Rudolf Miethig (17 October 1921 – 10 June 1943) was a German
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
military aviator during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, a
fighter ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...
credited with 101 aerial victories—that is, 101 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. All of his victories were claimed over the
Soviet Air Forces
The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...
in an unknown number of combat missions.
Born in
Zwickau
Zwickau (; ) is the fourth-largest city of Saxony, Germany, after Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz, with around 88,000 inhabitants,.
The West Saxon city is situated in the valley of the Zwickau Mulde (German: ''Zwickauer Mulde''; progression: ), ...
, Miethig was trained as a fighter pilot and posted to
''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing) in early 1941. Fighting on the
Eastern Front, he claimed his first aerial victory on 14 November 1941 during
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...
, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In July 1942, Miethig was appointed ''
Staffelkapitän
''Staffelkapitän'' is a command appointment, rather than a military rank, in the air force units of German-speaking countries.
The rank normally held by a ''Staffelkapitän'' has changed over time. In the present-day German ''Luftwaffe'' – p ...
'' (squadron leader) of 3. ''
Staffel'' (3rd squadron) of JG 52. Three months later, he was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
on 29 October 1942. On 8 June 1943, Miethig was credited with his 100th aerial victory. Two days later, he was
killed in action
Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...
following a
mid-air collision
In aviation, a mid-air collision is an aviation accident, accident in which two or more aircraft come into unplanned contact during flight.
The potential for a mid-air collision is increased by Aviation communication, miscommunication, mistrus ...
with an enemy aircraft over the
Kuban bridgehead
The Kuban Bridgehead (), also known as the "Goth's head position" (), was a German military position on the Taman Peninsula, Russia, between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Existing from January to October 1943, the bridgehead formed after th ...
.
Career
Miethig, who was born on 17 October 1921 in
Zwickau
Zwickau (; ) is the fourth-largest city of Saxony, Germany, after Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz, with around 88,000 inhabitants,.
The West Saxon city is situated in the valley of the Zwickau Mulde (German: ''Zwickauer Mulde''; progression: ), ...
, volunteered for service in the Luftwaffe in 1939. Following flight training, he was transferred to the 3. ''
Staffel'' (3rd squadron) of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in the spring of 1941. At the time the ''Staffel'' was commanded by ''Oberleutnant'' Helmut Kühle who was replaced by ''Oberleutnant''
Helmut Bennemann
Helmut Bennemann (16 March 1915 – 17 November 2007) was an ''Oberstleutnant'' of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe in World War II. Bennemann claimed 93 aerial victories in over 400 combat missions. The majority of his victories were claimed over the E ...
on 27 April. I. ''
Gruppe'' (1st group) of JG 52 to which 3. ''Staffel'' was subordinated was headed by ''Hauptmann''
Wolfgang Ewald
Wolfgang Ewald (26 March 1911 – 24 February 1995) 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 succ ...
at the time. Until 21 February, the entire I. ''Gruppe'' was based at an airfield at
Katwijk aan Zee
Katwijk aan Zee (literally, ''Katwijk-on-Sea'') is a seaside resort located on the North Sea at the mouth of the Oude Rijn (Utrecht and South Holland), Oude Rijn. It is situated in the municipality of Katwijk and the province of South Holland.
...
in the Netherlands where it was tasked with patrolling the Dutch coast area and
German Bight
The German Bight ( ; ; ); ; ; sometimes also the German Bay) is the southeastern bight of the North Sea bounded by the Netherlands and Germany to the south, and Denmark and Germany to the east (the Jutland peninsula). To the north and west i ...
, the three ''Staffeln'' were then deployed at various airfields on the Dutch, German and Danish
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
coast.
On 25 May, I. ''Gruppe'' was placed under the command of ''Hauptmann''
Karl-Heinz Leesmann. On 23 September, I. ''Gruppe'' was withdrawn from the
Western Front and was sent to the
Eastern Front where it would be based at an airfield at Ponyatovka, located approximately southwest of
Roslavl
Roslavl (, ) is a town and the administrative center of Roslavlsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is a road and rail junction and a market town. Population:
History
Roslavl was founded as Rostislavl in the 1130s or 1140s. The name is ...
.
War against the Soviet Union

On 22 June, German forces had launched
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...
, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Prior to its deployment on the Eastern Front, I. ''Gruppe'' was fully equipped with the
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a monoplane fighter aircraft that was designed and initially produced by the Nazi Germany, German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt#History, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Together with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the ...
F-2. The ''Gruppe'' reached
Orsha
Orsha (; , ; ) is a city in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the fork of the Dnieper, Dnieper River and Arshytsa River, and it serves as the administrative center of Orsha District. As of 2025, it has a population of 101,662.
History
...
on 27 September before heading to Ponyatovka on 2 October. There, the ''Gruppe'' was initially subordinated to the ''
Stab
STAB or stab or stabs may refer to:
*Stabbing, penetration or contact with a sharp object
Places
*Stab, Kentucky, US
* St. Anne's-Belfield School, a college preparatory school in Charlottesville, Virginia, US
People and characters
* Staff capta ...
'' (headquarters unit) of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) and supported German forces fighting in the
Battle of Vyazma
The Battle of Vyazma (3 November 1812; 22 October by OS), occurred at the beginning of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. In this encounter a Russian force commanded by General Miloradovich inflicted heavy losses on the rear guard of the ''Gran ...
as part of
Operation Typhoon
The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II, between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated H ...
, the code name of the German offensive on Moscow. On 20 October, the ''Gruppe'' moved to an airfield named Kalinin-Southwest, present-day
Tver
Tver (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative centre of Tver Oblast, Russia. It is situated at the confluence of the Volga and Tvertsa rivers. Tver is located northwest of Moscow. Population:
The city is ...
, and located on the
Volga
The Volga (, ) is the longest river in Europe and the longest endorheic basin river in the world. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catchment ...
, and to
Staritsa
Staritsa () is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia.
Modern localities
;Urban localities
*Staritsa (town), Tver Oblast, a town in Staritsky District of Tver Oblast
;Rural localities
*Staritsa ...
on 31 October and then to
Ruza located approximately west of Moscow, on 3 November. Here, Miethig claimed his first aerial victory, a
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 () was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II that was designed to meet a requirement for a high-altitude fighter issued in 1939. To minimize demand on strategic materials such as aluminum, the aircraft was mostly ...
, on 14 November 1941 and his second victory, an I-61 fighter, an early German designation for the
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 () is a Soviet fighter-interceptor used during World War II. It was a development of the MiG-1 by the OKO (opytno-konstruktorskij otdel — Experimental Design Department) of Zavod (Factory) No. 1 in Moscow to reme ...
, on 27 November. The failed assault on Moscow forced I. ''Gruppe'' to retreat to an airfield at Dugino, present-day
Novodugino
Novodugino () is a rural locality (a '' selo'') and the administrative center of Novoduginsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Russia. Population:
Climate
Novodugino has a warm-summer humid continental climate (''Dfb'' in the Köppen climate classifi ...
, on 15 December where they stayed until 31 January 1942. Here, Miethig claimed a
Polikarpov R-5
The Polikarpov R-5 () was a Soviet Union, Soviet reconnaissance bomber aircraft of the 1930s. It was the standard light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of the Soviet Air Force for much of the 1930s, while also being used heavily as a civilian ...
reconnaissance bomber on 28 January.
On 1 February. I ''Gruppe'' was withdrawn from combat operations and was moved to
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow.
First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
and then further west to Orsha. From 8 to 12 February the ''Gruppe'' took a train to Jesau near
Königsberg
Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...
, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, for a period of recuperation and replenishment where they received new Bf 109 F-4 aircraft. The ''Gruppe'' was ordered to Olmütz, present-day
Olomouc
Olomouc (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants, making it the Statutory city (Czech Republic), sixth largest city in the country. It is the administrative centre of the Olomouc Region.
Located on the Morava (rive ...
in Czech Republic on 11 April. On 17 May, I. ''Gruppe'' relocated to Artyomovsk, present-day
Bakhmut
Bakhmut is a city in eastern Ukraine. It is officially the administrative center of Bakhmut urban hromada and Bakhmut Raion in Donetsk Oblast. The city is located on the Bakhmutka River, about north of Donetsk, the administrative center ...
. From Artyomovsk, JG 52 supported the German forces fighting in the
Second Battle of Kharkov
The Second Battle of Kharkov or Operation Fredericus was an Axis powers, Axis counter-offensive in the region around Kharkov against the Red Army Izium bridgehead offensive conducted 12–28 May 1942, on the Eastern Front (World War II), Easter ...
. On 24 May, the ''Gruppe'' was ordered to relocate to
Barvinkove
Barvinkove (, ) is a city in Izium Raion, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Barvinkove urban hromada, one of the communities of Ukraine. Population:
History
Barvinkove was first mentioned in 1653.
At the beginning of it ...
located approximately west of
Sloviansk
Sloviansk is a city in Donetsk Oblast, northern part of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The city was known as ''Tor'' until 1784. While it did not actually belong to the raion itself, Sloviansk served as the administrative center of the S ...
. Here, Miethig claimed four further aerial victories by the end of May, including a
Petlyakov Pe-2
The Petlyakov Pe-2 ( — nickname «Пешка» (Pawn); NATO reporting name: Buck) was a Soviet Union, Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war,Ethell 1996, p. 152. it ...
bomber on 26 May, a MiG-1 fighter and an
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 ( Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack plane that was produced by the Soviet Union in large numbers during the Second World War. The word ''shturmovík'' (Cyrillic: штурмовик), the generic Russian term ...
ground-attack aircraft
An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pres ...
on 29 May, and another Il-2 ground-attack aircraft on 31 May.
On 1 June, the ''Gruppe'' then moved to an airfield at Grakowo, located approximately halfway between
Kharkov
Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine. and
Kupiansk
Kupiansk or Kupyansk (, ; , ) is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kupiansk Raion. It is also an important railroad junction for the oblast. Kupiansk hosts the administration of Kupiansk urban hromada, ...
. On 13 June, Miethig claimed two
Yakovlev Yak-1
The Yakovlev Yak-1 () was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. The Yak-1 was a single-seat monoplane with a composite structure and wooden wings; production began in early 1940.Angelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 239.
The Yak-1 was a man ...
fighters shot down. The next day, Bennemann replaced Leesmann, who was transferred, as ''
Gruppenkommandeur
''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and comman ...
'' (group commander) of I. ''Gruppe'' of JG 52. In consequence, command of 3. ''Staffel'' was passed on to ''Leutnant'' Karl Rüttger. Miethig claimed a Soviet flown
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
fighter on 23 June followed by a
Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3
The Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 (Лавочкин-Горбунов-Гудков ЛаГГ-3) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. It was a refinement of the earlier LaGG-1 and was one of the most modern aircraft available to the So ...
fighter the next day. Two days later, the ''Gruppe'' moved to an airfield at Bilyi Kolodyaz, approximately southeast of
Vovchansk
Vovchansk (, ; ) is a destroyed city in Chuhuiv Raion, Kharkiv Oblast, northeastern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of . The Vovcha river, a tributary of the Donets river, runs through the city.
Vovchansk had a population of However, th ...
. On 28 June, German forces had launched
Case Blue
Case Blue (German: ''Fall Blau'') was the ''Wehrmacht'' plan for the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942, during World War II. The objective was to capture the oil fields of Baku ( Azerb ...
, the strategic summer offensive in
southern Russia
Southern Russia or the South of Russia ( rus, Юг России, p=juk rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a Colloquialism, colloquial term for the southernmost geographic portion of European Russia. The term is generally used to refer to the region of Russia's So ...
. The next day, he claimed another Hurricane fighter followed by a LaGG-3 fighter on 30 June. On 1 July, I. ''Gruppe'' flew missions from
Shchigry located east-northeast from
Kursk
Kursk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur (Kursk Oblast), Kur, Tuskar, and Seym (river), Seym rivers. It has a population of
Kursk ...
.
Squadron leader
On 2 July, Miethig was appointed ''
Staffelkapitän
''Staffelkapitän'' is a command appointment, rather than a military rank, in the air force units of German-speaking countries.
The rank normally held by a ''Staffelkapitän'' has changed over time. In the present-day German ''Luftwaffe'' – p ...
'' (squadron leader) of the 3. ''Staffel'' of JG 52. He replaced Rüttger who had become a
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
after he made a
forced landing
A forced landing is a landing by an aircraft made under factors outside the pilot's control, such as the failure of engines, systems, components, or weather which makes continued flight impossible. However, the term also means a landing that has ...
behind enemy lines near Kruty the day before. On 3 July, the ''Gruppe'' moved to a forward airfield near the village Novy Grinev located approximately south-southwest from
Novy Oskol
Novy Oskol () is a town and the administrative center of Novooskolsky District in Belgorod Oblast, Russia, northeast of Belgorod, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: It is called ''Novy Oskol'' () to distinguish it from Stary ...
and to Artyomovsk on 9 July. During this period, Miethig had claimed a Hurricane fighter on 4 July and a R-5 reconnaissance bomber on 8 July. On 10 July, Miethig claimed a MiG-1 fighter. According to Obermaier, Miethig had been awarded the
Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe
The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was ...
() on 6 July. Patzwall however dates the presentation of Honor Goblet on 19 October. On 2 August, I. ''Gruppe'' was ordered to
Kerch
Kerch, also known as Keriç or Kerich, is a city of regional significance on the Kerch Peninsula in the east of Crimea. It has a population of
Founded 2,600 years ago as the Colonies in antiquity#Greek colonies, ancient Greek colony Pantik ...
on the
Kerch Peninsula
The Kerch Peninsula is a major and prominent geographic peninsula located at the eastern end of the Crimean Peninsula.
This peninsula stretches eastward toward the Taman Peninsula between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Most of the peninsula i ...
. At the time, the ''Gruppe'' was moved around as a kind of fire brigade, deployed in areas where the
Soviet Air Forces
The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...
was particular active. The ''Gruppe'' then moved to
Oryol
Oryol ( rus, Орёл, , ɐˈrʲɵl, a=ru-Орёл.ogg, links=y, ), also transliterated as Orel or Oriol, is a Classification of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast, Russia, situated on the Oka Rive ...
on 15 August. There, Miethig claimed an I-180 fighter, a designation for the
Yakovlev Yak-7
The Yakovlev Yak-7 (; NATO reporting name: Mark)Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1955-56 p. 188 was developed from the earlier Yak-1 fighter, initially as a trainer but converted into a fighter. As both a fighter and later reverting to its ori ...
, on 18 August and two Pe-2 bombers on 23 August.
The following day, I. ''Gruppe'' moved to Dedjurewo near
Rzhev
Rzhev ( rus, Ржев, p=ˈrʐɛf) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population:
Hist ...
in the central sector of the Eastern Front where the ''Gruppe'' was subordinated to
''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing), fighting in the
Battle of Rzhev. On 29 October 1942, Miethig and ''Leutnant''
Walter Krupinski
Walter Krupinski (11 November 1920 – 7 October 2000) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II and a senior West German Air Force officer during the Cold War. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots in the war, credited with 197 vic ...
from 6. ''Staffel'' were awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
(). On 8 June 1943, Miethig was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 41st Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.
Miethig was killed in a crash following combat with Yak-1 fighters on 10 June 1943 roughly north-east of
Krymskaya, over the
Kuban bridgehead
The Kuban Bridgehead (), also known as the "Goth's head position" (), was a German military position on the Taman Peninsula, Russia, between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Existing from January to October 1943, the bridgehead formed after th ...
. Miethig, flying Bf 109 G-2 (''Werknummer'' 14 602—factory number), had shot down one of the Yak-1 fighters and
collided with his crashing opponent. Miethig was posthumously awarded the
German Cross
The War Order of the German Cross (), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repeated acts of bravery or military leade ...
in Gold () as well as posthumously promoted to ''
Hauptmann
() is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as ''captain''.
Background
While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literall ...
'' (captain). ''Leutnant''
Johann-Hermann Meier temporarily was given command of 3. ''Staffel'' until ''Hauptmann'' Erich Schreiber was officially appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' on 15 July.
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to US historian
David T. Zabecki, Miethig was credited with 101 aerial victories. Schreier and Spick also list Miethig with 101 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
The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv (BArch) (, lit. "Federal Archive") are the national archives of Germany. They were established at the current location in Koblenz in 1952.
They are subordinated to the Federal Commissioner for Culture ...
and state that Miethig was credited with 100 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 47852". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15
minutes
Minutes, also known as minutes of meeting, protocols or, informally, notes, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting and may include a list of attendees, a statement of the activit ...
of
latitude
In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...
by 30 minutes of
longitude
Longitude (, ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east- west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek lett ...
, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.
Awards
*
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...
(1939) 2nd and 1st Class
*
Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe
The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was ...
on 19 October 1942 as ''
Leutnant
() is the lowest junior officer rank in the armed forces of Germany ( Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the military of Switzerland.
History
The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High German «locum ...
'' and pilot
*
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
on 29 October 1942 as Staffelführer and ''Leutnant'' of the 3./''Jagdgeschwader'' 52
*
German Cross
The War Order of the German Cross (), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repeated acts of bravery or military leade ...
in Gold on 19 January 1944 (posthumously) as ''
Hauptmann
() is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as ''captain''.
Background
While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literall ...
'' in the 3./''Jagdgeschwader'' 52
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Miethig, Rudolf
1921 births
1943 deaths
People from Zwickau
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Military personnel from Saxony