Rudolf Schoenert
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Schoenert was the seventh highest scoring night fighter
flying ace
in the German Luftwaffe
during World War II
.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron 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.
Schoenert is universally recognised as the driving force behind the introduction of upward-firing armament in night fighter aircraft the first prototype of which he introduced into his own Do-17 in 1942. The concept, dubbed Schräge Musik
was initially rejected by Helmut Lent
and Werner Streib
. Oberfeldwebel Paul Mahle, an armourer attached to II./NJG 5 at Parchim, worked closely with Rudolf Schoenert and built his own working prototype of 'Schrage Musik', which was soon fitted to all of the Gruppe's aircraft.
Schoenert claimed the first aerial victory with upward-firing guns in May 1943. By August Schoenert was flying with NJG 100 over the Eastern Front, claiming some 30 Soviet night raiders by early 1944.
During a sortie east of the Elbe on 27 April 1945, an electrical fault rendered his radar unserviceable and his Ju-88G was shot down by an RAF Mosquito. Schonert survived and was rescued by German troops.
Surviving the war, Schoenert was credited with 65 aerial victories claimed in 376 combat missions, including 35 Soviet flown aircraft, and was a holder of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Schoenert's radio and wireless operator was Oberfeldwebel Johannes Richter.
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
in the German Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. 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.
Career
After five years in the Merchant Navy, Schoenert began flight training in 1933 and went on to fly commercial aircraft for Lufthansa. He was commissioned as a Leutnant in the Luftwaffe's Reserve in 1938 and in June 1941 joined 4./NJG1 at Bergen in northern Holland. He gained his first victories on 9 July 1941 and by 25 July 1942 his total stood at 22 and he was awarded the Knight's Cross.Schoenert is universally recognised as the driving force behind the introduction of upward-firing armament in night fighter aircraft the first prototype of which he introduced into his own Do-17 in 1942. The concept, dubbed Schräge Musik
Schräge Musik
Schräge Musik, derived from the German colloquialism for "Jazz Music" was the name given to installations of upward-firing autocannon mounted in night fighters by the Luftwaffe and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II, with the first victories for each occurring in May 1943...
was initially rejected by Helmut Lent
Helmut Lent
Oberst Helmut Lent was a German night-fighter ace in World War II. Lent shot down 110 aircraft, 103 of them at night, far more than the minimum of five enemy aircraft required for the title of "ace".For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter...
and Werner Streib
Werner Streib
Werner Streib was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II...
. Oberfeldwebel Paul Mahle, an armourer attached to II./NJG 5 at Parchim, worked closely with Rudolf Schoenert and built his own working prototype of 'Schrage Musik', which was soon fitted to all of the Gruppe's aircraft.
Schoenert claimed the first aerial victory with upward-firing guns in May 1943. By August Schoenert was flying with NJG 100 over the Eastern Front, claiming some 30 Soviet night raiders by early 1944.
During a sortie east of the Elbe on 27 April 1945, an electrical fault rendered his radar unserviceable and his Ju-88G was shot down by an RAF Mosquito. Schonert survived and was rescued by German troops.
Surviving the war, Schoenert was credited with 65 aerial victories claimed in 376 combat missions, including 35 Soviet flown aircraft, and was a holder of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Schoenert's radio and wireless operator was Oberfeldwebel Johannes Richter.
Awards
- Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(5 January 1942) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 18 May 1942 as OberleutnantOberleutnantOberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
in the 4./NJG 2 - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939) 2nd and 1st class - Knight's Cross with Oak LeavesKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 25 July 1942 as Oberleutnant of the ReservesMilitary reserve forceA military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
and StaffelkapitänStaffelkapitänStaffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of the 4./NJG 2 - 450th Oak Leaves on 11 April 1944 as MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
of the Reserves and commander of Nachtjagdgruppe 10
- Knight's Cross on 25 July 1942 as Oberleutnant of the Reserves
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
(28 April 1942 and 24 June 1942)