Jagdgeschwader 51, often abbreviated as JG 51, was one of the most distinguished fighter wings of the German Luftwaffe during World War II, formed in 1939 and quickly establishing a formidable reputation across multiple campaigns. The unit played key roles in the invasions of Poland and France, the intense air battles over Britain, and especially on the Eastern Front where it operated from 1941 onward, claiming well over 8,000 aerial victories while flying aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Commanded for a time by the legendary ace Werner Mölders, JG 51 produced numerous high-scoring Experten who were awarded prestigious decorations including the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten, the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, and multiple classes of the Eisernes Kreuz, reflecting the wing's exceptional combat effectiveness and heavy involvement in some of the war's most critical aerial operations until its eventual dissolution in 1945.
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BRILLANTENTRÄGER
Werner Mölders, serving as Kommodore of Jagdgeschwader 51, received the Eichenlaub on 21 September 1940 after becoming the first fighter pilot to achieve 40 aerial victories during the Battle of Britain, and the award was personally presented to him by Adolf Hitler in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin two days later. On 22 June 1941, the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, Mölders claimed multiple Soviet aircraft which brought his total to over 70 victories, earning him the Schwerter that was formally awarded by Hitler on 3 July 1941. Shortly after, on 15 July 1941, following his 101st aerial victory and becoming the first pilot in history to surpass 100 kills, he was awarded the Brillanten, the highest grade of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as its inaugural recipient, with the presentation taking place at the Wolfsschanze on 26 July 1941.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_51
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