Krupinski, Walter Gustav (Oral history)

German officer served as pilot with 52nd Fighter Wing, German Air Force during Battle of Britain, France and Soviet Union, 1940-1944; commanded II Group, 11th Fighter Wing and III Group, 26th Fighter Wing, German Air Force in North West Europe, 5/1944-3/1945; served with 44th Special Fighter Unit, German Air Force in Germany, 3/1945-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Germany, 1920-1938: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and flying training with German Air Force in Germany, 1939-1940: choice of air force as career; how he took to flying; reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; drafting into labour service during invasion of Poland, 9/1939; training at No 5 Jagdfliegerschule, Vienna, Austria, 1939-1940; flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Recollections of operations as pilot with 52nd Fighter Wing, German Air Force in France and Soviet, 1940-1944: leadership of wing; operations over GB and English Channel; different marks of Messerschmitt Bf 109; comparison between Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Supermarine Spitfire; unit morale. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of calibre of Royal Air Force pilots; opinion of value of experience gained by German pilots during Spanish Civil War; move to Eastern Front, 6/1941; first days operation in Soviet Union, 6/1941; use of grass air strips; attitude to air war in Soviet Union; attitude of Soviet civilians towards German Army; living conditions for Soviet civilians; opinion of the Soviet Air Force challenge; opinion of quality of American Lend-Lease aircraft; his first kill in Soviet Union, 16/8/1941; number of missions flown and occasions when shot down. REEL 3 Continue: his attempt to regain German lines in the Caucasus, Soviet Union; forced landing in minefield in Kuban, Soviet Union; injuries he sustained in crash landings and being shot down; day in which he flew sixteen operations during Battle of Kursk, Soviet Union, 7/1943; attitude towards Soviet opposition; long dogfight with Soviet Air Force fighter aircraft over Zaporozhye, Soviet Union; explanation for huge number of successes of German aces; hit on his aircraft by Soviet ground to air rocket; geographical pattern of his service in Soviet Union; effects of winters in Soviet Union. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of operations as commanding II Group, 11th Fighter Wing, German Air Force in North West Europe, 5/1944-8/1944: background to transfer to Germany, 4/1944; losses during operations in Normandy, France, 6/1944-7/1944; sabotage of his aircraft by prisoners of war in Normandy, France. Aspects of operations as pilot with 44th Special Fighter Unit, German Air Force in Germany, 3/1945-5/1945: posting to unit; character of unit; his introduction to Messerschmitt Me 262; type of operations carried out using Messerschmitt Me 262; lack of dive brakes on Messerschmitt Me 262; problems with engine in Messerschmitt Me 262; problems of shooting down aircraft in Messerschmitt Me 262 in comparison with slow Soviet Air Force biplanes. Aspects of operations commanding II Group, 11th Fighter Wing and III Group, 26th Fighter Wing, German Air Force in North West Europe, 5/1944-3/1945: Allied air superiority over Normandy, France; quality of intelligence received by German Air Force; his attempt to get his family out of East Prussia, 1944; aerial combat with American aircraft. REEL 5 Continues: bailing out after being shot down by North American P-51 Mustang, 11/8/1944; types of American fighter aircraft encountered; attitude towards Hermann Göring's leadership of German Air Force; prior recollection of receiving Knights Cross with Oak Leaves from Adolf Hitler, 23/3/1944. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Germany and GB, 1945: destruction of Messerschmitt Me 262s in Salzburg area, Austria, 5/1945; experience as prisoner of war in American camp; interrogation of Messerschmitt Me 262 pilots at Bicester, GB; beating received by French Army troops at Cherbourg, France and after-effects; return to civilian life after 1946 and West German Air Force, 1955.