichRudorffer, Martin Möbus, Wilhelm Herget, Hans-Karl Stepp, Rudolf Schoenert, Günther...
Global Information
Nazi Germany
Luftwaffe