Dickfeld, Adolf Die Fährte des Jägers. Die Kriegserlebnisse eines Jagdfliegers

Adolf Dickfeld joined the German Air Force on 1 March 1937. At the outbreak of the war, he was a pilot with the III/JG 52. On 16 August 1941, he achieved his 10th aerial victory. By the end of the year, he had already won 37 victories. On 8 May 1942, he won 11, on 14 May 10 and on 18 May 9 victories. For 101 aerial victories he was awarded the oak leaves of the Knight's Cross on 19 May 1942, and was also promoted to First Lieutenant.

After a long absence he returned to the front in August 1942. When he left JG 52 again in September, he had 128 aerial victories to his credit. Commanded to JG 2 in North Africa, Dickfeld took over the II. Group. There he achieved another five aerial victories against western opponents. In a take-off accident near Cairo, Dickfeld suffered severe injuries on 8 January 1943. On 17 April 1943, he became commander of the II Group of Fighter Wing 11, which was located in northern Germany for the defence of the Reich. Promoted to Major on 18 May 1943. Shortly afterwards he was shot down and wounded during an attack on heavy bombers. After his recovery, he was appointed General for Young Leaders in the Reich Aviation Ministry and Reich Inspector of the Hitler Youth Air Force. But Adolf Dickfeld did not like staff duty, so he was transferred to the front again. He flew the Bücker 181 with rockets against Russian tanks and a little later the He 162, with which he won an aerial victory. At the end of the war, Dickfeld - promoted to colonel on 22 February 1945 - had won 151 aerial victories in 1,072 missions (136 of which were recognised). Dickfeld was awarded the Knight's Cross on 19 March 1942 and the Oak Leaf on 19 May 1942. Adolf Dickfeld died on 17 May 2009.