Rudolf Wagner

Rudolf Wagner (29 October 1921 – 11 December 1943) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Rudolf Wagner was credited with 81 aerial victories all over the Eastern Front (World War II). He was missing in action over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine, in 1943 during WWII.

Career

Wagner entered the military on May 11, 1941, as an Oberfeldwebel. When he completed his training he was assigned to o IV./JG 51 - Jagdgeschwader 51. In early 1942 and he served as Otto Gaiser's wingman. Wagner scored 81 aerial victories most of then while he was piloting a Messerschmitt Bf 109; he also may have recorded kills while flying a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in 1943.

Squadron leader and missing in action In October 1943, when Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz was transferred, Wagner succeeded him as Staffelführer (squadron leader) of 12. Staffel of JG 51.

On 11 December, Wagner was posted as missing in action following aerial combat in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140232—factory number) north of Weprin, present-day Vepryk. He was succeeded by Oberleutnant Hugo Brönner as commander of 12. Staffel of JG 51. Posthously on 26 March 1944, Wagner was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his 81 aerial victories claimed.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Wagner was credited with 81 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 81 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 found records for 79 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47594". 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 10 August 1942 15:45 LaGG-3 PQ 47594vicinity of Rzhev 2 16 December 1942 08:20 Il-2 northwest of Velikiye Luki – 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –Eastern Front — 4 February – October 1943 3 9 February 1943 10:12 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 26713 northwest of Moschna 40 26 August 1943 13:40 La-5 southeast of Komyschij 4 16 March 1943 15:35 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 35 Ost 36732 41 30 August 1943 16:26 Pe-2 southwest of Taranivka 5 16 March 1943 15:55 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 16882 southeast of Demydiv 42 1 September 1943 07:50 Yak-1 west of Yelnya 6 3 April 1943 14:15 Boston west of Nowaiki 43 5 September 1943 06:41 Yak-9 southeast of Yartsevo 7 13 April 1943 14:13 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 45574 south of Spas-Demensk 44 5 September 1943 06:43 Yak-9 southeast of Yartsevo 8 23 April 1943 13:52 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63372 southwest of Glazunowka 45 6 September 1943 09:50 Yak-9 south of Medvedevo 9 24 April 1943 04:45 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54554 north-northwest of Bryansk 46 14 September 1943 12:55 La-5 Nowo Kriwoshoje 10 24 April 1943 04:49 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 44654 northeast of Bryansk 47 19 September 1943 14:10 Yak-9 west of Ssurjakowo 11 8 June 1943 05:58 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63461 east of Kromy 48 19 September 1943 15:10 Il-2 m.H. west of Lubjanki 12 10 June 1943 19:09 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 34274 east-northeast of Seschtschinskaja 49 20 September 1943 13:20 Il-2 m.H. northwest of Perwoswanowka 13 10 June 1943 19:19 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 35861 west of Kirov 50 21 September 1943 06:35 Yak-9 west of Sagassnaja 14 5 July 1943 09:36 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63553 west of Maloarkhangelsk 51 24 September 1943 13:31 Pe-2 north of Kremenchuk 15 5 July 1943 09:50 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63642 southeast of Maloarkhangelsk 52 24 September 1943 13:39 Pe-2 east of Koselschtschina 16 5 July 1943 18:37 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63531vicinity of Maloarkhangelsk 53♠ 26 September 1943 06:10 Yak-1 south of Fukaschewo 17 5 July 1943 18:50 P-39 PQ 35 Ost 63544 south-southeast of Trosna 54♠ 26 September 1943 08:25 Yak-1 east of Jelenowka 18♠ 6 July 1943 07:40 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63571 south-southeast of Trosna 55♠ 26 September 1943 13:27 Yak-1 north of Orljansk 19♠ 6 July 1943 08:14 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63583 southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 56♠ 26 September 1943 16:35 Yak-1 Burtschak 20♠ 6 July 1943 08:15 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63544 south-southeast of Trosna 57♠ 26 September 1943 16:50 Yak-1 north of Ssadowy 21♠ 6 July 1943 08:16 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63573 south-southeast of Trosna 58♠ 27 September 1943 10:25 Yak-1 north of Domotkan 22♠ 6 July 1943 08:22 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63543 south-southeast of Trosna 59♠ 27 September 1943 10:31 Il-2 m.H. northeast of Lichovka 23 7 July 1943 04:25 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63611 northeast of Maloarkhangelsk 60♠ 27 September 1943 13:30 La-5 northwest of Borodajevka 24 9 July 1943 12:10 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63561 southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 61♠ 27 September 1943 13:40 Pe-2 north of Mischurin-Rog 25 12 July 1943 05:17 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63252 southeast of Zalegoshch 62♠ 27 September 1943 15:20 La-5 west of Mischurin-Rog 26 13 July 1943 13:37 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63252 southeast of Zalegoshch 63♠ 27 September 1943 15:34 Pe-2 northwest of Grigoryewk 27 13 July 1943 13:41 Il-2 m.H. PQ 35 Ost 63253 southeast of Zalegoshch 64 29 September 1943 14:08 P-39 northeast of Tiefenbrunn 28 15 July 1943 17:03 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 63222 east of Zalegoshch 65 29 September 1943 14:10 P-39 east of Ukrainka 29 17 July 1943 05:00 Yak-1 south of Anachina 66 29 September 1943 16:45 Yak-1 west of Wischnewskij 30 17 July 1943 05:02 Yak-1 west of Massalskaya 67 30 September 1943 16:00 Yak-1 southwest of Schulgowka 31 11 August 1943 07:20 La-5 south of Izium 68 1 October 1943 10:37 Yak-1 east of Domotkan 32 12 August 1943 13:30 La-5 southeast of Bogodukhov 69 2 October 1943 15:05 La-5 west of Domotkan 33 13 August 1943 14:05 La-5 southwest of Bogodukhov 70 2 October 1943 17:05? La-5 southeast of Yakymivka 34 18 August 1943 05:55 P-39 west of Ssemenowka 71 3 October 1943 11:03 Yak-1 south of Borodayevka 35 18 August 1943 15:45 Yak-1 east-northeast of Kuibyschevo 72 3 October 1943 13:45 Yak-1 south of Borodayevka 36 18 August 1943 17:50 Il-2 m.H. southeast of Ssemenowskij 73 5 October 1943 12:30 Yak-9 east of Domotkan 37 19 August 1943 06:10 La-5 west of Novosselovka 74 5 October 1943 12:39 Yak-9 east of Proletarka 38 21 August 1943 16:28 Il-2 m.H. east-northeast of Gubarovka 75 6 October 1943 06:47 La-5 south of Borodayevka 39 22 August 1943 18:08 Yak-1 east of Kasarowka 76 6 October 1943 12:42 La-5 west of Karpenki – 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" –Eastern Front — November – 11 December 1943 77 30 November 1943 11:05 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 91538 southeast of Radomyshl 79 13 December 1943 14:10 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 91336 southeast of Malyn 78 12 December 1943 09:15 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 91328 south of Malyn

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 September 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Feldwebel in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51. Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the 12./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"