Kurt Dombacher

Kurt Dombacher (9 February 1920 – 8 October 1993) was a German Luftwaffe ace during World War II. Kurt Dombacher was credited with 68 victories in 800+ missions, with 1 over Western forces and 67 over Soviet forces. He was captured by Soviet forces in May 1945 and was held until 1950.

Career
On 10 September 1944, Dombacher was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He succeeded Leutnant Gerhard Mai who had temporarily led the Staffel after its former commander Hauptmann Joachim Brendel had been transferred on 2 September.

Aerial victory claims
According to Spick, Dombacher is credited with 68 aerial victories claimed in approximately 300 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 68 aerial victory claims, 67 of which on the Eastern Front and one four-engined heavy bomber on the Weastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 34333". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 x in size.

Awards

 * Aviator badge
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
 * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
 * Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 3 April 1944 as Feldwebel and pilot
 * German Cross in Gold on 25 May 1944 as Oberfeldwebel in the I./Jagdgeschwader 51
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 April 1945 as Leutnant and pilot in 1./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders