Wolfgang Lippert (pilot)

Wolfgang Lippert (14 September 1914 – 3 December 1941) was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. Lippert was credited with 30 victories, five of which were scored in the Spanish Civil War.

Early of life and career

Lippert was born on 14 September 1911 in Fraureuth of the Kingdom of Saxony within the German Empire. He joined the Luftwaffe and after pilot training, was posted to I. '' Gruppe'' (1st group) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 134 "Horst Wessel". Lippert gained his first aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War flying with the Condor Legion with 3. '' Staffel'' (3rd squadron) of ''Jagdgruppe'' 88. He claimed his first aerial victory on 15 July 1938 when he shot down a Polikarpov I-15 fighter. In total, he claimed five victories from mid-1938 until March 1939. For his service in Spain, he received the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords () on 14 April 1939.

Following his return from Spain, Lippert was posted I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 133 (JG 133—133rd Fighter Wing) based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Airfield. On 1 May 1939, the ''Gruppe'' was renamed and became the I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). That day, Lippert was appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 3. ''Staffel'' of JG 53. He succeeded ''Hauptmann'' Lothar von Janson who was transferred.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. At the time, JG 53 was tasked with patrolling Germany's western border between Trier and Saarbrücken in what would be dubbed the "Phoney War" period of World War II. The ''Gruppe'' moved to an airfield at Kirchberg on 26 September. Four days later, Lippert claimed his first victory of World War II on 30 September 1939, a French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighter. In December, I. ''Gruppe'' relocated to Darmstadt-Griesheim Airfield. Lippert claimed his second aerial victory on 7 April 1940, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfire. During the Battle of France he claimed six further Allied aircraft shot down.

On 16 August 1940 during the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe flew 399 bomber and 1,314 fighter sorties over Britain. That day, I. ''Gruppe'' participated on two missions to England, at 13:30 and 17:20. During the second mission, Lippert claimed a Spitfire shot down.

Group commander

On 4 September 1940, ''Hauptmann'' Lippert was appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of II. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing). He thus succeeded ''Oberleutnant'' Ernst Düllberg who had temporarily replaced ''Hauptmann'' Werner Andres after his transfer. In consequence, command of 3. ''Staffel'' of JG 53 was given to ''Oberleutnant'' Julius Haase. On 7 September, II. ''Gruppe'' participated in Operation "Loge", 350 bombers escorted by 648 fighters, attacked various targets in the greater London area. The ''Gruppe'' protected those bombers returning from the docks in the East End of London. On this mission, Lippert claimed a Spitfire shot down at 19:05 near London, his first claim with JG 27.

On 24 September, II. ''Gruppe'' moved to Saint-Inglevert Airfield located northeast of Boulogne-sur-Mer near the English Channel. That day, Lippert was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () after 13 World War II victories. Together with ''Oberleutnant'' Hans "Assi" Hahn, the presentation was made by ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, at his residence Carinhall. On 1 November, he shot down RAF ace S/L Archie McKellar flying a No. 605 Squadron Hurricane Mk.I.

War against the Soviet Union

In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, II. ''Gruppe'' was moved to a makeshift airfield name Praszniki, located northeast of Suwałki close to the Curzon Line, on 18 June. On 22 June, the first day of the invasion, Lippert claimed a Soviet I-15 fighter shot down south of Knyszyn, and an I-17 fighter, an early Luftwaffe war designation for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1, northeast of Wizna. On 25 June, the ''Gruppe'' moved to an airfield at Vilnius. That day, Lippert claimed a Tupolev SB bomber north of Nemenčinė and an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber southwest of Vilnius. On 1 July, II. ''Gruppe'' was withdrawn from combat operations, all serviceable aircraft were transferred to III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 27 and the personnel was ordered to return to Suwałki, awaiting further orders.

North Africa and death

Following the withdrawal from the Eastern Front, II. ''Gruppe'' arrived at Döberitz, located approximately west of Staaken, on 24 July. Here, the ''Gruppe'' was equipped with the Bf 109 F-4 and prepared for combat in North Africa to support a German contingent, the Deutsche Afrika Korps under the command of Erwin Rommel. On 29 September, the '' Gruppenstab'' (headquarters unit) under command of Lippert began the relocation to Ayn al-Ġazāla where they were subordinated to the ''Fliegerführer Afrika'', ''Generalmajor'' Stefan Fröhlich. Lipper claimed his first aerial victory in the North African theatre on 23 October. Lippert led a flight of six Bf 109s on a mission which intercepted a flight of Hurricane fighters of the South African Air Force (SAAF) 1 Squadron which lost two Hurricanes, one of which claimed by Lippert in the area south of Buq Buq.

On 23 November, five days after British forces had launched Operation Crusader, Lippert was shot down over Allied lines near Bir el Gubi, probably by Flight Lieutenant Clive Caldwell of No. 250 Squadron. As Lippert bailed out of his Bf 109 F-4 (''Werknummer'' 8469—factory number), he hit the tailplane. He was hospitalised in Cairo and his legs were amputated. However, his legs were infected by gangrene and he died on 3 December. He is buried at the Fayid War Cemetery (Plot 29, Row D, Grave 22). In consequence, command of II. ''Gruppe'' was temporarily given to ''Oberleutnant'' Gustav Rödel before ''Hauptmann'' Erich Gerlitz took command on 25 December.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 29 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This number includes five claims during the Spanish Civil War, three on the Eastern Front and further 21 over the Western Allies of World War II.

Awards

* Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939)
* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 September 1940 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./''Jagdgeschwader'' 27

Notes

References

Citations

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lippert, Wolfgang
1914 births
1941 deaths
Aviators killed by being shot down
Spanish Civil War flying aces
German World War II flying aces
Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Military personnel of the Kingdom of Saxony
Condor Legion personnel
People from Zwickau (district)
Military personnel from Saxony
Deaths from gangrene