Signatures

After being branded as a poor pilot in training and barred from combat flying by his first Squadron Commander, Rudel was to become one of the most remarkable pilots of WWII. Flying the fearsome Stuka he wreaked such havoc on the Eastern Front that Stalin put a bounty of 100,000 rubles on his head.

On one occasion after landing behind Russian lines to retrieve a downed airman he found that due to snow and mud he could not take off and was forced to flee on foot. Pursued by hundreds of Soviet troops on horseback and with dogs, all eager to claim their bounty, he swam the ice clogged, 900 ft wide river Dnjestr but was shot in the shoulder. Through sheer determination and incredible ingenuity and despite being more than 30 miles behind Soviet lines, he reached home in 24 hours, barefoot and almost naked in the sub zero weather, without a compass, medical attention or food. His escape stands as one of the most legendary examples of bravery and determination of WWII.

Rudel flew a staggering 2530 combat missions, was shot down 32 times and wounded on many occasions including the amputation of his right leg, after which he continued to fly with a prosthetic limb, destroying at least a further 23 Tanks.

His outstanding record speaks for itself:

* 11 Air victories ( in the Fw190)
* 518+ Tanks
* 700 + Trucks and military vehicles
* 150+ Flak and Artillery positions
* 4 Armoured Trains
* Hundreds of bridges, railway lines, bunkers, etc.
* The Battleship October Revolution, The Cruiser Marat, one Destroyer and 70 landing craft

Rudel was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds - at that time Germany’s highest military award - however in January 1945, in answer to Rudel’s continuing feats of unprecedented heroism, a new decoration was specially instituted. He was awarded the Knight's Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords & Diamonds, the only time that this decoration was ever awarded making Rudel the most highly decorated soldier of the 3rd Reich and he remains the most highly decorated wartime aviator in history.


We can offer this outstanding collector’s piece at a superb price however we do not expect it to be in stock for long so please contact us as soon as possible for availability.