Joachim Brendel

Joachim Brendel

Joachim Brendel
Born 27 April 1921(1921-04-27)
Ulrichshalben near Weimar
Died 7 July 1974(1974-07-07) (aged 53)
Cologne
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service 1939-1945
Rank Hauptmann
Unit JG 51
Commands held 1./JG 51, III./JG 51
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves

Joachim Brendel (27 April 1921 - 7 July 1974) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Brendel was credited with 189 victories claimed in 950 all Eastern Front combat missions.[1] A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[2]

Contents

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Biography

Joachim Brendel was born on April 27, 1921 in Ulrichshalben near Weimar. Brendel began his combat career in 1941 as a Leutnant and Rottenflieger with I./JG 51 on the Russian front. On only his fourth mission he scored his first victory, but had to wait until 31 March 1942 flying another 116 missions to score again. The beginning of 1943 saw a marked change in Brendels performance, by February he had 20 kills to his credit, on the July 9, 1943 he scored his 50th victory. After his 95th victory he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and on the October 16, 1944 he achieved his 150th victory which earning him the Oak Leaves to the Knight' Cross on 14 January 1945 by this time his score stood at 156 kills. By now he had been promoted to the rank of Hauptmann and was Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 51. His final victory came on the April 25, 1945. Joachim Brendel finished the War with 189 victories and emerged as JG 51 highest scorer on the Eastern Front, including over 90 heavily armored Ilyushin Sturmoviks.[3]

He died on July 7, 1974 in Cologne.

Awards

References

Citations
  1. ^ Spick 1996, p. 228
  2. ^ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
  3. ^ Weal 2001, p. 45
  4. ^ Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 59.
  5. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 144.
  6. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 94.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 - 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
  • 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
  • Weal, John (2001). Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Osprey Publishin Limited. ISBN 1-84176-084-6.

External links