Udet U-12 Flamingo (1 Viewer)

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Snautzer01

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Orig. Negativ Foto Pilot Sochatzy JG3 Flamingo Udet Flugzeug Graz Österreich '35 | eBay

Udet U12 Flamingo_05_JG3_pilot sochaty.jpg



Kurt Sochatzy was born in 1915 in Schloß Pragerhof, Austria-Hungary (modern day Pragersko, Slovenia). In 1935 he joined the Austrian Air Force, and switched to the Luftwaffe after the "Anschluss" in 1938. He then briefly fought in the Spanish Civil War in 1939 as part of the infamous Condor Legion, winning a Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords. During the Polish campaign he was promoted to Oberleutnant (Senior Lieutenant), the highest rank he would hold during the Second World War. In early 1940 the next assignment took him to the Jagdfliegerschule (Fighter Pilot School) 5 as the captain of a squadron. There he trained future pilots, among them aces Hans Strelow, youngest recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, and Walter Nowotny and Hans-Joachim Marseille, the "Star of Africa", both recipients of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. In 1941 Sochatzy was finally given an opportunity to shine. Having been made a squadron leader, he achieved his first aerial victory, shooting down a British Spitfire over the English Channel. It was his only victory on the Western Front, since only a few days later his unit, the 7th squadron of Fighter Wing 3, was redeployed to take part in the attack on Russia. Since the Russian pilots were poorly trained and used obsolete tactics, a pilot as well-versed in the cockpit as Sochatzy could accomplish quite astonishing feats. He achieved another 37 aerial victories in the space of just over a month. However, this doesn't mean German pilots were invincible and had nothing to fear. During his missions Sochatzy was shot down behind enemy lines twice. He managed to evade captivity and rejoin German forces both times. On August 3, 1941 while flying a mission over Kiev he was shot down a third time, managed to parachute to safety, but this time was captured by enemy forces. He spent the remainder of the war as a Russian POW before being released in 1949. Sochatzy flew 180 combat missions, and in addition to his 38 aerial victories, destroyed two trains and 27 planes on the ground in strafing attacks. He was awarded the Knight's Cross nine days after being captured. It is unknown if he was considered killed in action and the award was carried out posthumously. Other awards worth mentioning that Sochatzy managed to win were the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class, the Pilot's Badge, and the Front Flying Clasp in Gold. After his time in Russian prisons Sochatzy returned to Austria. Between 1956 and 1976 he once again served in the Austrian Air Force. Upon retiring he held the rank of Oberst (Colonel). He died in 1996 in Vienna at age 81.
 
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