Ritterkreuzträger of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As"

Jagdgeschwader 53, commonly known as the Pik As Geschwader, was one of the most distinguished fighter wings of the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War, operating primarily with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 from the invasion of Poland in 1939 through to the final defense of the Reich in 1945. Formed in 1939, the unit saw intense combat across multiple theaters including the Battle of Britain, the invasion of the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front, and operations in the Mediterranean and North Africa, where it achieved remarkable aerial victories while suffering heavy losses against increasingly superior Allied forces. Under successive commanders, JG 53 produced numerous high-scoring Experten who earned prestigious awards such as the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes with Eichenlaub, Schwerter, and even Brillanten, with the Geschwader claiming well over 3,500 aerial victories by the end of the war. Despite their elite status and the iconic Ace of Spades emblem painted on their aircraft, the pilots of Jagdgeschwader 53 faced the grim realities of a collapsing war effort, ultimately surrendering to advancing Allied forces in 1945 after years of courageous but ultimately futile defense of German airspace.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER

On 29 May 1940, during the Battle of France, Hauptmann Werner Mölders, serving as Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 53, was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in recognition of his outstanding achievements as a fighter pilot, becoming the first in the Luftwaffe to receive this prestigious medal. Having already demonstrated exceptional skill in aerial combat, Mölders reached his 20th victory on 27 May by downing two Curtiss Hawks southwest of Amiens, which pushed his total beyond the threshold for the award and highlighted his tactical prowess and leadership in intense dogfights against Allied forces. The formal presentation of the Ritterkreuz underscored his pivotal role in securing air superiority for German operations in the West, cementing his reputation as one of the finest aces of the early war years.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


Oberst Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (1910-1953) was a prominent German Luftwaffe fighter pilot and ace during the Second World War who ultimately attained the rank of Oberst and commanded Jagdgeschwader 53 as Geschwaderkommodore from 9 October 1940 until 4 October 1943, claiming a total of 68 aerial victories in roughly 500 combat missions, with roughly equal numbers achieved over the Western and Eastern Fronts. Having joined the Luftwaffe in 1935 after earlier cavalry service and rising to Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II. Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 by the outbreak of war, he led his Gruppe through the Polish campaign, the Battle of France and the initial phases of the Battle of Britain, scoring his first victory on 30 September 1939 against a French Potez 630 bomber and accumulating further successes against RAF fighters over the English Channel; appointed Geschwaderkommodore in early October 1940, he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 December 1940 as Major and former Gruppenkommandeur of the II. Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 in recognition of his personal tally of 13 aerial victories together with his effective leadership and organizational contributions during the intense air battles over Britain. During the opening weeks of Operation Barbarossa from late June 1941, Jagdgeschwader 53 operated with notable success against Soviet aircraft, and von Maltzahn himself achieved a rapid series of victories often claiming multiple aircraft in single missions, including several SB-3 bombers and other types in rapid succession across late June and July, bringing his personal score to 42 by mid-July and earning him the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 July 1941 as the 29th recipient overall, awarded specifically for both his outstanding command achievements as Kommodore of Jagdgeschwader 53 and his impressive personal combat record. The presentation of the Eichenlaub was made personally by Adolf Hitler at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_53

Bio of Oberst Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (1913-1944)

Full name: Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke
Nickname: Fuerst

Date of Birth: March 11, 1913 - Schrimm, Province of Posen (now Srem, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland)
Date of Death: March 23, 1944 - near Schoeppenstedt, Lower Saxony, Germany

Battles and Operations: Polish Campaign, Phoney War, Battle of France, Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, Siege of Malta, North African Campaign, Battle of Stalingrad, Kuban Bridgehead, Defense of the Reich

NSDAP-Number: No information
SS-Number: No information
Religion: No information
Parents: Hans Wilcke (Hauptmann in Infanterie-Regiment 47, died April 1913) and Hertha von Schuckmann (remarried Friedrich von Scotti on June 14, 1919)
Siblings: No information
Spouse: No information
Children: No information

Promotions:
April 1, 1934 Fahnenjunker
October 1, 1934 Faehnrich
November 1, 1935 Oberfaehnrich
April 20, 1936 Leutnant
July 1, 1939 Oberleutnant
July 1, 1940 Hauptmann
October 1, 1942 Major
February 1, 1943 Oberstleutnant
December 1, 1943 Oberst

Career:
April 1, 1934 Fahnenjunker, Artillerie-Regiment 6 in Minden
October 1, 1934 Faehnrich, Kriegsschule in Dresden
November 1, 1935 Oberfaehnrich, transferred to the Luftwaffe
April 20, 1936 Leutnant, flight school in Perleberg
October 15, 1936 Jagdgeschwader 132 Richthofen
June 1937 fighter pilot instructor, Jagdfliegerschule in Werneuchen
March 1939 1. Staffel, Jagdgruppe 88 - J/88, Legion Condor
July 1, 1939 Oberleutnant, transferred from I. of J/88 Legion Condor to III./JG 53
September 7, 1939 Oberleutnant, 3. Staffel, JG 53
September 18, 1939-May 18, 1940 Oberleutnant, Staffelkapitaen, 7. Staffel, JG 53
July 1, 1940 Hauptmann and reappointed Staffelkapitaen, 7. Staffel, JG 53
August 13, 1940 Gruppenkommandeur, III. Gruppe, JG 53
June 22, 1941 7. Staffel, III. Gruppe, JG 53
July 1, 1941 formed the Gefechtsverband Wilcke
December 2, 1941 with III. Gruppe, JG 53, deployed in Catania in Sicily
December 6, 1941 ordered to move to Timimi in Libya
December 11, 1941 relocated back to Sicily for operations in the siege of Malta
May 18, 1942 transferred to Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet
August 11, 1942 Geschwaderkommodore, Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet
February 1, 1943 Oberstleutnant
March 1943 led Geschwaderstab, II. and III. Gruppe during operations against the Kuban bridgehead as part of the IV. Fliegerkorps
May 1943 Geschwaderstab, returned to Muenchen-Gladbach
December 1, 1943 Oberst, Kommodore, JG 3 Udet, banned from flying

Awards and Decorations:
Medalla de la Campana de Espana 1936-1939 1939 (Leutnant, Pilot Officer, 1. Staffel, Jagdgruppe 88, Legion Condor, Spanish Civil War 1936-1939)
Spanienkreuz, Bronze mit Schwertern 1939 (Leutnant, Pilot Officer, 1. Staffel, Jagdgruppe 88, Legion Condor, Spanish Civil War 1936-1939)
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse November 25, 1939 (Leutnant, Pilot Officer, 3. Staffel, JG 53, Second World War 1939-1945, for shooting down a French Air Force Potez 630 twin-engined fighter near Voelklingen during the Phoney War)
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse July 11, 1940 (Hauptmann, Flight Lieutenant, 7. Staffel, JG 53, Second World War 1939-1945)
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale fuer besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg April 1, 1941 (Hauptmann, Flight Lieutenant, Flugzeugfuehrer, JG 53, Second World War 1939-1945, in recognition of achievements during the Battles of France and Britain, achieving a total of 13 air victories)
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz June 1941 (Hauptmann, Flight Lieutenant, Second World War 1939-1945, wounded on June 25, 1941)
Frontflugspange fuer Jaeger in Bronze (Second World War 1939-1945)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on August 6, 1941, decorated by Kesselring on August 9, 1941 with Leutnant Herbert Schramm (Hauptmann, Flight Lieutenant, Kommandeur, III. Gruppe, Jagdgeschwader 53, Second World War 1939-1945, after 25 aerial victories, 270th Award)
Frontflugspange fuer Jaeger in Silber (Second World War 1939-1945)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #122 on September 9, 1942 (Hauptmann, Flight Lieutenant, Fuehrer, Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet, Second World War 1939-1945, for being the 20th pilot achieving 100 aerial victories, 122nd Award)
Frontflugspange fuer Jaeger in Gold (Second World War 1939-1945)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold November 3, 1942 (Major, Squadron Leader, Kommandeur, Jagdgeschwader 3, Second World War 1939-1945, for 135 air victories, Award 1/126)
Frontflugspange fuer Jaeger in Gold mit Anhaenger und Einzatszahl (Second World War 1939-1945, with pennant 700)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #23 December 23, 1942 (Major, Squadron Leader, Kommodore, Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet, Second World War 1939-1945, after 155 aerial victories, 23rd Award)
Wehrmachtbericht March 30, 1944 (Oberst, Group Captain, Kommodore, Jagdgeschwader 3 Udet, Second World War 1939-1945, the commodore of a fighter wing Oberst Wilcke, who had been awarded the Oak Leaves and Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 155 aerial victories by the Fuehrer, found a heroes death in aerial combat. With him the Luftwaffe loses one of their most outstanding fighter pilots and formation leaders)

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Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (11 March 1913 – 23 March 1944) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 162 enemy aircraft shot down in 732 combat missions. He claimed the majority of his victories over the Eastern Front, and 25 over the Western Front, including four four-engined bombers.

Wilcke was born on 11 March 1913 at Schrimm in the Province of Posen, part of the Kingdom of Prussia at the time, now Śrem in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland. He was the son of a Hauptmann (captain) of Infanterie-Regiment 47 (47th Infantry Regiment), Hans Wilcke, who died of pneumonia when Wilcke was just four weeks of age. His mother, Hertha von Schuckmann, married again on 14 June 1919. In 1931, Wilcke was arrested for attending a then-illegal demonstration of the Nazi Party. Although his loyalty to the Nazi cause is emphasized multiple times in his personal military files, according to biographers Prien and Stemmer, he was a firm opponent of the National Socialist regime; later in his career, for a time after taking command of III. Gruppe (3rd group) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing), he had the Swastikas on his unit's aircraft painted over. He volunteered for military service in the Reichswehr after receiving his Abitur (diploma). He joined Artillerie-Regiment 6 (6th Artillery Regiment) in Minden as a Fahnenjunker (officer cadet) on 1 April 1934. His legal guardian and stepfather, Friedrich von Scotti, also served in this regiment.

As a Fähnrich (officer candidate), Wilcke was posted to the Kriegsschule (war school) in Dresden on 1 October 1934. On 1 November 1935, he was transferred to the newly emerging Luftwaffe holding the rank of Oberfähnrich (senior officer candidate). On 20 April 1936, while serving at the flight school in Perleberg, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant). On 15 October he was transferred to Jagdgeschwader "Richthofen", also known as Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing), named after the World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen and forerunner of Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing) "Richthofen". There he excelled as a pilot and showed exceptional leadership ability and was sent as fighter pilot instructor to the Jagdfliegerschule (fighter pilot school) in Werneuchen in the second half of 1937.

In March 1939, Wilcke volunteered for service with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. For a few weeks, he flew with 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of Jagdgruppe 88 (J/88—88th Fighter Group) without claiming any aerial victories. He was awarded the Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Bronze mit Schwertern) for his service in Spain. In Spain he became friends with Werner Mölders and when Mölders was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the newly created III. Gruppe of JG 53, he selected Wilcke as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of JG 53.

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. Wilcke, who at the time was still a member of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of JG 53, flew missions over Poland. He claimed his first aerial victory on 7 November 1939, over the Western Front when he shot down an Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) Potez 630, a twin-engined fighter, near Völklingen during the Phoney War. For this achievement he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse) on 25 November 1939.

From 2–16 January 1940, Wilcke and other pilots from III. Gruppe went on a ski vacation to the Vorarlberg. On 11 March 1940, he shot down another Potez at an altitude of 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) near the "three-nations-corner" north of Metz. He claimed his third victory at 2:55 pm on 25 March. 7. Staffel engaged a flight of Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 at 4,000 m (13,000 ft). In the resulting aerial battle, Wilcke shot down one of the Moranes over Diedenhofen.

The Battle of France, the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, began on 10 May 1940. On 18 May 1940, Wilcke was shot down by eight French Curtiss P-36 Hawks west of Rethel, bailed out, and was taken prisoner of war. After the armistice on 22 June 1940, he returned on 30 June 1940, was promoted to Hauptmann on 1 July, and reassumed command of 7. Staffel, earning the Iron Cross 1st Class on 11 July 1940.

On 13 August 1940, he replaced Hauptmann Harro Harder as Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 53 during the Battle of Britain. On the same day, his engine failed over the English Channel, forcing him to bail out; he was rescued by a Dornier Do 18. III./JG 53 escorted bombers to London on 30 August; Wilcke destroyed a barrage balloon and claimed a Spitfire near Dover. On 1 September, he claimed a Hurricane south of London. On 11 September, he claimed a Fairey Swordfish biplane over the Channel. On 15 September (Battle of Britain Day), he claimed a Hurricane south of London. On 17 September, he claimed another Hurricane near Ashford. On 20 September, he claimed a Hurricane northwest of Dungeness. On 30 September, during two missions, he claimed two Spitfires (one unconfirmed). On 10 October, he claimed a Spitfire, his last of the Battle of Britain, earning the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 1 April 1941.

On 22 June 1941, supporting Operation Barbarossa, III./JG 53 crossed into Soviet airspace. Wilcke claimed three I-15 biplanes at Alytus and Oranji, and another I-15 during a Stuka escort to Grodno, achieving an ace-in-a-day with five victories. On 25 June, he was slightly injured in a takeoff collision at Vilnius. He claimed an I-15 on 30 June near Barysaw. On 1 July, he formed "Gefechtsverband Wilcke" with III./JG 53 and II./JG 52. He claimed a Pe-2 on 9 July, an I-16 on 25 July near Vyazma, an I-180 on 29 July near Dukhovshchina, and another near Yartsevo-Bely. He reached 25 victories and was awarded the Knight's Cross on 6 August 1941, presented by Albert Kesselring on 9 August. He claimed two more near Velikiye Luki on 23 August. III./JG 53 returned to Germany in October, claiming 769 victories with losses of 6 killed, 7 missing, 2 captured, and 12 wounded.

III./JG 53 deployed to Catania, Sicily, on 28 November 1941; Wilcke arrived on 2 December. It moved to Timimi, Libya, on 6 December. Wilcke claimed a Hurricane on 11 December during a Ju 88 escort to Bir Hakeim. The unit returned to Sicily on 17 December for the siege of Malta, claiming four RAF fighters (Spitfire and Hurricanes) in April-May 1942: a Spitfire on 2 April, a Hurricane on 22 April (killing Pilot Officer "Sonny" Ormrod), another Hurricane on 25 April, and a Spitfire on 12 May.

On 18 May 1942, Wilcke transferred to JG 3 "Udet" Stab. He became its Geschwaderkommodore on 11 August, replacing Oberst Günther Lützow. JG 3 operated from Chuguyev, then Schtschigry for the Stalingrad advance, based at Gorshechnoye, Olkhovatka, Millerovo, Nowy-Cholan, Frolovo, Tuzov, and Pitomnik. Wilcke claimed a LaGG-3 on 13 June (39th victory), another LaGG-3 on 22 June, a LaGG-3 and R-5 on 24 June, three Bostons on 3 July, two LaGG-3s and a Boston on 4 July, an ace-in-a-day (P-39, LaGG-3, R-5, three Hurricanes) on 6 July, two Il-2s on 9 July, four Bostons on 10 July, an R-5 and two MiG-1s on 11 July, an R-5 and two LaGG-3s on 12 July, a LaGG-3 on 18 July, an I-153 and two Hurricanes and two Pe-2s on 26-27 July, and more LaGG-3s in late July. In August, he claimed a Su-2 and two LaGG-3s on 5-6, an unknown on 9, his first as Kommodore (unknown) on 12, and more unknowns and identified (Yak-7, etc.) through 31 August, reaching 96. In September, he claimed four unknowns on 3-6, reaching 100 victories (20th Luftwaffe pilot to do so), earning Oak Leaves on 9 September.

Wilcke claimed unknowns on 10, 12, 18 (four), and 19 September. On 20 September, two LaGG-3s; on 22 September, six Yak-1s (third ace-in-a-day, to 116). At Pitomnik from 23 September, he claimed victories on 24-26 September, 1 November (to 135). He received the German Cross in Gold on 3 November. During the 6th Army encirclement, JG 3 Stab moved to Morozovskaya-West then -South, then Tazinskaya, claiming 25 victories (21 by Wilcke). He claimed an Il-2 and Yak-1 on 24 November, three unknowns on 30 November, one on 2 December, three on 8 December, and four (La-5, three Yak-1s) on 12 December (to 148). He reached 150 on 17 December (149-151), claimed three more on 18 December, and two on 28 December and 5 January 1943, despite a ban. He led operations against the Kuban bridgehead in March 1943; JG 3 Stab returned to München-Gladbach in May, with no missions until October 1943.

Promoted to Oberst on 1 December 1943, Wilcke requested operational flying. In February 1944, ignoring the ban, he flew missions against USAAF, claiming a P-38 on 10 February (157th), a B-24 on 24 February (158th), two B-17s on 4 March (159th-160th). His Bf 109 G-6 was crippled on 6 March; he landed at Neuruppin. On 23 March 1944, leading JG 3 against a USAAF raid on Braunschweig, he claimed a B-17 and P-51 (162nd), but was shot down near Schöppenstedt by Captain Don Gentile and John T. Godfrey of the 4th Fighter Group. He was buried in Mönchengladbach-Holt; Major Friedrich-Karl Müller succeeded him.

Wilcke was credited with 162 aerial victories in 732 combat missions. This includes 138 on the Eastern Front and 24 on the Western Front, plus further unconfirmed claims. He achieved ace-in-a-day status multiple times and was one of the top-scoring Luftwaffe aces.

Wilcke's victory claims are chronicled in various sources, listing dates, times, enemy aircraft types, and locations from his first on 7 November 1939 to his last on 23 March 1944. Notable achievements include multiple claims in single days, such as five on 22 June 1941 and six on 22 September 1942.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf-Dietrich_Wilcke
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34534/Wilcke-Wolf-Dietrich-F%C3%BCrst-JG-3-Udet.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/W/WilckeWD.htm
https://grokipedia.com/page/wolf_dietrich_wilcke
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=25771
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/
https://www.geni.com/people/Friedrich-von-Scotti/6000000191170162827
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&q=Wolf-Dietrich+Wilcke
Obermaier, E., Die Ritterkreuztraeger der Luftwaffe, Hoffmann, 1989
Die Ordenstraeger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrueck, 2002
Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubtraeger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
Patzwall K, Scherzer V, Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D.
Heaton, Colin D. and Lewis, Anne-Marie, The German Aces Speak: World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders, Zenith Press, 2011, ISBN 978-0760341155
Angolia, John R., Knight's Cross, Oak-Leaves and Swords Recipients 1941-45, Osprey Publishing, 2005, ISBN 978-1841766430

Three Luftwaffe Aces from 7./JG 53

Three of the most successful pilots of 7.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As" pose for the camera at the conclusion of the French campaign in June 1940, having each just been awarded with the Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse. They are, from left to right, Oberfeldwebel Franz Götz (who was credited with five confirmed and two unconfirmed victories during the campaign), Leutnant Heinz Altendorf (four victories) and Unteroffizier Hermann Neuhoff (seven victories). Amazingly, all three survived the war, with Götz and Neuhoff subsequently receiving the Ritterkreuz. Like Altendorf, Neuhoff was forced down behind enemy lines and captured – he crashlanded on Malta on 10 April 1942.

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss & Chris Davey

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Fritz Dinger

 At a Tunisian airport Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring (center), Supreme Commander South in the Mediterranean, presented the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to Leutnant Fritz Dinger (left, Staffelführer 4.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As"). To the right is Oberstleutnant Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik'As"). Dinger formally received the Ritterkreuz dated 23 December 1942. The medal was awarded after achieving 49 aerial victories over the course of 500+ sorties.


At a Tunisian airport Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring (right), Supreme Commander South in the Mediterranean, presented the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to Leutnant Fritz Dinger (center, Staffelführer 4.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As"). To the left is Oberstleutnant Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik'As"). Dinger formally received the Ritterkreuz dated 23 December 1942. The medal was awarded after achieving 49 aerial victories over the course of 500+ sorties.

Source :
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-albert-kesselring-presents-lieutenant-fritz-dinger-the-knights-cross-36996661.html?imageid=6F2950C4-FD2C-45D9-93BD-D3CFC037755A&p=291611&pn=1&searchId=654f2b36d0128b97e79066d9962cbd1d&searchtype=0
https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en/scherl/fritz-dinger-1942/photograph/asset/5180258
https://www.topfoto.co.uk/asset/4481468/

Herbert Brönnle, Tutti Müller and Fritz Dinger

Three Luftwaffe aces from Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As" posing for a photograph in south Italy, May-June 1943. From left to right: Leutnant Herbert Brönnle (Flugzeugführer in 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53. 58 aerial victories), Hauptmann Friedrich-Karl "Tutti" Müller (Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53. 140 aerial victories), and Oberleutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53. 67 aerial victories). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Karl Ketelhohn of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) Luftflotte 2.

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-468-1407-15

Bio of Hauptmann Hans Röhrig (1919-1943)

Hans Röhrig

Date of Birth: 04.11.1919 - Hindenburg, Oberschlesien (Germany)
Date of Death: 13.07.1943 - Siracusa, Sicily (Italy)

Promotions:
04.07.1941 Leutnant
07.07.1943 Oberleutnant (RDA from 01.02.1943)
01.09.1943 Hauptmann (posthumously, RDA from 01.03.1944)

Career:
23.09.1940 3.Staffel / Erprobungsgruppe 210
01.05.1941 3.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
04.07.1941 Wounded in action after his Bf 109 F-2 crashed, cartwheeled on take-off from Hostynne
25.07.1941 Recorded his first victory when he shot down a Russian DB-3 twin-engine bomber
00.12.1941 Relocated with 3./JG 53 to the Mediterranean theatre
00.05.1942 Relocated back with I./JG 53 to the Eastern Front
30.06.1942 5./ JG 53, wounded in action after his Bf 109 F-4/Trop. coded 'Yellow 4' shot down by fighters in the area of Kolpna
06.08.1942 His Bf 109 G-2 was shot down by a Yak-1 fighter and bailed out in Pl.Qu. 39891. MIA/Returned
01.09.1942 Relocated with I./JG 53 to the Mediterranean theatre
00.11.1942 Staffelkapitän 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
24.01.1943 9./ JG 53, 1 victory
29.04.1943 9./ JG 53, 1 victory
13.06.1943 9./JG 53, 1 victory
11.07.1943 Recorded his last victories, four USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighters
13.07.1943 Missing in action with Bf 109 G-4/R6/Trop. coded 'Yellow 4+ I' over the Straits of Messina near Catania/Sicily following air combat with Spitfires while he was escorting Ju 52s loaded with paratroops
01.08.1944: officially listed as MIA

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.19__ Flugzeugführerabzeichen
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Frontflugspange für Jäger
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
02.10.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Leutnant and Flugzeugführer in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
26.10.1942 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg

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Hans Röhrig (4 November 1919 – 13 July 1943) was first assigned to Erprobungsgruppe 210. He flew many fighter-bomber missions over England during the Battle of Britain and according to one source, recorded five aerial victories during this time but those victories remain unconfirmed. On 1 May 1941, Röhrig was transferred to JG 53 stationed on the Eastern Front. He recorded his first victory on 25 July, when he shot down a Russian DB-3 twin-engine bomber. Röhrig relocated with 3./JG 53 to the Mediterranean theatre at the end of 1941. From bases in Sicily, he flew missions over Malta but was unable to add any further victory during this time.

In May 1942, I./JG 53 relocated back to the Eastern Front. On 6 August 1942 Leutnant Hans Röhrig (flying Bf.109G-2 W.Nr 13480) was shot down by a Yak-1 fighter, apparently flown by Soviet ace Starshiy Leytenant Mikhail Baranov (183 IAP, 269 IAD). At that time Röhrig had eight victories to his credit. Röhrig claimed his 10th victory on 20 August. In September, Röhrig was particularly successful recording 39 victories during the month. On September 1942, Röhrig had reached 56 victories.

His unit, I./JG 53 were again relocated to the Mediterranean theatre in late September 1942. Leutnant Röhrig was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 2 October 1942. During October, the unit operated over Malta to participate into bomber escort missions. In November 1942, Röhrig was appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 53. He successfully led the unit during the campaigns in Tunisia and Sicily. He recorded his last victories, two USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighters, over Sicily on 11 July 1943. He shot down another two USAAF P-38 on the same day. On 13 July 1943, Röhrig led 9./JG 53 escorting Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft to drop paratroops on the Catania plains. He failed to return from the mission, being shot down and killed by RAF Spitfire fighters which intercepted the escort mission. Röhrig was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann.

Hans Röhrig was credited with 75 victories. He recorded 56 victories over the Eastern Front and 19 victories recorded over the Western Front.

Leutnant Hans Röhrig (Staffelkapitän 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53) in Sicily, January 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Wahner from KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6)

Source :
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries: Section L-R" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://alchetron.com/Hans-R%C3%B6hrig
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_R%C3%B6hrig
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?keywords=roehrig&t=29879&sf=msgonly
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/66446/R%C3%B6hrig-Hans-JG53.htm

Bio of Hauptmann Hans-Karl Mayer (1911-1940)

Hans-Karl Mayer (8 March 1911 – 17 October 1940) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace pilot and recipient of the Ritterkreuz des EIsernen Kreuzes during World War II.

Mayer served with the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War with 1. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88, claiming eight victories. On his return from Spain Oberleutnant Mayer was posted to 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing), becoming Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) in October 1939. He claimed his first victory of World War II on 5 November 1939 downing a French Potez 63. Mayer claimed eight more victories during the Battle of France, including five aircraft shot down on 14 May 1940, making him an "ace-in-a-day".

During the Battle of Britain he then shot down two Hurricanes over the Isle of Wight on 12 August 1940. On 25 August, Mayer shot down a Hurricane for his 15th victory, possibly that of Flight Lieutenant Alfred Bayne of No. 17 Squadron, who bailed out. The next day Mayer shot down two Spitfires. One of his victim was ace Sergeant Cyril Babbage of No. 602 Squadron, who bailed out. Hauptmann Mayer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 3 September 1940.

One of the tallest pilots in the Luftwaffe at that time, Mayer was a highly effective and well-respected Staffelkapitän and, later, Gruppenkommandeur. Unteroffizier Werner Karl, who served with him in 1. Staffel recalled, ‘To me, Hauptmann Mayer was the most remarkable personality; he was exemplary in every respect. He was so tall, he used to cram himself into his cockpit and when on missions used twice as much oxygen than the rest of us’.

Mayer was made Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) I. Gruppe of JG 53 on 1 September 1940, he replaced Hauptmann Albert Blumensaat who was transferred. Command of 1. Staffel was passed on to Oberleutnant Hans Ohly. He recorded his 30th victory on 15 September. On 17 October 1940, Mayer took off in Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 4138—factory number) on a test flight and never returned, his body washing up on the English coast 10 days later. He was possibly a victim of Flight Officer Desmond McMullen or Sergeant John Burgess, both from No. 222 Squadron RAF. He is buried at Hawkinge Cemetery, Kent.

According to Obermaier, Mayer was credited with 39 aerial victories, eight in the Spanish Civil War and 31 on the Western Front of World War II. Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 28 aerial victory claims. This number includes six claims during the Spanish Civil War and 22 over the Western Allies.

Awards
Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 September 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 53

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss & Chris Davey
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Karl_Mayer
http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2013/06/luftwaffe-war-graves-in-england.html

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Luftwaffe Ace Erich Schmidt

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Leutnant Erich Schmidt (pilot in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53), which were held in the Eastern Front on 23 July 1941. Presented the award is General der Flieger Oberst Werner Mölders. On the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, 22 June 1941, Schmidt shot down four Russian aircraft (18-21). He recorded his 30th victory on 4 July when he shot a Russian I-16 fighter.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2015/04/foto-werner-molders.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2363470#p2363470
https://www.luftwaffe.cz/schmidt.html

Günther von Maltzahn in the Cockpit of His Aircraft

When this photograph was taken in the spring of 1940, Hauptmann Günther von Maltzahn was Gruppenkommandeur of II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) – a position he filled from 18 August 1939 through to 8 October 1940, when he was made Geschwaderkommodore of JG 53. He had previously been the Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 53 from June 1937. All 67 of victories came with the ‘Pik-As’ between 20 September 1939 and 4 January 1943, and he survived the war.

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss & Chris Davey

Werner Mölders Climbs Out of the Cockpit

Wearing a fur-lined flying suit, Hauptmann Werner Mölders (Gruppenkommandeur III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53) climbs out of the cockpit of his reserve Messerschmitt Bf 109E at Trier, Southwestern Germany, following an uneventful patrol in the early spring of 1940

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss & Chris Davey

Werner Mölders and Officers of III./JG 53

Officers of III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As" come together for a group photograph in the early spring of 1940. They are, front row, from left to right, Leutnant Josef Volk (9. Staffel, two victories, PoW from 11 November 1940), Oberleutnant Heinz Wittenberg (Stabsoffizier, two victories, survived), Hauptmann Werner Mölders (Gruppenkommandeur), Leutnant Walter Radlick (Stabsoffizier, four victories, killed on 2 October 1940), and Leutnant Georg Claus (Stabsoffizier, 18 victories, killed on 11 November 1940). Middle row, from left to right, Oberleutnant Otto Boenigk (9. Staffelkapitän, one victory, survived), Dr Söstmann, Oberleutnant Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (7. Staffelkapitän, 162 victories, killed on 23 March 1944), Leutnant Hans Riegel (7. Staffel, one victory, killed on 6 September 1940), Leutnant Jakob Stoll (8. Staffel, 13 victories, killed on 17 October 1940), and Leutnant Horst von Wegemann (9. Staffel, one victory, killed on 10 March 1941). Rear row, from left to right, Leutnant Ernst Panthen, (8. Staffel, three victories, survived), Leutnant Heinz Kunert (8. Staffel, nine victories, killed 8 September 1940), Stabzahlmeister Ehrhardt, Leutnant Hans Fleitz (8. Staffel, three victories, killed on 3 June 1940), and Oberleutnant Hans von Hahn (8. Staffelkapitän, 34 victories, survived).

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss & Chris Davey

Werner Mölders Describes Dogfight

Hauptmann Werner Mölders (foreground right, facing camera), Gruppenkommandeur III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53), regales air- and groundcrew of his Gruppenstab with details of his latest encounter with the enemy – possibly that which resulted in his third victory, a No 73 Sqn Hurricane claimed over French territory on 22 December 1939.

Source :
John Weal photo collection
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss & Chris Davey

Werner Mölders and his Gruppe Officers

Officers of the newly activated III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim in the autumn of 1939. They are, from left to right, Leutnant Friedrich-Karl Müller, an unidentified hauptmann of ground personnel (dark collar tabs), Hauptmann Werner Mölders (Gruppenkommandeur) and Oberleutnant Hans von Hahn (Staffalkapitän 8./JG 53). All three pilots would enjoy great aerial success in World War II.

 

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss and Chris Davey

Ace Pilots of Jagdgeschwader 53

Pictured in front of the Deutsche Forschungsansalt für Segelflug (German Gliding Research Institute) hangar at Darmstadt-Griesheim, these five pilots of 2.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) destroyed an entire formation of RAF Battles west of Saarbrücken on 30 September 1939. They are, from left to right: Unteroffizier Josef ‘Sepp’ Wurmheller, Unteroffizier Franz Kaiser, Oberleutnant Rolf Pingel (Staffelkapitän), Stabsfeldwebel Ignaz ‘Igel’ Prestele and Unteroffizier Hans Kornatz. All of them would subsequently become aces.

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss and Chris Davey

Pilots of JG 53 Posing ala Cowboy

 

This photograph of 2. Staffel pilots from Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As" was taken in the autumn of 1939. They are, from left to right, Unteroffizier Hans Kornatz (rear – 36 victories, survived), Leutnant Rudolf Schmid (two victories, killed on 15 September 1940), Leutnant Wilhelm Heidemeier (two victories, killed on 11 July 1941), Unteroffizier Franz Kaiser (nine victories, PoW from 21 April 1942), Stabsfeldwebel Ignaz Prestele (20 victories, killed on 4 May 1942), Oberleutnant Rolf Pingel (28 victories, PoW from 10 July 1941), Feldwebel Franz Gawlik (five victories, survived), Unteroffizier Josef Wurmheller (102 victories, killed on 22 June 1944), unknown, Leutnant Walter Rupp (two victories, PoW from 17 October 1940), and Leutnant Walter Radlick (four victories, killed on 2 October 1940). Two of them would become a Ritterkreuzträger: Rolf Pingel and Josef Wurmheller.

Source :
"Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik'As' Bf 109 Aces of 1940" by Chris Goss and Chris Davey

Bio of Hauptmann Fritz Dinger (1915-1943)

Oberleutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53) in Sicily, Italy, 1943.

Friedrich "Fritz" Dinger

Date of Birth: 20.08.1915 - Ottweiler, Neunkirchen, Rheinprovinz (German Empire)
Date of Death: 27.07.1943 - Scalea, Sicily (Italy)
Buried: Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Cassino (Italy), Plot: 8. Grave: 718.

Promotions:
01.05.1939 Unteroffizier
01.08.1939 Feldwebel
01.11.1940 Leutnant
01.01.1943 Oberleutnant
01.07.1943 Hauptmann

Career:
00.08.1939 Pilot in 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
16.08.1940 WIA - Bf 109 E-3 in combat 50 km North of Cherbourg, ditched in the Channel
00.10.1941 Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
26.07.1942 Stabsoffizier I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
15.10.1942 Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53)
27.07.1943 Killed in action – hit and killed on the ground at Scalea airfield in South Italy by bomb fragments during Allied raid.

Awards and Decorations:
01.08.1939 Flugzeugführerabzeichen
00.00.19__ Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.19__ Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
16.08.1940 Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
26.10.1942 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
05.11.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
01.12.1942 Frontflugspange für Jäger in Gold
23.12.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Leutnant and Staffelführer 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As". Awarded after achieving 49 aerial victories over the course of 500+ sorties.

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Fritz Dinger was born on 20 August 1915 at Ottweiler in Saar. He joined the Luftwaffe pre-war and trained as a fighter pilot. Dinger was posted to JG 53 in August 1939. Unteroffizier Dinger was assigned to 4./JG 53. He participated in the French campaign and the Battle of Britain. On 16 August 1940, Feldwebel Dinger was shot down and wounded. He was forced to come down in the sea 50km north of Cherbourg where he was rescued by the German air-sea rescue service. He was promoted to the rank of Leutnant on 1 November 1940. Operating over the Eastern front, Dinger gained his first victory on 1 July 1941. By the end September he had raised his total to 11. On 5 October, he force-landed Bf 109 F-4 (W.Nr. 7187) near Solugubowka following aerial combat. Dinger escaped injury. In October 1941, II./JG 53 was relocated to the North Sea coast based at Leeuwarden in Holland. Dinger claimed a RAF Blenheim twin-engined bomber shot down on 27 October to record his 12th victory. II./JG 53 were relocated to Sicily in December 1941. He claimed six RAF fighters shot down over and around Malta during spring 1942 (13-18). On 26 July 1942, Dinger was transferred to I./JG 53 based on the Eastern front. Leutnant Dinger was assigned to 1./JG 53. During the summer months of 1942, Leutnant Dinger claimed 30 Russian aircraft shot down, including 29 victories from 1 to 22 September alone. On 15 October 1942, Dinger was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 53 based on Sicily in the Mediterranean theatre. Leutnant Dinger was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 23 December for 49 victories. He was promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant a short while later. On 4 June 1943, he recorded his 60th victory. Dinger was killed by bomb fragments in an allied bombing raid of Scalea on 27 July 1943. Fritz Dinger was credited with 67 victories in over 600 missions. He recorded 41 victories over the Eastern front.

At a Tunisian airport Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring (center), Supreme Commander South in the Mediterranean, presented the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to Leutnant Fritz Dinger (left, Staffelführer 4.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As"). To the right is Oberstleutnant Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik'As"). Dinger formally received the Ritterkreuz dated 23 December 1942. The medal was awarded after achieving 49 aerial victories over the course of 500+ sorties.

At a Tunisian airport Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring (right), Supreme Commander South in the Mediterranean, presented the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to Leutnant Fritz Dinger (center, Staffelführer 4.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As"). To the left is Oberstleutnant Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik'As"). Dinger formally received the Ritterkreuz dated 23 December 1942. The medal was awarded after achieving 49 aerial victories over the course of 500+ sorties.



Fritz Dinger, possibly in the time he received the Ritterkreuz from Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring



Fritz Dinger (left) in Tunisia, North Africa.



Leutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As") in Tunisian airfield, North Africa, end of 1942 or early 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Marnowitz of KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6).



Leutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As") in Tunisian airfield, North Africa, end of 1942 or early 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Marnowitz of KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6).



Leutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As") in Tunisian airfield, North Africa, end of 1942 or early 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Marnowitz of KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6).



Leutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As") in Tunisian airfield, North Africa, end of 1942 or early 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Marnowitz of KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6).



Leutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As") in Tunisian airfield, North Africa, end of 1942 or early 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Marnowitz of KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6).

Fritz Dinger signature.

Leutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 53) in Sicily, January 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Karl Ketelhohn from KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6).

Leutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 53) with his dog in Sicily, January 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Karl Ketelhohn from KBK Lw 6 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 6).

Three Luftwaffe aces from Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik-As" posing for a photograph in south Italy, May-June 1943. From left to right: Leutnant Herbert Brönnle (Flugzeugführer in 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53. 58 aerial victories), Hauptmann Friedrich-Karl "Tutti" Müller (Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53. 140 aerial victories), and Oberleutnant Fritz Dinger (Staffelkapitän 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53. 67 aerial victories). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Karl Ketelhohn of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) Luftflotte 2.

Source :
Bundesarchiv photo collection
ECPAD Archive photo collection
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries: Section A-F" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-albert-kesselring-presents-lieutenant-fritz-dinger-the-knights-cross-36996661.html?imageid=6F2950C4-FD2C-45D9-93BD-D3CFC037755A&p=291611&pn=1&searchId=654f2b36d0128b97e79066d9962cbd1d&searchtype=0
https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en/scherl/fritz-dinger-1942/photograph/asset/5180258
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159039923023308&set=gm.1033044060524366
http://www.luftwaffe.cz/dinger.html
https://www.topfoto.co.uk/asset/4481468/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/22547/Dinger-Fritz.htm