Name Wolfgang Lippert Died December 3, 1941, Egypt | Years of service 1932/3–1941 Role Pilot | |
Born 14 September 1914Sachsen, Germany ( 1914-09-14 ) Unit Stab II./JG 27 and 3./JG 53 Battles/wars Spanish Civil WarWorld War IIBattle of FranceBattle of BritainOperation BarbarossaNorth African Campaign People also search for Pope Dioscorus I of Alexandria | ||
Wolfgang Lippert was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. Lippert was credited with 30 victories, five of which were scored in the Spanish Civil War.
Contents
Luftwaffe career
Lippert joined the Luftwaffe and after pilot training, was posted to I./Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel". In March 1937 Leutnant Lippert was transferred to I./Jagdgeschwader 53 at Wiesbaden. Lippert gained his first aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War flying with the Condor Legion with 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88. He claimed five victories from mid-1938 until March 1939, receiving the award of the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwerten).
He claimed his first victory of World War II on 30 September 1939, a French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 over Wissembourg. During the Battle of France he destroyed eight Allied aircraft. Hauptmann Lippert was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) on 4 September 1940. During the Battle of Britain, a further seven kills were claimed, including Royal Air Force ace S/L Archie McKellar flying a No. 605 Squadron Hurricane Mk 1, shot down on 1 November 1940. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 September after 13 World War II victories.
In 1941 Lippert participated with II./JG 27 in Operation Barbarossa, scoring four victories against Soviet aircraft. Later that year the unit was transferred to North Africa where he destroyed a further five Allied aircraft.
Death
On 23 November 1941 Lippert was shot down over Allied lines by ace Clive Caldwell of No. 250 Squadron. As Lippert bailed out of his Bf 109, Werk-Nr. 8469, he hit the tailplane. He was hospitalised, and his legs amputated. However his legs were infected by gangrene and he died 10 days later.
Wolfgang Lippert was credited with a total of 30 victories, including five victories gained during the Spanish Civil War and four victories over the Eastern Front.