Günther "Fips" Radusch
Oberst

Günther Radusch

 
   Günther “Fips” Radusch was born on 11 November 1912 at Schweta in Westpreußen. A pre-war glider pilot, he joined the army but later transferred to the Luftwaffe. In 1937, Radusch was serving with the Condor Legion supporting the Nationalist cause in the Spanish Civil War. Leutnant Radusch was assigned to 2. Staffel of J 88. He recorded one victory, shooting down a Republican flown Russian built I-15 biplane fighter on 22 April. He was awarded the Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern for his accomplishments in the conflict. At the outbreak of World War 2, Radusch was serving with ZG 1 and participated in the French campaign. On the 26 June 1940, Radusch was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 1 when I./ZG 1 was absorbed into an expanding Nachtjagdwaffe. Radusch was transferred as Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 3 on 7 October 1940. He gained his first night victory on the night of 9/10 April 1941 when he shot down a RAF Wellington twin-engine bomber near Papenburg. On 1 September 1941, Radusch was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./NJG 3. On the night of 16/17 August 1942, Major Radusch claimed two RAF Halifax four-engine bombers shot down to record his fifth and sixth victories. On the night of 1/2 October, he claimed two RAF Stirling four-engine bombers shot down to record his 10th and 11th victories. By the end of 1942, Radusch had increased his victory total to 12. In June 1943, he claimed 13 victories, including three RAF bombers shot down on the night of 24/25 June (21-23) and four Halifaxes on the night of 28/29 June (25-28). Radusch was appointed Kommodore of NJG 5 on 6 August 1943. He had 33 victories to his credit at this time. On the night of 17/18 August, Radusch shot down three RAF bombers (34-36). Major Radusch was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 29 August 1943. By the end of 1943, Radusch had 42 victories to his credit, including three RAF four-engine bombers shot down on 22/23 October (40-42). On 2 December, he was shot down by German flak over Berlin. Radusch baled out unharmed but his crewman suffered wounds. He shot down three RAF Lancaster four-engine bombers on the night of 30/31 January 1944 (48-50). On 1 February 1944, Radusch was appointed Kommodore of NJG 2. Oberstleutnant Radusch was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 444) on 6 April for 53 victories. On the night of 21/22 May, he claimed three RAF four-engine bombers shot down (56-58). Radusch claimed his 65th, and last, victory on the night of 7/8 July, when ne shot down another Lancaster. On 1 November 1944, Radusch was appointed Kommodore of NJG 3, a position he was to hold until the end of the war. Günther Radusch died on 29 July 1988.
    “Fips” Radusch was credited with 65 victories. Additionally, it is thought that he had 14 additional victories for which he did not submit claims. Included in his total is one victory achieved in the Spanish Civil War. He recorded 64 victories by night, including 57 four-engine bombers.
 
No
Date
Time
A/c Type
Unit
Location / Comments
1
22.4.1937
-
 I-15 2./J 88 Spain
2
10.4.1941
3:00
 Wellington I./NJG 3 2km SW Papenburg
3
27.2.1942
0:55
 Wellington II./NJG 3 W Westerland
4
26.4.1942
2:08
 Stirling II./NJG 3 S Schelde Estuary
5
28.4.1942
1:05
 Stirling II./NJG 3 Romo
6
29.4.1942
2:18
 Wellington II./NJG 3 -
7
17.8.1942
2:42
 Halifax II./NJG 3 Sonderborg
8
17.8.1942
2:56
 Halifax II./NJG 3 866 7O1
9
22.9.1942
1:01
 Wellington II./NJG 3 18km W Blidsel
10
2.10.1942
1:04
 Stirling II./NJG 3 867 9A4
11
2.10.1942
1:22
 Stirling II./NJG 3 768 9C7
12
17.12.1942
19:53
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 SE Ribe
13
8.1.1943
20:00
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 W Sylt
14
17.1.1943
22:14
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 5km W Eiderstedt
15
21.4.1943
3:07
 Stirling II./NJG 3 766 5G1 in See
16
21.4.1943
3:32
 Stirling II./NJG 3 765 3G2
17
15.6.1943
1:15
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 10km S Venlo
18
15.6.1943
1:20
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 20km WSW Venlo
19
17.6.1943
1:45
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 NE Randl-Neerpelt
20
22.6.1943
1:34
 Halifax II./NJG 3 16km NNW Venlo
21
25.6.1943
0:57
 Wellington II./NJG 3 Wellen
22
25.6.1943
1:15
 Wellington II./NJG 3 Jasmund
23
25.6.1943
1:29
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 NW Venlo
24
26.6.1943
1:58
 Halifax II./NJG 3 20km S Nijmegen
25
29.6.1943
2:15
 Halifax II./NJG 3 Waalre
26
29.6.1943
2:24
 Halifax II./NJG 3 7km S Eindhoven
27
29.6.1943
2:34
 Halifax II./NJG 3 5km N Helmond
28
29.6.1943
2:56
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 5km NW Eindhoven
29
28.7.1943
0:26
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 S Vollerwiek
30
28.7.1943
0:43
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 Wöhrden
31
30.7.1943
0:25
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 1km N Hemminger
32
3.8.1943
1:22
 Lancaster II./NJG 3 40km ESE Helgoland
33
3.8.1943
2:14
 Halifax II./NJG 3 20km NNW Helgoland
34
18.8.1943
1:46
 Viermot Stab/NJG 5 Swinemünde
35
18.8.1943
1:55
 Viermot Stab/NJG 5 Peenemünde
36
18.8.1943
2:00
 Viermot Stab/NJG 5 Peenemünde
37
22.9.1943
1:01
 Wellington Stab/NJG 5 851 1B5
38
27.9.1943
23:24
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 SW Hanover
39
9.10.1943
1:51
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 20km W Hannover
40
22.10.1943
20:57
 Halifax Stab/NJG 5 5-10km WNW Kassel
41
22.10.1943
21:04
 Halifax Stab/NJG 5 10km NE Kassel / Halifax (LW301) “EY-C” of 78 Sqn, RAF flown by W/O BEE Allden
42
22.10.1943
22:13
 Viermot Stab/NJG 5 20km N Kassel
43
14.1.1944
19:29
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 -
44
20.1.1944
19:30
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 -
45
20.1.1944
19:39
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 -
46
21.1.1944
23:15
 Halifax Stab/NJG 5 -
47
29.1.1944
3:12
 Halifax Stab/NJG 5 -
48
30.1.1944
20:24
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 -
49
30.1.1944
20:27
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 -
50
30.1.1944
20:30
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 5 -
51
20.2.1944
5:39
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 KH-9
52
25.2.1944
23:59
 Halifax Stab/NJG 2 Schnee-Eifel
53
26.2.1944
0:20
 Halifax Stab/NJG 2 Near Kaiswalt
54
31.3.1944
0:36
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 Adenau
55
31.3.1944
0:41
 Lancaster Stab/NJG 2 SW Koblenz
56
22.5.1944
1:44
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 LK-LL-KL-KK
57
22.5.1944
1:56
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 LK-LL-KL-KK
58
22.5.1944
2:00
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 IK-KK-KI-II
59
28.5.1944
2:07
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 Meerle
60
13.6.1944
1:48
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 Amiens
61
29.6.1944
0:37
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 Compiegne
62
29.6.1944
0:44
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 Soissons
63
1.7.1944
1:12
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 St Leu d’Esserent
64
1.7.1944
1:14
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 St Leu d’Esserent
65
8.7.1944
1:05
 Viermot Stab/NJG 2 05 Ost S/TB 8-9
 
Victories : 65
Awards : Ehrenpokal (19 October 1942)
                Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (13 February 1943)
                Ritterkreuz (29 August 1943)
                Eichenlaub (6 April 1944)
Units : J/88, ZG 1, NJG 1, NJG 3, NJG 2, NJG 5
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