Günther Radusch

Günther Radusch
Günther Radusch
Nickname(s)	"Fips"
Born	11 November 1912 Schwetz
Died	29 July 1988 (aged 75) Nordstrand
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr)
Years of service	1934–45 1958−71
Rank	Oberst
Unit	J/88, ZG 1, NJG 1, NJG 3, NJG 2, NJG 5
Commands held	II./NJG 3, NJG 5
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Günther Radusch (11 November 1912 – 29 July 1988) was a German aircraft pilot, the sixth highest-scoring night fighter flying ace in the German Luftwaffe during World War II.^{[Notes 1]} He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Günther Radusch is credited with 65 aerial victories. He claimed one victory during the Spanish Civil War, the remaining 64 victories were all claimed at night in over 140 combat missions, including the destruction of 57 four-engine bombers.

Career

Radusch, an enthusiastic glider pilot as a student, joined the military service of the Heer before transferring to the Luftwaffe.^[1] Radusch and nine others, among them Günther Lützow, Wolfgang Falck and Hannes Trautloft, were recommended for Sonderausbildung (special training) at the Lipetsk fighter-pilot school in Russia.^[2] He was sent to Spain as part of the Condor Legion in October 1936 as a Leutnant.^[3] He claimed his only aerial victory in the Spanish Civil War on 22 April 1937. Together with fellow pilot Feldwebel Franz Heilmayer of 2./Jagdgruppe 88 they each claimed one Polikarpov I-15 shot down, one of which was flown by Felipe del Río Crespo, a seven victory flying ace.^[4] Radusch also tested the Heinkel He 112 5-1 under combat conditions in Spain.^[5] For his services in Spain he received the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern).^[1]

Awards

• Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords^[1]
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 19 October 1942 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur^[6]
• German Cross in Gold on 13 February 1943 as Major in the II./NJG 3^[7]
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 29 August 1943 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./NJG 3^[8]
  • 444th Oak Leaves on 6 April 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 5^{[9][Notes 2]}

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces
2. According to Scherzer as Major and not Oberstleutnant.^[8]

References

Citations

1. Obermaier 1989, p. 63.
2. Braatz 2005, pp. 28–51.
3. Forsyth 2011, p. 25.
4. Forsyth 2011, p. 58.
5. Forsyth 2011, p. 33.
6. Patzwall 2008, p. 166.
7. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 364.
8. Scherzer 2007, p. 610.
9. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 81.

Bibliography

• Braatz, Kurt (2005). Gott oder ein Flugzeug – Leben und Sterben des Jagdfliegers Günther Lützow (in German). NeunundzwanzigSechs Verlag. ISBN 3-9807935-6-7.
• 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.
• Forsyth, Robert (2011). Aces of the Legion Condor. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-347-8.
• 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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2005). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe III Radusch - Zwernemann [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color III Radusch – Zwernemann] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-22-5.
• 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.

External links

• "Günther Radusch". Aces of the Luftwaffe. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
• "Günther Radusch". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 27 January 2012.
• "Geheime Flugstunden in Russland". Zeit Online (in German). Retrieved 27 January 2012.