Albin Wolf

Albin Wolf (28 October 1920 – 2 April 1944) was a German World War II Luftwaffe 144 victories Flying ace and a posthumous recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and killed in action on 2 April 1944.

Military career
Wolf was transferred to the 6th squadron of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) in May 1942 on the Eastern Front. He achieved his aerial victories 37–40 on 3 August 1943. By 4 September 1943 he had accumulated 78 victories. Wolf received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 117 victories on 22 November 1943. Wolf crash landed on a transfer flight on 29 December 1943 and was severely wounded. He was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 6./JG 54 on 11 March 1944.

Albin Wolf's 135th aerial victory claimed on 23 March 1944 was also Jagdgeschwader 54's 7000th of the war. Wolf was killed in action south-east of Pskov on 2 April 1944. His Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 551142&mdash;factory number) took a direct hit from an anti-aircraft shell. He was posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant and honoured with the 464th Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 27 April 1944.

Awards

 * Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe(30 April 1943)
 * German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Oberfeldwebel in the 6./JG 54
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (1 October 1942)
 * 1st Class (22 January 1943)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 22 November 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 6./JG 54
 * 464th Oak Leaves on 27 April 1944 (posthumously) as Leutnant and pilot in the 6./JG 54