Background
Oskar Dinort was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg.
Oskar Dinort was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg.
The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He volunteered for military service 1919 and joined the Freikorps der Gardekavallerie-Schützendivision and became a Fähnrich in the Infanterie-Regiment Near 2 in 1921. He was promoted to Leutnant in 1923 as well as an enthusiastic glider pilot.
Promoted to Oberleutnant in 1928 he set a 14 hours and 43 minutes Gliding World Record.
Dinort was transferred to the still secret Luftwaffe in 1934 where he was posted to the "Reklamestaffel Mitteldeutschland" (Advertisement Staffel). His next posting was as a Hauptmann (captain) in the Stab of I./Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing) and Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III./Jagdgeschwader 134 (JG 134—134th Fighter Wing) until he was called into in Reichsluftfahrtministerium (Ministry of Aviation) by Ernst Udet on 31 March 1935.
After commanding I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" (StG 2) in Poland, Major Dinort served as Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of StG 2 from October 1939 to October 1941. On 4 July 1940, in between the official dated given for the Battle of France and Battle of Britain, he led a highly successful attack on Convoy OA 178.
During operations over Greece and Crete in April–May 1941 crews of StG 2 believed the blast effect of their bombs used against troops in Greece was greatly reduced because the bombs penetrated the ground before exploding.
The solution was to fit 60 cm metal rods welded to the front of the bombs, with an 8 cm metal disc on the end of the rod. This arrangement became known as Dinortstäbe, (Dinort"s rods—similar in concept to the daisy cutter) after the originator of the idea, Oskar Dinort, which caused the bombs to detonate some 30 cm above the ground, maximising their blast. On 15 October 1941 Dinort left StG. 2, taking up a staff position.
In 1944 he was appointed to command 3.
Fliegerschuldivision and inlate 1944 promoted to Generalmajor. Held by the British after the war ended, Dinort remained in captivity until 1947, He eventually settled in Dortmund after his release. he later worked in aviation research in Chile.
Dinort died in Cologne, West Germany, on 27 May 1965. Bibliography.