Living Luftwaffe Aces

[Doktor Krollspell]

Gentlemen!

Hans Stollnberger recieved the Knight's Cross on 14.10.1942 as a Leutnant, Staffelführer 8./SG 1. He recieved the DKiG on 24.09.1942 and his last rank was that of Hauptmann. Source is Veit Scherzer's "Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945" (2005).


Regards,

Krollspell

[Erich]

so a ground attack unit and I wonder then if he servd in KG 51 or 54 flying 262's ?

[Paddy Keating]

I have his resumé somewhere. Probably not on this laptop. When I get home in a few days' time, I will dig it out for you. Perhaps someone will oblige in the meantime. While we're waiting, here are some of his papers and medals.

PK

[Erich]

Paddy yes that would be most appreciated when you have the time. A most impressive collection for one Ritterkreuzträger, thank you for sharing this......

I see the tail kills going up on a Bf 109 - foto so wonder what JG he flew in before his transfer into an ground attack unit ? the b/w pic with his RK and he sitting in the cockpoit of a Fw 190 figures nicely into that SG 1 time frame, ground attack and/or flying high cover missions for the Ju 87D's of SG 1 ?

Erich ~

[Paddy Keating]

Here's my write-up for a website on which I showed his grouping.

Hans Stollnberger’s active career began in July 1940 during the Battle of Britain with II. (Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 1, based at Cambrai in northern France and commanded by Hauptmann Otto Weiss. The 2nd Gruppe was equipped with Henschel 123s. II.(S)/LG 1 was recalled to Germany in July 1940 to retrain on Messerschmidt BF109Es and then posted back to France, to Calais-Marck, in time for the finale of the Battle of Britain in September 1940. II.(S)/LG 1 remained at Calais-Marck until March 1941, when the gruppe moved to participate in the invasion of Yugoslavia, where Stollnberger won the EK2 on 09.05.1941 as Fahnrich, his award document being signed by General der Flieger Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, Commander of VIII Fliegerkorps.



Receiving the Fighter Clasp in Bronze on 28.06.1941, he was promoted to Leutnant on 30.06.1941. He flew with 4. Staffel, commanded by Alfred Druschel, in Operation Barbarossa, supporting Army Group South. He received the EK1 and the Fighter Clasp in Gold on 23.07.1941. His EK1 document is signed by Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring.

In September and October 1941, II.(S)/LG 1 was based at Kalinin, covering the unsuccessful attempt to take Moscow. On 13.01.1942, II.(S)/LG 1 became Schlachtgeschwader 1, still commanded by Otto Weiss, now an Oberstleutnant. On 07.02.1942, Stollnberger received the Ehrenpokal. The squadron covered the advance of Army Group South towards Stalingrad and into the Crimea. On 01.05.1942, he received the Winter War Medal.

In September 1942, Stollnberger became Staffelführer of 8./Sch. G. 1 and received the DkiG on 24.09.1942. He was then awarded the Ritterkreuz on 14.10.1942, receiving it in the field on 18.10.1942 after his 460th combat mission as a schlachtflieger with 20 confirmed victories. He received the Pendant to his Gold Flighter Clasp on 06.12.1942 and was promoted Oberleutnant on 20.02.1943. On 20.03.1943, he received the Crimea Shield. He was also decorated by the Bulgarians.



On 24.05.1943, Stollnberger was promoted Hauptmann and took part in the Battle of the Kursk Salient (Zitadelle) in July 1943 as Staffelkapitan of 6./ Sch. G. 1. By this time, the squadron had converted from Bf109Es to Focke-Wulf 190As and was commanded by Alfred Druschel. At one point, Stollnberger was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft guns and spent four days dodging about behind enemy lines before crossing the Don river at night and reaching German lines.

Stollnberger was posted from the Eastern Front to France for a spell as an instructor with 2./SG 101, formed in February 1942 from Schlachtfliegerschule 1 and based in Reims. From 18.05.1944 to 10.11.1944, Stollnberger commanded I./SG 101, flying Ar 96s, Fw 190s and Hs 129s out of Paris-Orly and then, as Allied forces advanced through eastern France, Wischau.

He was then posted to III./SG 4 as CO. On 22.01.1945 he went to 8./SG 10 in Papa, Hungary as Staffelkapitan. SG 10 was equipped with Fw 190Fs and Gs. As the Soviets advanced, the squadron left Papa in March 1945, returning to Germany, and in the final weeks of the war, flew from Bad Vöslau, Markersdorf, Hörsching, Wels and Zeltweg.

Hauptmann Stollnberger ended WW2 with a score of 45 aerial victories plus countless ground targets destroyed during more than 600 combat missions.

Herr Stollnberger has said that his final couple of victories were in Me262s or "turbojäger". He is commonly listed as a Stuka ground attack pilot but as you can see, he was also a fighter pilot so the graduation to Me262s at the end of the war would appear to make sense, given the Führerbefehl regarding the way in which the new jets were to be employed.

Now, who flew out of Bad Vöslau, Markersdorf, Hörsching, Wels and Zeltweg? I am not a committed student of the Luftwaffe air war, as you know. My bag is airborne units. Perhaps someone can shed some light on this.

Erich, I've sent you a PM.

PK

[Erich]

excellent biographical information Paddy........many thanks for this.

now on the hunt for more / the Me 262's I have an idea but could be way off base.... one of the gruppen in EJG 1 or 2 but need to check the airfield references.

Erich, received your PM, thank you

[advsmt]

Hi

I am afraid your list is well out of date. At least 35 have passed away - I have dates for all. Grislawski, Glunz, Josten, Becker, Jabs, Schack, Gratz, Marquardt, Obleser, Beerenbrock, Woidich, Freytag, Rossmann, Ewald, Ohlrogge, Haibock, Lange, Kohler, Schonfelder, Schopfel, Huy, Schmidt, Loos, Litjens (born Hasselt), Rauh, Pusch, Meyn, Schulte, Lutter, Polz, Lang, v.Rettberg, Hachtel, Stolle, Hadeball, Kaiser. All dead now,

[Erich]

as you are offering ? would you list names with dates please ? am quite interested in Herbert Rauhs passing

many thanks

Erich

[advsmt]

Hi

Huy 13.7.03 Gernsbach
Beerenbrock 13.12.04 Morsbach
Grislawski 19.9.03
Jabs 26.10.03 Ludenscheid
Schack 14.6.03
Glunz 1.8.02
Josten 7.7.04
Becker 9.2.06 Oberneisen
Buchner 1.12.05
Ewald 20.3.02 Coburg
Feytag 2.6.03 Marseille (Foreign Legion home)
Gratz 14.3.02 Leck
Hachtel 1984
Hadeball 13.10.96
Haibock 3.7.02
Kaiser 5.12.03
Kohler 30.8.00
Kutscha 19.9.03 Kempten
Lange 26.2.06
Lau, Fritz 1.1.03 Felde
Loos 16.12.04
Lutter 13.3.04 Buckeburg
Marquardt 19.12.03 Hammersbach
Neuhoff 0.0.06
Obleser 5.6.04 Neunkircken
Ohlrogge 30.4.03 Bochum
Pusch 0.0.90
Rauh 30.8.05 Neukirchen
v.Rettberg 9.3.95 Neckargemund
Rossmann 4.4.05
Schmidt, Dieter 6.3.02 Hofheim
Schonfelder 23.9.03 Bad Schwalbach
Schulte Hellmuth 9.7.82 Opladen
Stolle 22.1.04 Rheinbach
Unger 23.6.05 Warstein
Woidich 5.7.04

Stuka Schlacht men

Lang 29.12.03
Polz 7.1.02
Meyn 4.5.02
Tritsch 19.12.71

Best I can do. Some people I have no place, or full date. please fell free to correct me. Also not put in umlauts(not sure of spelling) -sorry

[Jan-Hendrik]

Mr. Julius Meimberg is still alive , Mr. Hajo Hermann too . Met them yesterday :

http://forum.panzer-archiv.de/viewtopic ... c&start=15

Jan-Hendrik

Julius passed away on 17th January...at home. R.I.P., Julius....



Jan-Hendrik

[Richard Hargreaves]

That's very sad news. If anyone has the chance to read them, his memoirs are excellent. I believe there's an English translation imminent.