Otto Tange


Otto Tange was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Tange claimed 68 aerial victories, 3 over the Western Front and 65 over the Eastern Front. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.

Career

Tange was born on 22 September 1915 in Hochdonn in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein within the German Empire.
He was a member of the Luftwaffe at the beginning of the war and participated in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. During the Battle of Britain he claimed his first three victories. Tange then participated in Operation Barbarossa, by the end of 1941 he claimed 33 more victories.
Fighting in the Battles of Rzhev against the Kalinin Front in early 1942, II. and IV. Gruppen of JG 51 had become the most successful units of 8th [Air Corps (Germany)|VIII. Fliegerkorps]. By end-February, three pilots of II. Gruppe had claimed 40 aerial victories, these were Leutnant Hans Strelow, Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Mink and Tange. On 19 March 1942, Tange was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 40 aerial victories claimed.
On 11 July 1943, Tange was posted to the Stabsstaffel of Jagdgeschwader 51. On 30 July, his third mission with the Stabsstaffel, Tange was killed in action when his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 was hit by Soviet anti-aircraft artiller southwest of Bolkhov. Posthumously, Tange was promoted to Oberleutnant.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Tange was credited with 68 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 68 aerial victories claimed in 426 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 63 aerial victory claims, plus two further unconfirmed claims. This number includes one claim on the Western Front with others claimed on the Eastern Front.

Awards