Search Tips  •   Bio & Memorabilia  •   Check Spelling Names in Database  •   Luftwaffe Awards  •   Axis Pages  •   Sources

Data derived from many sources. Perfection is our goal: Corrections and Additions are encouraged and requested. Please Email us

35,000+ Entries in Database (as of October 2025): largest in the world
The only authorised publication of the Kracker Luftwaffe Archive: anything else has been stolen and infringes my copyright.
Please email us any photos you have. We will acknowledge you in the database unless requested otherwise.
This is a non-political research resource. The authors of this material do not condone hatred in any form,
neither do they support oppressive and despotic regimes or political systems. See our Statement
In some cases you can see a pilot's extended record of victories in date order from our Luftwaffe Victories database
To see a list of German WW2 Aces consult German WW2 Aces Database
Click an image to expand. Click Luftwaffe Awards for explanations. Scroll to the right to see all the data.

Major enhancements and additions are being made to the Archive by Christian König and Dave Drury.

See a sample search

There is a rogue group of copyright infringers who have stolen a much earlier version of my data - from at least 10 years ago - and have the affrontery to publish that, along with using my name, on their poorly researched website. They claim this is the 'original' Kracker Archive, a ridiculous claim since my Archive has been in a state of continuous development for over 30 years and nobody - NOBODY - has the original. They have no right to use my name or my data and readers who come across this nonsense should do nothing to encourage theft of this nature. I am outraged by this blatant theft and misrepresentation of my lifetime's work. The ONLY person I have ever authorized to publish my data and use my name is Kelvin Youngs, who earned my trust and respect many years ago and is authorized by me to publish my work on whichever website he organizes, currently this being its present home at the highly respected Aircrew Remembered.

 

---

Our hosting service restricts database searches to a minimum of 4 characters, therefore searching on 3 or less will produce no results even if the name IS in our database. If you know the target's first name, put his full name in the first Search box in the form 'familyname, firstname' thus: Rau, Gunther.

If you only know his family name (for example Alt) then add 'x' to the name and search on that: thus search on Altx

If you need help, EMAIL us with name and database to search and we will perform the search manually for you.

Enter Your search conditions and click Search This
Searching for a 3-character name requires special treatment

AND(Optional)

Exclude Column Pilot Rank Born Place Score Units Aircraft Awards *************Notes************* Photo Links AuthorComments Exclude Column Pilot Rank Born Place Score Units Aircraft Awards *************Notes************* Photo Links AuthorComments

Restrict to Column

Restrict to Column Pilot Rank Born Place Score Units Aircraft Awards *************Notes************* Photo Links AuthorComments

Exact Match Contains Word

These are the results of your search:

You searched for: “werra”

#	Pilot (↑)	Rank	Born	Place	Score (↑)	Units	Aircraft	Awards	*************Notes*************	Photo	Links	AuthorComments
1	Kaminski, Herbert	Maj	1905/05/24	Ohmswalde, Ostpreussen	7	Legion Condor (1937-38 CK), I./ZG 26, Stfkpt 2./ZG 26 (-05-08-/40), Kdr I./ZG 26 (05/41), Kdr I./JG 53 (11/41 Katwijk; 03/42 Med); 06/42 S.U.), Kdr II./ZG 76 (10/43-08/44), Kdr FFS A/B 41 Frankfurt (12/44 to end)	Bf 110 C-2 (05-08/40 CK), Bf 110 E "3U + AB", Bf 109F-4 "<<+" Werknr. 7542 (30% dam, failed start, Gela) in I./JG 53, Bf 109 G-2 "Black <<" Werknr. 13481 (dam 24/07/42)	RK (06/08/41) Spanish Cross EK 1 (28/08/40) & EK 2 (08/06/40 CK) Wound Badge (15/05/40 CK) in Gold (18/02/44) Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold (03/01/42) Hungarian Voenen Orden "Za Hrabrost" IV stepen, 1 klas (29/05/42 CK) Italian Pilot Badge	A Destroyer pilot, he replaced von Werra on the Dutch coast as Kdr I./JG 53 after von Werras death in October 1941. He was awarded the RK for his successes against ground targets in Crete and in Russia. Wounded five times (badly WIA on 15/05/40 6 in attack by French fighters near Fumay-Givet, on 18/08/40 when ditched in Channel off Dunkirk after fighter damage by GC I/8 - rescued by Seenotdienst after drifting for 4 days, in 04/41 he was POW after being forced down over Serbia, repatriated 11 days later, WIA on 25/06/41when damaged by Flak near Bialystok, WIA on 24/07/42 in a landing accident in his G-2, believed to be engine failure or Russian flak damage on the northern outskirts of Taganrog, Ukraine. He opposed the 6 March, 1944 Berlin Raid while in II/ZG-76. After being Kdr II/ZG-76, he headed a pilot training school. About 300 combat missions. Five victories as Destroyer pilot. Two of his victories were in the East. One known victory, a Hurricane on 20 December, 1941. His 7th, a LaGG-3 on 28 June, 1942. Sometimes referred to as "the Last of the Prussians". Killed in an car accident at Garmisch 18 Jily, 1971.	Courtesy CK
2	Sannemann, Heinrich "Heinz"	Hptm			23	3./JG 26 (07/38), Stab 6./JG 3 (05-08/40), 2./JG 1 (01/41), Stfkpt 6./JG 3 (07/41), Kdr II./JG 3 (11/43)	Bf 109 E-7 in JG 3, Bf 109 F-2 "Yellow 1 + -" (05-07/41), Fw 190 A, Bf 109 G-6 "Black 1" Werknr 18802 (70% dam 18/10/43)	Deutsches Kreuz - Gold EP EK 1 (11/09/40 CK) & EK 2 Wound badge Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with pendant	One known victory, his 1st, a Morane 406 south of Peronne, 24 May, 1940. His 2nd, a Spitfire at Themsemündung on 26 August, 1940. His 3rd, a Spitfire at London on 15 September, 1940. During his tour in Russia, his armored windscreen was hit by bomber return fire, shattering it, nevertheless, he return to base in "Yellow 1" and landed safely. His Bf 109G-6 crashed at Schokland Holland on 18 October, 1943, due to fuel shortage, pilo safe (DeSwart). His 21st victory, a B-17 on 22 February, 1944. His 22nd, a B-17 on 6 March, 1944, no location. His 23rd, a a B-17 at Gelnhausen on 13 April, 1944. Info added by CK: Flugbücher with 1650 documented flights, thereof almost 400 combat missions. Friend and comrade of Franz von Werra, both known as Max & Moritz of the Staffel, together with the famous lioness Simba. His last combat mission in the west against England is on 04/06/41, he flew 111 combat mission up to this date. Deceased on 7 January 2014 in Bissendorf.			CKönig
3	Schulz, Siegfried	Uffz	9/18/1923	Jüterbog		2/JG-301 (11/44-4/45)	Fw 190A-8 Werk # 176062 (dam 11/27/44), Fw 190A-9 (lost 4/2/45)	Wound Badge (11/27/44 @ Broizen), Fighter Operational Clasp	MIA February, 1945. In 1996, his grave was found in the Military Cemetery at Herleshausen, Hesse. Added: The crash location is halfway between Herleshausen, Hesse and Ifta, Thuringia. The crash did not occur in February 1945, but between 1 and 17 April, 1945 during the Battle of the River Werra. In the Herleshausen town website, it says Uffz Schulz was killed on 2 April, 1945. He is buried in the Ehrenfriedhof in Herleshausen. No VDK burial detail (C König and D Drury). Alternate spelling: Scholz.			davedrury
4	Steinhilper, Ulrich	Oblt	1918/09/14	Stuttgart	5	3/JG-52 (Channel)	Bf 109 B-4 "Yellow 6" and "Yellow 14", Bf 109 "Yellow 4" (10/40), Bf 109 E-4 "Yellow 2" Wknr. 2798 (lost 27/10/40)	EK 1 & 2	POW 27 October, 1940 after bailing out over Canterbury, 25 km north of Dover, during aerial combat in "Yellow 2". "I was coming down by parachute, it was a meadow and my aircraft was coming down in the middle of a herd of cows, and the herd of cows was going away wildly you know, with tales raised. I could see people come running across the field and of course when they were mainly civilians, I was scared because you know they were German bombs, of course there was war. I was afraid maybe I would fall into civilian hands and I would be beaten up!". Promptly captured by Canadian soldiers billeted in England. Interned January, 1941 at Camp # 30 at Bowmanville, near Toronto with von Werra. Attempted three escapes, making it as far as NY, but re-captured each time. After the 3rd attempt in April, 1942, he felt as if he had done his duty, and remained a POW the remainder of the war. Interviewed on the Discovery Channels Great Escape Program, including some of his home movies. His first victories were three Spitfires on the ground at RAF Manston before ever scoring his first aerial victory. His first victory, a Hurricane near Tilbury on 18 September, 1940. His 2nd & 3rd, two Spitfires NE of Dover on 24 September, 1940. His 4th, a Spitfire at Ashford on 30 September, 1940. His 5th, a Blenheim 5 km NW of Calais on 4 October, 1940. 150 missions. Magnus. Added: He was sd by a Spitfire of No.74 Sq., piloted by F/O William H.Nelson, DFC,. Steinhilper deceased 20 October, 2009 in Stuttgart (D.Drury). Added: the remains of his Yellow 2 were digged out on 26/10/1980. He was a friend of Eberhard Kuhnt who helped him with his escape(s) (CK)
5	Werra, Franz Xaver von	Hptm	7/13/1914	Leuk, Switzerland	21	Adj II/JG-3 (2/40 Channel), Kdr I/JG-53 (7/41 S.U., Balfanz replacement), Kdr I/JG-53 (Katwijk 10/41)	Bf 109E-4 Werk# 1480 "Black < + -"(lost 9/5/40), Bf 109F-2 "<<+" (S.U.), Bf 109F-4Z Werk# 7285 "<<+" (lost10/25/41)	RK(12/14/40) EK 1 & 2 Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold	POW. Shot down in his E-4, 5 September, 1940 by RAF pilot, Peterson Hughes of 234 Sqd near Marden, England. Subject of a movie due to his "Home Run" epic escape across Canada and the USA. He was the only British PoW to return to Germany, arriving 4 April, 1941, escaping 21 January, 1941. He gained notoriety when he claimed 9 Hurricanes over Kent on 28 August, 1940. His claim was recognized for its propaganda value, and allowed to stand. Actually 4 were aerial victories (nos.5 thru 8), 5 were ground victories. KilledInAction (KIA) 25 October, 1941. Drowned when his Werk# 7285 suffered engine failure during a practice flight and plunged into the North Sea 25 km W of Katwijk Holland, near Vlissingen. Had a pet lion cub, 'Simba' for a mascot. 13 victories in the East. His first victory was a Hurricane 15 km east of Arras on 20 May, 1940. His 2nd, 3rd & 4th victories, two Breguet 690s and a Potez 63, were recorded on 22 May, 1940.	Courtesy Christian König	Blenheim Z7435

Results 1 to 5 of 5.