Walter "Graf Punski" Krupinski
Hauptmann

Walter Krupinski

   Walter “Graf Punski” Krupinski was born on 11 November 1920 at Domnau, in the Friedland region of East Prussia. He was employed by the Reichsarbeitdienst before being discharged a few days after the outbreak of war in 1939 to take up a place at the Luftkreigsakademie at Berlin-Gatow where he underwent basic military and flying training. Following the completion of his fighter pilot training in Vienna in October 1940, Krupinski was transferred to 6./JG 52. He flew combat missions over France and England and, although frequently in contact with enemy aircraft, did not gain any success. He was promoted to the rank of Leutnant in February 1941. By September 1941, Krupinski was operating over the Eastern front. He recorded his first victory in the theatre against a Russian DB-3 twin-engine bomber south of Leningrad. By the end of the year he had seven victories to his credit. On 25 October 1942, he was shot down in aerial combat and baled out wounded. Leutnant Krupinski was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 29 October 1942 after 56 victories. By the end of 1942, his victory total stood at 65. Krupinski then spent three months as a fighter instructor with Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost in France. Krupinski returned to Russia on 15 March 1943. In May, he was appointed Staffelkapitän of 7./JG 52 based at Taman on the Kuban bridgehead. He scored two victories on 5 July to raise his victory total to 90. However, on landing Bf 109 G-6 (W.Nr. 20062) “White 9”, he collided with another Bf 109 and was badly injured in the resulting crash. In August, he recorded 27 enemy aircraft shot down, including his 100th victory on 18 August. Krupinski recorded his 125th victory on 27 September. He achieved his 150th victory on 12 October. He brought down the Staffel’s 1,000th victory, and his 154th, on 13 October. Oberleutnant Krupinski was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 415) on 2 March 1944 for 174 victories. He recorded his 175th victory on 9 March. At the end of March, he claimed three Russian T-34 tanks destroyed. Krupinski left JG 52 and Russia on 18 April 1944, with his victory total at 177, to return to Germany and take up command of 1./JG 5 which had returned from the far north for Reichsverteidigung duties. He gained four further victories with JG 5. Krupinski was transferred again, this time as Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG11 based at Hustedt, near Celle, taking up the post in May 1944. With the Allied invasion of France in June 1944, the Gruppe was rushed to Normandy to operate from makeshift strips on low-level ground support missions. Krupinski claimed a further 10 Allied aircraft shot down before he was wounded on 12 August when exploded motor of his Bf 109 G-5 (W.Nr. 110 244). He suffered burns to his hands and face requiring hospitalisation. Following recovery in hospital, Hauptmann Krupinski was posted to take command of III./JG 26 on 27 September 1944. He claimed his 192nd to 195th victories flying with the unit. He led the Gruppe until its disbandment on 26 March 1945. Krupinski joined Adolf Galland’s “squadron of experts” in JV44. He began training on the Me 262 on 2 April 1945. He was to record at least two victories flying the Me 262. In post-war years, Krupinski was to have successful career in the Bundeswehr rising to the rank of Generalleutnant. He passed away on 7 October 2000.
    “Graf Punski” Krupinski ended the war with 197 confirmed victories recorded in 1,100 missions. He had gained 177 victories flying over the Eastern front and 20 over the Western front, including at least two four-engine bomber, eight P-51 Mustang fighters and seven P-47 Thunderbolt fighters . He had been wounded seven times, baled out on four occasions as well as surviving numerous crash landings.
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location / Comments
1
?.9.1941
-
 DB-3 6./JG 52 S Leningrad
?
4.6.1942
18:54
 MiG-1 6./JG 52 10km NW Kuppjansk 1.000m
?
23.7.1942
4:40
 I-16 Rata 6./JG 52 28 351 at 1.000m
?
23.7.1942
6:48
 Il-2 6./JG 52 18 453
?
24.7.1942
11:45
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 28 322 at 1.000m
?
24.7.1942
11:52
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 28 472
?
25.7.1942
8:35
 Il-2 6./JG 52 18 621
?
26.7.1942
5:40
 R-5 6./JG 52 28 574
?
23.8.1942
5:30
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 49 652 at 1.500m
?
23.8.1942
5:37
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 49 429 at 1.000m
?
23.8.1942
11:55
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 49 651 at 2.000m
?
23.8.1942
12:12
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 49 622
?
24.8.1942
13:15
 I-180 6./JG 52 49 273 at 2.000m
?
25.8.1942
17:35
 I-180 6./JG 52 49 112 at 2.000m
?
26.8.1942
17:20
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 49 274 at 4.000m
?
27.8.1942
12:11
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 49 332 at 3.000m
?
28.8.1942
14:01
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 59 320 at 200m
?
29.8.1942
16:42
 Il-2 6./JG 52 40 427 at 300m
?
31.8.1942
8:47
 Il-2 6./JG 52 49 533 at 2.000m
?
2.9.1942
8:38
 MiG-1 6./JG 52 66 661 at 200m
?
7.9.1942
9:20
 MiG-1 6./JG 52 44 652 at 2.000m
?
7.9.1942
9:30
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 44 484 at 1.000m
?
13.9.1942
15:15
 Yak-1 4./JG 52 54 642 at 2.500m
?
19.9.1942
10:50
 U-2 4./JG 52 44 653
?
23.9.1942
12:10
 LaGG 4./JG 52 95 793 at 2.000m
?
24.9.1942
5:55
 I-153 4./JG 52 95 713 at 200m
?
24.9.1942
6:00
 I-15 4./JG 52 95 743
?
24.9.1942
6:52
 I-153 4./JG 52 95 742
?
24.9.1942
15:53
 LaGG 4./JG 52 94 133
?
25.9.1942
5:03
 Il-2 4./JG 52 5 342
?
25.9.1942
5:08
 Il-2 4./JG 52 5 511
?
25.9.1942
12:24
 R-5 4./JG 52 94 161
?
25.9.1942
15:16
 R-5 4./JG 52 94 411
?
26.9.1942
16:24
 I-153 4./JG 52 94 411
?
27.9.1942
11:45
 I-15 4./JG 52 4 541
?
7.10.1942
6:10
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 95 552 at 2.000m
?
9.10.1942
12:45
 I-153 6./JG 52 95 552 at 3.000m
?
9.10.1942
13:20
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 95 772 at 1.000m
?
11.10.1942
5:20
 LaGG-3 6./JG 52 95 752 at 2.500m
?
11.10.1942
5:35
 I-153 6./JG 52 95 751 at 200m
?
11.10.1942
5:37
 I-153 6./JG 52 95 751 at 200m
?
16.10.1942
5:55
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 94 121 at 3.000m
?
22.10.1942
16:20
 I-153 6./JG 52 95 541
?
23.10.1942
16:10
 Il-2 6./JG 52 94 473 at 100m
56
29.10.1942
15:40
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 95 791 at 800m
57
30.10.1942
15:30
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 94 163 at 1.000m
58
30.10.1942
15:40
 I-15 6./JG 52 94 161
59
1.11.1942
14:07
 I-153 6./JG 52 495 743
60
1.11.1942
14:25
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 94 133 at 3.000m
61
11.11.1942
8:00
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 94 161
62
11.11.1942
8:14
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 94 161 at 200m
63
11.11.1942
11:03
 I-15 6./JG 52 94 152
64
13.11.1942
11:17
 I-153 6./JG 52 95 741 at 100m
65
19.11.1942
7:15
 Yak-1 6./JG 52 94 491 at 4.000m
66
27.4.1943
17:20
 LaGG-3 5./JG 52 86 691
67
1.5.1943
17:41
 Yak-1 5./JG 52 85 171 at 3.500m
68
4.5.1943
12:40
 LaGG 5./JG 52 85 311 at 4.000m
69
6.5.1943
14:55
 LaGG III./JG 52 85 213 at 3.500m
70
11.5.1943
8:05
 LaGG 7./JG 52 85 181 at 5.000m
71
11.5.1943
16:07
 LaGG 7./JG 52 86 682 at 3.500m
72
16.5.1943
14:55
 U-2 7./JG 52 85 152
73
28.5.1943
9:35
 LaGG 7./JG 52 86 751 at 3.000m
74
28.5.1943
9:50
 Spitfire 7./JG 52 86 774 at 1.500m
75
29.5.1943
11:53
 LaGG 7./JG 52 75 232 at 2.000m
76
29.5.1943
18:07
 LaGG 7./JG 52 76 894 at 3.500m
77
30.5.1943
15:30
 Pe-2 7./JG 52 76 863 at 1.000m
78
31.5.1943
14:15
 LaGG 7./JG 52 86 714 at 2.000m
79
2.6.1943
13:03
 LaGG 7./JG 52 75 231 at 700m
80
3.6.1943
4:43
 LaGG 7./JG 52 86 732 at 800m
81
3.6.1943
13:20
 I-180 7./JG 52 75 232 at 5.000m
82
5.6.1943
11:20
 LaGG-5 7./JG 52 75 232 at 4.000m
83
5.6.1943
15:18
 LaGG-5 7./JG 52 86 774 at 5.500m
84
9.6.1943
14:12
 LaGG-5 7./JG 52 85 132 at 5.000m
85
10.6.1943
18:42
 LaGG 7./JG 52 86 783 at 5.000m
86
13.6.1943
7:37
 Boston 7./JG 52 25 251 at 3.000m
87
20.6.1943
10:25
 LaGG 7./JG 52 85 341 at 5.000m
88
26.6.1943
15:15
 LaGG-5 7./JG 52 85 372 at 4.000m
89
5.7.1943
7:15
 LaGG 7./JG 52 61 154 at 2.000m
90
5.7.1943
18:05
 LaGG 7./JG 52 61 121 at 2.500m
91
12.8.1943
17:25
 LaGG 7./JG 52 61 751 at 4.000m
92
13.8.1943
14:07
 LaGG 7./JG 52 69 212 at 2.000m
93
15.8.1943
9:04
 Pe-2 7./JG 52 61 721 at 4.000m
94
15.8.1943
11:54
 LaGG 7./JG 52 51 813 at 3.500m
95
16.8.1943
17:56
 LaGG 7./JG 52 70 792 at 3.500m
96
17.8.1943
8:07
 LaGG 7./JG 52 70 794 at 1.500m
97
17.8.1943
10:00
 LaGG 7./JG 52 70 794 at 4.000m
98
17.8.1943
17:30
 P-39 7./JG 52 70 762 at 5.000m
99
18.8.1943
9:55
 LaGG 7./JG 52 60 241 at 3.000m
100
18.8.1943
12:47
 LaGG 7./JG 52 61 794 at 3.000m
101
19.8.1943
12:55
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 293 at 4.500m
102
20.8.1943
7:29
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 294 at 5.000m
103
20.8.1943
7:55
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 291 at 5.000m
104
20.8.1943
11:37
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 264 at 7.000m
105
20.8.1943
13:32
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 282 at 1.200m
106
21.8.1943
13:02
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 272 at 1.000m
107
21.8.1943
13:15
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 282 at 200m
108
22.8.1943
10:08
 P-39 7./JG 52 88 241 at 500m
109
22.8.1943
15:43
 P-39 7./JG 52 88 293 at 1.000m
110
23.8.1943
15:20
 P-39 7./JG 52 88 242 at 4.000m
111
24.8.1943
11:59
 LaGG 7./JG 52 88 284 at 500m
112
26.8.1943
8:27
 P-39 7./JG 52 88 431 at 5.000m
113
26.8.1943
15:51
 LaGG 7./JG 52 89 891 at 5.000m
114
27.8.1943
6:32
 P-39 7./JG 52 88 421 at 5.000m
115
27.8.1943
13:20
 Spitfire 7./JG 52 88 412 at 4.000m
116
27.8.1943
13:40
 P-39 7./JG 52 88 194 at 2.000m
117
29.8.1943
11:25
 Pe-2 7./JG 52 88 672 at 6.000m
118
21.9.1943
11:27
 IL-2 7./JG 52 58 123
119
21.9.1943
16:13
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 421 at 100m
120
22.9.1943
12:10
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 271 at 600m
121
23.9.1943
13:15
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 163 at 20m
122
24.9.1943
14:10
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 132 at 200m
123
25.9.1943
11:10
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 281 at 800m
124
27.9.1943
8:45
 LaGG 7./JG 52 59 752 at 3.500m
125
27.9.1943
8:50
 LaGG 7./JG 52 59 843 at 2.500m
126
27.9.1943
14:21
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 192 at 1.000m
127
27.9.1943
16:05
 LaGG 7./JG 52 59 813 at 1.500m
128
28.9.1943
10:33
 Il-2 7./JG 52 58 193 at 300m
129
30.9.1943
12:17
 P-39 7./JG 52 58 643 at 5.000m
130
1.10.1943
6:15
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 362
131
1.10.1943
7:49
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 133 at 300m
132
1.10.1943
8:13
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 132 at 300m
133
1.10.1943
11:17
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 184 at 1.500m
134
2.10.1943
10:55
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 674 at 3.000m
135
3.10.1943
15:10
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 124 at 1.500m
136
4.10.1943
11:10
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 113 at 2.500m
137
5.10.1943
7:09
 LaGG 7./JG 52 49 171 at 2.000m
138
6.10.1943
10:02
 LaGG 7./JG 52 49 184 at 4.000m
139
7.10.1943
6:45
 LaGG 7./JG 52 49 133 at 2.000m
140
7.10.1943
11:55
 LaGG 7./JG 52 49 362 at 2.500m
141
8.10.1943
7:33
 Pe-2 7./JG 52 58 472 at 3.500m
142
9.10.1943
11:51
 P-39 7./JG 52 49 171 at 4.000m
143
9.10.1943
11:52
 P-39 7./JG 52 49 322 at 4.000m
144
10.10.1943
6:55
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 163 at 2.000m
145
10.10.1943
7:10
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 163 at 1.500m
146
10.10.1943
8:40
 P-39 7./JG 52 49 183 at 4.000m
147
10.10.1943
9:40
 P-39 7./JG 52 49 183 at 4.000m
148
10.10.1943
12:18
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 154 at 500m
149
10.10.1943
15:35
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 194 at 1.000m
150
12.10.1943
6:52
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 161 at 1.500m
151
12.10.1943
7:18
 Il-2 7./JG 52 58 122 at 200m
152
12.10.1943
13:56
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 124 at 1.000m
153
12.10.1943
15:45
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 114 at 1.500m
154
13.10.1943
7:51
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 161 at 50m
155
13.10.1943
11:50
 LaGG 7./JG 52 59 782 at 1.000m
-
19.10.1943
7:12
 P-39 7./JG 52 39 474 at 3.500m / not confirmed
156
20.10.1943
6:00
 LaGG 7./JG 52 39 413 at 3.500m
157
21.10.1943
6:13
 P-39 7./JG 52 39 463 at 3.000m
158
21.10.1943
9:28
 Il-2 7./JG 52 39 621 at 2.000m
159
29.10.1943
7:03
 P-39 7./JG 52 39 532 at 4.000m
160
29.10.1943
11:15
 P-39 7./JG 52 39 534 at 5.500m
161
6.11.1943
9:12
 P-39 7./JG 52 39 694 at 1.000m
162
6.11.1943
12:20
 LaGG 7./JG 52 48 211 at 500m
163
6.11.1943
14:45
 LaGG 7./JG 52 49 714 at 3.500m
164
6.11.1943
15:00
 LaGG 7./JG 52 49 544 at 1.000m
165
22.11.1943
14:00
 LaGG 7./JG 52 49 713 at 1.500m
166
27.11.1943
9:23
 LaGG 7./JG 52 48 591 at 300m
167
27.11.1943
12:56
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 341 at 1.000m
168
27.11.1943
13:11
 LaGG 7./JG 52 48 434 at 1.000m
169
28.11.1943
8:16
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 174 at 1.000m
170
28.11.1943
13:25
 LaGG 7./JG 52 58 194 at 2.000m
171
29.11.1943
7:05
 Boston III 7./JG 52 48 424 at 6.500m
172
29.11.1943
14:40
 LaGG 7./JG 52 48 432 at 1.000m
173
30.11.1943
7:57
 LaGG 7./JG 52 39 862 at 1.400m 
174
26.2.1944
12:00
 P-39 7./JG 52 29 522 at 3.500m
175
9.3.1944
10:53
 LaGG 7./JG 52 60 421
176
11.3.1944
12:30
 Il-2 7./JG 52 70 552
177
16.3.1944
15:15
 LaGG 7./JG 52 51 532
178
10.5.1944
11:30
 B-17 1./JG 5 NW Köszeg
179
11.5.1944
19:14
 P-51 2./JG 5 Saarbrücken
180
11.5.1944
19:25
 P-51 2./JG 5 Saarbrücken
181
12.5.1944
11:52
 P-47 2./JG 5 05 Ost/TS-6
182
19.5.1944
12:45
 P-47 Stab II./JG 11 S Verden 
183
19.5.1944
12:55
 P-47 Stab II./JG 11 SW Verden
184
24.5.1944
10:28
 P-51 Stab II./JG 11 Elbe estuary
185
30.5.1944
11:10
 P-51 Stab II./JG 11 SW Magdeburg
186
30.5.1944
11:10
 P-51 Stab II./JG 11 SW Magdeburg
187
14.6.1944
20:45
 P-47 Stab II./JG 11 St. Quentin-Tergnier
188
28.6.1944
7:45
 P-38 Stab II./JG 11 Zottegem-Ath
189
1.7.1944
19:55
 P-47 Stab II./JG 11 Douai-Cambrai
190
1.7.1944
19:55
 P-47 Stab II./JG 11 Douai-Cambrai
191
1.7.1944
19:58
 P-47 Stab II./JG 11 Douai-Cambrai
192
27.9.1944
18:21
 Spitfire Stab III./JG 26 -
193
12.10.1944
15:50
 P-51 Stab III./JG 26 -
194
21.11.1944
12:58
 P-51 Stab III./JG 26 Coesfeld
195
24.12.1944
-
 P-51 prob. Stab III./JG 26 probable victory
196
8.4.1945
-
 B-17 JV 44 Stuttgart area
197
??.4.1945
-
 E/a JV 44 -

 
Victories : 197
Awards : Ehrenpokal (May 1942)
                Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (27 August 1942)
                Ritterkreuz (29 October 1942)
                Eichenlaub (2 March 1944)
Units : JG 52, JG 5, JG 26, JG 11, JV 44
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