Friedrich-Karl "Nasen" Müller

Infobox Military Person
name=Friedrich-Karl Müller
lived=4 December 1912 – 2 November 1987
placeofbirth=Sulzbach, Germany
placeofdeath=Germany
nickname=Die Nase
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=
serviceyears=1934–1945
rank=Major
Commander=I./NJG 11
unit=KGz.b. V 172, KG 50, NJ Kdo, JG Hermann, JG 300, NJGr 10, NJG 11
battles=World War II
*Western Front
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Friedrich-Karl Müller - "Nasen-Müller" - (4 December 1912 – 2 November 1987) was one of the most successful Luftwaffe night fighter aces during World War II.

Early career

He first received flying training in 1934 and joined the German airline Lufthansa. At the beginning of World War ΙΙ, Müller was posted to KG z.b.V. 172 as a transport pilot flying the Junkers Ju 52. He was promoted to Feldwebel and assigned to 5./KG z.b.V. 172. After participating in the Polish campaign, in February 1940, Müller became an instructor at "Blindflugschule" 4 and promoted to Leutnant. He served with "Blindflugschule" 7 from September until December 1942, when he moved to I gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 50 as Technical Officer, the unit being equipped with the new Heinkel He 177 heavy bomber.

Entry into Night Fighting

In summer 1943, Müller joined Hajo Herrmann as part of the latter's experimental "Wilde Sau" single-engine night fighting unit. Herrmann considered Müller an ideal candidate for the role because of his blind flying instructing experience. Müller was thus appointed as the Technical Officer of JG 300.

On the night of 3/4 July, Müller recorded his first "Wilde Sau" victory. By November 1943, Müller was Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 300 and had 19 night victories to his credit. In January 1944, Müller was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of 1./"Nachtgruppe" 10 and was charged with evaluating all aspects of techincal and tactical experimentation concerning single-engined night fighting, especially countering operations by the RAF's Mosquito fast bomber. Hauptmann Müller was awarded the "Ritterkreuz" on 27 July 1944 for 23 victories.

He then became commander of I./NJG 11 on 25 August 1944. Müller continued to fly against the RAF night bomber streams, his personal Bf 109G-14 uniquely fitted with an oblique-mounted MG 151/20 cannon in a Schrage Musik installation behind the cockpit. By late 1944 and into 1945, Müller flew numerous nocturnal ground attack missions against Allied railway targets and supply columns.

Towards the end of the war, I./NJG 11 received a few Me 262 jet fighters to experiment with in night interceptions.

Müller survived the war and died on 2 November 1987.

Müller was one of the leading single-seat night fighter aces with 30 night victories claimed in 52 missions.

Awards

* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1944.
* Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 26 November 1943
* German Cross in Gold on 25 November 1943.

References

*cite web | title=Aces of the Luftwaffe| work= Friedrich-Karl Müller| url= http://www.luftwaffe.cz/mullerfk2.html | accessdate=18 February| accessyear=2008
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.