Werner Thierfelder

Werner Thierfelder
Born 24 December 1915
Berlin
Died 18 July 1944(1944-07-18) (aged 28)
near Landsberg am Lech
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Years of service ?–1944
Rank Hauptmann
Unit ZG 26
ZG 2
Ekdo 262
Commands held III./ZG 26
Ekdo 262
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Werner Thierfelder (24 December 1915 – 18 July 1944) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Werner Thierfelder was killed on 18 July 1944. Unit commander of Erprobungskommando 262, out of Lechfeld, he was lost in crash of a Me 262A-1a under unclear circumstances. Luftwaffe records indicate that he was shot down but U.S. and British records show no comparable engagement. A possible cause is that Thierfelder exceeded the airframe's limiting Mach number in a dive, perhaps while pursuing an Allied reconnaissance aircraft, leading to an irrecoverable dive.[1] During his career he was credited with 27 aerial victories, 6 on the Western Front and 21 on the Eastern Front.

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Scherzer as Oberleutnant of the Reserves and pilot in the I./Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel".[3]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Price, Dr. Alfred, "Messerschmitt Me 262: Missed Opportunity or Impossible Dream?", International Air Power Review, AIRtime Publishing Inc., Westport, Connecticut, 2007, ISBN 978-1-880588-99-4, pp.137-138.
  2. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 421.
  3. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 742.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1. 
Military offices
Preceded by
None		 Commander of Erprobungskommando 262
April 1944 – 18 July 1944 		Succeeded by
Major Walter Nowotny
Preceded by
Major Johann Kogler		 Commander of III. Zerstörergeschwader 26
2 June 1944 – 18 July 1944 		Succeeded by
None
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