Oberleutnant
Waldemar-H. “Waldi” Radener was born on 24 January 1921 at Lüchtrigen in the Weser region of Westfalen. Leutnant Radener joined JG 26 in February 1943 following completion of his flying training. He was assigned to 4./JG 26. Radener shot down a RAF Spitfire fighter on 3 May to record his first victory. On 30 July he downed two USAAF P-47 fighters near Arnhem for his 4th and 5th victories. Radener was appointed Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 26 on 18 August, replacing Hauptmann Johannes “Hans” Naumann (34 victories, RK) who was taking command of II./JG 26. On 11 September, Radener was relieved of his command when Naumann was given command of 6./JG 26 to allow Major Johannes Seifert to take over II./JG 26. Radener assumed his previous position of second in command to Naumann.
Radener shot down a P-47
on 11 January 1944 to record his 10th victory. He was awarded the Deutsches
Kreuz in Gold for 16 victories on 16 April. On 11 May, Radener brought
down a USAAF B-24 four-engined bomber but then accidently rammed a second
in his Fw 190 A-8 (WNr 680120) “Brown 2”. He baled out suffering only minor
injuries. Radener was shot down on by USAAF P-51 fighters on 15 June in
Fw 190 A-8 (WNr 730934) “Brown 2”. He baled out, but his parachute became
caught up on his aircraft. He managed to free it but suffered injuries
on landing serious enough to keep him out of combat until the end of the
month. On 9 September 1944, Oberleutnant Radener was re-appointed Staffelkapitän
of 7./JG 26. By the end of December he had 23 victories to his credit.
Radener was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 26 on 30 January 1945,
replacing Major Anton Hackl (192 victories, RK-S)
who had been appointed appointed Kommodore of JG 300. On 22 February 1945,
Anton Hackl requested Radener transfer to JG 300 to command II./JG 300.
Radener was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 12 March 1945. Radener survived
the war. He joined the Bundesluftwaffe but was killed in a flying accident
on 8 January 1957 near Schöngau.
“Waldi” Radener was credited with 37 victories.
He also recorded a further 14 unconfirmed victories. All his victories
were recorded over the Western front, including
12 four-engined bombers with an additional six
unconfirmed.
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13.3.1943
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Spitfire | 4./JG 26 | E Étaples | Spitfire of 402 or 403 Sqn, RAF - not confirmed |
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3.5.1943
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Spitfire | 4./JG 26 | 20km W Somme Estuary | Spitfire of 41 Sqn, RAF |
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14.5.1943
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B-17 HSS | 4./JG 26 | NW Antwerp | B-17 of 351 BG, USAAF – not confirmed |
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22.6.1943
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P-47 | 4./JG 26 | 10-15km NW Domburg | |
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26.6.1943
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P-47 | 4./JG 26 | 10-12km NNW Le Tréport | P-47 of 56 FG, USAAF |
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4.7.1943
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Spitfire | 4./JG 26 | Berck-sur-Mer | not confirmed |
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26.7.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 26 | 15km SE Lille | Spitfire of 317 Sqn, RAF – not confirmed |
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30.7.1943
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P-47C | 6./JG 26 | Near Arnhem | P-47 of 78 FG, USAAF |
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30.7.1943
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P-47C | 6./JG 26 | 3km S Werkendam | P-47 of 56 FG, USAAF |
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27.8.1943
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Spitfire | 6./JG 26 | NW Dunkirk | Spitfire of 341 Sqn, RAF flown by Cdt René Mouchotte, killed – not confirmed |
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3.9.1943
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P-47 | 6./JG 26 | 3km N Guyancourt | P-47 of 56 FG, USAAF |
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6.9.1943
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B-17 HSS | 6./JG 26 | S Reims | not confirmed |
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10.10.1943
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B-17 HSS | 7./JG 26 | NE Münster | not confirmed |
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14.10.1943
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B-17 HSS | 7./JG 26 | N Koblenz | not confirmed |
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30.12.1943
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P-47 | 7./JG 26 | 12km SE Beauvais | |
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30.12.1943
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B-17 | 7./JG 26 | 32km WNW Arras | |
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5.1.1944
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B-17 | 7./JG 26 | Near Miraumont | |
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11.1.1944
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P-47 | 7./JG 26 | Near Lingen | P-47 of 353 FG, USAAF |
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29.1.1944
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B-24 HSS | 7./JG 26 | 10km N Trier | B-24 of 44 BG, USAAF – not confirmed |
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4.2.1944
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B-24 | 7./JG 26 | 10km SE Albert | B-24 of 446 BG, USAAF |
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8.2.1944
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P-47 | 7./JG 26 | N Laon | P-47 of 352 FG, USAAF – not confirmed |
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8.2.1944
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P-47 | 7./JG 26 | N Laon | P-47 of 352 FG, USAAF – not confirmed |
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11.2.1944
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P-38 | 7./JG 26 | SE Valenciennes | P-38 of 20 FG, USAAF – not confirmed |
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18.2.1944
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Typhoon | 7./JG 26 | N Amiens | Typhoon of 174 Sqn, RAF |
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24.2.1944
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B-17 HSS | 7./JG 26 | NW Ascheberg | B-17 of 92 or 306 BG, USAAF - not confirmed |
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24.2.1944
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B-24 | 7./JG 26 | 5km NW Wetzlar | |
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24.2.1944
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P-51 | 7./JG 26 | NW Wetzlar-SE Bonn | P-51 of 357 FG, USAAF – not confirmed |
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25.2.1944
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B-24 HSS | 7./JG 26 | Notweiler-W Bergzaben | |
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25.2.1944
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B-17 e.V | 7./JG 26 | Willgartswissen-Pirmasens | |
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12.4.1944
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B-24 HSS | 7./JG 26 | 18km N Namur | B-24 of 445 BG, USAAF |
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24.4.1944
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B-17 HSS | 7./JG 26 | NE St Dizier | |
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27.4.1944
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P-47 | 7./JG 26 | SW Reims | P-47 of 356 FG, USAAF |
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29.4.1944
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B-17 HSS | 7./JG 26 | 5km SE Roubaix | B-17 of 401 BG, USAAF |
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8.5.1944
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P-47 | 7./JG 26 | 6km N Soissons | P-47 of 404 FG, USAAF |
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11.5.1944
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B-24 | 7./JG 26 | 44km W Chartres | B-24 of 487 BG, USAAF |
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15.6.1944
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P-51 | 7./JG 26 | E Bonneval | P-51 of 339 FG, USAAF – not confirmed |
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23.12.1944
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Lancaster | 7./JG 26 | W Köln | Lancaster of 582 Sqn, RAF |
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23.12.1944
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Lancaster | 7./JG 26 | NW Köln-NNW Düren | Lancaster of 405 or 582 Sqn, RAF |
Victories : 37
Awards : Knight`s Cross
Units : JG 26, JG 300
