Otto Würfel

Lt. Otto Würfel (3 December 1920 – 22 December 1944) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Otto Würfel was credited with 79 arial victories all over the Eastern Front (World War II). In 1944 his aircraft had a mid air collision with another Luftwaffe aircraft over the Rogachev–Zhlobin offensive and he was captured by the Russians and died in a POW camp.

Career


Würfel began his career on 10 March 1939. In 1942 he was assigned to 9./JG 51. For a brief time he worked as a flight instructor. He accumulated 79 kills while fighting over the Eastern front. On 23 February 1944 Würfel was piloting his FW 190 over Rogachev when he collided with another Luftwaffe pilot: Heinrich Dittlmann. Würfel survived and was captured by the Russians. One parachute was seen after the crash. He was a prisoner of war and he contracted Typhus and died at Camp 280/5 near Stalino.

Awards

 * Air Force Pilot Badge
 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe
 * Frontflugspange für Jäger in Bronze
 * Frontflugspange für Jäger in Silber
 * Frontflugspange für Jäger in Gold
 * German Cross
 * Iron Cross
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross May 1944