Fritz Dinger Explained

Fritz Dinger
Birth Date:	20 August 1915
Birth Place:	Ottweiler
Death Place:	Scalea, Italy
Serviceyears:	1939–1943
Rank:	Oberleutnant (first lieutenant)
Unit:	JG 53
Commands:	4./JG 53
Battles:	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Siege of Malta Defense of the Reich
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Fritz Dinger (20 August 1915 – 27 July 1943) was born into an aristocratic German family. Fritz enlisted into the German Luftwaffe in 1939 and would later end up becoming an ace. Fritz was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Dinger was born on 20 August 1915 in Ottweiler in the Kingdom of Prussia within the German Empire. Following flight and fighter pilot training, Dinger was posted to the 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). At 14:45 on 16 August 1940 during the Battle of Britain, Dinger was shot down in aerial combat with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and crashed his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1 into the sea in a location 50abbr=offNaNabbr=off south of Cherbourg.

The bulk of the Geschwaders air elements were moved via Jever, in northern Germany, to Mannheim-Sandhofen on 8 June 1941. There the aircraft were given a maintenance overhaul prior to moving east. The II. Gruppe was transferred to Neusiedel in East Prussia, present-day Malomožaiskojė in Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia, between 12–14 June.

Operation Barbarossa

On 22 June the Geschwader crossed into Soviet airspace in support of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union which opened the Eastern Front.

Following aerial combat on 5 October 1941, Dinger made a forced landing in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 7187—factory number) at Sologubovka, located 70abbr=offNaNabbr=off southeast of Saint Petersburg. That day, his unit had flown its final missions in the area of Shlisselburg. The Gruppe then relocated to the Western Front where it arrived at Leeuwarden in the Netherlands on 12 October. While based at Leeuwarden, Dinger claimed his twelfth aerial victory when he shot down a RAF Bristol Blenheim bomber on 27 October. On 2 December 1941, II. Gruppe moved to the Mediterranean theater and where then based at Comiso airfield during the siege of Malta.

Squadron leader and death

In October 1942, Dinger was transferred to take command of 4. Staffel of JG 53. He succeeded Oberleutnant Wilhelm Hobirk who had led the Staffel for two months after its former commander, Oberleutnant Gerhard Michalski had been transferred in August.

On an early morning mission flown on 27 July 1943, Dinger claimed his 67th aerial victory. Following this mission, the airfield at Scalea came under an Allied bombing attack. Dinger was hit in the back of his head by shrapnel, killing him instantly. In consequence, Hauptmann Willi Krauss replaced him as commander of 4. Staffel.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bachnik was credited with 67 aerial victories. Obermaier also list him with 67 aerial victories, 41 of which on the Eastern Front and 25 over the Western Allies in the Mediterranean theater, claimed in over 600 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 64 aerial victory claims. This number includes 37 claims on the Eastern Front and 27 over the Western Allies, including one four-engined heavy bomber.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 49442". The Luftwaffe grid map (German: Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3x in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 4 October 1941
	4 July 1941	16:46	SB-3			7 July 1941	10:45?	SB-3
	4 July 1941	16:48	SB-3			10 July 1941	09:03	SB-3
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Dinger claimed two undocumented aerial victories in the timeframe 22 June to 10 October 1941. These two claims are not listed by Mathews and Foreman.
6	25 August 1941	13:42	I-18 (MiG-1)		9	29 August 1941	18:46	I-16
7	29 August 1941	15:57	I-16?		11	28 September 1941	16:09	Pe-2
8	29 August 1941	16:22	V-11 (Il-2)
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Netherlands — 12 October – 15 December 1941
12	27 October 1941	15:08	Blenheim	6km (04miles) northwest of Texel
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Mediterranean Theater — 25 November 1941 – July 1942
13	22 February 1942	12:05	Hurricane		16	7 July 1942	06:56	Spitfire
14	22 April 1942	10:30	Hurricane		17	10 July 1942	10:41	Spitfire
15	15 June 1942	18:25	Spitfire	50km (30miles) southwest of Gozo	18	13 July 1942	13:30	Spitfire	5- south of Kalafrana
?	2 July 1942	07:48	Spitfire	15km (09miles) northeast of La Valletta
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Eastern Front — August – 27 September 1942
19	18 August 1942	17:23	Il-2	west of Schintow
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Dinger claimed two undocumented aerial victories in the timeframe August to September 1942. These two claims are not listed by Mathews and Foreman.
	19 August 1942	11:30	Pe-2	east of Kusserow		10 September 1942	14:03	LaGG-3	PQ 49442 20km (10miles) southeast of Stalingrad
	19 August 1942	11:31	LaGG-3?	east of Kusserow		11 September 1942	14:43	Yak-1	5km (03miles) northeast Kotluban train station
	19 August 1942	17:47	Il-2	PQ 40774 25km (16miles) northwest of Gumrak		13 September 1942	06:40	I-180 (Yak-7)	PQ 49432 35km (22miles) east of Stalingrad
	21 August 1942	17:30	LaGG-3	PQ 4074 35km (22miles) north-northwest of Gumrak		13 September 1942	06:58	I-180 (Yak-7)	PQ 49273 10km (10miles) east of Stalingrad
	25 August 1942	11:06	MiG-1	PQ 49252 25km (16miles) east of Stalingrad		15 September 1942	09:36	Il-2	PQ 49243 10km (10miles) northeast of Stalingrad
	30 August 1942	08:11	I-180 (Yak-7)	PQ 49533 30km (20miles) south of Stalingrad		15 September 1942	09:37	Il-2	PQ 49212 10km (10miles) east of Stalingrad
	30 August 1942	08:58	Il-2	PQ 49164 vicinity of Grebenka		16 September 1942	09:45	La-5	PQ 4945 30km (20miles) southeast of Stalingrad
	30 August 1942	09:00	Il-2	PQ 49162 vicinity of Grebenka		23 September 1942	06:40	La-5	PQ 4072 35km (22miles) north of Grebenka
	31 August 1942	09:00	Il-2	PQ 49473 30km (20miles) south-southeast of Stalingrad		23 September 1942	16:40	Yak-1	PQ 4064 55km (34miles) north-northeast of Grebenka
	3 September 1942	09:43	Il-2	PQ 49422 25km (16miles) east of Stalingrad		24 September 1942	07:06	MiG-1	PQ 4075 30km (20miles) north of Gumrak
	3 September 1942	15:10	Yak-1	PQ 40701 40km (30miles) north of Gumrak	46	25 September 1942	10:48?	MiG-1	PQ 4924 10km (10miles) northeast of Stalingrad
	6 September 1942	10:15?	LaGG-3	PQ 5933 55km (34miles) east of Stalingrad	47	25 September 1942	10:52	Il-2	PQ 4087
	7 September 1942	11:24	Il-2	PQ 40751 30km (20miles) north of Gumrak	48	25 September 1942	16:32	Yak-1	PQ 4052 65km (40miles) north of Gumrak
	7 September 1942	15:54	Il-2	PQ 40782 20km (10miles) north of Gumrak
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Mediterranean Theater — October 1941 – 31 December 1942
49	16 October 1942	08:25	Spitfire	3- east of Żonqor Tower	52	4 December 1942	15:52	Boston	30km (20miles) southwest of Mateur
50	4 December 1942	11:31	P-38	2km (01miles) south Ferryville	53	5 December 1942	12:31?	B-25	10km (10miles) west of Cap Blanc
51	4 December 1942	15:50	Boston	30km (20miles) southeast of Mateur
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Mediterranean Theater — 1 January – 27 July 1943
54	22 March 1943	13:55	Boston	PQ 13 Ost 0873 Cape San Vito	61	7 July 1943	17:18	P-40	35km (22miles) west of Marsala
55	5 April 1943	09:13	P-38	40km (30miles) north of Zembra 40km (30miles) north of Feccabra	62	8 July 1943	12:25	B-17	20km (10miles) south of Agrigento
56	18 April 1943	19:02	P-40	10km (10miles) southwest of Ras el Almas	63	8 July 1943	16:18	P-40	west of Sciacca
57	19 April 1943	15:57	Spitfire	10km (10miles) west of Zembra	64	9 July 1943	07:43	P-40	3km (02miles) north-northeast of Sciacca
58	25 April 1943	13:59	Spitfire	30km (20miles) south of Hammamet	65?	18 July 1943	07:45	Spitfire	Catania
?	22 May 1943	18:44	Spitfire		66	24 July 1943	12:55	B-26	30km (20miles) northeast of Stromboli
59	4 June 1943	07:56	Spitfire	20km (10miles) north of La Valetta	67	27 July 1943	09:25	P-40	2km (01miles) east of Cesarò
60	6 July 1943	15:22	Spitfire	1km (01miles) west Pozallo

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 26 October 1942 as Leutnant and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 5 November 1942 as Leutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 53 "Pik As"
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 December 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelführer of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 53

References

Bibliography

• Book: Bergström . Christer .

  sv:Christer Bergström

  . Antipov . Vlad . Sundin . Claes . 2003 . Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces . Hamilton MT . Eagle Editions . 978-0-9721060-4-7.
• Web site: Bergström . Christer .

  sv:Christer Bergström

  . Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat . Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website . 29 February 2024 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20181222042030/http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm . 22 December 2018 . dead.
• Book: Dixon , Jeremy . 2023 . Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1939–1942 . . 978-1-52677-864-2.
• Book: Fellgiebel , Walther-Peer .

  de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

  . 2000 . 1986 . Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile . The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches . de . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Book: Mathews . Andrew Johannes . Foreman . John . 2014 . Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F . Walton on Thames . Red Kite . 978-1-906592-18-9.
• Book: Nietrug . Gerd . Die Ritterkreuzträger des Saarlandes 1939 – 1945 . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Saarland 1939 – 1945 . de . 2004 . VDM Nickel . Zweibrücken, Germany . 978-3-925480-93-5.
• Book: Obermaier , Ernst . 1989 . Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945 . de . Mainz, Germany . Verlag Dieter Hoffmann . 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . Scherzer . Veit . 2001 . Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II . The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 . de . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . 2008 . Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg . The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War . de . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Book: Prien , Jochen . 1997 . Jagdgeschwader 53 A History of the "Pik As" Geschwader March 1937 – May 1942 . Atglen, Pennsylvania . . 978-0-7643-0175-9.
• Book: Prien , Jochen . 1998 . Jagdgeschwader 53 A History of the "Pik As" Geschwader May 1942 – January 1944 . Atglen, Pennsylvania . . 978-0-7643-0292-3.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2002 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/II—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/II—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-64-9.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2003a . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-68-7.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2003b . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-70-0.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2004 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/II—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis Dezember 1942 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/II—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-74-8.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2006 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-923457-78-6.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2011 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 11/II—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1 bis 31.12.1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 11/II—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 31 December 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Struve-Druck . 978-3-942943-00-0.
• Book: Scherzer , Veit . 2007 . Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives . The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives . de . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Book: Zabecki . David T. . David T. Zabecki . Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History . Santa Barbara, California . . 2014 . 978-1-59884-981-3.