Oskar Dinort

Oskar Dinort (23 June 1901 – 27 May 1965) was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka pilot and first Stuka pilot to be awarded the coveted Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Biography
Oskar Dinort was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg. He volunteered for military service 1919 and joined the Freikorps der Gardekavallerie-Schützendivision and became a Fähnrich in the ''Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 2'' in 1921. He was promoted to Leutnant in 1923 as well as an enthusiastic glider pilot. Promoted to Oberleutnant in 1928 he set a 14 hours and 43 minutes Gliding World Record. He won the Deutschlandflug in 1931, and participated in the second FAI International Tourist Plane Contest Challenge 1930 (10th place).

Dinort was transferred to the still secret Luftwaffe in 1934 where he was posted to the "Reklamestaffel Mitteldeutschland" (Advertisement Staffel). His next posting was Hauptmann in the Stab of I./JG 132 and Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 134 until he was called into in Reichsluftfahrtministerium by Ernst Udet on 31 March 1935.

After commanding I./StG 2 'Immelmann' in Poland, Major Dinort served as Geschwaderkommodore of StG 2 from October 1939 to October 1941. On 4 July 1940, inbetween the official dated given for the Battle of France and Battle of Britain, he led a highly successful attack on Convoy OA 178. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in July 1941.

During operations over Greece and Crete in April–May 1941 crews of StG 2 believed the blast effect of their bombs used against troops in Greece was greatly reduced because the bombs penetrated the ground before exploding. The solution was to fit 60 cm metal rods welded to the front of the bombs, with an 8 cm metal disc on the end of the rod. This arrangement became known as Dinortstäbe, (Dinort's rods) after the originator of the idea, Oskar Dinort, which caused the bombs to detonate some 30 cm above the ground, maximising their blast.

On 15 October 1941 Dinort left StG. 2, taking up a staff position. In 1944 he was appointed to command ''3. Fliegerschuldivision'' and inlate 1944 promoted to Generalmajor. Held by the British after the war ended, Dinort remained in captivity until 1947, He eventually settled in Dortmund after his release. he later worked in aviation research in Chile.

Dinort died in Cologne, West Germany, on 27 May 1965.

Awards

 * Bulgarian Order of Bravery (3rd Class 1st Grade)
 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 2nd Class
 * Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Combat Pilots in Gold
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (20 September 1939)
 * 1st Class (11 May 1940)
 * Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 20 June 1940 as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of StG 2 "Immelmann"
 * 21st Oak Leaves on 14 July 1941 as Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of StG 2 "Immelmann"