Alfred Lindenberger


Lieutenant Alfred Lindenberger was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories. He also scored four victories during World War II while serving as commander of a fighter group.

World War I military service

While Lindenberger was a gunner in FA 234, he shot down a Spad with pilot Vizfeldwebel Breitenstein on 29 May 1917. Then he was teamed with ace pilot Vizfeldwebel Karl Jentsch, and they scored two more SPADs in October. After pilot training, in May 1918 Lindenberger was posted to Jagdstaffel 2. Between 30 May and 1 November 1918, he downed nine more enemy planes, seven flying the Fokker D.VII. He also flew Fokker D.VI serial number 4453/18 upon occasion. It was marked with black and yellow stripes around the fuselage.

Aerial victories

No.DateFoeLocationNotes
129 May 1917SPADCernyLindenberger's pilot was Vizfeldwebel Breitenstein
22 October 1917SPADNorth of SoupirLindenberger's pilot was Karl Jentsch
321 October 1917SPADBraucourt-FresnesLindenberger's pilot was Karl Jentsch
430 May 1918Breguet 14Villers-Cotterêts
51 June 1918Breguet 14Priez
618 June 1918Breguet 14Moulin-sous-Touvent
720 August 1918AR2West of Champs
831 August 1918Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8Haynecourt
93 September 1918Bristol F.2bComblesVictim from No. 20 Squadron RAF
106 September 1918Sopwith CamelLagnicourtVictim from No. 208 Squadron RAF
1130 October 1918Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5aHarchiesVictim from No. 32 Squadron RAF
121 November 1918Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5aSouthwest of HarchiesVictim from No. 32 Squadron RAF

Between the Wars

Alfred Lindenberger joined the Luftwaffe and rose to the rank of major.

World War II military service

In June 1944, Major Lindenberger served with JG 3 and then flew air defense sorties with JG 300 over Germany until February 1945. He was made II./ JG 300 Gruppenkommandeur in October 1944. Owing to his age and inexperience with modern fighters he flew most sorties as a wingman. On 28 September 1944 he claimed a B-17 over Hildesheim and a P-51 Mustang near Quedlinburg before he was shot down by P-51s and wounded, bailing out over Halberstadt. Lindenberger then claimed two US B-24 four-engined bombers on 17 December 1944 during a 15th Air Force raid over Poland,.
He thus scored four World War II victories in total, making his lifetime tally sixteen aerial victories.