Rudolf Sinner

Rudolf Sinner (30 December 1915 – unknown) was an Austrian-born fighter of the Luftwaffe during World War II. He claimed 40 aerial victories within 305 missions, including four victories while flying the Me-262.

Military career Born in 1915, Rudolf Sinner got educated at the University of Innsbruck and the University of Vienna.

At the age of 21, he was drafted into the Austrian Federal Army and trained in the mountain artillery. During the Polish campaign, he served in a horse-drawn flak unit before being transferred to fighter pilot duty in 1940. He absolved his pilot training in Vienna.

Following his training he flew with JG3 on the western front and was then transferred to Jagdgeschwader 27 in North Africa. He was assigned to 2./JG27. On 12 October 1941 he scored his first victory. On 4 June 1942, Sinner was appointed Staffelkapitän of 6. Staffel of JG 27. He succeeded Oberleutnant Emmerich Fluder who had been killed in action on 31 May. He claimed his 30th victory on 3 September 1942.

Group commander On 1 June 1943, Sinner was appointed as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of newly formed IV. Gruppe of JG 27 based at Kalamaki, Greece. In consequence, command of 6. Staffel of JG 27 was passed on to Oberleutnant Willy Kientsch. On 14 September 1943, Sinner was transferred to take command of IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) which was based on the Eastern Front. He succeeded Hauptmann Erich Rudorffer who had been transferred on 1 August. Intermittently, the Gruppe had been led by Oberleutnant Alfred Teumer and Oberleutnant Siguurd Hala.

On 11 February 1944, Sinner and Hauptmann Siegfried Schnell, the commander of III. Gruppe of JG 54, exchanged roles with Sinner taking command of III. Gruppe on the Western Front and Schnell leading IV. Gruppe in the east. On 6 March, Sinner managed to shoot down a B-17 bomber, but got wounded in the process and had to bail out near Bassum, southerly of Bremen. After his recovery, on 12 June 1944 he got assigned to I./JG27 to the invasion front in France.

With his current total victories at 36, Sinner was transferred to III./JG7, on 1 January 1945. He would add four more victories to his total, including two B-24 bomber.

On 4 April 1945, Sinner led a formation of seven ME-262s off from Rechlin. Shortly after emerging from the clouds the aircraft were attacked by P-51 Mustangs of the USAAF's 339th Fighter Group. In the ensuing combat, Sinner's aircraft was hit. He bailed out at low altitude, with badly burned face and hands. His parachute deployed only partially and he struck the ground heavily before getting dragged into a barbed-wire fence. Sinner later reported that the P-51s attempted to strafe him, but he feigned death till they withdrew. His injuries were severe enough to keep him out of the rest of the war.

Later life After the war he worked as a fire-safety engineer in a chemical works in Linz/ Donau, Austria.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 40 aerial victory claims plus one further unconfirmed claim. This figure includes three claims on the Eastern Front and 37 in the western theatre of operations, including three heavy bombers. He claimed four victories flying the Me 262.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –In North Africa — October 1941 – April 1942 1 12 October 1941 09:05 P-40 Sidi Omar 4 23 February 1942 15:23 P-40 southeast of Umm al Rizam 2 17 December 1941 11:10 Hurricane southeast of Martuba 5 23 February 1942 15:25 P-40 southeast of Umm al Rizam 3 13 February 1942 09:23 Hurricane east-southeast of Tobruk – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 –In North Africa — May 1942 6 30 May 1942 14:05 P-40 Bir-el-Harmat – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27 –In North Africa — 4 June – 6 December 1942 7 24 June 1942 10:00 Hurricane south of Bir el Tholata 21 28 July 1942 18:25 Hurricane east of Deir-el-Taqa 8 26 June 1942 18:40 Hurricane southeast of Marsa Matrouh 22 3 August 1942 17:55 Hurricane southeast of El Dabaa 9 10 July 1942 06:15 Hurricane southwest of El Alamein 23 3 August 1942 18:00 Hurricane Bir Ibrahim 10 13 July 1942 12:25 P-40 east-northeast of El Dakar 14 August 1942 06:25 P-40 northwest of El Alamein 11 17 July 1942 06:37 Spitfire El Dakar 24 14 August 1942 06:30 P-40 northwest of El Alamein 12 17 July 1942 13:22 Hurricane Haggag el Qasaba 25 27 August 1942 14:10 Hurricane northeast of Kharita 13 17 July 1942 13:27 Hurricane south of Haggag el Qasaba 26 31 August 1942 10:30 Hurricane northwest Deir-el-Raghil 14 19 July 1942 09:15 Hurricane Bir el Themta 27 31 August 1942 18:30 Spitfire south of Imayid 15 19 July 1942 09:19 Hurricane south of El Alamein 28 1 September 1942 06:59 P-40 east-northeast of Deir-el-Taqa 16 20 July 1942 11:19 Hurricane southeast of Bir-el-Khasa 29 1 September 1942 07:01 P-40 east of Deir-el-Taqa 17 21 July 1942 18:09 P-40 north of Bir-el-Harmat 30 3 September 1942 14:25 P-40 south of El-Hammam 18 21 July 1942 18:16 Hurricane southwest of El Alamein 31 3 September 1942 14:35 Spitfire south of Bir Ibrahim 19 24 July 1942 09:40 P-40 south of Bir el Abd 32 6 September 1942 17:25 American fighter south of Imayid 20 24 July 1942 17:19 Hurricane south of Deir el Raghil – Stab IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Eastern Front — 14 September – 31 December 1943 33 11 October 1943 15:08 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 06263, northeast of Usvyaty 35 27 October 1943 13:45 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 10714northeast of Dubrovo 34 18 October 1943 10:04 P-40 southeast of Pushkin southeast of Slutsk – Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –Defense of the Reich — 1–10 March 1944 36 6 March 1944 12:06 B-17 PQ 05 Ost FQ-3/FR-2Essen-Vechta – Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 7 "Nowotny" –Defense of the Reich — November 1944 – March 1945 37 26 November 1944 13:10 P-38 vicinity of Munich 39 3 March 1945 B-24 vicinity of Rathenow 38 3 March 1945 B-24 vicinity of Rathenow 40 7 March 1945 13:00+ P-51 vicinity of Jüterbog

Awards Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe in Gold on 7 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 27 October 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 27