Kurt Knappe (2 June 1918 – 3 September 1943) was a Luftwaffe 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 recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. On 3 September 1943, Kurt Knappe was killed over Evreux, France after attacking a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. During his career he was credited with 56 victories, 51 on the Eastern Front and 5 on the Western Front.

Career

On 3 November 1942, Knappe was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 51 aerial victories claimed.[1]

On 3 September 1943, Knappe was killed in action in aerial combat with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. His Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 470016—factory number) crashed on the road north of Le Neubourg, 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) northwest of Evreux.[2] He is interred at Saint-Désir-de-Lisieux German war cemetery near Lisieux, Normandy, France.[3]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Knappe was credited with 56 aerial victories.[4] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 55 aerial victory claims with 51 claimed on the Eastern Front and four heavy bombers on the Western Front.[5]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 64512". 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.[6]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Knappe did not receive credit.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1 26 July 1941 12:35 DB-3[7] 5 13 September 1941 10:10 DB-3 east of Konotop[8]
2 26 August 1941 18:15 Douglas 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Kaluga[9] 6 28 September 1941 10:00 Pe-2[8]
3 30 August 1941 17.40 Pe-2[9] 7 11 October 1941 11:07 Pe-2[8]
4 6 September 1941 13:35 R-3[9] 8 17 November 1941 14:32 DB-3[8]
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –
Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942
9 21 January 1942 12:27 Pe-2[10] 15 6 March 1942 11:45 I-18[11]
10 6 February 1942 12:45 R-Z[11] 16 6 March 1942 12:15 Pe-2[11]
11 19 February 1942 10:50 I-16[11] 17 7 March 1942 14:10 I-18 southwest of Medyn[12]
12 4 March 1942 15:55 I-16[11] 18 7 March 1942 14:15 I-18 southwest of Medyn[12]
13 6 March 1942 09:53 I-18[11] 19 29 March 1942 07:59 Pe-2 northeast of Dugino[13]
14 6 March 1942 10:00 I-18[11] 20 31 March 1942 13:37 Il-2 southeast of Yukhnov[13]
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –
Eastern Front — 1 May – 4 October 1942
21 22 May 1942 12:00 R-Z[14] 36 13 August 1942 08:52 Il-2 PQ 64512[15]
22 22 May 1942 12:03 R-Z[14] 37 18 August 1942 08:15 Yak-1 PQ 54211[15]
—
 29 May 1942
—
 unknown[14] 38 22 August 1942 12:10 MiG-3 PQ 55764[15]
23 4 June 1942 06:15 MiG-1[16] 39 22 August 1942 18:12 MiG-3 PQ 64171, west of Belyov[15]
24 4 June 1942 06:20 MiG-1[16] 40 23 August 1942 10:05 LaGG-3 PQ 64171, west of Belyov[17]
25 12 June 1942 12:10 Il-2[16] 41 23 August 1942 10:08 LaGG-3 PQ 64171, west of Belyov[17]
26 7 July 1942 11:23 MiG-3[18] 42 9 September 1942 10:57 Il-2 east of Rzhev[19]
27 9 July 1942 07:35 MiG-3[18] 43 9 September 1942 11:01 Il-2 northeast of Rzhev[19]
28 9 July 1942 07:37 MiG-3[18] 44 9 September 1942 17:30 Il-2 PQ 47754[19]
29 9 July 1942 07:47 MiG-3[18] 45 14 September 1942 10:01 MiG-3 PQ 47584, southeast of Rzhev[19]
30 17 July 1942 13:05 MiG-1[20] 46 14 September 1942 10:14 I-180 PQ 47581, Dugino[19]
31 2 August 1942 13:05 Il-2 PQ 47563[20] 47 21 September 1942 08:02 R-5 PQ 47812[19]
32 2 August 1942 18:17 Pe-2 PQ 47572[20] 48 23 September 1942 15:05 I-16 PQ 47612[19]
33 4 August 1942 10:16 MiG-3 PQ 47591[21] 49 1 October 1942 09:35 R-5 PQ 46214[22]
34 4 August 1942 14:25 Pe-2 PQ 47563[21] 50 4 October 1942 13:05 LaGG-3 8 km (5.0 mi) east of Peno[22]
35 5 August 1942 18:10 Pe-2 PQ 56432[21] 51 4 October 1942 13:10 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Peno[22]
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –
On the Western Front — December 1942 – June 1943
52 30 December 1942 11:45 B-17 PQ 14 West 5813[23] 54 28 June 1943 19:03 B-17 PQ 15 West 604[24]
53 23 January 1943 14:12 B-17 PQ 14 West 4975, Carhaix[25]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –
On the Western Front — September 1943
55?[Note 1] 2 September 1943 20:25 Spitfire Béthune[27] 56 3 September 1943 09:50 B-17 vicinity of Paris[27]

Awards

Notes

  1. ^ This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[26]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Weal 2006, p. 122.
  2. ^ Prien et al. 2010, p. 507.
  3. ^ a b Dixon 2023, p. 283.
  4. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1618.
  5. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 650–652.
  6. ^ Planquadrat.
  7. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 282.
  8. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2003, p. 285.
  9. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2003, p. 284.
  10. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 93.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2005, p. 94.
  12. ^ a b Prien et al. 2005, p. 95.
  13. ^ a b Prien et al. 2005, p. 96.
  14. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 295.
  15. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 303.
  16. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 296.
  17. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 304.
  18. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 299.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 305.
  20. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 300.
  21. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 302.
  22. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 306.
  23. ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 291.
  24. ^ Prien et al. 2010, p. 502.
  25. ^ Prien et al. 2010, p. 500.
  26. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 652.
  27. ^ a b Prien et al. 2010, p. 503.
  28. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 237.
  29. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 262.
  30. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 452.

Bibliography

  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1939–1942. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-52677-864-2.
  • 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.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
  • 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.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-69-4.
  • 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 (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6 December 1941 bis 30 April 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
  • 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] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2010). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/IV—Einsatz im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/IV—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-92-2.
  • 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.
  • Weal, John (2006). Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders". Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 22. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-045-1.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Knappe
No tags for this post.