Rudolf Wagner

Lt. Rudolf Wagner (29 October 1921 – 11 December 1943) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Rudolf Wagner was credited with 81 aerial victories all over the Eastern Front (World War II). He was missing in action over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine, in 1943 during WWII.

Wagner entered the military on May 11, 1941, as an Oberfeldwebel. When he completed his training he was assigned to o IV./JG 51 - Jagdgeschwader 51. In early 1942 and he served as Otto Gaiser's wingman. Wagner scored 81 aerial victories most of then while he was piloting a Messerschmitt Bf 109; he also may have recorded kills while flying a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in 1943.

Squadron leader and missing in action

In October 1943, when Hauptmann Wilhelm Moritz was transferred, Wagner succeeded him as Staffelführer (squadron leader) of 12. Staffel of JG 51.

On 11 December, Wagner was posted as missing in action following aerial combat in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140232—factory number) 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) north of Weprin, present-day Vepryk. He was succeeded by Oberleutnant Hugo Brönner as commander of 12. Staffel of JG 51.

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, he was credited with 81 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 79 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47594". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.

Awards

• Iron Cross x2
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 September 1943 as Feldwebel and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Feldwebel in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51.
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the 12./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"