why did Hitler award a Soviet pilot with the Knights cross in 1941 this was the only time that Adolf Hitler awarded the highest German award to a Soviet Ace pilot in June 1941 several Soviet Pilots including the test pilot Ivan federov were in Germany to exchange experience at that time German designers wanted to show Hitler the new heinkel 100 aircraft and show its capabilities but the German pilot did not show up so Ivan federov sat in the cockpit and began to perform aerobatics on the heinkel Hitler was absolutely delighted and ordered to give the pilot
of this plane a night's cross with oak leaves
