Karl-Wolfgang Redlich (13 December 1914 – 29 May 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator in the Spanish Civil War and a fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 41 aerial victories, potentially 43 aerial victories, including four in Spain. All his World War II victories were claimed over the Western Allies. Born in Hamburg, Redlich volunteered for military service in the Reichsmarine (German Navy) in April 1934. He later transferred to the Luftwaffe and was trained as a fighter pilot. In later 1938, Redlich fought in the Spanish Civil War with Jagdgruppe 88, under the command
Karl-Wolfgang Redlich (13 December 1914 – 29 May 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator in the Spanish Civil War and a fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 41 aerial victories, potentially 43 aerial victories, including four in Spain. All his World War II victories were claimed over the Western Allies. Born in Hamburg, Redlich volunteered for military service in the Reichsmarine (German Navy) in April 1934. He later transferred to the Luftwaffe and was trained as a fighter pilot. In later 1938, Redlich fought in the Spanish Civil War with Jagdgruppe 88, under the command of the Condor Legion, and claimed four aerial victories. For his service in Spain, he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, Redlich was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing). With this squadron, he fought in the Battle of France and Britain. In April 1941, his unit was sent to North Africa, fighting in North African campaign. Following 21 aerial victories claimed, Redlich was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in July 1941. In December 1941, he was…
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R.I.P Karl-Wolfgang
Early life and career
Redlich was born on 13 December 1914 in Hamburg, at the time a sovereign state of the German Empire. In April 1934, he volunteered for military service in the Reichsmarine (German Navy), later renamed to Kriegsmarine, as an officer cadet. He later transferred to the Luftwaffe and following flight and fighter pilot training, was posted to I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 134 (JG 134—134th Fighter Wing) in August 1936.
In late 1938, Redlich volunteered for service with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. Following the Battle of the Ebro, Redlich claimed a Tupolev SB-2 bomber shot down on 28 December. On 4 January 1939, he was credited with a second SB-2 shot down. Redlich claimed his fourth and last aerial victory in Spain on 4 February, a Polikarpov I-15 fighter. He was later 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.
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World War II
World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. On 1 October 1939, the new I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) was created at Münster-Handorf Airfield and placed under command of Hauptmann Helmut Riegel. Redlich was transferred and appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel (1st squadron) of JG 27. On 22 January 1940, the Gruppe moved to Krefeld Airfield where they were tasked with flying fighter protection during the "Phoney War" along the German – Belgian border. During this period, the pilots had little to no enemy contact. In late March, I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Mönchengladbach.
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Battle of France and Britain On 10 May 1940, German forces launched the invasion of France and the Low Countries (Fall Gelb). At the start of the invasion, I. Gruppe of JG 27 was subordinated to the VIII. Fliegerkorps (8th Air Corps). The next day, Redlich claimed his first victory of World War II, a Fairey Battle light bomber shot down near Tongeren, probably belonging to the Belgian Air Force. For this, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse). On 16 May, 1. Staffel intercepted a Royal Air Force (RAF) Westland Lysander aerial reconnaissance aircraft, escorted by Hawker Hurricane fighters, in the area of Brussels and Charleroi. In this encounter, 1. Staffel pilots claimed five aerial victories, including a Hurricane by Redlich. On 18 May, I. Gruppe moved to Charleville located approximately 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) west-northwest of Sedan. On 22 May, the Gruppe moved to Guise. Three days later, they were ordered to Saint-Omer for combat against the encircled Allied forces fighting in the Battle of Dunkirk. On 29 May, Redlich claimed his third aerial victory, a Hurricane fighter shot down over Dunkirk. This claim earned him the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz…
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North Africa On 3 December 1940, I. Gruppe was again withdrawn from the English Channel and relocated to Döberitz located approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) west of Staaken. There, the pilots were sent on home leave, returning in January 1941. In February, the Gruppe began preparations for Operation Marita, the German invasion of Greece while the ground elements of the Gruppe began their relocation to Tripoli in North Africa, arriving there on 18 March. There, the ground crew began preparations for the air elements to arrive at the designated airfield at Ayn al-Ġazāla. In parallel, the air elements of I. Gruppe relocated to Munich-Riem Airfield in early March. There, the Gruppe received refurbished Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 fighter aircraft. The aircraft had been equipped with a sand-filter on the front of the supercharger intake which made the aircraft more suitable for deployment in North Africa. On 4 April, the Gruppe was ordered to move to Graz Airfield for Operation Marita. German forces launched the attack on 6 April. The orders for I. Gruppe that day were to attack and destroy the Yugoslavian air defenses in the area of Laibach, present-day Ljubljana in Slovenia. At the time of his relocation to…
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Luftwaffe staff service
On 5 December 1941, Redlich was transferred to the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL—Luftwaffe High Command). Command of 1. Staffel of JG 27 was then given to Oberleutnant Ludwig Franzisket. On 26 January 1942, Redlich was appointed Ia (operations officer) in the staff of Fliegerführer Afrika, an organizational until controlling air operations during the North African campaign, under command of Generalmajor Stefan Fröhlich. On 19 November, Redlich transferred to the staff of II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps) headed by General der Flieger Bruno Loerzer. In June 1943, he was posted to the XII. Fliegerkorps (12th Air Corps) where he was promoted to Major in August. This assignment was followed by another posting to the staff of the OKL.
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Group commander and death On 19 May 1944, Redlich, who commanded the Verbandsführerschule of the General der Jagdflieger (Training School for Unit Leaders), was transferred and appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of JG 27. He succeeded Hauptmann Ernst Börngen who had been severely injured in combat that day. At the time, the Gruppe was based at Fels am Wagram and fighting in defense of the Reich missions. On 29 May 1944, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) targeted German aircraft production and Luftwaffe infrastructure. The USAAF Eighth Air Force sent 993 heavy bombers to Leipzig, Sorau, present-day Żary, and Posen, present-day Poznań, the airfield at Tutow, as well as the Synthetic Fuel Factory Pölitz at Pölitz. At the same time, the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force attacked the Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke, manufacturing at Atzgersdorf, and the airfield at Wollersdorf, with 563 heavy bombers. At 08:55, I. Gruppe was scrambled at Fels am Wagram. In the area of Sankt Pölten, the Gruppe under the leadership of Redlich intercepted a formation of Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers. During this encounter, the Gruppe claimed five bombers shot down, including one by Redlich. However, Redlich was then killed in action when he was…
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Aerial victory claims
According to Obermaier, Redlich was credited with 41 aerial victories, four in the Spanish Civil War and another 37 in World War II, claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. Forsyth states that three of his four aerial victories claimed in Spain were unconfirmed. The authors Ring and Girbig list Redlich with 43 aerial victories which includes one four-engined heavy bomber. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 37 aerial victory claims, plus four further unconfirmed claims. This number includes four claims during the Spanish Civil War and 37 claims during World War II over the Western allies on the Western Front and North Africa, including one four-engined heavy bomber.
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Awards
Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)
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1st Class (29 May 1940)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 1./Jagdgeschwader 27
German Cross in Gold on 2 July 1942 as a Hauptmann'' in the I./Jagdgeschwader 27
