Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Bio of Luftwaffe Ace Bruno Stolle




Hauptmann
Stolle, Bruno
* 13.04.1915 Münster/Westfalen
+ 22.01.2004 Rheinbach
Awarded Knights Cross: 17.03.1943 as: Hauptmann Staffelkapitän 8./JG 2 "Richthofen"

Bruno Stolle was born on 13 April 1915 at Münster in Westfalen. Stolle was a blind flying instructor with I./LG 1 at the beginning of the war but was then transferred to 3./JG 51. On 15 March 1940, Stolle was transferred to 8./JG 2. He took part in the Battle for France. He also participated in the Battle of Britain, where he gained his first aerial victories on 11 August when shot down two RAF fighters. Stolle was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8./JG 2 on 7 September 1940. He had three victories to his credit at this time. His scoring rate increased in 1941 with 11 Spitfires and a single Blenheim recorded. Bruno Stolle was awarded the Ehrenpokal on 12 September 1941 and the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 29 October 1942. After 32 victories he received the Ritterkreuz on 17 March 1943.

On 1 July 1943, Stolle was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 2. He led the Gruppe until 7 December 1943 when he was relieved by Hauptmann Herbert Huppertz (78 victories, RK-EL, KIA 8 June 1944). In February 1944, Stolle was transferred to Schiessschule der Luftwaffe at Vaerlöse in Denmark, where he undertook an instructing role until July 1944. In the middle of August 1944, he was transferred to Erprobungskommando Ta 152 at Rechlin. From October until 25 November he was acting Gruppenkomandeur I./JG 11, following which he returned to EKdo Ta 152 at Rechlin.
Bruno Stolle flew 271 combat missions and shot down 35 enemy aircraft on the Western Front including three four-engine bombers and 19 Spitfires.


Source :
https://militaryautographs.com/item.php?itemnum=2433

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