Walter Krupinski

Walter Krupinski (11 November 1920 – 7 October 2000) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II and a senior West German Air Force officer during the Cold War.

He was one of the highest-scoring pilots in the war, credited with 197 victories in 1,100 sorties.

He was called by his fellow pilots Graf Punski (Count Punski) due to his Prussian origins.

Born in the Weimar Republic in 1920, Krupinski joined the Luftwaffe in 1939 and completed his flight training in 1940.

Krupinski was born on 11 November 1920, in the town of Domnau in the Province of East Prussia, and grew up in Braunsberg, present-day Braniewo, Poland.

He was the first son of Friedrich Wilhelm Krupinski, a Obergerichtsvollzieher (bailiff), and his wife Auguste, née Helmke.

His two younger brothers were Paul and Günther.

Krupinski was one of the first to fly the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in combat as a member of Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) led by Adolf Galland.

Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing) following his convalescence in September.

When the naval branch of Hitler Youth in Braunsberg was founded in 1936, Krupinski joined the organization.

There, he received nautical training and went on cruises, making him eligible for a nautical patent.

On 21 March 1939, Krupinski graduated with his Abitur (diploma) from the Lyceum Hosianum in Braunsberg.

On 1 April 1939, Krupinski started his compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service) in Freystadt, present-day Kisielice.

One of his course mates was Hans-Joachim Marseille, who had been posted to the Jagdfliegerschule 5 in late 1939 but had not yet graduated out of disciplinary reasons.

His three-roommates at the school were Walter Nowotny, Paul Galland, the brother of Adolf Galland, and Peter Göring, a nephew of the Reichsmarschall (Empire Marshal) Hermann Göring.

On 24 June 1940, Krupinski received his B2 pilot license.

Following two weeks of vacation, Krupinski completed his training at Jagdfliegerschule 5 (5th fighter pilot school) in Wien-Schwechat to which he was posted on 1 July 1940.

Jagdfliegerschule 5 at the time was under the command of the World War I flying ace and recipient of the Pour le Mérite Eduard Ritter von Schleich.

After completing his flight training at Jagdfliegerschule 5, Krupinski was sent to Ergänzungsjagdgruppe Merseburg, a supplementary training unit based in Merseburg, on 1 October 1940.

Flying with Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing), he claimed his first victory in August 1941 and his total rose steadily against Soviet Air Forces.

On 1 February 1941, Krupinski was transferred to 6.

In October 1942, Krupinski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and was appointed squadron leader of 7.

Staffel (7th squadron) of JG 52 in March 1943.

Krupinski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for 174 aerial victories.

He was then transferred, serving with Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) and was then given command of II.

Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing) in 1944.

Wounded in a flight accident in August, he commanded III.

Paul joined the Kriegsmarine and entered the U-boat service, and was killed in action on 11 November 1944 while serving on GS U-771 as an Oberleutnant zur See (first lieutenant), which was sunk off the Norwegian coast by the British submarine HMS Venturer (P68).

That year, he also met Ilse Hartung, a doctor’s daughter, at a dance class whom he married in 1944.

He finished the war serving with JV 44, flying the Me 262, and surrendered to the Western Allies in May 1945.

After the war, Krupinski joined the German Air Force of the Bundeswehr, serving until 1976 when he was forced into early retirement.

Krupinski died in Neunkirchen-Seelscheid on 7 October 2000.

On 1 October, Krupinski joined the military and received his basic training with Fliegerausbildungs-Regiment 10 (10th Aviators Training Regiment) based in Neukuhren, present-day Pionersky, as a Fahnenjunker (ensign).

After six weeks of basic training, he was posted to the Luftkriegsschule 2 (Air War School 2).

Krupinski made his maiden flight on 9 November.

Over the next nine months, he learned to fly the Focke-Wulf Fw 44, Heinkel He 72 and then the twin-engine Fw 58.

He was taught blind flying on the Junkers W 34.

He also flew the Arado Ar 65 and Ar 66, Bücker Bü 131 and Bü 133, the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, the Fw 56, the Gotha Go 145, the Heinkel He 46, the He 51 and the Henschel Hs 123.

On 15 October, he was then posted to the Ergänzungsstaffel (training squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing).

The Ergänzungsstaffel was headed by Oberleutnant Werner Lederer and based at Krefeld Airfield where the pilots received further training flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 E. At Merseburg, Krupinski met and befriended Gerhard Barkhorn and Willi Nemitz.