Edwin Thiel

Edwin Ludwig Thiel (19 June 1913 – 14 July 1944) 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, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Edwin Thiel was killed on 14 July 1944 after bailing out of his plane after it was hit by Soviet flak. During his career he was credited with 76 victories in 300 missions.

Career Thiel was born on 19 June 1913 in Oberbexbach in the Saarland, which at the time was politically part of the Kingdom of Bavaria of the German Empire. Prior to World War II, he qualified as a civil pilot and flew with Deutsche Luft Hansa and served a flight instructor. In late 1941, Thiel was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing).

On 29 May 1942, Thiel was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 2. Staffel of JG 51. He succeeded Leutnant Erwin Fleig who had been shot down behind enemy lines and became a prisoner of war. On 16 April 1943, Thiel was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 51 aerial victories claimed.

In July 1943, Thiel was transferred to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost, specialized training unit for new fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front, as an instructor. There, he commanded the 1. Staffel. Thiel was replaced by Oberleutnant Horst Haase as commander of 2. Staffel of JG 51.

In May 1944, Thiel transferred back to JG 51. There, he was given command of the Stabsstaffel which had temporarily been led by Leutnant Herbert Friebel after Oberleutnant Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber was transferred in April 1944. Thiel was killed in action on 14 July 1944 when his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 170943—factory number) was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery east of Vawkavysk. Command of the Stabsstaffel was then given to Oberleutnant Heinz Busse.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Thiel was credited with 76 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 76 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 71 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front in over 300 combat missions.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 37651". The Luftwaffe grid map 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 . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Operation Barbarossa — October – 5 December 1941 1 2 October 1941 14:16? I-61 (MiG-3) northwest of Roslavl 2 3 October 1941 09:55 I-18 (MiG-1) – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Thiel claimed 23 undocumented aerial victories between 30 May and 15 September 1942. These claims are not documented by Mathews and Foreman. 28 27 June 1942 09:42 MiG-3 36 29 October 1942 13:42 P-40 Volokolamsk 29 6 July 1942 14:20 Pe-2 37 29 October 1942 13:44 P-40 Volokolamsk 30 6 July 1942 14:22 Pe-2 38♠ 4 December 1942 11:47 P-40 vicinity of Schojtzowa 31 6 July 1942 14:24 Pe-2 west of Bobrowo 39♠ 4 December 1942 11:53 Il-2 north of Ljatiwina 32 7 July 1942 19:05 MiG-3 40♠ 4 December 1942 11:56 Il-2 PQ 37651 33 8 July 1942 07:50 MiG-3 41♠ 4 December 1942 11:58 Il-2 north of Pegorjelka 34 8 July 1942 07:52 MiG-3 42♠ 4 December 1942 12:05 Il-2 southwest of Katowa 35 11 July 1942 06:05 MiG-3 – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Eastern Front — 4 February – July 1943 43 23 February 1943 10:39 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 44294 northeast of Zhizdra 54 10 June 1943 19:23 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 44473 north of Bryansk 44 23 February 1943 10:41 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 44264 northeast of Zhizdra 55 6 July 1943 19:47 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63584 southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 45 23 February 1943 10:45 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 44264 southwest of Dudovskiy 56 11 July 1943 16:32 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 64882 southeast of Mtsensk 46 23 February 1943 10:46 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 54142 northeast of Zhizdra 57 11 July 1943 16:33 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64896 north of Maloarkhangelsk 47♠ 24 February 1943 10:40 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 44223 north of Zhizdra 58 11 July 1943 16:35 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64853 east-northeast of Zalegoshch 48♠ 24 February 1943 10:48 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 44233 north-northeast of Zhizdra 59 11 July 1943 17:24 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63471 northeast of Zalegoshch 49♠ 24 February 1943 13:41 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 64612 south of Arsenjewo 60 12 July 1943 08:45 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 64591 east of Zalegoshch 50♠ 24 February 1943 13:46 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64671 north of Mtsensk 61 12 July 1943 08:54 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63231, west of Novosil east-northeast of Zalegoshch 51♠ 24 February 1943 13:50 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64621 north-northeast of Mtsensk 62 13 July 1943 13:42 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63225 east of Zalegoshch 52 8 June 1943 08:53 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 63394 north-northwest of Maloarkhangelsk 63 13 July 1943 13:43 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63254 east of Zalegoshch 53 10 June 1943 19:20 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 44562 southeast of Dyatkovo 64 13 July 1943 13:45 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63221 southeast of Zalegoshch – Stabsstaffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Eastern Front — May – 14 July 1944 65♠ 23 June 1944 10:48 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 96658 southwest of Haradok 69♠ 23 June 1944 14:18? Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 96813 east of Ulla 66♠ 23 June 1944 10:50 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 96655 southwest of Haradok 70 25 June 1944 09:35 Pe-2? PQ 35 Ost 05559 south of Orsha 67♠ 23 June 1944 10:53 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 96652 southwest of Haradok 71 25 June 1944 09:38 Pe-2? PQ 35 Ost 05565 south-southwest of Orsha 68♠ 23 June 1944 14:12? Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 96776 east-northeast of Ulla

Awards Flugzeugführerabzeichen Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 15 June 1942 as Leutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 9 September 1942 as Leutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 51 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 16 April 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelführer of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"