Gerhard Schöpfel

Gerhard Schöpfel (19 December 1912–17 May 2003) was a German World War II Luftwaffe 45-victory flying ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He held the position of Geschwaderkommodore of fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 26.

Military career

Gerhard “Gerd” Schöpfel was born on 19 December 1912 at Erfurt in Thüringen. He was originally a member of the police force but transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1936. Following completion of his flying training, Schöpfel was assigned to I./JG 233 which became I./JG 135 and, finally, I./JG 51. Leutnant Schöpfel was posted to join I./JG 26 in 1939. Oberleutnant Schöpfel took command of 9./JG 26 on its formation on 23 September 1939.

Schöpfel gained his first victory during the Battle of France, a RAF Hurricane near Courtrai on 19 May 1940. He added to his score over the beaches of Dunkirk during the evacuation of the British Army. He was very successful during the Battle of Britain, and on 18 August 1940 he shot down four No. 501 Squadron Hawker Hurricanes in one sortie over Canterbury, England. P/O Bland was killed, and Sgt Kozlowski baled out burnt. The other two victims in this engagement were notable RAF fighter pilots; Sgt. Donald McKay (20 confirmed and 4 damaged victories) who baled out wounded, and P/O Kenneth Lee (7 confirmed and 1 damaged victories), who also baled out wounded. Hauptmann Schöpfel became Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26 when Göring promoted Adolf Galland (104 victories, RK-Br) to Kommodore of JG 26 on 22 August 1940. On 11 September 1940 he was awarded the Ritterkreuz on achieving 20 victories.

On 1 December 1941 he was promoted to Major and on 6 December 1941 became Kommodore of JG 26 when Galland was promoted General der Jagdfieger. Over Dieppe on 19 August 1942 he shot down two Spitfires for his 41st and 42nd victories. Schöpfel left JG 26 on 10 January 1943 to take up the role of Ia (Operations Officer) at Jafü Brittany. He was to serve as Fighter Operations officer southern Italy from July and Fighter Leader Norway from November. On 1 May 1944, he joined III./JG 54 before being appointed Kommodore of JG 4 on 1 June 1944. On 6 August he was shot down in combat near Schwerin flying Bf 109 G-6 (WNr 440728). He baled out wounded.

Following recovery from his wounds in November 1944 Schöpfel was appointed Fighter Leader Hungary. In February 1945 he commanded the Luftkreigsschule at Gatow. On 10 April he was appointed Kommodore of JG 6 based in northern Czechoslovakia.

Schöpfel became a prisoner of the Russians and was interned in Soviet prisons for four and a half years finally returning to Germany in December 1949.

Later life

After his release from imprisonment in the Soviet Union, Schöpfel worked as a chauffeur. He later became a merchant and in the early 1960s returned to the aviation field as an executive of Air Lloyd in Bonn. He died on 17 May 2003.

Victories

Schöpfel flew 700 missions and claimed 45 victories. His total including three USAAF four-engined bombers. All his victories were scored over the Western Front.

Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (27 August 1940)
• German Cross in Gold (9 December 1941)
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 September 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./JG 26 "Schlageter"^[1]

Units

• JG 26
• JG 54
• JG 4
• JG 6

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

• "Aces of the Luftwaffe". Gerhard Schöpfel. http://www.luftwaffe.cz/schopfel.html. Retrieved 24 September 2007.