Rolf Kaldrack
Kaldrack as a Hauptmann
Note: The Oak Leaves at his neck is a photomontage
Born(1913-06-25)25 June 1913
Stargard, Pomerania
Died3 February 1942(1942-02-03) (aged 28)
south of Toropets, Soviet Union
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Kriegsmarine (to 1935)
 Luftwaffe
Years of service1934–1942
RankHauptmann (captain)
UnitCondor Legion (A 88)
Commands heldIII./ZG 76, II./SKG 210
Battles/wars
See battles

Spanish Civil War

World War II

AwardsSpanish Cross in Gold with Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

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]

Early life and career

Kaldrack was born on 25 June 1913 in Stargard, at the time in the Province of Pomerania of the German Empire, present-day in northwestern Poland.[3] He was the son of officer Otto Kaldrack who served as a Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht. Kaldrack volunteered for military service in the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany in 1934 and transferred to the Luftwaffe a year later.[4]

In November 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, Kaldrack flew on as an aerial observer on a Heinkel He 70 Blitz aerial reconnaissance aircraft belonging to Aufklärungsgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion.[5] In March 1937, he flew on as an aerial observer with Kampfgruppe 88.[6] Kaldrack later claimed three aerial victories in Spain and was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern) on 14 April 1939, for his service in the Spanish Civil War.[7] After he returned from Spain, Kaldrack served on the staff of Generaloberst Erhard Milch in the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM—Ministry of Aviation).[4]

In early 1939, Kaldrack, together with Wilhelm Balthasar and Anhäuser, flew a Siebel Fh 104 Hallore twin-engined transport aircraft on one of the longest flights to Africa, covering 40,000 kilometers (25,000 miles).[8][9] In July, Kaldrack was posted to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing). Here, Kaldrack initial served with 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of ZG 1 under the command of Oberleutnant Dietrich Robitzsch.[4][10]

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 21 September, II. Gruppe of ZG 1 was renamed and became Jagdgruppe 101 (JGr. 101—101st Fighter Group). In consequence, 6. Staffel of ZG 1 became the 3. Staffel of JGr. 101.[11] On 31 October, JGr. 101 moved to Neumünster airfield in northern Germany.[12]

On 18 December, during the Battle of the Heligoland Bight, Kaldrack claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Royal Air Force (RAF) Vickers Wellington approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of Heligoland.[13] During the aerial battle, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 (Werknummer 3397—factory number) sustained combat damage, resulting in a forced landing at Westerland on the island of Sylt.[14] For this victory, Kaldrack received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse) the next day.[3]

Later in December, Kaldrack was transferred and appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel of JGr. 101, replacing Hauptmann Hans-Otto Winterer. On 1 March 1940, the Staffel became the 4. Staffel of ZG 1.[15] Kaldrack claimed his second aerial victory on 24 May during the Battle of France. He claimed his victory over a Westland Lysander aircraft, although it may have been Latécoère 298 aircraft although his Messerschmitt Bf 110 sustained combat damage. During the landing attempt at Trier-Euren Airfield, the aircraft overturned injuring Kaldrack and his radio operator Feldwebel Eich Hermanski.[16][17] On 9 June, he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse).[3]

On 26 June, II. Gruppe of ZG 1 was renamed and became III. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing). In consequence, Kaldrack commanded 7. Staffel of ZG 76.[16][18] On 11 July, during the Kanalkampf phase of the Battle of Britain, III. Gruppe of ZG 76 supported Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers in their attack on enemy shipping. The Ju 87 dive bombers sank HMS Warrior.[19] In support of this attack, Kaldrack claimed a Hawker Hurricane fighter shot down.[20] On 16 August, Kaldrack was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of ZG 76 after its former commander Hauptmann Friedrich-Karl Dickoré was killed in action.[16] The Gruppe was then ordered to Stavanger-Sola Airfield in October. On 27 January 1941, Kaldrack claimed a RAF Lockheed Hudson light bomber from No. 224 Squadron off the coast of Norway.[21][22] Hudson N7358 was reported missing over the North Sea, all four members of the crew were killed.[23] On 24 April, III. Gruppe of ZG 76 became II. Gruppe of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 (SKG 210—210th Fast-Bomber Wing).[16]

Operation Barbarossa

In preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, SKG 210 was ordered to airfields close to the German-Soviet demarcation line. Here, SKG 210 was attached to II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps), which was subordinated to Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2), supporting Army Group Centre.[24] Attacking a Soviet airfield at Kozova on 30 June, Kaldrack claimed a Polikarpov I-16 fighter aircraft shot dwon.[25]

Kaldrack and his aerial gunner Unteroffizier Martin Enke were killed in action on 3 February 1942 south of Toropets during the Toropets–Kholm offensive. Kaldrack flying a Bf 110 E-1 "S9+IC" (Werksnummer 4057), collided with a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 fighter he had just shot down.[2] Posthumously, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 5 February and the 70th Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), the first Zerstörer pilot to be so honored.[26][27]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Heaton, Lewis, Olds and Schulze, Kaldrack was credited with 24 aerial victories, including three during the Spanish Civil War.[28] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that he was credited with approximately 24 aerial victories. This number includes three claims during the Spanish Civil War, 18 on the Western Front, and eight on the Eastern Front.[7]

Awards

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
  2. 1 2 Obermaier 1989, p. 48.
  3. 1 2 3 Stockert 2012, p. 343.
  4. 1 2 3 Goss 2018, p. 160.
  5. ↑ Laureau 2010, p. 31.
  6. ↑ Laureau 2010, p. 197.
  7. 1 2 3 Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 607.
  8. ↑ Bölkow 2013, p. 506.
  9. ↑ Bergström 2015, p. 183.
  10. ↑ Prien et al. 2000, p. 317.
  11. ↑ Prien et al. 2001, p. 507.
  12. ↑ Prien et al. 2001, p. 510.
  13. ↑ Shores, Foreman & Ehrengardt 1992, p. 149.
  14. ↑ Prien et al. 2001, p. 513.
  15. ↑ Prien et al. 2001, p. 508.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Goss 2018, p. 161.
  17. ↑ Weal 2012, p. 37.
  18. ↑ Mason 1969, p. 193.
  19. ↑ Mason 1969, pp. 159–166.
  20. ↑ Cull 2017, Chapter I: The First Week — 10 July–16 July.
  21. ↑ Marshall 2002, p. 51.
  22. ↑ Foreman 1994, p. 84.
  23. ↑ Hudson N7358.
  24. ↑ Askey 2017, p. 126.
  25. ↑ Ziefle 2013, p. 103.
  26. ↑ Bergström & Mikhailov 2001, p. 49.
  27. ↑ Stockert 2012, p. 344.
  28. ↑ Heaton et al. 2011, p. 253.
  29. 1 2 Thomas 1997, p. 344.
  30. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 217.
  31. 1 2 Scherzer 2007, p. 429.
  32. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 249.
  33. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 58.

Bibliography

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  • Bergström, Christer (2015). The Battle of Britain: An Epic Conflict Revisited. Oxford, UK: Casemate. ISBN 978-1612-00347-4.
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  • Accident description for Hudson N7358 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 July 2022.
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