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Kurt-Werner Brändle (19 January 1912 – 3 November 1943) was a German ''Luftwaffe'' military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 180 enemy aircraft shot down in over 700 combat missions. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, with 25 claims over the Western Front. Born in Ludwigsburg, Brändle, who already was a civilian motor-powered aircraft and glider pilot, volunteered for military service in the ''Luftwaffe'' of the Third Reich in 1935. He was posted to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) in 1939 and claimed 14 aerial victories on the Western Front. In May 1942 he was given command of II. ''Gruppe'' (2nd group) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). Fighting on the Eastern Front, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 July 1942 after 49 aerial victories. In July and August 1942, he claimed a further 50 aerial victories in the southern sector of the Eastern Front. After claiming his 100th aerial victory he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 27 August 1942. On 5 July 1943 during the Battle of Kursk, Brändle achieved his 150th aerial victory and in August 1943 was transferred to the Western Front fighting in Defense of the Reich. There Brändle was killed in action on 3 November 1943 west of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. His body was washed ashore near Zandvoort on 30 December 1943. ==Early life and career== Brändle was born on 19 January 1912 in Ludwigsburg in the Kingdom of Württemberg, a federated state of the German Empire. His father was a ''Meister'', a master craftsman, in the field of precision mechanics. Following school, Brändle learned the trade of a surgical instrument maker and worked in his father's firm.〔Stockert 1997, p. 41.〕 Since his early youth he was very enthusiastic about flying and volunteered for military service in the ''Luftwaffe'' of the Third Reich on 10 December 1935. There he participated in a number of exercises and was promoted to ''Leutnant'' (second lieutenant) of the Reserves on 1 December 1936. In his civilian life, Brändle attained a pilot license and worked as a flight instructor. As an instructor, he trained roughly 150 students and logged more than 6,000 starts and 8,000 flight hours before he became a military aviator. In addition to his passion for motor power flight, he also was a glider pilot.〔 In early 1937 Brändle passed his ''Meister'' examination in aircraft construction and in the same year was trained as a fighter pilot with ''Jagdgeschwader'' 134 "Horst Wessel" (JG 134—134th Fighter Wing), named after the martyr of the Nazi movement Horst Wessel.〔For an explanation of ''Luftwaffe'' unit designations, see Organization of the ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II.〕 As of 1 February 1939, Brändle served with ''Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment'' 22 (22nd Flight Training Regiment) in Güstrow. There, he transferred from the reserve force to active service and was promoted to ''Oberleutnant'' (first lieutenant) on 1 June 1939. He was then transferred to the 4. ''Staffel'' (4th Squadron) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing).〔Stockert 1997, p. 42.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kurt Brändle」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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