Rolf Kaldrack

Rolf Kaldrack (25 June 1913 – 3 February 1942) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[1] Kaldrack is credited with at least 24 aerial victories, 3 of which claimed during the Spanish Civil War flying with Aufklärungsgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion.[2]

Rolf Kaldrack
Born	25 June 1913 Stargard, Pomerania
Died	3 February 1942 (1942-02-04) (aged 28) south of Toropets, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1934–42
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	Condor Legion (A 88)
Commands held	III./ZG 76
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of the Heligoland Bight Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Eastern Front  †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Rolf Kaldrack and his aerial gunner Unteroffizier Enke were killed in action on 3 February 1942 south of Toropets. Kaldrack flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 E-1 "S9+IC" (Werksnummer 4057 — factory number), collided with a Mig-1 he had just shot down. Posthumously he received the 70th Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.[2]

Awards

• Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (19 December 1939)[3]
  • 1st Class (9 June 1940)[3]
• German Cross in Gold on 5 February 1942 (posthumously) as Hauptmann in the II./SKG 210[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 2 November 1940 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of III./ZG 76[5]
  • 70th Oak Leaves on 9 February 1942 (posthumously) as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of II./SKG 210[5]

References

Citations

1. Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
2. Obermaier 1989, p. 48.
3. Thomas 1997, p. 344.
4. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 217.
5. Scherzer 2007, p. 429.

Bibliography

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.