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The Kracker Luftwaffe Archive: Axis Powers Pilots and Crew




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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.
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You searched for: “knappe

#Pilot/Crew
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PhotoUnitsAircraftAwards*************Notes*************LinksAuthorComments
1 Hauburg, JohannesFw6/21/1914Danzig-Langfuhr

Courtesy Christian König

1(F)/123Ju 88A-5 Werk # 0444 "4U + KH" (lost 5/7/41)Observer Operational ClaspKilledInAction (KIA) with unnamed crew while patrolling off Wales, the night of 6/7/May, 1941. They are possibly s/d by F/Lt Heywood from 79 Sqn who had been patrolling off Wales. Added: In fact, they were sd by F/Lt Daniel du Vivier (Belgian) and P/O Mize of No.43 Sq., and crashed into the mouth of the River Tay, near Dundee during a reconnaissance mission to Glasgow (C.König). Remaining crew (all MIA at sea except Knappe): Ofw Leo Knoch, a pilot acting as Obs, geb 6/12/1913, Büchenau; Fw Georg Knappe, R/O, KilledInAction (KIA), buried CC/4/9/122 and Uffz Karl Hofmann, Flt Engr (D.Drury).
2 Kassing, HermannOfw1/LG-1 (5/40 Düsseldorf)He 111H-3 Werk # Unk "L1 + BH" (lost 5/21/40)Bomber Operational ClaspPOW 21 May, 1940 after being hit by flak and then attacked by Spitfires of RAF No. 74 Sq.. His AC crashed at Groede/Nieuwvliet Holland. Remaining crew: Gefr Werner Knappe, Gnr (POW); Ogefr Georg Filla, R/O (POW) and Ogefr Karl Schneider, Obs.. Schneider WIA/DOW 5/22/40 and was buried at Vlissingen. (DeSwart & Wings to Victory). Added: Ogefr Schneider's final resting place, Yssel BB-7-164 (SGLO). Another source, Netherland Loss Registry, indicates the ac as a Ju 88A-1, Werk # not reported.
3 Knappe,Uffz1/JG-2 (8/44 St Trond, Fr.)Bf 109G-6 Werk # Unk (lost 8//13/44)Fighter Operational ClaspKilledInAction (KIA) 13 August, 1944 when during landing after an engagement with Spitfires and P-51's, he overturned, killing the young pilot (C.Sundin).
4 Knappe, GeorgMaj1Erprobungsgr.-210 ('40-'41), Erg/JGr.-Ost (4/44), 3/JG-54 (7/44 S.U.)Fw 190A EK 2
Bomber Operational Clasp
His first known victory, a Soviet La-5 on 10 October, 1944.
5 Knappe, KurtOfw6/2/1918Berlin56


5/JG-51 (6/41 S.U.; 4/42 S.U.), 7/JG-2 (11/42), 10/JG-2 (4/43), 11/JG-2 (9/43)Bf 109F-2 Werk # 9654 "Black 9" (4/42), Bf 109F-2 "Blk 4"(8/42) in 5/JG-51, Fw 190A-4 Werk # 2413 "Wh 1 + I" in 7/JG-2, Fw 190A-6 Wk# 470016 (lost 9/3/43)
RK(11/3/42)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(10/5/42)
EP(5/18/42)

EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp
KilledInAction (KIA) 3 September, 1943 in aerial combat with Spitfires of RAF No. 421 Sq. over Evreux France. Added: He is buried in the German War Cem. at St. Desir-de-Lisieux, France, Blk 3, Row 32, Gr 997 (D.Drury). 1 bomber. 51 victories in the East. His first known Soviet victory, a DB-3 on 26 July, 1941. A Douglas on 26 August, 1941. A DB-3 on 13 September, 1941. A Pe-2 on 28 September, 1941. A DB-3 on 17 November, 1941. A Pe-2 on 21 January, 1942. An I-18 SW of Modyn on 7 March, 1942. Three MiG-3s on 9 July, 1942. An Il-2 and a Pe-2 on 2 August, 1942. A MiG-3 and a Pe-2 on 4 August, 1942. Two MiG-3s on 22 August, 1942. Three Il-2s in the Rzhev area on 9 September, 1942. A U-2 and a Yak-1 on 14 September, 1942. One known Western victory, a B-17 on 30 December, 1942. Another, a B-17 near Paris on 3 September, 1943. Bowers/Lednicer, 54 victories. Photo
6 Pfeiffer, Karl GeorgOfw106/NJG-2, 10/NJG-1 (1/43), 12/NJG-1 (6/43 Bergen), 11/NJG-1 (9/43), 12/NJG-1 (12/43, 1/44)Bf 110G-4 Werk # 5367 "G9 + CX" (lost 6/25/43) in 12 Staffel, Bf 110G-4 Werk #5471 (Dam 9/29/43), Bf 110G-4 Werk # 4884 (25% dam 12/16/43), Bf 110G-4 Werk # 5421 "G9 + CZ" (lost 1/20/44; all three injured)
Deutsches Kreuz - Gold
EP


EP, EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge
Night Fighter Operational Clasp
One known victory, a Lancaster on 17 January, 1943. Another, a Stirling at Midwolda on 5 May, 1943. A 2nd Lancaster on 14 May, 1943. A Stirling against the Essen raid on 28 May, 1943. A Wellington off Zandvoort on 12 June, 1943. A Halifax 2km NE of Schwarmerhorn on 23 June, 1943. A "4 mot" at Raalte Holland on 13 June, 1944. His Wk# 5367 was shot down by Halifax return fire the night of 24-25 June, 1943 over Abbenes Holland, (recovered in October, 1992 by a Dutch Restoration Team). He and R/O Uffz Willi Knappe bailed successfully, although wounded. Fw Pfeifer was injured in Wk# 5471, the night of 29/30 September, 1943 due to an engine fire crash at Tietjerk Holland, one other WIA and one KIC, both not named (Bf 110 Loss List). Added: The unnamed: R/O Willi Knappe WIA and Ogefr W. Bauerfeind, KilledInAction (KIA), buried Yssel AR-3-68. Fw Pfeiffer damaged Wk# 4884 Bergen airfield, no mention of his R/O (SGLO). Werk # 5421 crashed at Oude Biltzijl Holland, 7 km N of the Leeuwarden airfield on 20 January, 1944 due to engine failure (DeSwart). Added: Fw Pfeiffer, R/O Uffz W.Knappe & Gnr Gefr W.Krause injured (SGLO). Magnus & Boiten, 10 victories. Alternate spelling: Pfeifer.
7 Werry, Armin (Arnim?)Fw2/KG-55He 111H-6 Werk # 7028 (lost 4/10/42)KIA with his entire crew, 10 April, 1942, after their ac was lost due to a fighter attack over the Sea of Asov. A second source specifies the cause as infantry (fire) at Kertsch (Eng.Kerch) on the southern end of the Sea of Asov. Remaining crew: Uffz Hans Knappe (or Knabbe), Obs; Ogefr Heinz Holtkamp, R/O; Ogefr Johann Hagen, Flt Engr and Gefr Kurt Autenrieth, Gnr. Only the gunners burial information is found in the VDK. His remains have not been recovered, and he is commemorated in the War Cem .at Sevastopol-Gontscharnoje, Ukraine (D.Drury).

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