 Nowotny joined the Luftwaffe in 1939 and completed his fighter pilot training in 1941 , after which he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 54 " Grünherz " ( JG 54 ) on the Eastern Front . Nowotny was the first pilot to achieve 250 victories – 194 in 1943 alone – earning him the coveted Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub , Schwertern und Brillanten ( Knight 's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves , Swords and Diamonds ) on 19 October 1943 . For propaganda reasons , he was ordered to cease operational flying . 
