Wolfgang Schellmann

Wolfgang Schellmann
File:Wolfgang Schellmann.jpg Wolfgang Schellmann
Born	(1911-03-02)2 March 1911
Died	22 June 1941(1941-06-22) (aged 30)
Place of birth	Kassel
Place of death	near Grodno, Belarus
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1935–1941
Rank	Oberstleutnant
Unit	JG 135, Condor Legion, JG 77, JG 2, JG 27
Commands held	JG 2, JG 27
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Balkan Campaign Barbarossa
Awards	Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern und Brillanten Ritterkreuz

Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Schellmann (2 March 1911 – 22 June 1941) was German World War II Luftwaffe Ace, commander of JG 2 and JG 27 and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership - for the fighter pilots, it was a quantifiable measure of skill and combat success. Wolfgang Schellmann was credited with 25 victories in over 150 combat missions. He recorded 12 victories during the Spanish Civil War. Of his 13 victories recorded during World War II, 12 were claimed over the Western front and one over the Eastern front.

Career

Wolfgang Schellmann started his combat training as one of the select few German pilots at the Lipetsk fighter-pilot school in the Soviet Union. After his return and upon the official announcement of the new Luftwaffe, he was given command of the new 2./JG 135 squadron, in March 1935. Two years later, on 19 December 1937, Oberleutnant Schellmann took over command of the 1st Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88, in the "Condor Legion", fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Over the next year he became one of the leading aces in the theatre with 12 victories, second only to Werner Mölders.

Upon his return to Germany he was awarded the Spanish Cross with Swords and Diamonds (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern und Brillanten) and promoted to Hauptmann (Captain). He then served on the Stab (Headquarters) flight of the newly formed IV Gruppe of the Jagdgeschwader 132, gaining command experience. Over the next year, it was renamed I./JG 331, then finally I./JG 77. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, he led this unit in the invasion of Poland, then afterward took up an administrative post for a short term, in the headquarters of Luftflotte 2.

On 15 December 1939, the now Hptm Schellmann, was made Gruppenkommandeur of the newly formed II./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2 — 2nd Fighter Wing), but he only scored his first victory in World War II after the invasion of France, on 15 May 1940. By the end of the campaign he had amassed six further victories. Scoring another victory on 18 July in the Battle of Britain, on 3 September he was promoted to Geschwaderkommodore of JG 2 "Richthofen" as part of Göring's policy to replace the 'Old Guard' fighter commanders with young lions like Werner Mölders (JG 51), Adolf Galland (JG 26), Günther Lützow (JG 3) and Hannes Trautloft (JG 54). Soon after, on 18 September, he was awarded the 'Ritterkreuz' for his 23 victories (including the 12 in Spain). A month later he made way for the charismatic Helmut Wick (at the time in a 3-way battle with Galland and Mölders, as top-scoring pilot) and moved to take command of JG 27. Promoted to Major, he led this Geschwader into the Balkan campaign in Spring 1941, scoring a 24th victory in Greece (20 April 1941), before the unit was pulled out, to central Poland in June, to prepare for the invasion of the Soviet Union.

On 22 June 1941, Major Schellmann was probably the highest profile German casualty of the opening day of Operation Barbarossa. Schellmann's Messerschmitt Bf 109-E (Werknummer 4189—factory number) was rammed by an I-153 Chaykahe piloted by a Lt Kuzmin just after he had shot down his 25th victim, an I-16, near Grodno. Kuzmin was killed in the collision but Schellmann managed to bail out over Soviet territory but was never seen again. It was believed that while attempting to make his way back to German lines he was captured and later killed by NKVD troops.

Wolfgang Schellmann scored 25 victories in 150 missions (including 12 over Spain), and was posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel).

Victories

No	Date	Time	Unit	Gruppe Kommandeur	Location	Claimed Aircraft	Source / Comments
1	18 Jan 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
2	8 Mar 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-15
3	24 Mar 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-15
4	13 Jun 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
5	25 Jun 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
6	18 Jul 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
7	20 Jul 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
8	20 Jul 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
9	12 Aug 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	SB-2
10	12 Aug 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	SB-2
11	14 Aug 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
12	20 Aug 1938	-	1./JGr 88	-	Spain	I-16
13	15 May 1940	9:35	Stab II./JG 2 - Peer	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Couly, E of Rethel	Hurricane	OKL & Prien/Bock
14	17 May 1940	8:35	Stab II./JG 2 - Attenrode	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	SE of Brussels	Lysander	OKL & Prien/Bock
15	19 May 1940	6:05	Stab II./JG 2 - Attenrode	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	W of Tournai	Lysander	OKL & Prien/Bock
16	31 May 1940	15:55	Stab II./JG 2 - Grandglise	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Furnes, E of Dunkirk	Spitfire	OKL & Prien/Bock
17	1 Jun 1940	5:45	Stab II./JG 2 - Grandglise	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Dunkirk	Lysander	OKL & Prien/Bock
18	2 Jun 1940	9:45	Stab II./JG 2 - Grandglise	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Dunkirk	Spitfire	OKL & Prien/Bock
19	3 Jun 1940	14:45	Stab II./JG 2 - Grandglise	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Compiegne	Morane 406	OKL & Prien/Bock
20	18 Jul 1940	13:15	Stab II./JG 2 - Beaumont-le-Roger	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	N of Le Havre	Blenheim	OKL & Prien/Bock; of 236 Sqn
21	25 Aug 1940	18:30	Stab II./JG 2 - Beaumont-le-Roger	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Warmwell	Spitfire	OKL & Prien/Bock
22	27 Aug 1940	~18:30	Stab II./JG 2 - Beaumont-le-Roger	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Wareham	Spitfire	OKL & Prien/Bock
23	31 Aug 1940	9:25	Stab II./JG 2 - Beaumont-le-Roger	Obstlt Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp	Eastchurch	Hurricane	OKL & Prien/Bock
-	26 Sep 1940	17:40	Stab/JG 2 - Beaumont-le-Roger	Maj Wolfgang Schellmann	Isle of Wight: 6000m	Spitfire	OKL & Prien/Bock
24	20 Apr 1941	12:10	Stab/JG 27 - Larissa, Greece	Maj Wolfgang Schellmann	Tanagra	Hurricane	C. 2033/I AnerkNr 31; P/O J Still of 80 Sqn
25	22 Jun 1941	3:15	Stab/JG 27 - Sobolevo, Poland	Maj Wolfgang Schellmann	Kamenki, nr Grodno	I-16	C. 2036/II Nr 81857 opening missions of Barbarossa
†	22 Jun 1941	-	Stab/JG 27 - Sobolevo, Poland	Maj Wolfgang Schellmann	Kamenki, nr Grodno

Awards

• Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 September 1940 as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of JG 2 "Richthofen"

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Bergström, Christer (2007). Barbarossa - The Air Battle: July–December 1941. London: Chervron/Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-85780-270-2.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Forsyth, Robert (2011). Aces of the Legion Condor. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-347-8.
• Musciano, Walter (1989). Messerschmitt Aces. Tab Books ISBN 0-8306-8379-8
• Nauroth, Holger (2005). Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", A Photographic History. Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA. ISBN 0-7643-2094-7.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1941 – 1945]. Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. 
• Ringlstetter, Herbert (2005). Helmut Wick, An Illustrated Biography Of The Luftwaffe Ace And Commander Of Jagdgeschwader 2 During The Battle Of Britain. Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA. ISBN 0-7643-2217-6.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
• Weal, John (2008). Aviation Elite Units #1: Jagdgeschwader 2 'Richthofen’. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-046-3
• Weal, John (2003). Aviation Elite Units #12: Jagdgeschwader 27 'Afrika'. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-538-4.
• Weal, John (1996). Bf109D/E Aces 1939-41. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-85532-487-3.
• "Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front". Osprey. 1998. ISBN 1-85532-722-8. .

External links

• "Wolfgang Schellmann". Aces of the Luftwaffe. http://www.luftwaffe.cz/schellmann.html. Retrieved 15 October 2011. 
• "Wolfgang Schellmann". Luftwaffe 39-45 Historia. http://www.luftwaffe39-45.historia.nom.br/ases/schellmann.htm. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 
• "JG2". The Luftwaffe, 1933-45. http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg2.htm. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 
• "JG27". The Luftwaffe, 1933-45. http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg27.htm. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 
• "Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries". Schellmann, Wolfgang. http://www.ww2.dk/Lw%20Offz%20-%20S-Z%20-%20April%202012.pdf.  Retrieved 29 December 2012