Gerhard Schöpfel (19 December 1912 – 17 May 2003) was a German
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
military aviator and
wing commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. As a
fighter ace, he is credited with 45 aerial victories claimed in approximately 700 combat missions, all of which on the
Western Front.
Born in
Erfurt
Erfurt () is the capital and largest city in the Central German state of Thuringia. It is located in the wide valley of the Gera river (progression: ), in the southern part of the Thuringian Basin, north of the Thuringian Forest. It sits i ...
, Schöpfel grew up in the
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is ...
and
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
and joined the German police force. In 1936, he transferred to the Luftwaffe and following flight training was posted to a fighter wing. In September 1939, Schöpfel became a squadron leader in
''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing). Flying with this wing, Schöpfel claimed his first aerial victory on 19 May 1940 during the
Battle of France. In August 1941, he was given command of III. ''
Gruppe'' of JG 26. During the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
, he was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 September for 20 aerial victories claimed. In December 1941, Schöpfel was appointed ''
Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander) of JG 26, a position he held until January 1943.
Schöpfel then held various staff positions with ''
Jagdfliegerführer Bretagne'', ''
Jagdfliegerführer Sizilien Jagdfliegerführer SizilienA Jagdfliegerführer, or Jafü, was the commander of the Fighter forces of a ''Luftflotte''. For more details see Luftwaffe Organization (Chief of Fighter Aviation Sicily) was part of Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2), one of the ...
'' and ''
Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen was a formation of the German Luftwaffe based in Occupied Norway during World War II. It was named for the "Fighter Leader (''Jafu''),A Jagdfliegerführer, or Jafü, was the commander of the Fighter forces of a ''Luf ...
''. In May 1944, he was posted to
''Jagdgeschwader'' 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) and in June was given command of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 4 (JG 4—4th Fighter Wing). In April 1945, he was appointed commander of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 6 (JG 6—6th Fighter Wing). At the end of the war, he became a Soviet
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is 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 w ...
and was released in December 1949. Schöpfel died on 15 May 2003 in
Bergisch Gladbach.
Early life and career
Schöpfel was born on 19 December 1912 at
Erfurt
Erfurt () is the capital and largest city in the Central German state of Thuringia. It is located in the wide valley of the Gera river (progression: ), in the southern part of the Thuringian Basin, north of the Thuringian Forest. It sits i ...
, at the time in
Province of Saxony of the
German Empire. Serving with the ''
Landespolizei'' (state police), he transferred to the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
in 1936 and held the rank of ''
Oberfähnrich
(OFähnr or OFR) designates in the Heer of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces with the last or highest Officer Aspirant (OA – de: ) rank. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the ranks of or , an ...
'' (officer cadet). Following flight training, Schöpfel was assigned to I. ''
Gruppe'' (1st group) of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 135 (JG 135—135th Fighter Wing). This unit had been formed on 1 April 1937 and was commanded by ''Major''
Max Ibel
Max Ibel (1 January 1896 – 19 March 1981) is credited as one of the creators of the Luftwaffe. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Career
Max Ibel was born in 1896 in Munich and joined the Army as a cadet in July ...
. On 1 November 1938, the ''Gruppe'' became the I. ''Gruppe'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 233 (JG 233—233rd Fighter Wing) and was again renamed on 1 May 1939, this time becoming the I. ''Gruppe'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). Initially flying the
Heinkel He 51
The Heinkel He 51 was a German single-seat biplane which was produced in a number of different versions. It was initially developed as a fighter; a seaplane variant and a ground-attack version were also developed. It was a development of th ...
, the unit was reequipped with the
Messerschmitt Bf 109 B in November 1937. In 1938, Schöpfel was transferred to the ''Stab'' (HQ) flight of I. ''Gruppe'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 334 (JG 334—334th Fighter Wing). This unit was initially commanded by ''Hauptmann''
Walter Grabmann and later by ''Major''
Gotthard Handrick
Gotthard Handrick (25 October 1908 – 30 May 1978) was a German Olympic athlete and German fighter pilot during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
Career
Handrick was born on 25 October 1908 in Zittau, at the time in the Kingdom of Saxony ...
. This ''Gruppe'' also underwent a few name changes. On 1 November 1938, it received the designation I. ''Gruppe'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing) and then again on 1 May 1939 when it was referred to as I. ''Gruppe'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing).
World War II
World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. ''
Oberleutnant'' Schöpfel was assigned as commander of 9. ''
Staffel'' (9th squadron) of JG 26, a squadron of III. ''Gruppe'', on 23 September 1939. He claimed his first aerial victory during the
Battle of France on 19 May 1940. In combat with the
British Expeditionary Force and
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF), 9. ''Staffel'' attacked
Lille
Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the N ...
-
Marck. Schöpfel claimed a
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 b ...
fighter shot down northeast of
Courtrai
Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders.
It is the capital and larges ...
, the claim remained unconfirmed. The opponent may have been
Flying Officer Dick Pexton,
615 Squadron. Pexton may have been attacked simultaneously by Schöpfel and ''
Unteroffizier
() is a junior non-commissioned officer rank used by the . It is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers in Austria and Germany. It was formerly a rank in the Imperial Russian Army.
Austria
, also , is the collective name to ...
'' Bernard Eberz. The German pilots claimed a Hurricane each—Pexton was wounded in the legs.
He claimed his first confirmed aerial victory on 29 May during the
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk (french: Bataille de Dunkerque, link=no) was fought around the French port of Dunkirk (Dunkerque) during the Second World War, between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle of France on t ...
. At 18:10, he shot down a
Supermarine Spitfire west of
Dunkirk. The Spitfire belonged to either
No. 64,
No. 229 or
No. 610 Squadron. Two days later, Schöpfel shot down a
No. 609 Squadron Spitfire over Dunkirk. He claimed his last aerial victory of the Battle of France on 2 June in combat with
No. 66,
No. 266 or
No. 611 Squadron Spitfires, claiming his fourth victory in total at 09:25.
On 6 June, ''Hauptmann''
Adolf Galland was appointed ''
Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of III. ''Gruppe'', replacing ''Major'' Ernst Freiherr von Berg. The
Armistice of 22 June 1940
The Armistice of 22 June 1940 was signed at 18:36 near Compiègne, France, by officials of Nazi Germany and the Third French Republic. It did not come into effect until after midnight on 25 June.
Signatories for Germany included Wilhelm Keitel ...
ended the Battle of France and III. ''Gruppe'' was ordered to
Mönchen-Gladbach for a period of maintenance and replenishment. On 21 July, III. ''Gruppe'' was moved to an airfield at
Caffiers in northern France, close to the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
in preparation for the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
. Schöpfel claimed his first two aerial victories during the Battle of Britain on 8 August. In a mission to
Dover, clearing the airspace ahead of
Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers from
''Luftflotte'' 3 (Air Fleet 3) attacking Allied convoy ''Peewit'' during the ''
Kanalkampf
The (Channel Fight) was the German term for air operations by the against the British Royal Air Force (RAF) over the English Channel in July 1940. The air operations over the Channel began the Battle of Britain during the Second World War. By ...
'', Schöpfel claimed a
No. 600 Squadron Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...
bomber and a
No. 65 Squadron Spitfire destroyed. The Blenheim crashed into the sea off
Ramsgate. Flying Officer D. N. Grice,
Sergeant F. J. Keast and A.C.J.B.Q Warren were all
killed in action. Schöpfel had originally misidentified the Blenheim and filed the claim over a
Handley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden is a British twin-engine medium bomber that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was part of the trio of large twin-engine bombers procured for the RAF, joining the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and Vickers ...
bomber. On 12 August, one day before ''
Adlertag
''Adlertag'' ("Eagle Day") was the first day of ''Unternehmen Adlerangriff'' ("Operation Eagle Attack"), which was the codename of a military operation by Nazi Germany's '' Luftwaffe'' (German air force) to destroy the British Royal Air Fo ...
'', he claimed a Spitfire shot down near
Folkestone. The downed aircraft belonged to either
No. 151 or
No. 501 Squadron, but neither squadron operated the Spitfire at this time. No. 151 reported the loss of three Hurricanes, and one pilot, while No. 501 lost two fighters and one pilot killed—the surviving pilot being
Squadron leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...
A. L. Holland. The day after ''Adlertag'', he claimed a Hurricane from either
No. 32 or No. 615 Squadron. This claim was not confirmed. 32 Squadron suffered damage to three Hurricanes in force-landings after aerial combat; all pilots unhurt. British sources attribute the loss of two pilots and two Hurricanes from 615 Squadron to
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engine (Des ...
s.
On
18 August
Events Pre-1600
* 684 – Battle of Marj Rahit (684), Battle of Marj Rahit: Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of al-Sham, Syria.
*AD 707, 707 – Empress Genmei, Princess Abe accedes t ...
, Schöpfel fought in the large air battles which characterised the Battle of Britain. Schöpfel led III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 26 and Bf 109s from
''Jagdgeschwader'' 3, 40 in total, across the
Strait of Dover to sweep the skies clear ahead of the main raid. Some 25 miles behind him were the 27 Do 17s of I. and III./
KG 76 escorted by 20 Bf 110s that were to strike
RAF Kenley
The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley was an airfield station of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War and the RAF in the Second World War. It played a significant role during the Battle of Britai ...
. As the advance led by Schöpfel made their way past the coast it spotted a vic-formation of RAF fighters. They were Hurricanes of 501 Squadron which were conducting wide spirals to gain height. Schöpfel bounced them and claimed four in two minutes killing one pilot and wounding three others. As he departed other members of his ''Geschwader'' dived on the Squadron and an inconclusive dogfight ensued. Schöpfel's victims were Donald McKay and
Pilot Officers J.W Bland, Pilot Officer
Kenneth Lee and F. Kozlowski. Bland was the only one killed. This combat took place over
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
in the timeframe 13:55 to 13:56. Lee, who was wounded,
bailed out near
Whitstable
Whitstable () is a town on the north coast of Kent adjoining the convergence of the Swale Estuary and the Greater Thames Estuary in southeastern England, north of Canterbury and west of Herne Bay. The 2011 Census reported a population of ...
.
Group commander
On 22 August, Galland was appointed ''
Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander) of JG 26 and Schöpfel, who had led 9. ''Staffel'' until then, succeeded him as ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of III. ''Gruppe''. His successor as ''
Staffelkapitän
''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank.
In the ...
'' (squadron leader) of 9. ''Staffel'' was ''Oberleutnant''
Heinz Ebeling. That day, Galland led the ''Geschwader'' in an attack on
Manston Airfield. In combat with No. 65 Squadron, Schöpfel claimed a Spitfire shot down at 20:25
CET
CET or cet may refer to:
Places
* Cet, Albania
* Cet, standard astronomical abbreviation for the constellation Cetus
* Colchester Town railway station (National Rail code CET), in Colchester, England
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Comcast En ...
southeast of Dover. Sergeant M Keymar was killed in a Spitfire over Dover at 19:25
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. At different times in the past, it has been calculated in different ways, including being calculated from noon; as a cons ...
. On 28 August, the Luftwaffe attacked the airfields at
Eastchurch
Eastchurch is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Sheppey, in the English county of Kent, two miles east of Minster. The village website claims the area has "a history steeped in stories of piracy and smugglers".
Aviation history
Eastch ...
and
Rochford. In defense of this attack, the RAF dispatched 32 Hurricane fighters and 12
Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns ...
interceptor aircraft from
No. 264 Squadron. In this encounter, Schöpfel was credited with the destruction of a Defiant shot down east of Canterbury. 264 Squadron suffered the loss of four Defiants and three damaged. Five men (pilots and gunners) were killed and one wounded, Squadron Leader D. G. Garvin was the injured man when ''L7021'' was destroyed. Another solitary claim was made on 31 August but III./JG 26 lost four Bf 109s in combat with
85 and 54 Squadron. One pilot was missing, one rescued, and two were posted in
missing in action
Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been killed, wounded, captured, ex ...
.
The Blitz
The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'.
The Germa ...
bombing campaign during the Battle of Britain began on 7 September 1940. That day, on a mission to London, Schöpfel claimed a
No. 603 Squadron shot down at 18:45. During an attack on the
London Docks
London Docklands is the riverfront and former docks in London. It is located in inner east and southeast London, in the boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Newham, and Greenwich. The docks were formerly part of the Port ...
on 9 September, Schöpfel claimed three
No. 92 Squadron Spitfires shot down over the
Thames Estuary
The Thames Estuary is where the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea, in the south-east of Great Britain.
Limits
An estuary can be defined according to different criteria (e.g. tidal, geographical, navigational or in terms of salini ...
, taking his total to 20 aerial victories claimed. According to British loss lists, 92 Squadron lost only two Spitfires this day; Pilot Officer C. H Saunders was wounded in ''L1077'', and Pilot Officer W. C Watling in ''P9372''. On 11 September, Schöpfel may have shot down a
No. 235 Squadron Blenheim bomber on a mission to bomb Calais harbour. That day, he was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () for 20 aerial victories claimed, the second pilot of JG 26 to receive this distinction. The Blenheim was in fact escorting
Fairey Albacore
The Fairey Albacore is a single-engine biplane torpedo bomber designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Fairey Aviation. It was primarily operated by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) and was heavily used during the Second ...
aircraft. Pilot Officers P. C. Wickings-Smith, A. W. V. Green and Sergeant R. D .H Watts were killed.
On 29 October, JG 26 targeted the
North Weald Airfield. The attack began just as Hurricanes from
No. 257 Squadron were taking off. In this encounter, Schöpfel claimed a Hurricane shot down at 17:45, it was observed that the pilot bailed out. Two Hurricanes were hit in the attack. Sergeant A. G. Girdwood burned to death when a bomb exploded next to his Hurricane on take-off. Pilot Officer F. Surma parachuted from ''P3893'' unhurt at an altitude of 3,000 feet. On 1 November, JG 26 escorted Ju 87s in an attack on Alied shipping off the
Nore. On this escort mission, Schöpfel claimed a No. 92 Squadron Spitfire shot down over
Herne Bay
Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local governmen ...
, his last in 1940.
Schöpfel claimed his first aerial victory in 1941 on 17 June. That day, the RAF flew
"Circus" No. 14 targeting the
Etabs Kuhlmann Chemical Works and power station at
Chocques. In total,
No. 2 Group
No. 2 Group is a Group (military aviation unit)#United Kingdom, group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was react ...
sent 23 Blenheim bombers, escorted by fighters from North Weald and
Biggin Hill. JG 26 claimed 15 aerial victories including a
No. 56 or
No. 242 Squadron Hurricane by Schöpfel. Schöpfel claimed two aerial victories on 9 August 1941. Author Thomas assumes that one of the Spitfires was piloted by
Flight Lieutenant Lionel Harwood 'Buck' Casson from
No. 616 Squadron. On 19 October, III. ''Gruppe'' moved to a makeshift airfield at
Coquelles
Coquelles (; vls, Kalkwelle, lang) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department near Calais in northern France.
The town comprises a shopping centre, hotels and farm in Vieille Coquelles (old Coquelles), part of the L'Européenne autoroute ...
, close to
Calais on the English Channel. There, they began preparations for operating the then new
Focke Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' ("Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, th ...
A-1. The ''Gruppe'' was fully reequipped and operational with the Fw 190 in mid-November 1941.
Wing commander
![JG26-Emblem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/JG26-Emblem.svg)
On 5 December 1941, Galland was appointed ''
General der Jagdflieger
Inspector of Fighters (German language: ''Inspekteur der Jagdflieger'' redesignated to ''General der Jagdflieger'' (General of Fighters)) was not a rank but a leading position within the High Command of the German Luftwaffe in Nazi Germany
...
'' (General of Fighters). In consequence of Galland's advance in command responsibility, Schöpfel succeeded him as ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of JG 26 on 6 December and ''Hauptmann''
Josef Priller became the new ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of III. ''Gruppe''. Three days later, he was awarded the
German Cross
The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), 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 repe ...
in Gold () on 9 December. In December, he was also promoted to ''
Major'' (major).
In February 1942 he led III. ''Gruppe'' in
Operation Donnerkeil. The objective of this operation was to give the German
battleships and and the
heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range and high speed, armed generally with naval guns of roughly 203 mm (8 inches) in caliber, whose design parameters were dictated by the Washington Naval T ...
fighter protection in the breakout from
Brest
Brest may refer to:
Places
*Brest, Belarus
**Brest Region
**Brest Airport
**Brest Fortress
* Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria
* Břest, Czech Republic
*Brest, France
** Arrondissement of Brest
**Brest Bretagne Airport
** Château de Brest
*Br ...
to Germany. The
Channel Dash
The Channel Dash (german: Unternehmen Zerberus, Operation Cerberus) was a German naval operation during the Second World War. ( Cerberus), a three-headed dog of Greek mythology who guards the gate to Hades. A (German Navy) squadron comprisin ...
operation (11–13 February 1942) by the
Kriegsmarine was codenamed Operation Cerberus by the Germans. In support of this, the Luftwaffe, formulated an
air superiority plan dubbed Operation Donnerkeil for the protection of the three German capital ships. They intercepted
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding ran ...
Eugene Esmonde
Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde, (1 March 1909 – 12 February 1942) was a distinguished Irish pilot in the Fleet Air Arm who was a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awa ...
, acting as
Squadron Leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...
, No. 825 Squadron
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
, in a
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish is a biplane torpedo bomber, designed by the Fairey Aviation Company. Originating in the early 1930s, the Swordfish, nicknamed "Stringbag", was principally operated by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. It was also us ...
. Frail and slow, the Swordfish forced German pilots to lower their undercarriages to prevent overshooting the biplanes. In the event all six Swordfish of this unit were shot down. Several managed to fire off their torpedoes at German ships but none found their mark. Lieutenant Commander Esmonde was shot down and killed by an Fw 190.
Schöpfel claimed an unconfirmed aerial victory over a
No. 411 Squadron Spitfire on 24 March. That day, the RAF targeted the
Comines power station with "Circus" No. 116. On 14 April 1942, Schöpfel shot down Flight Lieutenant Cyril Wood from
No. 403 Squadron. During the
Dieppe Raid on 19 August, Schöpfel claimed two aerial victories in the vicinity of
Dieppe
Dieppe (; Norman: ''Dgieppe'') is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France.
Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to N ...
. He shot down a No. 501 Squadron Spitfire at 16:31 and a
No. 222 Squadron Spitfire at 18:30, the last claim by JG 26 of the day.
On 8 November 1942,
Anglo
Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from, the Angles, England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term ''Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to peopl ...
–
American forces launched
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942), the invasion of
French North Africa
French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. I ...
. In consequence, Schöpfel was ordered to send the 11. (''Höhen'') ''Staffel'' of JG 26, the high altitude squadron equipped with the Bf 109 G, to North Africa. That day, Schöpfel may have claimed two
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers shot down. These claims are attributed to his personal records and cannot be verified by other records. Schöpfel claimed his 45th and last aerial victory on 6 December 1942 over a B-17. That day, the
VIII Bomber Command
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of ...
had targeted the steel works at Lille with 66 B-17s. Schöpfel's claim may have been a B-17 from the
305th Bombardment Group
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
. According to Matthews and Foreman, Schöpfel claimed a final B-17 shot down on 20 December. That day, VIII Bomber Command had again targeted Lille. On this raid, six B-17s were lost over France and further 31 aircraft sustained combat damage. According to Caldwell, no claim was filed by Schöpfel.
On 8 January 1943, Schöpfel attended a conference hosted by ''General der Jagdflieger'' Galland in Berlin. There, Schöpfel was informed by Galland that on 10 January, he would pass on command of JG 26 to ''Major''
Josef Priller and that Schöpfel would be appointed Ia (Operations Officer) with ''
''Jagdfliegerführer'' 2'', the fighter controller responsible for protecting the German U-boat bases in France. In a post World War II interview, Galland commented on Schöpfel:
"I knew Schöpfel was not the right man ... He was a nice guy, but not a strong leader ... Priller was better. He was the aggressive type."
Luftwaffe staff positions
Schöpfel left JG 26 on 10 January 1943, with 45 victories, to take up a number of administrative roles. Following his tenure with '' Jagdfliegerführer Bretagne'', he then went to serve as Fighter Operations Officer for the South Italy Command from July (during the critical Sicily landings) and then ''Jafü'' (Fighter Leader) Norway from January 1944.
He returned to a combat command on 1 May 1944, briefly joining the staff of III. ''Gruppe'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) for a month. This was based in Germany on Reich Defense, and he mentored the newly promoted ''Gruppenkommandeur''
Siegfried Schnell
Siegfried Schnell (23 January 1916 – 25 February 1944) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 93—that is, 93 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction ...
who had previously commanded 9./JG 2 alongside Schöpfel on the Channel Front. Then, on 1 June 1944, he was appointed ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of the newly formed
Jagdgeschwader 4
''Jagdgeschwader'' 4 (JG 4) was a ''Luftwaffe'' fighter wing of World War II.
Sturmgruppen 1944
''Jagdgeschwader'' 4 became one of only three ''Luftwaffe'' ''geschwader'' to operate the specialised 'bomber-killer' ''gruppen'' designated ''St ...
, also based on the Channel Front in
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich (german: Reichsverteidigung) is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany over German-occupied Europe and Germany during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the d ...
. The original ''Gruppe'' I./JG 4, formed in mid 1943, had previously been based in Romania defending the oilfields, and was currently based in northern Italy. The new II. and III./JG 4 ''Gruppen'' were authorised in mid July, and I./JG 4 transferred to Germany to join them to bring his ''Geschwader'' up to full strength. However, on 6 August he was shot down near Schwerin flying a Bf 109 G-6. His injuries were serious enough that he had to give up his command on 6 August to ''Oberstleutnant''
Gerhard Michalski
Gerhard Michalski (25 June 1917 – 22 February 1946) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 73 aerial victories in 652 missions, of which 59 victories were achieve ...
.
In October 1944 Schöpfel was appointed to the newly created role of ''
Jagdfliegerführer Ungarn'' (Fighter Leader Hungary). In February 1945 he commanded the ''
Luftkriegsschule 2'' (training school) at
Gatow
Gatow (), a district of south-western Berlin is located west of the ''Havelsee'' lake and has forested areas within its boundaries. It is within the borough of Spandau. On 31 December 2002, it had 5,532 inhabitants.
History
Gatow's existence was ...
. On 10 April he was appointed the final ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 6 (JG 6—6th Fighter Wing) based in northern Czechoslovakia.
After serving on the Eastern Front for approximately one month, Schöpfel was captured by Soviet forces, and was interned for four and a half years in the Soviet Union. He returned to Germany upon his release in December 1949.
Later life
He took jobs as a chauffeur and a merchant before obtaining an executive position with Air Lloyd in Bonn in the 1960s, in an office next to his former commander Adolf Galland. He died of natural causes on 17 May 2003 aged 90.
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to Obermaier, Schöpfel was credited with 45 aerial victories, claimed in approximately 700 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces: Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the
German Federal Archives and found records for 40 aerial victory claims, plus nine further unconfirmed claims, all of which were claimed on the Western Front.
Awards
*
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
(1939) 2nd and 1st class
*
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 September 1940 as ''
Hauptmann
is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies. While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...
'' and ''
Gruppenkommandeur of the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter"
*
German Cross
The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), 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 repe ...
in Gold on 9 December 1941 as ''Hauptmann'' in the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 26
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
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* Spick, Mike (2003). ''Luftwaffe Fighter Aces'' Greenhill Books.
* Spick, Mike (2006). ''Aces of the Reich''. Greenhill Books.
* Sundin, Claes & Bergström. Christer (1997). ''Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile''. Altglen, PA:
Schiffer Military History
Schiffer Publishing Ltd. (also known for its imprints Schiffer, Schiffer Craft, Schiffer Military History, Schiffer Kids, REDFeather MBS, Cornell Maritime Press, Tidewater Publishers, Thrums Books, Geared Up Publications ) is a family-owned publi ...
. including a colour profile of aircraft (#5)
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* Weal, John (1999). ''Bf109F/G/K Aces of the Western Front''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. . including a colour profile of aircraft (#24)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schopfel, Gerhard
People from the Province of Saxony
Military personnel from Erfurt
German World War II flying aces
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union
1912 births
2003 deaths