| Günther Scheel | |
|---|---|
|
File:Günther Scheel.jpg Günther Scheel | |
| Born | 23 November 1921 |
| Died | 16 July 1943 (aged 21) |
| Place of birth | Dannenberg, Germany |
| Place of death | MIA (Missing in Action) |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1940–1943 |
| Rank | Leutnant |
| Unit | JG 54 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (posthumously) |
Günther Scheel (23 November 1921 – 16 July 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (posthumously) during World War II. Günther Scheel holds the unique record in World War II of shooting down more aircraft than he flew missions. He was credited with 71 aerial victories—that is, 71 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—in just 70 missions. All his victories were recorded over the Eastern Front.
Military career[]
Upon completing flight training, Leutnant Scheel was posted to 3 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54[1] (sometimes cited as 2 Staffel[2][3]) which was based on the northern end of the Eastern Front in January 1943.[Note 1] At that time, most fighter activity was still involved in covering the blockade of Leningrad. He flew many ground attack missions destroying a number of locomotives and other vehicles. Scheel recorded his first aerial victories on 9 February 1943 by shooting down a pair of La-5 fighters. After that he rarely flew a day without claiming a victory. On 30 May, he shot down four fighters (18-21v.) and did so again on 21 June (26-29v.). By the time of his 50th mission on 22 June his score was 30 victories.
However it was in July, when his unit was transferred to Orel to support the Kursk offensive that he hit a phenominal purple patch, shooting down 41 planes in just 16 days. On the opening day (5 July) he shot down 8 aircraft (31-38v.), then 7 aircraft on 7 July (40-46v.). He shot down five fighters on the 10th (53-57v.) and seven more on 13 July (62-67v.), including three Yak-9 fighters in just two minutes.[4]
But with such intense air activity, his luck finally ran out on the morning of 16 July 1943. Flying his Fw 190 A-5 (Werknummer 710 002, Yellow-8 - the 3 Staffel unit colour) he shot down two fighters, but then collided with the wreckage of the second and crashed[2]
The loss report read: "Ltn Scheel took off at 07.07 hours together with 3.Staffel of I./JG 54 in order to provide a Stuka formation with fighter escort in the vicinity of Orel. After completion of this mission, Ltn Scheel shot down two Yak-9s, during a subsequent fighter sweep. During the second combat, his 71st in total, his left wing hit the enemy aircraft. The wing broke off at the fuselage, which caused the aircraft to immediately start descending from an altitude of 800 metres. In 50 metres altitude the aircraft caught fire and exploded on impact in Planquadrat 64356, at 8.06 hours. Point of impact: about 15 kilometres northest of Bolkhov".[5]
In a tour of only six months he flew 70 missions and scored 71 victories. All his victories were recorded over the Eastern front and included 20 Il-2 Sturmoviks. He was posthumously awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, the Ehrenpokal, and finally the Ritterkreuz on 5 December 1943.
Missing in Action[]
Reports of his fate vary: some say he was killed in the crash and subsequent explosion, others that he bailed out at 200m and landed behind enemy lines. Scheel was reportedly seen in a camp at Jelabuga in 1946, and receiving medical treatment in a camp at Solny in 1948.[2] However, he officially remains missing in action.
Victories[]
| No | Date | Time | Unit & Airfield | Gruppe Kommandeur[6] | Location / Planquad | Claimed Aircraft | Source / Comments[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ? | ? | 2./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk | Hptm Hans Philipp | ? | ? | - |
| 2 | 9 Feb 1943 | 9:20 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk | Hptm Hans Philipp | 10 123 : 1000m | LaGG-5 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 361 |
| 3 | 9 Feb 1943 | 15:25 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk | Hptm Hans Philipp | 10 142 : 900m | LaGG-5 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 362 |
| 4 | 14 Feb 1943 | 13:21 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk | Hptm Hans Philipp | 10 473 : 400m | Il-2 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 370 |
| 5 | 14 Feb 1943 | 13:37 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk | Hptm Hans Philipp | 10 452 : 200m | Il-2 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 371 |
| 6 | 18 Feb 1943 | 8:20 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk | Hptm Hans Philipp | 10 532 : 50m | Il-2 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 385 |
| 7 | 23 Feb 1943 | 10:59 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk | Hptm Hans Philipp | 10 172 : 400m | LaGG-5 | C.2035/I AnerkNr 405 |
| 8 | 21 Mar 1943 | 8:45 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | Hptm Hans Philipp | 00 193 : 4000m | LaGG-3 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 449 |
| 9 | 24 Mar 1943 | 8:53 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | Hptm Hans Philipp | 10 193 : 150m | Il-2 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 452 |
| 10 | 3 Apr 1943 | 17:57 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | ? | 10 141 : 2000m | P-39 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 463 |
| 11 | 8 Apr 1943 | 16:28 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | ? | 90 252 : 10m | LaGG-5 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 467 |
| 12 | 16 Apr 1943 | 12:25 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | Maj Reinhard Seiler | ? | LaGG-5 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 471 |
| 13 | 1 May 1943 | 15:55 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 00 164 : 400m | LaGG-5 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 475 |
| 14 | 5 May 1943 | 11:45 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 00 152 : 4000m | LaGG-3 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 475 |
| 15 | 5 May 1943 | 11:48 | 3./JG 54 - Krasnowardeisk ? | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 00 161 : 2500m | LaGG-3 | C.2032/II AnerkNr 476 |
| 16 | 24 May 1943 | 19:37 | 3./JG 54 - Staraja-Russa | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 09 791 : 400m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 478 |
| 17 | 24 May 1943 | 19:38 | 3./JG 54 - Staraja-Russa | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 09 872 : low-level | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 479 |
| 18 | 30 May 1943 | 13:48 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 10 113 : 2000m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 484 |
| 19 | 30 May 1943 | 19:50 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 11 783 : 3000m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 485 |
| 20 | 30 May 1943 | 19:51 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 11 784 : 2500m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 486 |
| 21 | 30 May 1943 | 20:18 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 10 123 : 1300m | P-40 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 487 |
| 22 | 5 Jun 1943 | 12:01 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 10 451 : 2000m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 490 |
| 23 | 5 Jun 1943 | 12:10 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 10 151 : 4000m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 492 |
| 24 | 10 Jun 1943 | 18:16 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 10 692 : 3000m | LaGG-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 498 |
| 25 | 18 Jun 1943 | 2:02 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 00 334 : low-level | LaGG-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 500 night-time intercept |
| 26 | 21 Jun 1943 | 10:14 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 10 261 : low-level | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 503 |
| 27 | 21 Jun 1943 | 10:15 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 10 262 : 400m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 504 |
| 28 | 21 Jun 1943 | 15:25 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 20 112 : 400m | LaGG-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 507 |
| 28 | 21 Jun 1943 | 20:05 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 20 131 : 3000m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 508 |
| 30 | 22 Jun 1943 | 2:25 | 3./JG 54 - Nikolskoye | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 90 634 : low-level | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 512 night-time intercept |
| 31 | 5 Jul 1943 | 4:18 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 612 : 2000m | LaGG-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 519 |
| 32 | 5 Jul 1943 | 10:02 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 551 : 1500m | P-40 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 526 |
| 33 | 5 Jul 1943 | 10:06 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 534: 50m | P-40 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 527 |
| 34 | 5 Jul 1943 | 12:02 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 583 : 1300m | P-40 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr.528 |
| 35 | 5 Jul 1943 | 18:35 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 481 : 50m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 535 |
| 36 | 5 Jul 1943 | 18:37 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 364 : 200m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 537 |
| 37 | 5 Jul 1943 | 18:38 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 444 : 100m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 538 |
| 38 | 5 Jul 1943 | 18:39 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 451 : 100m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 540 |
| 39 | 6 Jul 1943 | 11:48 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | Maj Reinhard Seiler | 63 568 : 200m | LaGG-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 546 |
| 40 | 7 Jul 1943 | 8:30 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 53 561 : 100m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 552 |
| 41 | 7 Jul 1943 | 8:31 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 56 563 : 100m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 553 |
| 42 | 7 Jul 1943 | 8:32 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 53 592 : 150m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 556 |
| 43 | 7 Jul 1943 | 8:32 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 53 591 : 150m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 555 |
| 44 | 7 Jul 1943 | 14:12 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 53 691 : 2400m | Boston | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 563 |
| 45 | 7 Jul 1943 | 14:15 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 514 : 1000m | Yak-7 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 565 |
| 46 | 7 Jul 1943 | 14:20 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 592 : 100m | Pe-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 567 |
| 47 | 8 Jul 1943 | 8:04 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 561 : 2500m | Boston | C. 2032/II AnerkNr.568 |
| 48 | 8 Jul 1943 | 17:31 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 531 : low-level | La-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 572 |
| 49 | 8 Jul 1943 | 17:40 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 53 693 : low-level | P-39 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 573 |
| 50 | 9 Jul 1943 | 4:45 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 576 : 1500m | P-39 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 574 |
| 51 | 9 Jul 1943 | 5:11 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 575 : 1000m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 576 |
| 52 | 9 Jul 1943 | 5:12 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 579 : 1000m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 578 |
| 53 | 10 Jul 1943 | 7:19 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 753 : 1500m | P-39 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 584 |
| 54 | 10 Jul 1943 | 7:20 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 754 : 1500m | P-39 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 585 |
| 55 | 10 Jul 1943 | 7:22 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 743 : 1000m | P-39 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 586 |
| 56 | 10 Jul 1943 | 13:33 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 543 : low-level | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 590 |
| 57 | 10 Jul 1943 | 18:50 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 714 : low-level | Yak-1 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 593 |
| 58 | 11 Jul 1943 | 4:24 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 572 : 1200m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 594 |
| 59 | 11 Jul 1943 | 4:26 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 573 : 1500m | LaGG-3 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 595 |
| 60 | 11 Jul 1943 | 4:33 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 63 597 : low-level | La-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 596 |
| 61 | 12 Jul 1943 | 7:09 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 64 753 : 600m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 597 |
| 62 | 13 Jul 1943 | 11:11 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 73 144 : 1000m | LaGG-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 606 |
| 63 | 13 Jul 1943 | 11:13 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 73 123 : 1100m | Yak-9 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 607 |
| 64 | 13 Jul 1943 | 11:13 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 73 123 : 1200m | Yak-9 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 608 |
| 65 | 13 Jul 1943 | 14:04 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 54 413 : 200m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 614 |
| 66 | 13 Jul 1943 | 14:12 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 54 442 : 600m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 615 |
| 67 | 13 Jul 1943 | 19:12 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 64 821 : 1200m | LaGG-5 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 616 |
| 68 | 14 Jul 1943 | 15:45 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 54 481 : 100m | Il-2 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 618 |
| 69 | 16 Jul 1943 | 5:25 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 54 443 : 3000m | Spitfire | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 620 |
| 70 | 16 Jul 1943 | 7:55 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 65 412 : 800m | Yak-9 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 621 |
| 71 | 16 Jul 1943 | 8:05 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 64 356 : 200m | Yak-9 | C. 2032/II AnerkNr 623 |
| † | 16 Jul 1943 | 8:06 | 3./JG 54 - Orel | - | 15 km NE of Bolkhov, Orel | JG 54 Archiv |
Awards[]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold on 31 August 1943 (posthumously) as Leutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54[7]
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 13 September 1943 (posthumously) as Leutnant and pilot[8]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 December 1943 (posthumously) as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54[9]
Notes[]
- ↑ For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization
References[]
- Citations
- ↑ Luftwaffe 39-45 Historia website.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Aces of the Luftwaffe website.
- ↑ Bergström (2007) pp53,71,73.
- ↑ Bergström (2007) pg87.
- ↑ Bergström (2007) pg103, taken from unpublished source JG 54 Grünherz Archiv, courtesy Günther Rosipal.
- ↑ Luftwaffe Air Units: Single–Engined Fighters website.
- ↑ Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 401.
- ↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 178.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 375.
- Bibliography
- Bergström. Christer (2007). Kursk – The Air Battle, July 1943. Classic Publications ISBN 1903223881.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001) (in German). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008) (in German). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
- Weal, John (2001). Aviation Elite Units #6: Jagdgeschwader 54 ‘Grünherz’. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-286-5.
- Weal, John (2007). More Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84603-177-9.
- Weal, John (1995). Focke-Wulf Fw190 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-85532-518-7.
External links[]
- "Aces of the Luftwaffe". Günther Scheel. http://www.luftwaffe.cz/scheel.html. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
- "Luftwaffe 39-45 Historia". Günther Scheel. http://www.luftwaffe39-45.historia.nom.br/ases/scheel.htm.Retrieved 24 November 2011
- "Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries". Günther Scheel. http://www.ww2.dk/Lw%20Offz%20-%20S-Z%20-%20April%202012.pdf. Retrieved 29 December 2012
- Luftwaffe: Leutnant at www.geocities.com
- "Luftwaffe Fighter Claims". Günther Scheel. http://lesbutler.co.uk/claims/tonywood.htm. Retrieved 7 January 2013
- "Luftwaffe Air Units: Single–Engined Fighters". Jagdgeschwader 54. http://www.ww2.dk/. Retrieved 7 January 2013
The original article can be found at Günther Scheel and the edit history here.