Atmospheric shots taken from a German TV 'doku' depict Me 262 jet fighters of III./JG 7 undergoing maintenance at Brandenburg-Briest, April 1945. Similar screen shots were also used by Robert Forsyth in his Osprey JG7 title.
The aircraft in the first few frames is a Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a of 11./JG7 parked off the runway at Brandenburg-Briest.
Groundcrew glad in their ubiquitous black overalls attend to the 30 mm MK 108 cannon in the nose of 11./JG 7's 'White 8' prior to another sortie from Brandenburg-Briest in the spring of 1945.
Note the unusual 'tortoise shell' camouflage finish and the green tactical number '2' barely discernible under the JG 7 'running fox' emblem on the nose of the aircraft. This machine is displaying the chevron and bar of the Geschwader Operations Officer although may have been flown by the Kommodore Mjr. Weissenberger. It is not known if this aircraft belonged to the Gruppenstab of the III. Gruppe or had been assigned to the Geschwaderstab. Note the Stab command makings on the rear fuselage are those from the Gruppenstab. However there is no III. Gruppe vertical bar present. Why this aircraft should be wearing a combination of Geschwader and Gruppe markings is uncertain.
Best known as 'The one who got away' Franz von Werra had made a number of attempts to 'escape' while held in the UK. He was subsequently transferred to a prison camp in Canada. However he didn't exactly 'escape' from detention there - in fact he was able to alight from the train taking him to a POW camp. This was in April 1941. According to his own account he then paddled a small boat across the St. Lawrence with his bare hands. He was the third German serviceman to have crossed to the neutral US by this stage of the war but the 'von' in his name ensured the US press would fill column inches with the 'Baron's' 'story'. While the US authorities did plan on sending him back to Canada, the German embassy in NYC hurriedly organised his onward travel to Mexico and south America....incidentally 'von' Werra wasn't a German or even a 'von' at all. He was born to impoverished Swiss parents, the 'de Werras' and 'sold' to his adoptive German parents, cf. Wilfried Meichtry. His motives for 'escaping' were rather less than 'heroic' - according to Burt Leasor's book & the film based on it, the British had apparently told fellow inmates about his considerable tally of false claims - specifically five Hurricanes shot up on the ground on 28 August 1940 during a sortie where he claimed four aerial victories - all these claims were apparently accepted by his superiors, specifically Oblt. Sannemann and Hptm. von Selle, without witness statements - and needless to say were false. His 'determination' to escape was at least partially motivated by the possibility of his fellow German POWs taking a very dim view of his 'fraud'- he was an RK winner after all. Author Robert Michulec in Greenhill's 'Luftwaffe Aces' says he was the 'greatest liar of the Jagdwaffe aces'..
Hubertus von Bonin was born in Potsdam on 3 August 1911. He was killed in action on 15 December 1943 near Gorodok in a fight with Soviet P-39 Airacobras. Bonin was credited wth shooting down 77 enemy aircraft. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern front, starting with 4 victories in Spain while flying with Legion Condor. His commands included Geschwaderkommodore of JG 54. His brother Jürgen-Oskar von Bonin was killed in action as an observer in a transport Geschwader while another brother Major Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient, was a 37 kill night fighter ace and survived the war.
WW II 'Ace of aces' is Erich Hartmann. His victory toal of '352' confirmed kills has assumed legendary status - but is probably some way from the actual number of aerial victories achieved by Hartmann. The figure of '352' was probably first presented as his 'official' victory total in Toliver's 'Blond Knight..', a book that was written at the height of the Cold War.
In the words of one historian 'Blond Knight' "..offered little research, nothing from Russian archives and no bibliography..".***
Most researchers appear to have rather discounted it in any discussion of Hartmann's record. Since the the late 1960s some have attempted to look a little more critically at Hartmann's record and a recent article by Russian researcher Dimitri Khazanov went much further. If Khazanov has an agenda, it is nonetheless the case that certain statements he makes regarding Hartmann's total are valid.
Firstly German archives are themselves contradictory. Indeed only 289 of Hartmann's 'victories' were in fact 'officially confirmed' before the German claims sytem broke down in early 1945. Secondly, only 307 of his supposed claims had even been 'officially' filed before the end of the war.. As is well known the initial months of combat on the Russian front were significant for huge losses of men and matériel on the Russian side. For each German aircraft lost the VVS (Red Air Force) lost ten primarily as a result of superior training, combat experience gained in the West, and significantly superior combat aircraft performance. However none of these factors explain the phenomenal results apparently achieved by Erich Hartmann. His war began as the tide was already turning in the East, with Soviet industry turning out ever more modern aircraft and the German armies on the defensive in every sector. Hartmann's chief 'tactic' involved catching lone Soviet aircraft unawares far behind the front lines, with only a wing man's statement to support his claim. This goes someway to explaining the disparity with Soviet records. Hartmann would often claim three or even five Soviet a/c shot down on a sortie. Khazanov concludes ;" (..) Hartmann's actual successes probably amounted to no more than 70 to 80 Soviet aircraft shot down..." He continues... "It is therefore not incorrect to state that the scores of other famous JG 52 aces are likely to have been largely superior to Hartmann's, given that the evidence for his victory claims is much more unreliable than that for other pilots such as Barkhorn and Rall (..) This has much to do with Hartmann's tactic of catching lone Soviet aircraft unawares far behind the front lines, with only a wing man's statement to support his claim and goes someway to explaining the disparity with Soviet records since aircraft lost in this way were recorded as missing in action and not as shot down in combat..."
The debate is currently raging yet again on various forums (..and again, on TOCH during May 2016)
Few contributors appear to have read Khazanov's material which was presented first in an article published by French magazine 'Le Fana de l'Aviation'. Khazanov's 'research' as presented in the article mentions several occasions when Hartmann claimed multiple victories and where the VVS suffered few or no losses at all. A number of such cases were detailed by Khazanov;
* 29.05.1944: During the Soviet air strike against the Romanian airbase of Novela, Erich Hartmann claimed three "LaGG-7s" (La-5s) shot down. In fact, the Soviet 5 VA did suffer losses - three Il-2, but the 302 IAD, which provided escort for the attack and was equipped with the La-5FN, did not suffer any losses ..
* 4.06.1944: on this date during the fourth sortie of the day, Hartmann and his wingman Birkner were jumped by two Airacobras, with Hartmann shooting down both P-39s. Khazanov determined that they would have been the Airacobras flown by Mayor B. B. Gakhaet and Leytenant Nikolay L. Trofimov of the famous 16 GIAP. Both Airacobras returned home "..without a scratch! "
* 4.07.1944: Hartmann claimed three Il-2s north of Yassy, which were attacking German artillery positions. The formation attacked by Hartmann were 12 Il-2s of the 2 ShAK led by Leytenant Frolov, but they lost only one Shturmovik, which made a belly-landing in Soviet-held territory.
* 24.08.1944: on this day Hartmann claimed his victories Nos.299 to 303 over the Soviet beachhead of Sandomierz across the Vistula river - all four were P-39s. The only unit equipped with Aircobras providing cover to Sandomierz were from the elite 9 GIAD led by Polkovnik Aleksandr Pokryshkin - they sustained no losses in air combat that day. One Soviet P-39 pilot was reported missing after becoming separated from his comrades, "...who could have been downed by Hartmann. But at most Hartmann could score only one victory that day, never four...."
On 20 August 1943 Hartmann himself was shot down: according to his account (in Toliver), he dispatched two Il-2s before being hit by anti-aircraft fire. He managed to belly-land and was captured for a short period of time (later he evaded). In fact Khazanov was able to determine, that according to Soviet records, what Hartmann attacked was a group of Shturmoviks of the 232 ShAP. One of the Il-2 pilots, Leytenat Pavel Evdokimov, saw a "Messer" jump his comrade V. Ermakov, who , firing at close range managed to put a 20-mm burst into the Bf.109, which performed a belly-landing - this was Hartmann's Bf.109 G-6. No Il-2 were lost by 232 ShAP that day, although two were damaged. Once again, Hartmann's "kills" were overclaims (even when in this case both were in good faith). And he was not downed by flak, but by Shturmovik pilot Pavel Evdokimov.
Khazanov conceeds that indeed Hartmann was a dangerous opponent, crediting him with at least two victories against Soviet aces: on 16.10.1943 he shot down the La-5 of Starshiy Leytenant Ivan Nikitovich Sytov (30 victories, 5 GIAP), and on 1.03.1945 the Yak-9 of Kapitan Sergey Ivanovich Lazarev (728 IAP, 256 IAD), but not before Lazarev shot down his the Bf.109G-14 of Hartmann's wingman G. Kapito (Lazarev's victory No.26)..."
And so on and so forth. I should also point out that Khazanov gives no indication of how or why he arrives at a final victory total of " 70 to 80 "for Hartmann..his article is simply not detailed enough and he presents evidence from Soviet archives for only a handful of dates. However his research does not appear to be motivated by 'political' considerations -he does after all praise Rall and Barkhorn.
Yet it was these two officers who persuaded Hartmann back into the Federal German Air Force post-war. Hans Ring and Jean-Yves Lorant responded to Khazanov's article in a later issue of 'Air Magazine' - both make the simple point that such 'over-claiming', if that was what Hartmann was doing, would not have been tolerated for long by Hartmann's comrades in JG 52. Nor would he have been welcomed into the Bundesluftwaffe if he was somehow 'tainted' ....
Khazanov concludes ."..Hartmann never enjoyed the reputation among his comtempories accorded Mölders or Galland...."
**** from 'The Myth of the Eastern Front' (Smelser/Davies, Cambridge University Press, 2008);
".. The 'Blond Knight of Germany' is a "hallmark of romanization", with its "insidious" title suggesting medieval chivalry that not only fails to characterize the conduct of the German Army in the East, but, indeed, marks its opposite.."
More articles on Erich Hartmann on this blog;
Born in Erbach near Ulm in 1919 into a large family (six children) of modest means, Gapp was to count future ace pilot Anton Hafner among his schol pals and had an uncle who held a private pilots license. A member of the Flieger-HJ, Gapp joined the nascent Luftwaffe in early 1937 after his Reichsarbeitdienst and became a gunner/radio operator on Ju87s with I./Stuka 165 at Kitzingen. He started basic pilot training in November 1938 at the FFS /AB Straubing and passed out on multi-engined aircraft at Zeltweg ;
" on 18 February 1940 I was shifted to the bomber training school at Thorn where I flew the Do17, He 111, Ju 52 and Ju 86. My crew consisted of Alfons Ehrne (observer), Hans Heckman (radio operator) and Georg Schüler (gunner). We were to fly together until mid-1944 ".
During 1940 Gapp passed his Blindflugscheine and flew the Ju 88 for the first time with IV./LG1 at Greifswald.
"..It was here that I met my future wife. As she was a civilian employee at the Air Ministry in Berlin we were always able to stay in contact during my many operational postings, whether I was in Africa, Sicily or the Crimea. A simple phone call to the Air Ministry would usually find her at her post.."
Gapp's crew was finally ready for their initial combat deployment during February 1941 and took charge of Ju 88 GN+OZ at München-Riem on Feb 14 , ferrying the aircraft directly to Sicily. There they were assigned to 8./LG 1, a Staffel led by the young Oblt. Hermann Hogeback. After two or three acclimatisation flights the new crew were deployed on anti-submarine duties during March and April 1941.
During June 1943 Gapp married in Berlin, before taking up a posting as an instructor with IV./KG 6 at Brétigny under Kommandeur Schlaumeyer. Gapp was to lead his charges on formation training flights as far north as the Thames estuary to acclimatise his young crews to the searchlights and ack-ack of the British defenses !! During September 1943 he was awarded the Ritterkreuz for his long distinguished service, presented to him by none other than the Kommodore of KG 6 Hermann Hogeback, Gapp's first Staffelkapitän. During November and December 1943 Gapp and five other crews were seconded to fly night and day sorties out of Bordeaux-Mérignac. IV./KG 6 shifted back to Germany during February 1944 and ceased all training activities following D-Day. During this period Gapp and his crew carried out often menial ground duties. Gapp was posted to the new KG(J) under Oberst Hogeback and flew a number of sorties at the controls of a Me 262. Gapp survived the war having flown over 400 operational missions in most Luftwaffe bomber and fighter types. Among his awards were the Deutsche Kreuz in Gold (21 August 1942)and the Goldene Frontflugspange. Joining the fledgling Bundesluftwaffe in 1956 he went on to become a test pilot on the joint French/German C160 Transall programme during the sixties. He retired from the air force in 1971 and at the time of writing still lives in Bavaria.
Messerschmitt Me 109 (mit Kennzahl 7) features the Staffelabzeichen of 8./J.G.54 and the emblem of III./JG 54 and an interesting Tarnanstrich (camo scheme). Note also the score on the rudder (click on the image for a larger view)
Seen in the middle of this snapshot (above) is Lt. Rudolf Miethig RK-holder & Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 52. RK awarded on 29.10.1942. Miethig crashed to his death on 10 June 1943 after colliding with a Yak 1 and losing a wing. It was his 101st Luftsieg.
Seen on the left is 6./JG 52 pilot Uffz Franz Apfelthaler, at least 4 Luftsiege and survived the war. Middle Walter Krupinski RK and alongside him, Ogfr. Kurt Müller? at least 1 Abschuß, KIA on 19 February 1945. Photo taken in Maikop 1942
Luftwaffe Flugzeugführer 6./JG 52 Ogfr. Heinz Otte. Shot down over Kertsch during 1943 and taken captive. Survived the war.
Luftwaffe Flugzeugführer 5./JG 52 Lt. später Oblt Helmut Haberda shot down and killed on 8 May 1943 in Krymskaja/Rußland after being hit by ground fire. Returned a total of 58 Luftsiege. Seen here in January 1942 in Rostow
Luftwaffe Flugzeugführer 6./JG 52 Oblt Ernst Quasinowski in Ljuban 1941. Wounded on 11 June 1942, achieved at least 5 Luftsiege.
Luftwaffe Flugzeugführer 6./JG 52 Fw Theodor Mohr seen following his bale out over the Kuban Brückenkopf (bridgehead) during the summer of 1942. Had achieved at least two air victories. Wounded on 11.4.1944
Casual snapshot taken on a trip out from Anapa June 1943. From the left, Uffz. Friedrich Barnickel 9 Luftsiege, survived the war, Lt. Ludwig Kuhn, Lt. Helmut Lipfert 9RK + EL), Lt. Heinz Sachsenberg (RK on 9.6.1944 in total 104 Luftsiege), Fw. Heinz Pilz, 28 Luftsiege, Lt. Ferdinand Klassen 20 Luftsiege KIA on 22.4.44, Uffz. Franz Apfelthaler, 4 Luftsiege survived the war.
Hptm Helmut Lipfert (RK + EL) Staffelkapitän of 6./JG52 pictured with comrades on the occasion of his marriage in 1944 in Krakau. Lipfert achieved some 203 Luftsiege.
