Rudolf Pflanz

Rudolf Pflanz (1 July 1914 – 31 July 1942) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Pflanz claimed 52 aerial victories, all of them over the Western Front.

Early life and career Pflanz was born in July 1914 in Ichenheim, present-day part of Neuried, at the time in Grand Duchy of Baden of the German Empire. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1935 and by 1938 was serving with Jagdgeschwader 131 (JG 131—131st Fighter Wing), which on 1 May 1939 was redesignated Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing).

World War II World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Pflanz claimed his first aerial victory on 30 April 1940 during the early Phoney War period over a Potez 63 northwest of Merzig. At the time, Pflanz was serving with 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of JG 2 which was commanded by Hauptmann Henning Strümpell. The Staffel was subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 2, based in Bassenheim and headed by Hauptmann Jürgen Roth.

During the Battle of Britain, Pflanz was wingman to Major Helmut Wick in the Stab (headquarters unit) of I. Gruppe of JG 2 and later with the Geschwaderstab of JG 2. On 28 November 1940, Pflanz probably shot down Royal Air Force (RAF) ace Flight Lieutenant John Dundas of No. 609 Squadron just after Dundas had shot down and killed Wick. By the end of 1940 Pflanz had eight victories.

On 23 July 1941 Pflanz claimed five Supermarine Spitfire fighters and a Hawker Hurricane shot down, and consequently claimed "ace-in-a-day" status. JG 2 claimed 29 RAF fighters that day with a further 10 credited to JG 26. Actual RAF losses amounted to 15 aircraft suggesting a high degree of over-claiming.

After recording his 20th victory he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 August 1941. He received the award from Feldmarschall (Field Marschal) Hugo Sperrle with fellow JG 2 "Richthofen" pilots Leutnant Egon Mayer and Oberleutnant Erich Leie on that day. The triple award presentation was recorded by the Deutsche Wochenschau (German Weekly Review), a newsreel series released in the cinemas.

On 5 October 1941, Oberleutnant Ulrich Adrian, the Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel of JG 2 was killed in action. In consequence, Pflanz was appointed Staffelkapitän of 1. Staffel in November.

Oberleutnant Pflanz was appointed Staffelkapitän of 11. Staffel of JG 2 in May 1942, a special high-altitude unit equipped with the Bf 109G-1 fitted with pressurized cockpits. On 5 June he claimed three Spitfires downed over the Somme. On 31 July 1942, Pflanz was shot down and killed in action in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-1 (Werknummer 10318—factory number) south of Moncheaux. He was succeeded by Oberleutnant Julius Meimberg as commander of 11. Staffel. His victor may have been Sergeant William P. Kelly, an American pilot with the No. 121 (Eagle) Squadron. Pflanz is buried in the Bourdon German war cemetery, on the Somme.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Pflanz was credited with 52 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 52 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Western Front.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –"Phoney War" — 1 September 1939 – 9 May 1940 1 30 April 1940 19:20 Potez 63 northwest of Merzig – 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –At the Channel and over England — 26 June – September 1940 2 11 August 1940 11:38 Hurricane off the Isle of Portland 3 5 September 1940 16:10 Spitfire – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –At the Channel and over England — September 1940 – 21 June 1941 4 27 September 1940 13:08 Spitfire 5 30 September 1940 12:40 Spitfire – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –At the Channel and over England — October 1940 – 21 June 1941 6 29 October 1940 15:30 Hurricane Portsmouth 8 28 November 1940 17:18 Spitfire south of the Isle of Wight 7 29 October 1940 15:25 Hurricane south of Portsmouth – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –Western Front — 22 June – November 1941 9 22 June 1941 16:09 Spitfire Saint-Omer-Gravelines 18♠ 23 July 1941 20:42 Spitfire Hesdin-Berck 10 25 June 1941 12:55 Spitfire vicinity of Boulogne-sur-Mer 19♠ 23 July 1941 20:46 Spitfire? southwest of Berck 11 3 July 1941 11:50 Spitfire 20 19 August 1941 12:20? Spitfire over sea, north of Gravelines 12 10 July 1941 12:37 Spitfire 21 19 August 1941 12:24 Spitfire north of Gravelines 13 22 July 1941 14:01 Spitfire Hesdin 22 20 September 1941 16:40 Spitfire 14♠ 23 July 1941 13:20 Spitfire 23 21 September 1941 16:40 Spitfire east-southeast of Dover 15♠ 23 July 1941 13:27 Spitfire vicinity of Forest of Éperlecques 24 21 September 1941 16:45 Spitfire east of Dover 16♠ 23 July 1941 13:29 Spitfire vicinity of Forest of Éperlecques 25 13 October 1941 15:36 Spitfire west of Étaples 17♠ 23 July 1941 20:38 Spitfire west of Hesdin 26 26 October 1941 13:09 Spitfire – 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –Western Front — 1 January – 30 June 1942 27 12 February 1942 15:37 Spitfire 38 19 May 1942 20:54 Spitfire 28 12 February 1942 15:39 Spitfire 39 24 May 1942 19:16 Spitfire 29 14 April 1942 12:52 Spitfire vicinity of Caen 40 24 May 1942 19:24 P-40 30 15 April 1942 14:32 Spitfire 41 31 May 1942 19:42 Spitfire 31 15 April 1942 19:25 Spitfire 42 2 June 1942 11:01 Spitfire Dieppe-Le Tréport 32 25 April 1942 11:17 Hurricane 43 2 June 1942 17:55 Spitfire Dieppe-Le Tréport 33 28 April 1942 11:36 Spitfire Gravelines 44 3 June 1942 16:49 Spitfire vicinity of Le Havre 34 28 April 1942 11:36? Spitfire Gravelines 45 5 June 1942 15:38 Spitfire Baie de Somme-Abbeville 35 1 May 1942 19:33 Spitfire 46 5 June 1942 15:45 Spitfire north-northeast of Le Tréport 36 4 May 1942 19:38 Spitfire 47 5 June 1942 15:46 Spitfire Baie de Somme-Abbeville 37 17 May 1942 14:03 Spitfire 48 11 June 1942 18:31? Spitfire – 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –Western Front — 1–31 July 1942 49 26 July 1942 13:42 Spitfire 51 30 July 1942 19:32 Spitfire 50 26 July 1942 13:43 Spitfire 52 31 July 1942 15:02 Spitfire south of Berck

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (5 May 1940) 1st Class (16 September 1940) Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (24 July 1941) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 August 1941 as Oberleutnant and pilot 1./Jagdgeschwader 2 German Cross in Gold on 16 July 1942 as Oberleutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 2