Last Updated on 22 minutes ago by Vijay Kumar
Hugo Broch, the last known surviving German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II and one of the final living recipients of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, has passed away at the age of 104 on May 31, 2026, according to Austrian Wings.
Born on January 6, 1922, in Leichlingen, Germany, Hugo Broch joined the Luftwaffe during World War II and served on the Eastern Front. Flying with Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54), he completed 324 combat missions and was credited with 81 aerial victories.
His combat achievements earned him the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross in March 1945. After the war, Broch worked for Agfa and remained active in aviation history circles. In 2017, at the age of 95, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by flying in a two-seat Spitfire.
History Hit posted a post on Facebook and wrote, “For the first time ever, a 95 year old German WWII veteran Luftwaffe ace flies in a British Spitfire. Hugo Broch was just 21 years old when he was sent to the Eastern Front to do battle against the Soviet Air Force. Please like and share this post. Thank you.”
World War Aviation wrote on Facebook page on 26 July 2025, “Hugo Broch, the LAST known living Luftwaffe Fighter Ace of WW2 at 103 years old. Total tally of 81 Victories.”
My name is Vijay Kumar. I work as content writer and founder of this website. I am studying BSC IT. I has been writing content since 2022. I also learn about journalism.
