Ernst Udet
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Ernst Udet (April 26 1896 - November 17 1941) was the second-highest scoring German flying ace of World War I. He was one of the youngest aces and was the highest scoring German ace to survive the war.
Born in Frankfurt, Udet was fascinated with aviation from early childhood. He wanted to join the army in 1914, but was only 160 cm tall and did not qualify. He managed to join the German Army Air Service in 1915. Although he could not bring himself to fire on an enemy in his first aerial combat, Udet soon attracted attention for his skill, which earned him an invitation to join the Flying Circus, Jagdgeschwader 1, an elite unit of German fighter aces under the command of the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen and later Hermann Göring. Udet would became a national hero with 62 confirmed kills to his credit. Privately, he would question Göring's own achievements during the war.
Udet was one of the early fliers to be saved by parachuting from a disabled aircraft. On June 29 1918 he jumped after a clash with a French Breguet. His harness caught on the rudder and he had to break off the rudder tip to escape. His parachute didn't open until he was 250 feet from the ground causing him to sprain his ankle.
Between the First and Second World Wars, he was known primarily for his work as a stunt pilot and for playboy-like behavior. He flew for movies and for airshows (e.g. picking the cloth from the ground with the top of the wing). He appeared with Leni Riefenstahl in three films: Die Weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü, Stürme über Mont Blanc, and S.O.S. Eisberg. He married Eleanor 'Lo' Zink on February 25, 1920, however the marriage lasted less than three years as they divorced on February 16, 1923. Lo had been one of his childhood friends, and as their relationship progressed Udet had "LO" painted on the sides of his Fokker Dr.I and Fokker D.VII planes. It has been said that Udet had many lovers on the side. His talents were numerous (juggling, drawing cartoons, party entertainment, etc.).
Though not interested in politics, Udet joined the Nazi party in 1933 when Göring promised to buy him two new US airplanes, the Curtiss Export Hawk II. The planes were used for evaluation purposes and thus indirectly influenced the German idea of dive bombing airplanes, such as the Junkers Ju 87 (Stuka) bombers), but also were used for acrobatic shows held during the 1936 Summer Olympics. Udet piloted one of them, which luckily survived the war and is on display in the Polish Aviation Museum (pictured).
Udet became a major proponent of the dive bomber, taking credit for having introduced it to the Luftwaffe, which was already interested in such designs. By 1936 he had, due to his political connections, been placed in command of the T-Amt, the Reich Air Ministry's development wing. However, he had no real interest in this job, especially the bureaucracy of it, and the pressure led to his addiction to alcohol (brandy and cognac) and amphetamines (Pervitin).
When the Second World War began, his internal conflicts grew more intense. Aircraft production requirements were much more than the German industry could supply, notably given limited access to raw materials such as aluminium. Göring responded to this problem by simply lying about it, which further upset Udet. After the Luftwaffe's defeat in the Battle of Britain, Göring tried to deflect Hitler's ire by blaming Udet. The attack on the Soviet Union drove Udet further into despair.
On November 17, 1941 Udet committed suicide, shooting himself while speaking on the phone to his mistress. Some evidence indicates that his unhappy relationship with Göring, Erhard Milch and the Nazi party in general was at the root of his mental breakdown.
Udet's suicide was concealed from the public, and at his funeral he was lauded as a hero who had died in flight while testing a new weapon. On his way to attend Udet's funeral, the World War II ace Werner Mölders would die in a plane crash.
See also
- Carl Zuckmayer's play Des Teufels General ("The Devil's General"), whose main character is based upon the biography of Ernst Udet.
References
| Aviation in World War I |
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| Aces | Aircraft of the Entente Powers | Aircraft of the Central Powers | Zeppelins | |
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