▁of ▁the ▁highest ▁scoring ▁units ▁in ▁the ▁Luft wa ffe . ▁Stein hoff ▁claimed ▁ 2 8 ▁Soviet ▁aircraft ▁shot ▁down ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁month ▁and ▁by ▁August , ▁Stein hoff ▁had ▁att ained ▁ 3 5 ▁vict ories ▁and ▁been ▁awarded ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁as ▁a ▁Haupt mann , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁command ▁II ./ J G ▁ 5 2 ▁and ▁claimed ▁his ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁victory ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁August . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁Luft wa ffe ▁pilot ▁to ▁achieve ▁the ▁century ▁mark . ▁Stein hoff ▁remained ▁with ▁J G   5 2 ▁until ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁took ▁over ▁Jag d gesch w ader ▁ 7 7 ▁as ▁Gesch w ader kom mod ore ▁operating ▁over ▁the ▁Mediter rane an . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Stein hoff ▁received ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁and ▁S words ▁( ). ▁He ▁ended ▁the ▁war ▁as ▁a ▁jet ▁pilot , ▁first ▁being ▁posted ▁to ▁Komm ando ▁Now ot ny ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁then , ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Ober st , ▁as ▁Gesch w ader kom mod ore ▁of ▁Jag d gesch w ader ▁ 7 ▁in ▁December . ▁J G   7 ▁was ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁the ▁Me ▁ 2 6 2 ▁jet