![]() ![]() He was shot down or forced to land 32 times, several times behind enemy lines. Rudel was never shot down by another pilot, only by anti-aircraft fire. Rudel flew 2,530 combat missions claiming a total of 2,000 targets destroyed including 800 vehicles, 519 tanks, 150 artillery pieces, a destroyer, two cruisers, one Soviet battleship, 70 landing craft, 4 armoured trains, several bridges and nine aircraft which he shot down. He was one of only 27 men to be awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only one to be awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds Rudel ended his wartime career as Germany’s most decorated serviceman. The most successful combat pilot of all time, Hans-Ulrich Rudel flew the infamous JU-87 Stuka dive-bomber throughout World War Two. ![]()
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