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Gunter RallLuftwaffe fighter pilot.
Date of Birth: 10.03.1918
Country:  Germany |
Content:
Biography of Günther Rall
Günther Rall was a Luftwaffe fighter pilot. He was born on March 10, 1918, in Gaggenau. Rall began his flying career in the 52nd squadron under the command of Major Erich Gerhard Barkhorn, and later served in the 11th aviation group and other units. According to Luftwaffe statistics, Rall shot down 275 enemy aircraft, with 271 of them being on the Eastern Front. This placed him third on the list of aces, after Major Erich Hartmann and Major Barkhorn. Rall fought until the final days of the war.
Early Life and Career
Günther Rall, the son of a merchant, joined the 13th infantry regiment as a cadet in December 1936. He received his education at the Dresden Military School and Flight School in 1938. In September 1938, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Luftwaffe. In August 1939, he was assigned to the 3rd aviation group of the 52nd fighter squadron. His mentor was Erich Barkhorn. Rall shot down his first aircraft in France on May 28, 1940. During the "Battle of Britain," on July 24, 1940, he took command of the 8th squadron after the death of its commander. In the spring of 1941, he was transferred to the Soviet-German front and served in the south. By the end of 1941, he had shot down 36 enemy aircraft. On November 28, 1941, he was shot down and suffered a severe spinal injury. After nine months, he returned to the army. In August 1942, he destroyed 26 enemy aircraft and became the commander of the 8th squadron of the 52nd fighter squadron on August 28, 1942. That same year, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and received Oak Leaves for his 100th victory. In late 1942, Rall was appointed as an instructor and sent for the training of flight personnel. In March 1943, he returned to active duty and on July 5, 1943, he was appointed commander of the 3rd group of the 52nd squadron. On September 20, 1943, Adolf Hitler awarded him the Swords to the Knight's Cross. On October 28, 1943, Rall, the second highest-scoring Luftwaffe ace (after Walter Nowotny), shot down his 250th enemy aircraft. On April 16, 1944, he shot down his last aircraft on the Eastern Front, bringing his total to 273 victories.
Later Life and Career
From April 19, 1944, Rall served as the commander of the 2nd aviation group of the 11th fighter squadron, which provided air cover for Germany. He flew the Bf. 190G5 aircraft. On May 12, 1943, he was shot down near Frankfurt and parachuted with serious injuries. After recovering, he was appointed as an instructor at the Fighter Aviation Commanders' School in December 1944. From January 20, 1945, he became the commander of the 300th fighter squadron, but he did not achieve any further victories until the end of the war. Rall shot down a total of 275 enemy aircraft during his combat career, making him the third highest-scoring ace in the Luftwaffe.
After the war, Rall was captured by British forces in May 1945. Following his time in a prisoner of war camp, he returned to Germany. He worked for the Siemens corporation and in 1954, he joined the German Air Force (Bundeswehr), where he was responsible for the conversion of F.104 aircraft. From 1960, he served in the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Defense. In 1966, he became the commander of the 3rd Air Division, and in 1969, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the German Air Force. In October 1970, Rall was promoted to Lieutenant General, and in January 1971, he became the Inspector General of the German Air Force.
