Rudolf Trenkel

Rudolf Trenkel (17 January 1918 – 26 April 2001) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II. As a flying ace, he was credited with 138 victories and was a recipient of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Career Trenkel was born on 17 January 1918 in Neudorf in the Province of Saxony within the German Empire. He volunteered for military service in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany in 1936. Initially serving in the Army, Trenkel transferred to the Luftwaffe (air force) in 1939 as an Unteroffizier (non-commissioned officer).

Following flight and fighter pilot training, Trenkel was posted to 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) in February 1942. On 1 May, he was transferred to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing).

World War II On Friday 1 September 1939 German forces had invaded Poland which marked the beginning of World War II, and in June 1941, Germany had invaded the Soviet Union which created the Eastern Front. When in early May 1942 Trenkel joined the Geschwaderstab of JG 52, the unit was based at Pilsen, present-day Plzeň in the Czech Republic, where it received new Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 aircraft. In preparation for Operation Fredericus, also known as the second Battle of Kharkov, JG 52 moved to the airfield named Kharkov-Waitschenko on 10 May and to Barvinkove on 19 May. Here, Trenkel claimed his first two aerial victories with the Geschwaderstab, a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 on 2 June and a Yakovlev Yak-1 on 22 June. He had claimed his first aerial victory while flying with JG 77.

In late June, Trenkel was transferred to 2. Staffel of JG 52. The Staffel had just been placed under the command of Hauptmann Johannes Wiese and was subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 52 headed by Hauptmann Helmut Bennemann. The Gruppe was based at Bilyi Kolodyaz, approximately southeast of Vovchansk, and was fighting in support of Case Blue, the strategic summer offensive in southern Russia with the objective to capture the oil fields of Baku, Grozny and Maykop. While based at Bilyi Kolodyaz, Trenkel claimed two aerial victories, including a MiG-1 fighter on 1 July.

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. Here on 12 July, Trenkel claimed a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 shot down. To support German forces fighting in the Battle of the Caucasus, I. Gruppe relocated to an airfield at Kerch, in the east of Crimea, on 2 August. 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. On 6 December, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Rossosh. Here on 17 December Trenkel became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time when he claimed six Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down.

On 28 January 1943, Trenkel was awarded the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe . Following the German defeat at Stalingrad and Soviet advance in Voronezh–Kharkov offensive, I. Gruppe was moved to Anapa located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov on 16 May. While Trenkel reached Anapa on 24 May. Following 75 aerial victories claimed with JG 52, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 August 1943. On 1 November, Trenkel made a forced landing in his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140167—factory number) north of Dzhankoi following combat with Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack and Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter aircraft. In 1944, he was forced to bail out five times within ten days. On 14 July 1944, Trenkel was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 83rd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.

Squadron leader On 15 August 1944, Trenkel was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the recreated 2. Staffel of JG 52. The original 2. Staffel under the command of Oberleutnant Paul-Heinrich Dähne had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front and transferred west to fight in Defense of the Reich in early June 1944. There the Staffel was subordinated to III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing) and later became the 12. Staffel of JG 11. Trenkel formed the new 2. Staffel of JG 52 at Kraków from 15 to 26 August.

On 16 October 1944, JG 52 lost six aircraft in combat with the French Armée de l'Air Normandie-Niemen fighter regiment serving on the Eastern Front. One of the pilots shot down was Trenkel who survived by bailing out.

On 19 April, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield located approximately southwest of Deutsch-Brod, now Havlíčkův Brod. Trenkel and other soldiers of JG 52 surrendered to the 90th US Infantry Division near Písek on 8 May 1945 and became a prisoner of war (POW). The soldiers were initially interned at a POW camp at Strakonice where on 14 May, Trenkel married his fiancé Ida Sehnal who was among the civilian refuges. The wedding ceremony was held by Oberst Hermann Graf. The witnesses to the wedding were Major Adolf Borchers and Hauptmann Erich Hartmann. On 15 May, Trenkel and most of the JG 52 personnel were handed over by the American forces to the Soviet Union.

Later life Trenkel died on 26 April 2001 at the age of in Vienna, Austria.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Trenkel was credited with 138 aerial victories. Spick also lists Trenkel with 138 aerial victories claimed in over 500 combat missions, all but one on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 138 aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 131 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and one Western Allies four-engined bomber.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 59191". 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 – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77 –Eastern Front — March 1942 1 26 March 1942 15:02 I-153 – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — June 1942 2 2 June 1942 12:37 I-16 3 22 June 1942 11:58 Yak-1 – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –June 1942 – 3 February 1943 4 29 June 1942 18:15 MiG-3 21 2 November 1942 10:32 R-5 PQ 59191 5 1 July 1942 14:23 MiG-3 22 2 November 1942 10:33? R-5 PQ 59191 6 12 July 1942 10:50 LaGG-3 23 30 November 1942 07:15 U-2 PQ 01242 4 August 1942 LaGG-3 24 11 December 1942 11:10 R-5 PQ 01563 8 August 1942 Pe-2 25♠ 17 December 1942 Il-2 12 August 1942 Yak-1 26♠ 17 December 1942 Il-2 7 27 August 1942 14:23 LaGG-3 PQ 46332west of Dzhankoi 27♠ 17 December 1942 Il-2 8 2 September 1942 08:30 LaGG-3 PQ 46253 28♠ 17 December 1942 Il-2 9 2 September 1942 13:00 LaGG-3 northwest of Karmanovo 29♠ 17 December 1942 Il-2 10 10 September 1942 12:13 Il-2 PQ 47763north of Taganaja 30♠ 17 December 1942 Il-2 11 2 October 1942 11:44 Il-2 PQ 49294 east of Stalingrad 31 21 December 1942 13:40 Il-2 PQ 01571 12 9 October 1942 12:50 Il-2 PQ 49124 northeast of Stalingrad 32 21 December 1942 13:42 Il-2 PQ 01583 13 9 October 1942 12:55 Il-2 PQ 49122vicinity of Grebenka 33 21 December 1942 13:43 Il-2 east of Kasinko 14 11 October 1942 06:27 Il-2 PQ 49122 northwest of Gumrak 34 21 December 1942 13:44 Il-2 east of Kasinko 15 26 October 1942 14:04 Il-2 PQ 49361 south of Stalingrad 35 27 December 1942 06:58 Pe-2 PQ 01754 16 26 October 1942 14:09 Il-2 PQ 49362 south of Stalingrad 36 29 December 1942 09:35 LaGG-3 PQ 00314 17 26 October 1942 14:11 Il-2 PQ 49382 south of Bassargino 37 29 December 1942 12:18 La-5 PQ 01411 18 27 October 1942 08:35 Il-2 PQ 49124 east of Stalingrad 38 26 January 1943 12:30 Il-2 m.H. PQ 72234 19 27 October 1942 16:21 La-5 PQ 49412 east of Stalingrad 39 29 January 1943 09:15 Il-2 PQ 73752 20 29 October 1942 11:28 LaGG-3 PQ 49282 east of Stalingrad 40 29 January 1943 09:17 Il-2 PQ 73733 – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943 41 26 March 1943 15:25 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 81742 northwest of Urazovo 70 30 May 1943 15:35 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85141, southeast of Krymskajaeast of Krymsk 42 27 March 1943 16:02 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 62721 71 31 May 1943 08:12 Spitfire PQ 34 Ost 86744vicinity of Trojzkaja 43 28 March 1943 10:20 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 71851 west-southwest of Valuyki 72 31 May 1943 11:09 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 75232, north of Krymskaja east of Krasnyi Lyman 44 9 April 1943 08:55 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 86574northwest of Sslaeanskaja 73 2 June 1943 04:43 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 85112, north of Krymskajanorth of Mertschanskaja 45 11 April 1943 12:35 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 86782north of Mingrelskaya 74 2 June 1943 13:27 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 85112, north of Krymskajanorth of Mertschanskaja 46♠ 16 April 1943 07:31? LaGG-3 vicinity of Cholmskaja 75 2 June 1943 13:28 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 85121vicinity of Sswobodnyj 47♠ 16 April 1943 10:50 LaGG-3 east of Krymskajasoutheast of Tscherkassowski 76 2 June 1943 17:52 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 75234, west of Krymskajavicinity of Krymsk 48♠ 16 April 1943 10:54? LaGG-3 east of Krymskaja 77 13 October 1943 10:15 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 58152, northeast of Zaporizhianortheast of Zaporizhia 49♠ 16 April 1943 11:00 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 8519, southeast of Achtyrskaja 78 13 October 1943 10:17 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58153, east of Zaporizhianortheast of Zaporizhia 50♠ 16 April 1943 11:46 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 76762vicinity of Bolschoj Rasnokol 79 13 October 1943 10:18 Il-2 m.H. PQ 58154, south of Zaporizhianortheast of Zaporizhia 51 17 April 1943 11:10 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 7546southeast of Novorossiysk 80 14 October 1943 05:19 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58152, northeast of Zaporizhianortheast of Zaporizhia 52 26 April 1943 14:01 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85722vicinity of Sswobodnyj 81 14 October 1943 11:50 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 58192 east-southeast of Zaporizhia 53 26 April 1943 14:04 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 85761vicinity of Nowenjkij 82 15 October 1943 05:55 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 58153, east of Zaporizhianortheast of Zaporizhia 54 29 April 1943 10:02 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 61394 south-southwest of Bely Kolodez 83 15 October 1943 10:35 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 58131 northeast of Zaporizhia 55 7 May 1943 04:22 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 71714vicinity of Bely Kolodez 84 15 October 1943 13:58 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 58351 south-southeast of Zaporizhia 56 7 May 1943 18:19 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 61723, vicinity of Bely Kolodez east-southeast of Zolochev 85 22 October 1943 06:34 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58534vicinity of Wassilijewka 57 7 May 1943 18:21 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 60131, vicinity of Bely Kolodez east of Kharkov 86 22 October 1943 06:36 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58563Kalinowka 58 7 May 1943 18:24 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 60212, north of Chuhuiv east of Kharkov 87 22 October 1943 14:55 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 58361 southeast of Zaporizhia 59 9 May 1943 06:25 MiG-3 PQ 34 Ost 98872 west-southwest of Azov 88♠ 23 October 1943 12:05 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 59744 north of Zaporizhia 60 9 May 1943 12:30 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 98731 north of Azov 89♠ 23 October 1943 12:07 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 59743 north of Zaporizhia 61 11 May 1943 18:05 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 61495 east-southeast of Belgorod 90♠ 23 October 1943 14:02 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 59753 north-northeast of Zaporizhia 62 23 May 1943 04:50 MBR-2 PQ 34 Ost 85594Black Sea, south of Gelendzhik 91♠ 23 October 1943 15:21 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 59751, north-northeast of Zaporizhia 63 24 May 1943 16:52 Boston PQ 34 Ost 86822east of Woronowskaja 92♠ 23 October 1943 15:24 Il-2 PQ 59754 north-northeast of Zaporizhia 64 26 May 1943 05:11 Boston PQ 34 Ost 85123, north of Abinskajaeast of Mertschanskaja 93 24 October 1943 15:20 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 57152 northwest of Melitopol 65 26 May 1943 05:16 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 85172, south of Abinskajasouthwest of Abinsk 94 27 October 1943 06:10 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 57773 west of Fedorowka 66 26 May 1943 09:42 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 85144vicinity of Abinsk 95 27 October 1943 06:15 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 57744 west of Melitopol 67 30 May 1943 15:28 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 75262, west of Krymskajasouth of Krymsk 96 28 October 1943 08:05 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 47332 west of Ivanovka 68 30 May 1943 15:30 Pe-2 PQ 34 Ost 76892, east of KijewskojeSea of Azov, east-southeast of Mariupol 97 28 October 1943 10:58 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 47328northeast of Agaiman 69 30 May 1943 15:31 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 75234, west of Krymskajavicinity of Krymsk 98 1 November 1943 10:15 Il-2 m.H. PQ 34 Ost 66731east of Elitgen – I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — July 1944 99 13 July 1944 17:35 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 51711 north of Brody 107 18 July 1944 20:05 Yak-7 PQ 25 Ost 42851 southeast of Kobryn 100 14 July 1944 05:35 P-39 PQ 25 Ost 51524 south of Lutsk 108♠ 19 July 1944 13:40 Yak-7 PQ 25 Ost 42573 west-northwest of Liuboml 101 14 July 1944 17:55 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 50189 east of Zolochiv 109♠ 19 July 1944 16:44 P-39 PQ 25 Ost 32699 northeast of Chełm 102 15 July 1944 15:14 Yak-7 PQ 25 Ost 51548 north of Brody 110♠ 19 July 1944 16:49 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 42713vicinity of Liuboml 103 15 July 1944 16:58 Yak-7 PQ 25 Ost 41414 southeast of Włodzimierz 111♠ 19 July 1944 19:48 Yak-7 PQ 25 Ost 42777 northwest of Włodzimierz 104 15 July 1944 17:05 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 41447 southeast of Włodzimierz 112♠ 19 July 1944 19:50 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 42767 south of Liuboml 105 16 July 1944 17:45 P-39 PQ 25 Ost 51575 north of Brody 113 21 July 1944 15:42? P-39 PQ 25 Ost 40432 south-southwest of Lviv 106 17 July 1944 18:05 P-39 PQ 25 Ost 41796 northwest of Busk – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — September 1944 – April 1945 114 12 September 1944 16:10 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 10361 south of Jasło 127♠ 15 October 1944 14:11 Boston PQ 25 Ost 13347 west of Pristina 115 12 September 1944 16:12 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 10391 south of Jasło 128 16 October 1944 10:45 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13154 south of Pristina 116 13 September 1944 11:35? B-17 PQ 15 Ost 90452 southwest of Kraków 129 16 October 1944 13:05 Il-2 m.H. ? PQ 25 Ost 13126 east-northeast of Trepca 117 21 September 1944 15:32 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 10696 south-southwest of Sanok 130 17 October 1944 08:00 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 25444 west of Turnu Severin 118 21 September 1944 17:54 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 10665 southwest of Sanok 131 27 October 1944 15:10 Yak-3 PQ 25 Ost 25583 east-southeast of Majdanpek 119 22 September 1944 11:30 Yak-4 PQ 25 Ost 10835 132 27 October 1944 15:13 Yak-3 PQ 25 Ost 25581 120 22 September 1944 11:33 Yak-4 PQ 25 Ost 10862 southwest of Sanok 133 16 February 1945 10:45 Il-2 121 14 October 1944 14:41 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 13143 east of Trepca 134 19 February 1945 15:10 Pe-2 122♠ 15 October 1944 08:15 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 13345 west of Pristina 135 19 February 1945 15:15 Pe-2 123♠ 15 October 1944 08:17 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13348 west of Pristina 136 20 February 1945 13:05 Yak-9 124♠ 15 October 1944 10:21 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13344 west of Pristina 137 25 February 1945 16:05 Yak-9 125♠ 15 October 1944 10:24 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13342 west of Pristina 138 11 March 1945 Yak-9 126♠ 15 October 1944 10:26 Il-2 m.H. PQ 25 Ost 13376 southwest of Pristina

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 February 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot German Cross in Gold on 15 January 1943 as Feldwebel in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 52 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 August 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 52