Nowotny's Me 262 A-1a (Werknummer 110 400) "White 8" dive vertically out of the clouds and crash at Epe, east of Hesepe. Nowotny was given a state funeral in Vienna. The guard of honour was composed of his friend Karl Schnörrer, Oberst Gordon Gollob, Major Rudolf Schoenert, Hauptmann Heinz Strüning, Major Josef Fözö and Major Georg Christl. The eulogy was delivered by Generaloberst Otto Deßloch. Nowotny was buried at the Vienna Central Cemetery in a grave of honour sponsored by the city of Vienna. Following an initiative by the Austrian Green Party and debates in the Vienna Landtag, a resolution supported by Social Democrats and Greens was passed to remove the status of honour in 2003. Nowotny's grave remains a frequent target of both far-left vandalism and far-right memorial festivities. Following Nowotny's death, a stone memorial was built at the crash site in Epe which included remnants of his Me 262. The commemorating plaque on the memorial read: "Here on 8 November 1944, following 258 aerial victories, the recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Major Walter Nowotny, fell for the people and the fatherland." In August 2017, following a lengthy debate in Bramsche, the plaque was replaced with a new text, addressing the issue of commemorating alleged war heroes, and commemorating the victims of war and resistance. Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Nowotny was credited with 258 aerial victories. Spick also lists Nowotny with 258 aerial victories claimed in 442 combat missions. Nowotny achieved 255 of these victories on the Eastern Front and three while flying one of the first jet fighters, the Messerschmitt Me 262, in the Defense of the Reich. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 256 aerial victory claims, plus four further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 255 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and one victory on the Western Front flying the Me 262 jet fighter. Awards Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class Ehrenabzeichen der finnischen Luftwaffe Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds Eastern Front Medal Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold (17 May 1942) with pennant "400" Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 July 1942 as Leutnant and pilot Wound Badge (1939) in Black Viennas