GERMAN WWII LUFTWAFFE NIGHT FIGHTER SALVER AND TROPHY CUPS.

A very nice trophy salver measuring 22.5cm in circumference that sits on three legs. No silver markings to the salver. Beautifully engraved to the centre ‘ABSCHUSSBELEILIGUNGEN FUR RUDOLF FRANK 1/27’ followed by a date of ‘4.7.41 - 21.1.44’ showing the engraved insignia of the Royal Air Force and Russian Star with below the generic diving eagle insignia of the Night Fighter groups and below again the markings of his own squadron ‘1/N.J.G. III’. Accompanied by five 5.5cm high cups of which each cup is designated the shooting down of a particular British aircraft and the date. These shooting trophy cups and salvers were very commonly privately awarded to well known aces in WWII, each cup is marked ‘ABSCHUSS’ with the number following ‘ABSCHUSS 1 4.7.1941 Wellington’ ‘ABSCHUSS 4 26.1.1942 Whitley’ ‘ABSCHUSS 7 14th September 1942 Wellington’ ‘ABSCHUSS 14 4.7.43 Halifax’ ‘ABSCHUSS 23 18.11.43 Lancaster’ Rudolf Frank born August 1920 Night Fighter training with the 3rd Night Fighter Wing based in Stuttgart, followed by flying a BF110 heavy fighter with observer. 13th August 1941 Frank had flown over 20 Night Fighter missions and was awarded the Luftwaffe Night Flyers clasp and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class 15th April 1942, then converted to Junckers JU88 training , he was shot down himself over Berlin on Christmas Eve 1943 but managed to bail out unharmed. More victories followed in 1944 and was awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross on the 6th April 1944. On the night of the 26th/27th April 1944 on night missions close to Eindhoven in Holland his aircraft was hit by an exploding Lancaster and his crew managed to bail out, Frank failed to get out in time. Posthumously promoted Leutnant backdated to 1st April 1944 and he was posthumously awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Approximately 20 to 25 years ago Regimentals had the whole collection of Rudolf Frank, it was sold in one lot, over the years unfortunately it has been split amongst many collectors world-wide, including with the collection was his Honour Goblet. we are now pleased to be able to repurchase these items.

Code: 79331