Walter Zellot

Walter Zellot (6 October 1920 – 10 September 1942) was a World War II fighter pilot from Nazi Germany. He was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) on 19 August 1942 replacing Hauptmann Klaus Quaet-Faslem.[1]

Walter Zellot
Born6 October 1920
Died10 September 1942(1942-09-10) (aged 21)
Stalingrad, Soviet Union
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
RankLeutnant (second lieutenant)
UnitJG 53
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Zellot received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 September 1942 for a reported 84 victories (although his actual total kill on that date was 78).[1] However, earlier on the same day of his appointment on 19 August 1942, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 14189—factory number) was shot-up by a Soviet fighter,[2] probably the Yakovlev Yak-1 flown by future ace Boris M. Vasilyev (929 IAP).[3]

On 10 September 1942, Zellot was killed while engaged in a low-level attack on Soviet troops northwest of Stalingrad.[1] His Bf 109 was hit by anti-aircraft fire.[1] He bailed out at low altitude, insufficient for his parachute to open, and was killed.[4]

Summary of military career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Zellot was credited with 85 aerial victories.[5]

Awards

References

Citations
  1. Weal 2007, p. 75.
  2. Prien et al. 2006, p. .
  3. Bykov 2008, p. .
  4. Weal 2001, p. 54.
  5. Zabecki 2014, p. 1614.
  6. Patzwall 2008, p. 223.
  7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 456.
  8. Scherzer 2007, p. 803.

Bibliography
  • Bykov, Mijail Yurevich (2008). Асы Великой Отечественной Войны. Самые результативные лётчики 1941-1945 гг. (Asy Velikoy Otechestvennoy Voyny. Samye rezultativnye liotchiki 1941-45 gg) (in Russian). Moscow.: Yauza-EKSMO. ISBN 978-5-699-20526-4.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Mijail Yurevich Bykov (2008). Асы Великой Отечественной Войны. Самые результативные лётчики 1941-1945 гг. (Asy Velikoy Otechestvennoy Voyny. Samye rezultativnye liotchiki 1941-45 gg), Yauza-EKSMO, Moscow.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1 May 1942 bis 3 February 1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Weal, John (2001). Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-084-1.
  • Weal, John (2007). Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik-As". Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-204-2.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
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