Rudolf Miethig

Rudolf Miethig (17 October 1921 – 10 June 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 101 aerial victories—that is, 101 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. All of his victories were claimed over the Soviet Air Forces in an unknown number of combat missions.

Born in Zwickau, Miethig was trained as a fighter pilot and posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing) in early 1941. Fighting on the Eastern Front, he claimed his first aerial victory on 14 November 1941 during Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In July 1942, Miethig was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of JG 52. Three months later, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1942. On 8 June 1943, Miethig was credited with his 100th aerial victory. Two days later, he was killed in action following a mid-air collision with an enemy aircraft over the Kuban bridgehead.

Career Miethig, who was born on 17 October 1921 in Zwickau, volunteered for service in the Luftwaffe in 1939. Following flight training, he was transferred to the 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in the spring of 1941. At the time the Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Helmut Kühle who was replaced by Oberleutnant Helmut Bennemann on 27 April. I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 52 to which 3. Staffel was subordinated was headed by Hauptmann Wolfgang Ewald at the time. Until 21 February, the entire I. Gruppe was based at an airfield at Katwijk aan Zee in the Netherlands where it was tasked with patrolling the Dutch coast area and German Bight, the three Staffeln were then deployed at various airfields on the Dutch, German and Danish North Sea coast.

On 25 May, I. Gruppe was placed under the command of Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Leesmann. On 23 September, I. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Western Front and was sent to the Eastern Front where it would be based at an airfield at Ponyatovka, located approximately southwest of Roslavl.

War against the Soviet Union

On 22 June, German forces had launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Prior to its deployment on the Eastern Front, I. Gruppe was fully equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2. The Gruppe reached Orsha on 27 September before heading to Ponyatovka on 2 October. There, the Gruppe was initially subordinated to the Stab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) and supported German forces fighting in the Battle of Vyazma as part of Operation Typhoon, the code name of the German offensive on Moscow. On 20 October, the Gruppe moved to an airfield named Kalinin-Southwest, present-day Tver, and located on the Volga, and to Staritsa on 31 October and then to Ruza located approximately west of Moscow, on 3 November. Here, Miethig claimed his first aerial victory, a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1, on 14 November 1941 and his second victory, an I-61 fighter, an early German designation for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3, on 27 November. The failed assault on Moscow forced I. Gruppe to retreat to an airfield at Dugino, present-day Novodugino, on 15 December where they stayed until 31 January 1942. Here, Miethig claimed a Polikarpov R-5 reconnaissance bomber on 28 January.

On 1 February. I Gruppe was withdrawn from combat operations and was moved to Smolensk and then further west to Orsha. From 8 to 12 February the Gruppe took a train to Jesau near Königsberg, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, for a period of recuperation and replenishment where they received new Bf 109 F-4 aircraft. The Gruppe was ordered to Olmütz, present-day Olomouc in Czech Republic on 11 April. On 17 May, I. Gruppe relocated to Artyomovsk, present-day Bakhmut. From Artyomovsk, JG 52 supported the German forces fighting in the Second Battle of Kharkov. On 24 May, the Gruppe was ordered to relocate to Barvinkove located approximately west of Sloviansk. Here, Miethig claimed four further aerial victories by the end of May, including a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber on 26 May, a MiG-1 fighter and an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft on 29 May, and another Il-2 ground-attack aircraft on 31 May.

On 1 June, the Gruppe then moved to an airfield at Grakowo, located approximately halfway between Kharkov and Kupiansk. On 13 June, Miethig claimed two Yakovlev Yak-1 fighters shot down. The next day, Bennemann replaced Leesmann, who was transferred, as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of JG 52. In consequence, command of 3. Staffel was passed on to Leutnant Karl Rüttger. Miethig claimed a Soviet flown Hawker Hurricane fighter on 23 June followed by a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter the next day. Two days later, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Bilyi Kolodyaz, approximately southeast of Vovchansk. On 28 June, German forces had launched Case Blue, the strategic summer offensive in southern Russia. The next day, he claimed another Hurricane fighter followed by a LaGG-3 fighter on 30 June. On 1 July, I. Gruppe flew missions from Shchigry located east-northeast from Kursk.

Squadron leader On 2 July, Miethig was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 3. Staffel of JG 52. He replaced Rüttger who had become a prisoner of war after he made a forced landing behind enemy lines near Kruty the day before. On 3 July, the Gruppe moved to a forward airfield near the village Novy Grinev located approximately south-southwest from Novy Oskol and to Artyomovsk on 9 July. During this period, Miethig had claimed a Hurricane fighter on 4 July and a R-5 reconnaissance bomber on 8 July. On 10 July, Miethig claimed a MiG-1 fighter. According to Obermaier, Miethig had been awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 6 July. Patzwall however dates the presentation of Honor Goblet on 19 October. On 2 August, I. Gruppe was ordered to Kerch on the Kerch Peninsula. At the time, the Gruppe was moved around as a kind of fire brigade, deployed in areas where the Soviet Air Forces was particular active. The Gruppe then moved to Oryol on 15 August. There, Miethig claimed an I-180 fighter, a designation for the Yakovlev Yak-7, on 18 August and two Pe-2 bombers on 23 August.

The following day, I. Gruppe moved to Dedjurewo near Rzhev in the central sector of the Eastern Front where the Gruppe was subordinated to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing), fighting in the Battle of Rzhev. On 29 October 1942, Miethig and Leutnant Walter Krupinski from 6. Staffel were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . On 10 February 1943, I. Gruppe moved to Poltava where they stayed until 10 March. Here he increased his number of aerial victories to 57 by end-February, making him the second most successful fighter pilot of I. Gruppe. On 24 May, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Gostagaevskaya located approximately northeast Anapa. Here on 8 June, Miethig was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 41st Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.

Miethig was killed in a crash following combat with Yak-1 fighters on 10 June 1943 roughly north-east of Krymskaya, over the Kuban bridgehead. Miethig, flying Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 14 602—factory number), had shot down one of the Yak-1 fighters and collided with his crashing opponent. Miethig was posthumously awarded the German Cross in Gold as well as posthumously promoted to Hauptmann (captain). Leutnant Johann-Hermann Meier temporarily was given command of 3. Staffel until Hauptmann Erich Schreiber was officially appointed Staffelkapitän on 15 July.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Miethig was credited with 101 aerial victories. Schreier and Spick also list Miethig with 101 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 state that Miethig was credited with 100 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47852". 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 – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Operation Barbarossa — 2 October – 5 December 1941 1 14 November 1941 15:08 I-18 (MiG-1) 2 27 November 1941 12:58 I-61 (MiG-3) – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942 3 28 January 1942 09:38 R-5 – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –19 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 4 26 May 1942 16:16 Pe-2 30 11 September 1942 16:16 P-39 PQ 47852 5 29 May 1942 10:48 MiG-1 31 14 September 1942 17:10 LaGG-3 PQ 47732 6 29 May 1942 11:03 Il-2 32 14 September 1942 17:21 Il-2 PQ 47594 7 31 May 1942 14:40 Il-2 east of Wodjany Airfield 33 16 September 1942 09:52 R-5 PQ 47361 8 13 June 1942 11:38 Yak-1 34 26 September 1942 06:10 P-39? PQ 30124 9 13 June 1942 11:40 Yak-1 35 27 September 1942 11:00? Yak-1 PQ 40391 10 23 June 1942 17:32 Hurricane 36 30 September 1942 14:12 Il-2 PQ 49433vicinity of Srednyaya Akhtuba 11 24 June 1942 06:42 LaGG-3 37 2 October 1942 13:40 I-153 PQ 49293 east of Stalingrad 12 29 June 1942 18:36 Hurricane PQ 71481 38 2 October 1942 13:43 I-153 PQ 49293 east of Stalingrad 13 30 June 1942 08:53? LaGG-3 PQ 71622 39 2 October 1942 13:46 I-16 PQ 49421vicinity of Srednyaya Akhtuba 14 4 July 1942 18:27 Hurricane 40 2 October 1942 13:47 I-16 PQ 49431vicinity of Srednyaya Akhtuba 15 8 July 1942 11:56 R-5 41 3 October 1942 13:46 Yak-1? PQ 50743 16 10 July 1942 09:50 MiG-1 42 4 October 1942 14:58 Il-2 PQ 59321 17 18 August 1942 17:01 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 54161vicinity of Duminichi 43 4 October 1942 14:59 Il-2 PQ 59321 18 23 August 1942 06:44? Pe-2 PQ 54294northwest of Bolkhov 44 9 October 1942 14:24 SB-2 PQ 49264 east of Stalingrad 19 23 August 1942 06:46 Pe-2 PQ 54461vicinity of Uljanowo 45 12 October 1942 13:07 Yak-1 PQ 58544 20 31 August 1942 11:06 LaGG-3 PQ 47813 46 16 October 1942 13:03 Yak-1 PQ 49291 east of Stalingrad 21 31 August 1942 11:09 LaGG-3 PQ 47811 47 16 October 1942 13:04 Yak-1 PQ 49291 east of Stalingrad 22 2 September 1942 16:36 LaGG-3 PQ 56414, Garetewo 48 16 October 1942 13:12 Yak-1 PQ 49263 east of Stalingrad 23 3 September 1942 14:34 LaGG-3 PQ 4424 49 16 October 1942 13:18 Yak-1 PQ 49283 east of Stalingrad 24 5 September 1942 15:42 Il-2 PQ 46812 50 24 October 1942 13:44 Yak-1 PQ 49231 east of Stalingrad 25 5 September 1942 15:43 Il-2 PQ 46812 51 25 October 1942 14:43 Yak-1 PQ 49273 east of Stalingrad 26 6 September 1942 15:15 LaGG-3 PQ 4327 52 31 October 1942 13:10 LaGG-3 PQ 49424 east of Stalingrad 27? 9 September 1942 12:12 tethered balloon PQ 4782 53 1 November 1942 12:59 LaGG-3 PQ 49293 east of Stalingrad 28 10 September 1942 10:21 Yak-1 PQ 47674 54 1 November 1942 13:04 LaGG-3 PQ 59141 29 11 September 1942 16:13 I-153? PQ 47882 – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –4 February 1943 – 10 June 1943 55 12 February 1943 15:43 U-2 PQ 35 Ost 61554 northeast of Zolochiv 79 7 May 1943 18:32 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 70112, east of Martowaja 56 28 February 1943 09:17 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 40454 80 14 May 1943 17:47 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 61251 southeast of Prokhorovka 57 28 February 1943 09:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 40454 81 16 May 1943 15:13 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 86586east of Slavyansk-na-Kubani 58 5 March 1943 14:18 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 50251 south-southwest of Olshany 82 25 May 1943 05:50 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85514Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik 59 5 March 1943 14:19 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 50242 southwest of Olshany 83 26 May 1943 10:55? Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75234vicinity of Krymsk 60 20 March 1943 10:45? Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 71852 west-southwest of Valuyki 84 27 May 1943 08:12 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 76892vicinity of Kijewskoje 61 26 March 1943 09:12? MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 71794 southeast of Kolodez 85 27 May 1943 08:50? Spitfire PQ 34 Ost 76863north of Kecskemét 62 29 March 1943 17:04 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 61453 northeast of Belgorod 86 27 May 1943 17:47 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76864north of Kecskemét 63 9 April 1943 07:30 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 85114, east of KrymskayaBlack Sea, south of Gelendzhik 87 28 May 1943 10:45 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76863north of Kecskemét 64 11 April 1943 11:55 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 85711, northeast of Krymskaya 88 28 May 1943 10:53 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76892vicinity of Kijewskoje 65 16 April 1943 11:22 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 86713southwest of Tamanj 89 28 May 1943 17:12 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 76861north of Kecskemét 66 17 April 1943 09:13 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 75452 south of Novorossiysk 90 29 May 1943 12:50 Spitfire PQ 34 Ost 76221southeast of Varenikovskaya 67 18 April 1943 16:25? LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 75461Black Sea, west of Kabardinka 91 29 May 1943 17:22 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 76231vicinity of Krymsk 68 20 April 1943 08:22 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85312, east of Novorossiyskvicinity of Schapssugskaja 92 30 May 1943 16:12 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 75232north of Krymsk 69 20 April 1943 08:30 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75431 southeast of Novorossiysk 93 30 May 1943 16:29 Spitfire PQ 34 Ost 76833vicinity of Anastasiewskaja 70 24 April 1943 16:42 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 75452, Novorossiysk south of Novorossiysk 94 31 May 1943 17:47 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76832vicinity of Anastasiewskaja 71 24 April 1943 16:45 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 85341, northwest of Gelendzhikvicinity of Tscheshskij 95 3 June 1943 16:46 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 76865, southeast of Anastasiewskajanorth of Kecskemét 72 27 April 1943 17:18 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 86783east of Bondarenka 96 5 June 1943 17:55 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 86771vicinity of Bondarenka 73 28 April 1943 09:25 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85161vicinity of Nowenjkij 97 5 June 1943 17:55 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 86771vicinity of Bondarenka 74 6 May 1943 04:04 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 71622 northeast of Volchansk 98 5 June 1943 17:58? Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 75234, west of Moldawanskojevicinity of Krymsk 75 6 May 1943 04:05 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 71541 northeast of Volchansk 99 7 June 1943 07:56 Boston PQ 44 Ost 05651 76 6 May 1943 04:10 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 71522 northeast of Volchansk 100 8 June 1943 17:25 Spitfire PQ 34 Ost 76821vicinity of Kalabatka 77 7 May 1943 18:23 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 70183vicinity of Shipovatoje 101 10 June 1943 18:30 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85112, Krymskajanorth of Mertschanskaja 78 7 May 1943 18:25 LaGG-3? PQ 35 Ost 70184, vicinity of Chuhuivvicinity of Shipovatoje

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 19 October 1942 as Leutnant and pilot Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1942 as Staffelführer and Leutnant of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 52 German Cross in Gold on 19 January 1944 (posthumously) as Hauptmann in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 52