Rolf Kaldrack

Kaldrack and his aerial gunner Unteroffizier Martin Enke were killed in action on 3 February 1942 south of Toropets during the Toropets–Kholm offensive. Kaldrack flying a Bf 110 E-1 "S9+IC" (Werksnummer 4057), collided with a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 fighter he had just shot down. Posthumously, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 5 February and the 70th Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), the first Zerstörer pilot to be so honored.

On 26 June, II. Gruppe of ZG 1 was renamed and became III. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76—76th Destroyer Wing). In consequence, Kaldrack commanded 7. Staffel of ZG 76. On 11 July, during the Kanalkampf phase of the Battle of Britain, III. Gruppe of ZG 76 supported Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers in their attack on enemy shipping. The Ju 87 dive bombers sank HMS Warrior. In support of this attack, Kaldrack claimed a Hawker Hurricane fighter shot down. On 16 August, Kaldrack was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of ZG 76 after its former commander Hauptmann Friedrich-Karl Dickoré was killed in action. The Gruppe was then ordered to Stavanger-Sola Airfield in October. On 27 January 1941, Kaldrack claimed a RAF Lockheed Hudson light bomber from No. 224 Squadron off the coast of Norway. Hudson N7358 was reported missing over the North Sea, all four members of the crew were killed. On 24 April, III. Gruppe of ZG 76 became II. Gruppe of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 (SKG 210—210th Fast-Bomber Wing).

In preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, SKG 210 was ordered to airfields close to the German-Soviet demarcation line. Here, SKG 210 was attached to II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps), which was subordinated to Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2), supporting Army Group Centre. Attacking a Soviet airfield at Kozova on 30 June, Kaldrack claimed a Polikarpov I-16 fighter aircraft shot dwon.

Later in December, Kaldrack was transferred and appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel of JGr. 101, replacing Hauptmann Hans-Otto Winterer. On 1 March 1940, the Staffel became the 4. Staffel of ZG 1. Kaldrack claimed his second aerial victory on 24 May during the Battle of France. He claimed his victory over a Westland Lysander aircraft, although it may have been Latécoère 298 aircraft although his Messerschmitt Bf 110 sustained combat damage. During the landing attempt at Trier-Euren Airfield, the aircraft overturned injuring Kaldrack and his radio operator Feldwebel Eich Hermanski. On 9 June, he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse).

In November 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, Kaldrack flew on as an aerial observer on a Heinkel He 70 Blitz aerial reconnaissance aircraft belonging to Aufklärungsgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion. In March 1937, he flew on as an aerial observer with Kampfgruppe 88. Kaldrack later claimed three aerial victories in Spain and was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern) on 14 April 1939, for his service in the Spanish Civil War. After he returned from Spain, Kaldrack served on the staff of Generaloberst Erhard Milch in the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM—Ministry of Aviation).

In early 1939, Kaldrack, together with Wilhelm Balthasar and Anhäuser, flew a Siebel Fh 104 Hallore twin-engined transport aircraft on one of the longest flights to Africa, covering 40,000 kilometers (25,000 miles). In July, Kaldrack was posted to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing). Here, Kaldrack initial served with 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of ZG 1 under the command of Oberleutnant Dietrich Robitzsch.

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 21 September, II. Gruppe of ZG 1 was renamed and became Jagdgruppe 101 (JGr. 101—101st Fighter Group). In consequence, 6. Staffel of ZG 1 became the 3. Staffel of JGr. 101. On 31 October, JGr. 101 moved to Neumünster airfield in northern Germany.

Rolf Kaldrack (25 June 1913 – 3 February 1942) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Kaldrack is credited with at least 24 aerial victories, 3 of which claimed during the Spanish Civil War flying with Aufklärungsgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion.

Kaldrack was born on 25 June 1913 in Stargard, at the time in the Province of Pomerania of the German Empire, present-day in northwestern Poland. He was the son of officer Otto Kaldrack who served as a Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht. Kaldrack volunteered for military service in the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany in 1934 and transferred to the Luftwaffe a year later.