Gustav Rödel was born on 24 October 1915 at Merseburg in Sachsen. He joined the Luftwaffe with the rank of Fahnenjunker in 1936 and underwent fighter pilot training. Rödel participated in the Spanish Civil War with the Condor Legion serving with J 88. He was awarded the Spanienkreuz in Bronze with Schwertern for his achievements there. On 15 July 1939, Rödel joined JG 21. Leutnant Rödel was assigned to 2./JG 21. He participated in the invasion of Poland gaining his first victory, a Polish P.24 fighter shot down near Warschau, on 1 September. However, on 7 September, he was forced down during a ground-strafing mission. It is unclear whether this was as a result of ground fire or mechanical failure. Fortunately, he was able to bring his machine back almost to the border and managed to avoid detection and returned to his unit the next day. Rödel transferred to the Geschwaderstab of JG 27 on 24 November 1939. He participated in the French campaign gaining a further three victories. In July 1940, Rödel was transferred to 4./JG 27. On 7 September, Rödel was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 27. By the end of September, he had recorded 14 victories, the majority of these falling in the aerial battles over England. II./JG 27 participated in the invasion of the Balkans. Rödel recorded six victories in the aerial battles over Greece, including three Greek fighters shot down on 15 April 1941 and three RAF Hurricane fighters shot down on 20 April. Oberleutnant Rödel was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 22 June for 20 victories. Following the successful conclusion of the Balkan campaign, Rödel and 4./JG 27 participated in the invasion of Russia. Rödel claimed a Russian SB-3 twin-engine bomber shot down on 25 June 1941 for his 21st victory. Shortly afterwards 4./JG 27 were transferred to North Africa. Here, Rödel claimed his 30th victory on 4 December 1941, when he shot down a South African P-40 fighter near Bir el Gobi. On 20 May 1942, Rödel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 27. He recorded his 40th victory on 23 May, when he shot down another P-40 fighter near Ras el Tin. On 21 July, he claimed four Hurricanes shot down to record his 48th through 51st victories. He claimed three P-39 fighters shot down in the El Alamein area on 9 October (58-60). However, he had mis-identified his victims which were, in all probability, RAF P-40 fighters. In October 1942, Rödel claimed 15 victories, including three RAF P-40 fighters shot down on 24 October (64-66) and three fighters shot down on 27 October (67-69). On 1 November he claimed his 73rd victory, his last in North Africa. Rödel was appointed Kommodore of JG 27 on 22 April 1943. He saw combat over Sicily and Greece in May. On 22 May, he shot down three enemy aircraft (76-78). Major Rödel was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 255) on 20 June 1943. He recorded his 80th victory on 4 October and his 83rd on 10 October. Relocated to Germany and Reichsverteidigung duties, Rödel raised his victory total to 93, including many USAAF four-engine bombers. In June 1944, he led JG 27 over the Invasion front. On 29 June, he claimed three USAAF P-47 fighters shot down (95-97). On 5 July, he claimed his 98th, and last, victory a USAAF P-38 twin-engine fighter shot down near Angleure. In December 1944, Rödel was involved in the planning of Operation Bodenplatte. From the beginning of January 1945, he was serving on the staff of 2. Jagddivision, becoming Kommandeur on 1 February, a position he held until the end of the war. Post-war, Rödel joined the Bundesluftwaffe, retiring with the rank of Generalmajor. He died on 6 February 1995, aged 80.
    Gustav Rödel was credited with 98 victories in 980 missions. He recorded one victory over the Eastern front. Of his 97 victories recorded over the Western front, 12 were four-engine bombers.
 

No	Date	Time	A/c Type	Unit	Location / Comments
1	1.9.1939	17:08	PZL P.24	2./JG 21	Warschau area
2	12.5.1940	10:15	Hurricane	Stab/JG 27	15km S Luttich
3	2.6.1940	9:14	Spitfire	Stab/JG 27	W Dunkirk
4	7.6.1940	10:50	Potez 63	Stab/JG 27	NW Dunkirk
5	11.8.1940	10:40	Spitfire	4./JG 27	N Cap de la Hague
6	30.8.1940	12:28	Spitfire	4./JG 27	N Redhill
7	1.9.1940	15:05	Spitfire	4./JG 27	Ashford
8	1.9.1940	15:30	Spitfire	4./JG 27	Folkestone
9	3.9.1940	11:20	Spitfire	4./JG 27	Southend
10	3.9.1940	11:50	Hurricane	4./JG 27	Southend
11	6.9.1940	10:05	Spitfire	4./JG 27	Tunbridge Wells
-	6.9.1940	-	Spitfire	4./JG 27	not confirmed
-	6.9.1940	-	Spitfire	4./JG 27	not confirmed
12	11.9.1940	16:32	Spitfire	4./JG 27	Elham
13	27.9.1940	13:05	Hurricane	4./JG 27	Milton Regis
14	27.9.1940	16:18	Hurricane	4./JG 27	E London
-	13.10.1940	-	Spitfire	4./JG 27	not confirmed
15	15.4.1941	6:50	Hurricane	4./JG 27	W Trikkala / Bloch 151 of 24 Mira, EVA flown by Cpl George Mokkas, killed
16	15.4.1941	6:55	PZL P-24	4./JG 27	W Trikkala / Gladiator of 21 Mira, EVA
17	15.4.1941	7:05	PZL P-24	4./JG 27	10km NE Trikkala / P.24G of 22 Mira, EVA
18	20.4.1941	16:57	Hurricane	4./JG 27	Megara / Hurricane of 80 Sqn, RAF
19	20.4.1941	17:01	Hurricane	4./JG 27	Migalo / Hurricane of 80 Sqn, RAF
20	20.4.1941	17:08	Hurricane	4./JG 27	Migalo / Hurricane of 80 Sqn, RAF
21	25.6.1941	16:40	SB-3	4./JG 27	Wilna
22	3.10.1941	15:55	Hurricane	4./JG 27	SW Sidi Barrani / Tomahawk of 112 Sqn, RAF
23	10.10.1941	9:10	P-40	4./JG 27	SE Sidi Omar / Tomahawk of 2 Sqn, SAAF
24	10.10.1941	9:20	Hurricane	4./JG 27	SE Sidi Omar
25	22.11.1941	14:05	Blenheim	4./JG 27	80km SE Gazala / Blenheim of 11 Sqn, RAF
26	22.11.1941	16:40	P-40	4./JG 27	SE Bir Hacheim
27	25.11.1941	15:55	Hurricane	4./JG 27	N Tobruk
28	25.11.1941	15:57	P-40	4./JG 27	N Tobruk
29	1.12.1941	12:40	Hurricane	4./JG 27	SW El Adem / Hurricane of 1 Sqn, SAAF or 274 Sqn, RAF
30	4.12.1941	10:18	P-40	4./JG 27	NE Bir el Gobi / Hurricane of 1 Sqn, SAAF flown by 2/Lt Meek
31	5.12.1941	11:55	P-40	4./JG 27	NW Bir el Gobi / Tomahawk of 250 or 112 Sqn, RAF
32	6.12.1941	11:55	Beaufighter	4./JG 27	Tobruk / Beaufighter of 272 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O Snow
33	4.1.1942	8:40	Hurricane	4./JG 27	20km SE Agedabia
34	27.3.1942	17:24	P-40	4./JG 27	SW Ain el Gazala / Hurricane of 80 Sqn, RAF
35	27.3.1942	17:10	P-40	4./JG 27	Tobruk / Hurricane of 80 Sqn, RAF / not confirmed
36	6.4.1942	8:23	P-40	4./JG 27	Tmimi-Martuba
37	7.4.1942	15:43	P-40	4./JG 27	N Mtfeil Chebir / Kittyhawk of 450 Sqn, RAF
38	9.4.1942	14:25	P-40	4./JG 27	30km SW Mtfeil Chabir / Tomahawk of 40 Sqn, SAAF flown by Lt Gouws
39	25.4.1942	9:55	P-40	4./JG 27	6km N Ain el Gazala
40	23.5.1942	9:40	P-40	II./JG 27	10km N Ras el Tin / Hurricane of 33 Sqn, RAF flown by F/Lt Wade
41	23.5.1942	9:47	P-40	II./JG 27	40km NE Ras el Tin
42	4.6.1942	8:15	P-40	II./JG 27	3km SE Bir Hacheim / Tomahawk of 4 Sqn, SAAF
43	10.7.1942	10:32	Spitfire	II./JG 27	6km SW El Alamein
44	10.7.1942	10:37	P-40	II./JG 27	NE Miteiriga
45	10.7.1942	10:40	P-40	II./JG 27	1km S Murmin Busak
46	19.7.1942	9:13	Hurricane	II./JG 27	Chebel el Gabir / Hurricane of 238 Sqn, RAF
47	19.7.1942	9:17	Hurricane	II./JG 27	Bir Gabatte / Hurricane of 238 Sqn, RAF
48	21.7.1942	18:10	Hurricane	II./JG 27	SSW Alamein
49	21.7.1942	18:12	Hurricane	II./JG 27	SSW Alamein
50	21.7.1942	18:12	Hurricane	II./JG 27	NE El Daba
51	21.7.1942	18:20	Hurricane	II./JG 27	4km NE El Taqua
52	31.8.1942	18:29	Spitfire	II./JG 27	15km SSE El Alamein
53	1.9.1942	7:01	P-40	II./JG 27	Kittyhawk of 450 Sqn, RAF
54	3.9.1942	10:20	P-40	II./JG 27	Deir el Raghil
55	5.9.1942	10:53	P-40	II./JG 27	SSW El Alamein
56	5.9.1942	10:57	P-40	II./JG 27	SSW El Alamein
57	5.9.1942	11:00	P-40	II./JG 27	SSW El Alamein
58	9.10.1942	9:23	P-39	II./JG 27	N Turbiya
59	9.10.1942	9:27	P-39	II./JG 27	NNE El Daba
60	9.10.1942	9:35	P-39	II./JG 27	25km NW Sanyet Quotaifiya
61	13.10.1942	9:39	P-39	II./JG 27	SSW El Alamein / Kittyhawk of 4 Sqn, SAAF
62	22.10.1942	10:45	B-25	II./JG 27	SW El Alamein / B-25 of 12 BG, USAAF
63	24.10.1942	9:43	P-40	II./JG 27	SW El Alamein
64	24.10.1942	9:45	P-40	II./JG 27	WSW El Alamein
65	24.10.1942	9:50	P-40	II./JG 27	W El Alamein
66	26.10.1942	16:08	P-40	II./JG 27	SW Sanyet Quotaifiya / Kittyhawk of 260 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt Rattle
67	27.10.1942	9:23	Spitfire	II./JG 27	SSW El Hammam
68	27.10.1942	9:42	P-40	II./JG 27	SSW El Alamein
69	27.10.1942	15:05	P-39	II./JG 27	N El Daba
70	29.10.1942	9:05	P-40	II./JG 27	Deir el Bein
71	31.10.1942	9:52	P-40	II./JG 27	SW Sanyet Quotaifiya
72	31.10.1942	9:55	P-40	II./JG 27	SW Sanyet Quotaifiya
73	1.11.1942	7:05	Spitfire	II./JG 27	S Sidi el Rahman
74	18.5.1943	13:44	B-17	Stab/JG 27	NE Marettimo
75	18.5.1943	13:53	P-38	Stab/JG 27	NE Trapani
76	22.5.1943	16:17	B-17	Stab/JG 27	10km SE Marettimo
77	22.5.1943	16:22	P-38	Stab/JG 27	10km SE Marettimo
78	22.5.1943	16:25	P-38	Stab/JG 27	SW Marettimo
79	2.7.1943	-	Beaufighter	Stab/JG 27	NW Melos
80	4.10.1943	12:20	B-24	Stab/JG 27	SW Kos
81	8.10.1943	13:48	B-25	Stab/JG 27	20km S Levahdia
82	8.10.1943	14:00	P-38	Stab/JG 27	N Patras
83	10.10.1943	12:50	B-17 HSS	Stab/JG 27	Lamia
84	19.3.1944	13:44	B-24	Stab/JG 27	SE Graz
85	19.3.1944	14:08	B-24	Stab/JG 27	15km SSW Graz
86	2.4.1944	10:45	P-47	Stab/JG 27	NW Graz
87	3.4.1944	10:42	B-17	Stab/JG 27	15km SSW Budapest
88	12.4.1944	12:03	B-17	Stab/JG 27	Wiener Neustadt
89	13.4.1944	11:48	B-17	Stab/JG 27	3km S Raab
90	12.5.1944	12:37	B-17	Stab/JG 27	E Aschaffenburg
91	12.5.1944	12:47	B-17	Stab/JG 27	E Aschaffenburg
92	19.5.1944	13:20	P-51	Stab/JG 27	NW Magdeburg
93	19.5.1944	13:20	P-51	Stab/JG 27	W Haldensleben
94	29.5.1944	10:15	B-24	Stab/JG 27	Sankt-Pölten
95	29.6.1944	11:50	P-47	Stab/JG 27	Évreux-Gaillon
96	29.6.1944	11:55	P-47	Stab/JG 27	Louviers-Évreux
97	29.6.1944	11:57	P-47	Stab/JG 27	Louviers-Évreux
98	5.7.1944	21:05	P-38	Stab/JG 27	Angleure

Victories : 98
Awards : Ehrenpokal (14 December 1940)
                Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (16 July 1942)
                Ritterkreuz (22 June 1941)
                Eichenlaub (20 June 1943)
Units : J/88, JG 21, JG 27