Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the most highly decorated German serviceman of World War II, the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. He flew his first combat mission in June 1941, and in September sank the Soviet battleship Marat. In 1943 he became the first pilot to fly over 1,000 combat sorties. Flying the 'tank busting' Stuka, he fought at the Battle of Kursk, and in March 1944 became Gruppenkommandeur of III./StG 2.
Badly wounded by flak in Feb. 1945, his leg was amputated below the knee. However, he returned to operations in March, destroying another 26 Soviet tanks.

Rudel flew 2,530 combat missions, including 430 in the Fw190. He destroyed more than 519 tanks, one battleship, one cruiser, a destroyer and 70 landing craft, plus a further 800 vehicles, 150 guns, four armoured trains and numerous other ground targets. In addition, he achieved nine aerial victories, was shot down by flak 30 times, and wounded five times.

General Johannes Steinhoff

‘Macky’ Steinhoff’ commanded 4./JG52, and flew throughout the Battle of Britain. In June 1941he transferred to the East and commanded 11./JG52. He later served in Italy, moving to France after the Normandy invasion. In late 1944 he commanded the first Me262 unit, JG7, before joining Galland’s JV44, where he scored 6 jet victories before being seriously burned in a crash. He had scored 178 victories, and was awarded the Knight’s Cross, with Oak Leaves, and Swords. After the war he rejoined the German Air Force, and in 1966 became Chief of Air Staff.

Generalleutnant Günther Rall

Günther Rall was with III./JG52 at the outbreak of war, and scored his first air victory early in the Battle of Britain. By July 1940 he was leading 8./JG52. After transfer to the East his victories quickly mounted, but a crash hospitalised him. Within nine months he was back in action again.
Commanding III./JG52, he gained the Wings 500th victory. Günther fought throughout the war to become the 3rd highest Ace in history, with 275 victories. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He too rejoined the German Air Force after the war, and became Chief of Air Staff in 1974

Leutnant Wilhelm Noller

Wilhelm Noller joined the Luftwaffe in 1939 and trained as a bomber pilot. In May 1942 he was posted to join 2./StG 2 fighting on the Eastern Front. He took part in the Battles of Kursk and Stalingrad, and became one of the most successful pilots of St.G.2. By early 1943 his combat mission total passed the 500 mark, rising to over 800 by the end of the year. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross in
April 1944, a few weeks after passing the 1000 mission mark. After a period instructing, he returned to combat in February 1945, flying the Fw190 with 7./SG. 10 in Czechoslovakia. Wounded in April 1945, and hospitalised in Prague, he was taken prisoner by the Soviets when they took over the city in May. Transported east by rail towards Russia, he jumped from the moving train and escaped back to Germany. During the war he had flown 1058 missions, destroyed 86 tanks, 2 armoured trains, plus many vehicles, boats and bridges. He also gained 2 victories in aerial combat.

Oberleutnant Günther Seeger

In February 1940 Günther Seeger was an Unteroffizier with 3./JG2, scoring his first victory in the early days of the Battle of Britain. He served on the Channel Front until December 1942, including several months with the Geschwaderstabsschawm. He transferred to the Mediterranean theatre with 11./JG2, before joining 6./JG53. In February 1943 he joined 7./JG53, becoming Staffelkapitan in September 1944. Awarded the Knight’s Cross, Günther Seeger flew over 500 combat missions and scored 56 victories, all of them in the West.