Quick Facts
Biography
Heinrich Füllgrabe (26 July 1916 – 30 January 1945) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. After joining the Luftwaffe in the late 1930s, after his training as a fighter pilot, Füllgrabe was appointed to serve as the Unteroffizier 9./JG 52 in spring 1941. Füllgrabe became a member of one of the most efficient units of the Luftwaffe, Karaya Quartet, where he flew alongside Hermann Graf (212 kills), Alfred Grislawski (133)and Ernst Süß (68). Füllgrabe was killed on 30 January 1945 by Soviet anti-aircraft fire near Brieg in Silesia.During his career he was credited with 67 aerial victories, all of them on the Eastern Front, including five Il-2 Sturmoviks.
Awards
- Aviator badge
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 30 March 1942 as Feldwebel and pilot
- German Cross in Gold on 11 May 1942 as Feldwebel in the III./Jagdgeschwader 52
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 October 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52