Kurt Tanzer

Infobox Military Person
name= Kurt Tanzer
born=birth date|1920|11|1|df=y
died=dda|1960|6|25|1920|11|1|df=y
placeofbirth= Moscow
placeofdeath= Near the Balearic Islands
allegiance= flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=
serviceyears=
rank=
commands=
unit= JG 51, Jafü 6, Jafü Ostpreußen
battles=World War II
awards=Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe
German Cross in Gold
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Kurt Tanzer (1 November, 1920 – 25 June, 1960) was a World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He was born on 1 November 1920 at Moscow. [http://www.luftwaffe.cz/tanzer.html Kurt Tanzer] ] Tanzer is credited for shooting down approximately 128-143 enemy aircraft. [Spick 1996, p. 229.]

World War II

On 18 March 1942, he was transferred from Ergänzungsgruppe/JG 51 to 12./JG 51 which was based on the Eastern front. Tanzer achieved his 35th victory on 5 May 1943. On 6 May, Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 attacked the airfield at which Tanzer was stationed. He managed to scramble and destroyed two Ilyushin Il-2. Despite being wounded, he continued attacking the raiding Soviet aircraft and shoot down two more aircraft. After further intense batttle, Tanzer landed his heavily damaged Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Tanzer's right hand was seriously injured and he suffered from heavy blood loss.

After being recovered from his injury, Tanzer returned to JG 51 and front line duty on 4 November. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 December, 1943 for 35 victories.cite book
author= John Weal
title= Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders'
publisher= Osprey Publishing
location=
year= 2006
pages= p106
isbn= 1846030455
oclc=
doi=] In June 1944, Tanzer accompanied Karl-Gottfried Nordmann to the staff of Jagdfliegerführer 6. He achieved his 100th victory in the same month in 1944 while serving with this formation. [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/T/TanzerK-R.htm Tanzer, Kurt] de icon] He was then transferred to the staff of Jagdfliegerführer in East Prussia on 1 September 1944. Tanzer was transferred to 13./JG 51 on 10 February 1945 and was appointed Staffelkapitän of the unit on 12 March. At he end of World War II, he had 128 victories.

Later life and death

Kurt Tanzer survived World War II and began as a volunteer at a chemical plant. On 16 June 1957, he joined the post-war Bundesluftwaffe. He died on 25 June 1960 when his T-33 Shooting Star crashed over the Balearic Islands in bad weather.

Awards

Kurt Tanzer received a total of three awards.
* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (15 February 1943)
* German Cross in Gold (24 June 1943)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (5 December 1943)

ee also

*List of World War II aces from Germany

Notes

Further reading

* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. "Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II". Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
* Spick, Mike. "Luftwaffe Fighter Aces". Ivy Books, 1996. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.