Leopold Fellerer

Leopold "Poldi" Fellerer (7 June 1919 – 16 July 1968) was a Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Leopold Fellerer
Born7 June 1919
Vienna, Austria
Died16 July 1968(1968-07-16) (aged 49)
Mautern, Austria
Allegiance Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Austria
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Austrian Air Force
Years of service1937–1945
1950s–1968
RankHauptmann (Luftwaffe)
Oberstleutnant (Austrian Air Force)
UnitNJG 1, NJG 2, NJG 5, NJG 6
Commands heldII./NJG 5, III./NJG 6
Battles/warsWorld War II
  • Defense of the Reich
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Early life and career

Fellerer, the son of a Beamter, was born on 7 June 1919 in Vienna, Austria. In 1937, he applied for service in the Austrian Air Force but was rejected and joined the Army where he served with Infanterieregiment 3. Following the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938, Fellerer applied for service in the Luftwaffe and was again rejected. As a member of Infanterieregiment 131, an infantry regiment of the 44th Infantry Division, he participated in the annexation of Sudetenland.[1]

In November 1938, following two further applications, he was accepted for flight training.[Note 1] He was selected to become a bomber pilot and completed his training at a Kampffliegerschule (Combat pilot school). In April 1940, Fellerer was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and posted to the Kampffliegerschule-Ergänzungsgruppe, a supplementary training unit for bomber pilots.[3]

World War II
A map of part of the Kammhuber Line. The 'belt' and night fighter 'boxes' are shown.

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, bombing missions by the Royal Air Force (RAF) shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign.[4] By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector, named a Himmelbett (canopy bed), would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.[5]

Night fighting

Fellerer was posted to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) as Technical Officer.[6] He claimed his first victory on 11 February 1941, a Handley Page Hampden bomber X3001 of No. 49 Squadron north of Alkmaar.[7] He was transferred to 4. Staffel of NJG 1 in June 1941. On 16 June, his Messerschmitt Bf 110 D-0 "G9+DM" was hit by the defensive gunfire from the RAF Vickers Wellington W5447 from No. 218 Squadron. The combat took place over the North Sea west of Den Helder. Fellerer and his radio operator Oberfeldwebel Heinz Hätscher returned to Bergen airfield.[8]

On 10 October 1942, Fellerer was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel of NJG 1. Due to a redesignation, this squadron became the 5. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5—5th Night Fighter Wing) on 1 December 1942.[9] Promoted to Hauptmann, Fellerer became Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of NJG 5 on 21 December 1943. During this period, Fellerer raised his score to 18 victories.

In January 1944, Fellerer claimed two United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) heavy bombers in daylight- a Consolidated B-24 Liberator on 4 January, and a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress on 11 January. On the night of 20/21 January 1944 he claimed five Royal Air Force (RAF) bombers. He was then awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 5 February 1944.[9]

After 34 victories Hauptmann Fellerer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 8 April 1944. He then moved to command III. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 6 (NJG 6—6th Night Fighter Wing) in May 1944.

During August–October 1944, Fellerer and III./NJG 6 also flew operations to counter supply operations from Italy to the Polish Home Army uprising in Warsaw. He claimed two Douglas DC-3s and two Liberators during this time, his final aerial victory coming in October 1944.

In 450 missions Leopold Fellerer claimed 41 aerial victories, 39 of them at night. 32 were four engine heavy bombers.[Note 2]

Later life

During the 1950s, he served with the Austrian Air Force, becoming Commander of the Langenlebarn Airbase in Tulln on the Danube, retiring as an Oberstleutnant. Leopold Fellerer died on 15 July 1968 in an air crash, his Cessna L-19 coming down near Krems.[10]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Foreman, Parry and Matthews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 40 nocturnal victory claims.[11] Matthews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Fellerer with 36 claims, including one four-engined bomber by day, plus four further unconfirmed claims.[12]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 75884". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.[13]

Awards

Notes
  1. Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations. For pilots destined to fly multi-engine aircraft, the training was completed with the Luftwaffe Advanced Pilot's Certificate (Erweiterter Luftwaffen-Flugzeugführerschein), also known as the C-Certificate.[2]
  2. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
  3. According to Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, this claim was unconfirmed while Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 confirm this claim.[26][14]
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References

Citations
  1. Berger & Habisohn 2003, p. 36.
  2. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. Berger & Habisohn 2003, p. 37.
  4. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 9.
  5. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 27.
  6. Bowman 2016a, p. 34.
  7. Bowman 2016a, p. 27.
  8. Accident description for Bf 110 G9+DM at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 19 April 2020.
  9. MacLean 2007, p. 126.
  10. Bowman 2016a, p. 244.
  11. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, pp. 16–220.
  12. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 303–304.
  13. Planquadrat.
  14. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 303.
  15. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 16.
  16. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 31.
  17. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 32.
  18. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 35.
  19. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 37.
  20. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 40.
  21. Accident description for Hudson V8981 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 19 April 2020.
  22. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 44.
  23. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 48.
  24. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 56.
  25. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 58.
  26. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, pp. 62, 129, 130.
  27. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 119.
  28. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 124.
  29. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 129.
  30. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 130.
  31. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 304.
  32. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 139.
  33. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 140.
  34. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 141.
  35. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 142.
  36. Spiegel Online—Search for Clues.
  37. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 144.
  38. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 148.
  39. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 171.
  40. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 172.
  41. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 196.
  42. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 198.
  43. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 203.
  44. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 210.
  45. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 217.
  46. Foreman, Parry & Matthews 2004, p. 220.
  47. Patzwall 2008, p. 75.
  48. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 111.
  49. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 150.
  50. Scherzer 2007, p. 305.

Bibliography
  • Berger, Florian; Habisohn, Christian (2003). Ritterkreuzträger im Österreichischen Bundesheer 1955–1985 [Knight's Cross Bearers of the Austrian Armed Forces 1955–1985] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-2-0.
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  • Bergström, Christer; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bowman, Martin (2016a). Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940–1943. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-4738-4986-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bowman, Martin (2016b). German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command 1943–1945. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1-4738-4979-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Foreman, John; Parry, Simon; Matthews, Johannes (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
  • Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "Spurensuche: Der letzte Flug der Halifax LW 337" [Search for Clues: The Last Flight of the Halifax LW 337]. Spiegel Online (in German). 15 October 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
Military offices
Preceded by
Hauptmann Baer		 Gruppenkommandeur of II. Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
February 1944 - 10 May 1944		 Succeeded by
Major Hans Leickhardt
Preceded by
None		 Gruppenkommandeur of III. Nachtjagdgeschwader 6
10 May 1944 - February 1945		 Succeeded by
Hauptmann Wilhelm Johnen
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