Otto "Bruno" Kittel joined the Luftwaffe in January 1939 and commenced flying training in November. After completing his training in January 1941, Uffz. Kittel was posted to JG 54 and assigned to its 2. Staffel.

On 24 June during the opening phases of the invasion of Soviet Union Kittel scored his first victory by downing an SB-2. He scored slowly but steadily, recording his 10th victory on 12 September 1941 and his 20th one year later on 23 September 1942.

On this day, 12 January 1943, strong Soviet forces again attacked to the south of Lake Ladoga, which soon encompassed the area around Pogostje and Kolpino with the goal to open a land corridor to Leningrad. The day erupted in fearsome air battles in the skies over the battlegrounds.

I./JG 54, flying missions throughout the day, would score heavily and claim a total of 36 VVS aircraft. Otto Kittel with six victories this day was the high-scorer of the Gruppe beating his Kommandeur Hptm. Hans Philipp who racked up five.

On 15 March 1943, after shooting down a MiG-3 for his 47th success, Fw. Kittel´s Fw 190 A-4 experienced engine problems. When the engine seized, he made an emergency landing 60 km behind enemy lines. In bitterly cold weather and under-clothed, Kittel crossed the frozen Lake Ilmen and, after three long days, finally reached German lines.

After a period of hospitalization, Ofw. Kittel returned shortly thereafter to 2./JG 54 and on 1 April he bagged two Il-2 Sturmoviks. On 11 June he shot down his 50th adversary, a La-5.

On 16 February 1945, Oblt. Otto Kittel took off to intercept a flight of Soviet Il-2s over Dzukste in Kurland. After damaging one of the Sturmoviks he was hit by return fire from another Il-2 and his Fw 190 A-8 burst into flames. The aircraft plummeted to earth, trailing a long sheet of flame and smoke with Kittel unable to leave his crippled machine before it crashed.

Oberleutnant Otto "Bruno" Kittel recorded a total of 267 confirmed victories in 583 combat missions. He was the highest scoring pilot in JG 54 and the fourth highest scoring ace of all time.

Kittel´s Fw 190 A-4 was built by Arado-Warnemünde, with JG 54's typical green camouflage over its original grey RLM 74/75/76. At the unit level was applied a temporary water-based white paint for winter concealment. It also had the full complement of JG 54 markings including the 2. Staffel and Geschwader crest as well as the yellow Ostfront recognition markings. There are also signs that this machine had another numeral before Kittel took it over.

Please note that this profile was published in my Profile Book No 11 as profile No 54.

During the week I manage to make six new Luftwaffe fighters, they would probebly be included in my upcoming profile book No 19.