Robert Menge was born on 29 September 1913 in Windhoek in the former German Southwest Africa. A former policeman Menge joined the Luftwaffe in 1936. Menge served in the Spanish Civil War flying Bf 109 Ds with 1./J88 mostly from the La Cenia. He is credited with four victories during the campaign gaining his first over an I-16 Rata on the 23 July 1938. Following his service in Spain he was posted to 5./186(T). He joined 5./JG 77 on 1 September 1939 and later served with this unit in Norway. He gained his first victories of World War 2 claiming two RAF Hampdens, on 12 April 1940 around Kristiansand. On 13 August 1940 he shot down four Blenheims raiding Aalborg airfield in Denmark. He emerged the top scorer of the Norwegian campaign, his score standing at 17 prior to his transfer to the Channel Front. Menge was commissioned and transferred to 3./JG 26 on 5 December 1940. He flew as Rotenflieger to Oberstleutnant Adolf Galland (104 victories, RK-EL).  On 5 December, Oberfeldwebel Menge was badly wounded in aerial combat Spitfires over Folkestone but was able to return to his base in France. He was back in action on 4 April when he shot down a Spitfire over the English coast on a freie Jagd with Galland. On 14 June 1941, 3./JG 26 took off from Audembert to intercept the British Circus No. 12. As they were climbing they were bounced by RAF Spitfire fighters. Newly commissioned Leutnant Menge was shot down and killed in Bf 109 E-7 (W.Nr. 6490) by Squadron Leader “Jamie” Rankin (19.083 destroyed, 4 probable and 17.333 damaged victories) of 92 Squadron RAF.
    Robert Menge was credited with 19 victories. He recorded four victories during the Spanish Civil War. All his World War 2 victories were recorded over the Western front.
 

No	Date	Time	A/c Type	Unit	Location	Comments
1.	23.7.1938	-	I-16	1.J/88	Spain
2.	7.10.1938	-	I-16	1.J/88	Spain
3.	1.11.1938	-	Curtiss	1.J/88	Spain
4.	5.11.1938	-	I-16	1.J/88	Spain
5.	12.4.1940	13:35	Hampden	II./JG 77	Near Kristiansand	44 or 50 Sqn RAF
6.	12.4.1940	13:40	Hampden	II./JG 77	Near Kristiansand	44 or 50 Sqn RAF
7.	30.5.1940	14:30	Hudson	5./JG 77	W Stavanger	Hudson (N7335) “F” of 269 Sqn RAF flown by Sgt A Townsend
8.	13.6.1940	2:03	Skua	5./JG 77	Trondheim	800 or 803 Sqn RAF
9.	13.6.1940	2:05	Skua	5./JG 77	Trondheim	800 or 803 Sqn RAF
10.	21.6.1940	-	Hereford	5./JG 77	Near Bergen	Beaufort of 42 Sqn RAF
11.	9.7.1940	-	Blenheim	5./JG 77	Stavanger	21 or 57 Sqn RAF
12.	9.7.1940	-	Blenheim	5./JG 77	Stavanger	21 or 57 Sqn RAF
13.	31.7.1940	11:00	Blenheim	5./JG 77	Aalborg	Blenheim (R3895) of 114 Sqn RAF flown by S/L Kennedy
14.	13.8.1940	12:15	Blenheim	5./JG 77	Aalborg	Blenheim of 82 Sqn RAF
15.	13.8.1940	12:15	Blenheim	5./JG 77	Aalborg	Blenheim of 82 Sqn RAF
16.	13.8.1940	12:16	Blenheim	5./JG 77	Aalborg	Blenheim of 82 Sqn RAF
17.	13.8.1940	12:17	Blenheim	5./JG 77	Aalborg	Blenheim of 82 Sqn RAF
18.	4.4.1941	17:50	Spitfire	3./JG 26	W Dover	Possibly Spitfire (P7783) of 91 Sqn RAF flown by F/Sgt J Mann (5/1/3 victories)
19.	9.6.1941	14:10	Spitfire	3./JG 26	E Dover	Spitfire of 74 Sqn RAF

Victories : 19
Awards : Knight`s Cross
Units : J/88, JG 186 (T), JG 77, JG 26