Quick Facts
| Intro | World War I flying ace |
| Was | Pilot Aviator Flying ace |
| From | Germany |
| Field | Military |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 11 June 1916, Mecklenburg |
| Death | 1 August 2002, Lüdenscheid (aged 86 years) |
Biography
Adolf "Addi" Glunz (11 June 1916 – 1 August 2002) was a World War II flying ace in the Luftwaffe (German Air Force). Glunz is credited with 71 aerial victories achieved in 574 combat missions. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He engaged the enemy on 238 occasions and claimed all but three victories over the Western Front.
Military career
Adolf Glunz is credited with 71 aerial victories achieved in 574 combat missions. He engaged the enemy on 238 occasions and claimed all but three victories over the Western Front. Glunz is most noted for never being shot down or wounded all this time. The nearest he came to losing an aircraft was on 13 October 1944, when a broken oil pipe caused his engine to fail while in combat with two P-47 Thunderbolt.
Glunz most successful day as a fighter pilot was 22 February 1944 when during the course of two combat missions he claimed four B-17 Flying Fortress, a P-47 Thunderbolt plus forcing another B-17 out of formation. Only three B-17s and the P-47 were confirmed bringing his score to 58.
He is credited with five ground victories during Operation Bodenplatte. In February 1945 Glunz was assigned to JG 7 and undertook conversion training to the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. However he never flew the Me 262 in combat.
Awards
- Pilot Badge (4 October 1940)
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (26 May 1941)
- 1st Class (8 June 1941)
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for fighter pilots in Gold with Pennant "200"
- in Bronze (1 July 1941)
- in Silver (1 October 1941)
- in Gold (25 August 1942)
- Pennant "200" (10 July 1944)
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 29 June 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot
- German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Feldwebel in the 4./JG 26
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 29 August 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 4./JG 26 "Schlageter"
- 508th Oak Leaves on 24 June 1944 as Leutnant (war officer) and pilot in the 6./JG 26 "Schlageter"
- ^ Thomas 1997, p. 201.
- Patzwall 2008, p. 85.
- Obermaier 1989, p. 66.
- Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 139.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 337.
- Fellgiebel 2000, p. 197.
- Fellgiebel 2000, p. 84.
