Rudi Linz

Rudi Linz
Born 14 February 1917(1917-02-14)
Ilmenau, Germany
Died 9 February 1945(1945-02-09) (aged 27)
Meistad, Norway
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Rank Leutnant
Unit JG 5
Battles/wars

World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudi Linz (14 February 1917 – 9 February 1945) was a Luftwaffe (German air force) fighter ace during the Second World war. Linz was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for a total of 70 aerial victories claimed. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

On 9 February 1945 Linz was shot down and killed in action flying Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8 (Werknummer 732183—factory number) in defense of the German destroyer Z33 in an operation which was later labeled as Black Friday by the Allied aircrew.[1] Linz claimed his 70th and final aerial victory in this engagement over a North American P-51 Mustang possibly from No. 65 Squadron RAF.[2] The Fw 190A-8 flown by Linz in his last combat still exists, and is being restored by the Texas Air Museum in San Antonio, Texas to at least display status, as of 2011.

Awards

References

Citations
  1. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 159.
  2. ^ Weal 2007, p. 43.
  3. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 293.
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.
  • 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.
  • Weal, John (2007).More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 184603177X.