Alfred Schreiber

Alfred Schreiber (11 November 1923 – 26 November 1944), was a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He is noted for claiming the first aerial victory by a jet fighter in aviation history.

Alfred Schreiber
Born(1923-11-11)11 November 1923
Keplachowitz
Died26 November 1944(1944-11-26) (aged 21)
Lechfeld
Allegiance Weimar Republic (1932)
 Nazi Germany (1933–45)
Service/branchReichsheer
 Luftwaffe
RankLeutnant
Battles/warsWorld War II

He was born on 11 November 1923 in Keplachowitz. On 26 July 1944, Schreiber, a former Zerstörergeschwader 26 pilot, intercepted and attacked a Mosquito PR XVI, a photo-reconnaissance aircraft from No. 540 Squadron RAF, while flying Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a W.Nr. 130 017. Upon returning to base, he claimed the first aerial victory by a jet fighter in aviation history.[1] The front hatch had come off the Mosquito, hitting its wing and tail. It managed to return to an Allied held airfield in Italy where it was lost in the crash landing.[2] Schreiber was credited with a further four aerial victories before being killed on 26 November 1944, making him the first jet ace in history.[3] Schreiber was killed in a crash landing at Lechfeld. His aircraft wheels caught the lip of a slit trench, causing his Me 262 to cartwheel.[4]

Claims

Schreiber submitted the following claims:[5]

Number Date Type
126 July 1944No. 540 Squadron Royal Air Force Mosquito PR XVI
22 August 1944Supermarine Spitfire
326 August 1944Supermarine Spitfire
45 September 1944Spitfire PR XI of the USAAF 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
528 October 1944P-38 Lightning F-5E-3-LO of 7th PRG / 22nd PRS piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Eugene Selzer Williams (POW)

References

Notes
  1. Radinger & Schick 1993, p. 51.
  2. Morgan & Weal 1998, p. 16–17.
  3. For a list of Luftwaffe jet aces, see List of German World War II jet aces.
  4. Morgan & Weal 1998, p. 92.
  5. Morgan & Weal 1998, p. 16, 18, 26.

General references
  • Morgan, Hugh; Weal, John (1998), German Jet Aces of World War 2, London: Orsprey Publishing Limited, ISBN 1-85532-634-5.
  • Radinger, Willy; Schick, Walther (1993), Messerschmitt Me 262 Development Testing Production, Schiffer Publishing Ltd, ISBN 0-88740-516-9.
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