Background
Ernst Kupfer was born on 2 July 1907 in Coburg where he attended the Ernestium Coburg, a secondary school.
Ernst Kupfer was born on 2 July 1907 in Coburg where he attended the Ernestium Coburg, a secondary school.
When he became unemployed, he returned to school, completed his Abitur in 1925 and then studied five semesters Jurisprudence at the University of Heidelberg.
Oberst Doctor Juris The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. On 1 October 1928, Kupfer joined the military, serving with the Bavarian Cavalry Regiment 17, 5th Escadron. From 1 May 1936 to 3 March 1937, he returned to university in preparation for his Doctor Juris
World World War II Kupfer participated in the Battle of Crete and was instrumental in the sinking of the British cruiser HMS Gloucester.
While operating against Kronstadt, he scored a 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) bomb hit on the Soviet battleship Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya. Kupfer was appointed acting Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" (StG 2—2nd Dive-Bomber Wing) on 13 February 1943.
He led StG 2 in the battles of the Kuban bridgehead and Operation Citadel. In April and May, several other fighter and ground attack groups augmented his command.
Following the failure of Operation Citadel in July 1943, he took command of all local ground attack units, named Gefechtsverband "Kupfer" (Combat Detachment "Kupfer").
He flew 636 combat missions and was shot down three times, all by ground fire. In September 1943, Kupfer was appointed inspector of the attack aircraft (General der Schlachtflieger) and promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel). In this role he handled the procurement of the Focke Wulf Fw-190, which was to replace the old obsolete Junkers Ju 87 and especially the Henschel Hs 123.
Foreign this purpose he flew and visited a number of Schlachtgeschwader (ground attack wings) to meet with the various Geschwaderkommodore (wing commanders).
He visited Oberstleutnant Kurt Kuhlmey, commander of Schlachtgeschwader 3, in early November 1943 and was killed when his Heinkel He 111 crashed returning to his base in bad weather on 6 November 1943. His body lay undiscovered until 17 November.
"Immelmann" "Immelmann" Bibliography.