Albert Brunner
Brunner (right), next to Heinrich Ehrler
Born17 July 1918
Mergentheim
Died7 May 1943(1943-05-07) (aged 24)
Petsamo, Finland
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1940–1943
RankOberfeldwebel (staff sergeant)
UnitJagdgeschwader 5
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Albert Brunner (17 July 1918 – 7 May 1943) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Brunner claimed 53 aerial victories, all over the Eastern Front.[1] The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Brunner was killed in action on 7 May 1943 near Petsamo, Finland. Following combat with Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters, he was forced to bail out of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 14802—factory number) approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) southwest of Groß Venedigerberg, a German name for a hill east of Pechenga. Too low for his parachute to fully deploy, he fell to his death.[2] His victor may have been Leytenant Nikolai Andreevich Bokii. Posthumously, Brunner was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 July 1943.[3]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Brunner was credited with 53 aerial victories claimed in 135 combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[4] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and also state that he was credited with 53 aerial victory claims.[5]

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –[5]
Eastern Front and northern Norway, and Finland — 6 December 1941 – 31 December 1942
1 29 May 1942 23:20 Hurricane 20 km (12 mi) south of Nautsi[6][7] 4 18 July 1942
—
 P-40 20 km (12 mi) north of Murmansk[8][9]
2 24 June 1942
—
 Hurricane 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Kola[10][9] 5 19 July 1942
—
 P-40 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Shonguy[8][9]
3 7 July 1942
—
 Hurricane 6 km (3.7 mi) southwest of Murmansk[10][9] 6 19 July 1942
—
 Hurricane 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Kola[8][9]
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Brunner claimed three undocumented aerial victories in July and August 1942.[11] These claims are neither listed by Mombeek nor by Mathews and Foreman.[12][13]
10 22 August 1942
—
 P-39[14][15]
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Brunner claimed two undocumented aerial victories in August and September 1942.[11] These claims are neither listed by Mombeek nor by Mathews and Foreman.[14][13]
13 5 September 1942
—
 unknown[14][15] 14 5 September 1942
—
 unknown[14][15]
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Brunner claimed twelve to fifteen undocumented aerial victories in January to April 1943.[16] These claims are neither listed by Mombeek nor by Mathews and Foreman.[17][13]
23 March 1942 14:20 P-40[18] vicinity of Shonguy[19] 46 13 April 1943
—
 P-40 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Murmansk[20]
39 4 April 1943
—
 Hurricane[18][19] 47 19 April 1943
—
 P-40 3 km (1.9 mi) east of Murmansk[20]
40 4 April 1943
—
 P-40[19] vicinity of Pechenga 48 17 April 1943
—
 P-40 17 km (11 mi) east of Kolo[20]
41 4 April 1943
—
 P-40[19] vicinity of Pechenga 49 22 April 1943
—
 P-51 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Murmansk[20]
42 4 April 1943
—
 P-40[19] vicinity of Pechenga 50 22 April 1943
—
 P-40 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Murmansk[20]
43 13 April 1943
—
 Hurricane[19] vicinity of Murmashi 51 29 April 1943
—
 P-39[20]
44 13 April 1943
—
 Hurricane[19] vicinity of Murmashi 52 30 April 1943
—
 P-40[20]
45 13 April 1943
—
 Hurricane[20] vicinity of Murmashi 53 7 May 1943
—
 P-39[20] east of Pechenga

Awards

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Stennman & Keskinen 2015, p. 25.
  2. ↑ Prien et al. 2012, p. 232.
  3. ↑ Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 164.
  4. ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 95.
  5. 1 2 Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 164–165.
  6. ↑ Mombeek 2011, p. 261.
  7. ↑ Prien et al. 2006, p. 424.
  8. 1 2 3 Mombeek 2011, p. 264.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Prien et al. 2006, p. 426.
  10. 1 2 Mombeek 2011, p. 263.
  11. 1 2 Prien et al. 2006, p. 431.
  12. ↑ Mombeek 2011, pp. 264–265.
  13. 1 2 3 Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 165.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Mombeek 2011, p. 265.
  15. 1 2 3 Prien et al. 2006, p. 429.
  16. ↑ Prien et al. 2012, p. 230.
  17. ↑ Mombeek 2011, pp. 267–269.
  18. 1 2 Mombeek 2011, p. 269.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Prien et al. 2012, p. 225.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prien et al. 2012, p. 226.
  21. ↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 59.
  22. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 64.
  23. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 147, 488.
  24. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 248.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (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.
  • Mathews, 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.
  • Mombeek, Eric (2011). Eismeerjäger—Zur Geschichte des Jagdgeschwaders 5—Band 4 [Fighters in the Arctic Sea—The History of the 5th Fighter Wing—Volume 4]. Linkebeek, Belgium: ASBL, La Porte d'Hoves. ISBN 978-2-930546-05-6.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
  • 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.
  • Stennman, Kari; Keskinen, Kalevi (2015). Luftwaffe over Finland. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78438-155-4.
  • Weal, John (2016). Arctic Bf 109 and Bf 110 Aces. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 124. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78200-798-2.
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