Günther Schack Explained

Günther Schack
Birth Date:12 November 1917
Birth Place:Bartenstein, German Empire
Death Place:Schmidt near Nideggen, Germany
Serviceyears:1939–45
Rank:Major (major)
Commands:9./JG 51, I./JG 51, IV./JG 3
Unit:JG 51, JG 3
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Günther Schack (12 November 1917 – 14 June 2003) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II and a fighter ace credited with 174 enemy aircraft shot down in 780 combat missions. All of his victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Born in Bartenstein in Eastern Prussia, Schack joined the military service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1939. Following flight training, he was posted to 7. Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He claimed his first aerial victory on 23 July 1941 during Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In April 1943, he was posted to fighter pilot training, returning to the Eastern Front in July. He claimed his 100th aerial victory in September and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1943. Schack was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 9. Staffel and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 20 April 1944 following 133 aerial victories. In December 1944, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 51 "Mölders". This unit was disbanded in April 1945. He then briefly took command of IV. (Sturm) Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) which he led until the end of World War 2 in Europe.

After the war he lived secluded in the Eifel Mountains, and devoted himself to philosophical research and died on 14 June 2003 in Schmidt, Nideggen.

Early life

Schack was born on 12 November 1917 in Bartenstein, at the time in Eastern Prussia of the German Empire, present-day Bartoszyce in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, He was the son of an Superintendent. Following graduation from school, Schack studied metallurgy at the University of Stuttgart and at the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule in Aachen. In 1937, he attempted to join the Luftwaffe but was categorised as wehruntauglich (unsuited for military service) because of a sports injury earlier in his life. On Friday 1 September 1939 German forces invaded Poland which marked the beginning of World War II. The next day, Schack again volunteered for military service and was accepted.

World War II

Following flight training as a fighter pilot, Gefreiter (Privat First Class) Schack was posted to 7. Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) on 18 March 1941.[1] At the time, III. Gruppe of JG 51, to which 7. Staffel was subordinated, was based at Saint-Omer in Northern France. The Gruppe was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-1 and commanded by Hauptmann (Captain) Richard Leppla and fought against the Royal Air Force over the English Channel. The unit was withdrawn from France on 26 May 1941 and moved to Düsseldorf where it was replenished with the Bf 109 F-2 and waited for further orders.

Eastern Front

By 15 June, JG 51 had completed its preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union and was based at airfields at Siedlce, Stara Wieś, Halasy where III. Gruppe was based and Krzewica, close to the German–Soviet demarcation line. The attack on the Soviet Union began at 03:45 on 22 June with JG 51 flying fighter patrols along the Bug River. The German advance into the Soviet Union required constant relocation of III. Gruppe. On 20 July, the Gruppe was moved to an airfield at Orsha, approximately 100km (100miles) southwest of Smolensk, and flew combat air patrols along the Dnieper in the area between Mogilev and Zhlobin. Flying from Orsha, Schack claimed his first aerial victory on 23 July 1941 during the Battle of Smolensk. That day he shot down a Tupolev SB bomber northeast of Babruysk, and received the Iron Cross 2nd Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) on 10 August 1941.

In October 1941, German forces launched the strategic offensive named Operation Typhoon which resulted in the Battle of Moscow. Schack claimed his second victory during this offensive when he shot down a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber northeast of Yukhnov. On 23 October, he bailed out of his burning Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 9189—factory number) following aerial combat near Ugoskosawed which is in the vicinity of Kaluga. He achieved his third air victory after 100 combat missions, on 10 November 1941. On 30 July 1942, he flew his 250th combat mission. That day, he also damaged Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 8117) in a ground collision during an emergency takeoff at Dugino in the Novoduginsky District. In October, III Gruppe predominantly flew combat air patrols in the vicinity of Rzhev where the German 9th Army was deployed. Schack claimed his 18th aerial victory on 15 October, an Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft shot down west of Bely.

On 10 November 1942, III. Gruppe received the order to convert to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 at Jesau, present-day Juschny, located southeast of Königsberg. Because Luftwaffe units were already stretched in the combat area of Army Group Center, fighting in the Battles of Rzhev, conversion was done in rotation, one squadron at a time. The first units converted were the Gruppenstab (headquarters unit) and 7. Staffel while 8. and 9. Staffel were still engaged over the left flank of Army Group Center. In total, III. Gruppe received a complement of 41 Fw 190 A-2s and Fw 190 A-3s. On 16 December, first elements of 7. Staffel arrived at Dugino. The next day, on his first mission on the Fw 190, Schack shot down five Soviet Pe-2 bombers in the vicinity of Sychyovka, making him an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time. Six weeks later, on 29 January 1943, Schack almost repeated this when his Schwarm (flight of four aircraft), on a Junkers Ju 87 escort mission, encountered eight Soviet Pe-2 flying in a line astern crossing the German lines at Novosil. Within five minutes all eight were shot down including four by Schack.

Operating from the airfield at Oryol-West, equipped with heated hangars and buildings, III. Gruppe was tasked with operating in the airspace south and east of Oryol. On 23 February, Schack for the second time became an "ace-in-a-day", claiming five aerial victories in the vicinity of Zhizdra. That day, he shot down an Il-2 ground attack aircraft on an early morning mission followed by a Lavochkin La-5 fighter at 09:33. Shortly after noon, he claimed three Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters. Schack, who had been promoted to Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 1 January 1943, was awarded the German Cross in Gold (German: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 26 February 1943. On 1 April 1943, he was transferred to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost, a supplementary training unit, where served as a flight instructor, sharing his combat experience with new fighter pilots destined for the Eastern Front.

Schack returned to the front on 5 July 1943, this time posted to 8. Staffel of JG 51, a squadron also subordinated to III. Gruppe. The date of Schack's posting to 8. Staffel coincides with the start of the German offensive Operation Citadel as part of the Battle of Kursk. In this operation, III. Gruppe was tasked with supporting 9th Army on the northern flank of the offensive. On 12 July, Soviet forces launched Operation Kutuzov, the northern offensive, with its objective being to collapse the Oryol salient, cut behind the 9th Army engaged in offensive operations at Kursk, encircle and annihilate it. On 15 July, rain impacted aerial operations and III. Gruppe flew its first missions in the early afternoon in the vicinity north of the Oryol salient. The Gruppe encountered a number of Soviet LaGG-3, Yakovlev Yak-1 and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter aircraft north of Bolkhov. In this encounter, III. Gruppe claimed five aerial victories including three by Schack. Later that day, the Gruppe escorted Ju-87 to the vicinity of Archangelskoje east of Oryol. On that mission, Schack claimed a La-5 shot down. Based at Bryansk, Schack flew three combat missions on 21 July 1943. He did not claim any aerial victories on the first and second mission of the day. On the third mission which began at 19:15, he encountered La-5s north-east of Zhizdra and claimed one La-5 shot down. According to Bergström, this claim was his 56th aerial victory while Mathews and Foreman list this claim as his 54th victory. In total, he claimed 10 victories in July and then a further 40 in August.

Squadron leader

On 20 August 1943, Schack was transferred again to 7. Staffel and was temporarily put in charge of this squadron as acting Staffelführer (squadron leader). He replaced Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Karl-Heinz Weber in this capacity who returned to retake command of 7. Staffel on 15 October. In August 1943, four different aircraft flown by Schack sustained various degrees of combat damage. On 3 August, he crash landed his Fw 190 A southwest of Oryol following aerial combat. Two days later, his Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 530315) sustained heavy damage in aerial combat. On 15 August, Schack flew Fw 190 A-4 (Werknummer 5724) which was hit by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery near Spas-Demensk. Fw 190 A (Werknummer 7330) was hit by friendly fire on 28 August resulting in a forced landing at Glukhov.

Flying from Konotop on 3 September, Schack escorted Ju 87 dive bombers on their mission to attack Soviet forces in southeast of Sevsk, west of Kursk. That day III. Gruppe claimed four aerial victories, including a La-5 fighter shot down by Schack east of Glukhov. This claim was reported as his 100th aerial victory. He was the 52nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century-mark. On 26 October, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 116 victories. On 9 December 1943, promoted to Oberleutnant, Schack was officially given command of 9. Staffel of JG 51 as Staffelkapitän, replacing Oberleutnant Maximilian Mayerl who was transferred.

1944 saw the German forces pushed inexorably out of Russia and III. Gruppe of JG 51 covered the retreat of Army Group Centre, moving from Orsha to Terespol then back to Minsk and Kaunas, with Schack scoring consistently. On 16 January, he was shot down by Soviet fighters in a Fw 190 A southeast of Babruysk. Schack was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 20 April 1944 for 133 aerial victories. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Berghof, Hitler's residence in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps, on 5 May 1944. Also present at the ceremony were Anton Hafner, Otto Kittel, Emil Lang, Alfred Grislawski, Erich Rudorffer, Martin Möbus, Wilhelm Herget, Hans-Karl Stepp, Rudolf Schoenert, Günther Radusch, Otto Pollmann and Fritz Breithaupt, who all received the Oak Leaves on this date. On 1 July 1944, Schack was promoted to Hauptmann. On 6 August, he was shot down in his Bf 109 G-6 by North American P-51 Mustang fighters behind enemy lines. On 13 August, Schack became the 28th pilot to claim 150 aerial victories. On 6 October 1944, Schack bailed out from Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 165559), the fourth time he was forced to save his life by parachute.

Group commander

On 16 December 1944, Schack was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 51 "Mölders", taking command of this unit on 29 December. Schack thus succeeded Major (Major) Erich Leie who was given the position of Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). Command of 9. Staffel was passed on to Leutnant Ludwig Strobel. At the time, I. Gruppe was located on various airfields in West Prussia and fighting in the Courland Pocket and was subordinated to Luftflotte 6 (Air Fleet 6). On 23 January 1945, I. and IV. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Danzig-Langfuhr, present-day Wrzeszcz, where the two units were resupplied with new but largely young and inexperienced pilots. At Danzig-Langfuhr, I. Gruppe was placed under the control of II. Fliegerkorps (2nd Air Corps) and fought in support of the evacuation of East Prussia. Because of fuel shortage, Schack was never able to fly missions with more than a few aircraft at a time. This created the impression with the Luftflotte that JG 51 was overstaffed and ordered personnel to be transferred to the infantry. This was a misinterpretation, surplus pilots had been transferred to III. Gruppe which had sustained heavy casualties. Nevertheless, Oberst (Colonel) Otto Weiß, at the time Jagdfliegerführer Westpreußen (commander of the fighter forces of a Luftflotte), threatened Schack with court-martial for failing to comply with an order. From February to early March, I. Gruppe area of operations was predominantly the area of Elbing, present-day Elbląg. Sources vary with respect to the number of aerial victories Schack claimed following his appointment to Gruppenkommandeur. According to Mathews and Foreman, Schack claimed nine aerial victories which includes his 174th and final victory claimed on 7 April 1945. According to Obermaier, Schack claimed thirteen further victories before reaching his total of 174 aerial victories on 7 April 1945.

On 24 March, the airfield at Danzig-Langfuhr came under Soviet artillery attack, killing four and wounding many more. I. Gruppe was ordered to move to Brüsterort, present-day Majak located on the northwestern tip of the Sambia Peninsula, approximately 44km (27miles) from Königsberg, to fight in the East Prussian Offensive. Schack, as a native East Prussian and familiar with area, led the ground personnel, towing 40 Bf 109 aircraft of which ten were still serviceable after the trek arrived in Brüsterort. On 12 April 1945, I. Gruppe had one serviceable aircraft remaining in which Schack had to bail out following aerial combat. He suffered serious burns and had to be flown out. Soon after, in late April, the Gruppe was disbanded. On 1 May, Schack was still recovering from his injuries sustained on 12 April, he was named commander of IV. (Sturm) Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). At the time, the Gruppe was based at Rerik. On 2 May, Schack ordered the retreat of IV. (Sturm) Gruppe remnants to Westerland on the island of Sylt. On 4 May, all German forces in northwest Germany including all islands surrendered. The Gruppe remained in Westerland until 20 June when they were brought to the internment camp at Hennstedt.

Later life

Schack was once shot down by Lieutenant Hollis "Bud" Nowlin of the 357th Fighter Group over East Prussia. Nowlin and Schack met again first in Germany and then again in the fall of 1991 at the 357th Fighter Group reunion in Georgia. Living the last years of his life in a forest cabin, Schack died on 14 June 2003 at the age of in Schmidt near Nideggen, Germany.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Schack was credited with 174 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 174 aerial victories claimed in 780 combat missions, all of which on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Schack was credited with more than 174 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47593". 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
ClaimDateTimeTypeLocationClaimDateTimeTypeLocation
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
123 July 194118:59SB-240km (30miles) northeast of Babruysk310 November 194110:38U-27km (04miles) west of Serpukhov
210 October 194108:08Pe-225km (16miles) northeast of Yukhnov
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Winter War — 6 December 1941 – 30 April 1942
411 February 194213:20Pe-245km (28miles) northeast of Rzhev53 March 194213:55I-26 (Yak-1)5km (03miles) south of Mishnkowa
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
61 August 194214:10Il-220km (10miles) northeast of Rzhev19♠17 December 194211:58Pe-225km (16miles) northeast of Sychyovka
710 August 194210:57Il-224km (15miles) northeast of Rzhev
25km (16miles) west-southwest of Staritsa
20♠17 December 194211:59Pe-227km (17miles) northeast of Sychyovka
812 August 194206:10Pe-210km (10miles) east of Zubtsov21♠17 December 194212:00Pe-235km (22miles) northeast of Sychyovka
913 August 194208:23Pe-221km (13miles) north of Rzhev22♠17 December 194212:01Pe-223km (14miles) northeast of Sychyovka
1018 August 194215:05Pe-2PQ 47593, Rzhev23♠17 December 194212:15Pe-220km (10miles) south of Zubtsov
1127 August 194209:25MiG-3PQ 47613
25km (16miles) west-southwest of Staritsa
2429 January 194308:31Pe-2PQ 63632, southeast of Oryol
10km (10miles) east of Glazunovka
123 September 194214:23Pe-227km (17miles) east of Sychyovka2529 January 194308:32Pe-2PQ 63644, southeast of Oryol
20km (10miles) north of Maloarkhangelsk
133 September 194214:24Pe-230km (20miles) east of Sychyovka2629 January 194308:33Pe-2PQ 63444, southeast of Oryol
20km (10miles) north of Maloarkhangelsk
1410 September 194207:10Pe-29km (06miles) southwest of Zubtsov2729 January 194308:34Pe-2PQ 63444, southeast of Oryol
20km (10miles) north of Maloarkhangelsk
1510 September 194216:28Pe-215km (09miles) northeast of Gzhatsk282 February 194313:21I-153PQ 73583, southwest of Livny
25km (16miles) southwest of Livny
1611 September 194212:50LaGG-35km (03miles) northeast of Rzhev293 February 194308:17Il-2PQ 73384, northwest of Livny
25km (16miles) south-southwest of Russiky Brod
1722 September 194209:26R-530km (20miles) northeast of Rzhev
25km (16miles) west-southwest of Staritsa
303 February 194308:21Il-2PQ 73354, northwest of Livny
20km (10miles) southwest of Russiky Brod
1815 October 194215:15Il-220km (10miles) west of Bely
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 4 February – March 1943
3121 February 194306:25La-5PQ 35 Ost 64641, 10km (10miles) north of Mtsensk398 March 194309:15La-5PQ 35 Ost 63252, 12km (07miles) southwest of Novosil
15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch
32?21 February 194306:26La-5PQ 35 Ost 64641, 12km (07miles) north of Mtsensk408 March 194312:20Il-2PQ 35 Ost 62263, 15km (09miles) southwest of Novosil
25km (16miles) east-southeast of Zalegoshch
33♠23 February 194306:30Il-2PQ 35 Ost 54173, 20km (10miles) east of Zhizdra418 March 194312:50LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 63292, 10km (10miles) southwest of Novosil
25km (16miles) southeast of Zalegoshch
34♠23 February 194309:33La-5PQ 35 Ost 44294, 15km (09miles) east of Zhizdra429 March 194307:33Il-2PQ 35 Ost 63251, 25km (16miles) southwest of Novosil
15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch
35♠23 February 194312:25LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 54182, 35km (22miles) east-northeast of Zhizdra439 March 194307:36Il-2PQ 35 Ost 63251, 22km (14miles) southwest of Novosil
15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch
36♠23 February 194312:26LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 54183, 30km (20miles) east-northeast of Zhizdra449 March 194307:43La-5PQ 35 Ost 63254, 20km (10miles) southwest of Novosil
15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch
37♠23 February 194312:26LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 54183, 33km (21miles) east-northeast of Zhizdra4511 March 194313:23R-5PQ 35 Ost 63631, 25km (16miles) northwest of Maloarkhangelsk
25km (16miles) east-northeast of Maloarkhangelsk
3824 February 194306:25Il-2PQ 35 Ost 54151, 33km (21miles) northeast of Zhizdra
25km (16miles) south-southwest of Sukhinichi
4611 March 194313:27Il-2PQ 35 Ost 63283, 30km (20miles) southwest of Novosil
20km (10miles) south-southeast of Zalegoshch
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — July – 22 August 1943
4715 July 194315:33LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 54498, 9km (06miles) northwest of Bolkhov668 August 194318:15LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 35481, 30km (20miles) east of Yelnya
4815 July 194315:38MiG-3PQ 35 Ost 54483, 19km (12miles) northwest of Bolkhov678 August 194318:17La-5PQ 35 Ost 35499, 50km (30miles) east-southeast of Yelnya
4915 July 194315:45Yak-1PQ 35 Ost 54479, 24km (15miles) west-northwest of Bolkhov689 August 194312:50Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 35494, 43km (27miles) east of Yelnya
20km (10miles) north-northwest of Spas-Demensk
5015 July 194318:22La-5PQ 35 Ost 74747, 12km (07miles) north of Novosil
25km (16miles) south-southwest of Lipitsy
6910 August 194314:50Il-2PQ 35 Ost 35665, 42km (26miles) northwest of Kirov
10km (10miles) west of Spas-Demensk
5119 July 194312:05LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 63221, 9km (06miles) north of Maloarkhangelsk
10km (10miles) east of Zalegoshch
7010 August 194316:45Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 35424, 42km (26miles) southeast of Dorogobush
40km (30miles) north-northwest of Spas-Demensk
5220 July 194318:15La-5PQ 35 Ost 54628, 15km (09miles) southwest of Bolkhov7112 August 194309:07La-5PQ 35 Ost 35493, 51km (32miles) east of Yelnya
5320 July 194318:18Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 54443, 30km (20miles) northwest of Bolkhov
25km (16miles) northeast of Dudrovskiy
7212 August 194316:00LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 45727, 12km (07miles) north of Kirov
5421 July 194319:35La-5PQ 35 Ost 43826, 40km (30miles) northeast of Zhizdra
20km (10miles) south-southwest of Sukhinichi
7313 August 194309:53La-520km (10miles) northeast of Dukhovshchina
5522 July 194315:50LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 63215, 30km (20miles) west of Novosil
vicinity of Zalegoshch
7413 August 194309:56La-527km (17miles) northeast of Dukhovshchina
5630 July 194312:04La-5PQ 35 Ost 64549, 15km (09miles) southeast of Bolkhov
10km (10miles) west of Telchje
7513 August 194315:03La-529km (18miles) east-southeast of Dukhovshchina
571 August 194310:10La-5PQ 35 Ost 64515, 3km (02miles) east-northeast of Bolkhovv7613 August 194316:48La-515km (09miles) north-northwest of Dukhovshchina
581 August 194310:11La-5PQ 35 Ost 64519, 8km (05miles) east-southeast of Bolkhov7714 August 194309:00LaGG-39km (06miles) west-southwest of Spas-Demensk
592 August 194305:36La-5PQ 35 Ost 63312, 24km (15miles) south of Oryol
20km (10miles) southwest of Zmiyekka
7815 August 194305:12La-51km (01miles) north of Spas-Demensk
602 August 194317:10Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 54841, 45km (28miles) northwest of Oryol
20km (10miles) southeast of Znamenskoye
7919 August 194311:45La-5PQ 35 Ost 35444, 24km (15miles) east-northeast of Yelnya
612 August 194319:10La-5PQ 35 Ost 53457, 12km (07miles) south of Kromy8019 August 194316:31LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 35473, 30km (20miles) east of Yelnya
622 August 194319:13La-5PQ 35 Ost 53453, 6km (04miles) southwest of Kromy8119 August 194319:02LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 35641, 30km (20miles) southeast of Yelnya
637 August 194315:55LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 45587, 20km (10miles) north-northwest of Kirov8220 August 194318:36Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 35671, 35km (22miles) southeast of Yelnya
648 August 194311:58Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 26859, 9km (06miles) east-northeast of Yartsevo8322 August 194306:25P-39PQ 35 Ost 43835, 27km (17miles) east-northeast of Sevsk
658 August 194313:05Yak-9PQ 35 Ost 26699, 28km (17miles) north-northeast of Yartsevo8422 August 194315:45La-5PQ 35 Ost 43826, 22km (14miles) east-northeast of Sevsk
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 23 August – 15 October 1943
8523 August 194315:15La-54km (02miles) north of Duchowtschschina
15km (09miles) northeast of Moschna
1006 September 194315:20Yak-728km (17miles) west of Seredyna-Buda
8623 August 194317:57La-510km (10miles) east of Duchowtschschina
20km (10miles) north-northwest of Yartsevo
1019 September 194315:20Yak-9PQ 35 Ost 33887, 29km (18miles) east of Novgorod
8724 August 194314:00La-522km (14miles) south-southeast of Duchowtschschina
20km (10miles) north of Yartsevo
10213 September 194315:45La-56km (04miles) southwest of Ordshonikidsgrad
8827 August 194307:55Pe-2PQ 35 Ost 43768, 8km (05miles) southwest of Sevsk10318 September 194310:12La-5PQ 35 Ost 35561, 21km (13miles) south-southeast of Yelnya
8927 August 194310:03LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 43844, 2km (01miles) southeast of Sevsk10418 September 194317:00La-5PQ 35 Ost 35514, 17km (11miles) south of Yelnya
9027 August 194313:20Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 43817, 3km (02miles) northeast of Sevsk10518 September 194317:16Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 35377, 12km (07miles) southwest of Yelnya
9127 August 194318:33LaGG-3PQ 35 Ost 43758, 18km (11miles) southwest of Sevsk10619 September 194316:58La-5PQ 35 Ost 25473, 36km (22miles) west of Yelnya
9228 August 194315:58Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 43758, 20km (10miles) southwest of Sevsk10720 September 194309:33La-5PQ 35 Ost 25613, 50km (30miles) southeast of Smolensk
9329 August 194312:34Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 42133, 20km (10miles) south of Sevsk10820 September 194316:13Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 25611, 25km (16miles) west of Yelnya
9429 August 194312:35Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 42133, 20km (10miles) south of Sevsk10920 September 194316:20Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 25483, 43km (27miles) southeast of Smolensk
9529 August 194314:36La-5PQ 35 Ost 43787, 19km (12miles) southeast of Seredyna-Buda1104 October 194312:43Yak-7PQ 25 Ost 92651, 20km (10miles) east of Woroschep
9630 August 194312:31La-520km (10miles) south of Seredyna-Buda1114 October 194315:32Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 02536, 55km (34miles) west of Tschernigow
971 September 194311:10Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 32258, 20km (10miles) northwest of Gluchow1125 October 194315:58Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 02626, 30km (20miles) west of Tschernigow
vicinity of Ippernigno
983 September 194310:23La-5PQ 35 Ost 42317, 12km (07miles) east of Gluchow11310 October 194315:25Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 06158, 28km (17miles) southeast of Nevel
996 September 194311:32Yak-4PQ 35 Ost 33675, 34km (21miles) northeast of Novgorod11414 October 194311:14Yak-7PQ 35 Ost 15532, 47km (29miles) southwest of Smolensk
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 8–31 December 1943
11515 December 194309:03Yak-7PQ 25 Ost 93486, 45km (28miles) southwest of Zhlobin11715 December 194311:37Yak-7PQ 25 Ost 93277, 36km (22miles) southwest of Zhlobin
11615 December 194311:23Il-2PQ 25 Ost 93457, 42km (26miles) southwest of Zhlobin11828 December 194311:28Il-2PQ 25 Ost 93452, 36km (22miles) southwest of Zhlobin
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 1 January – 29 September 1944
11910 January 194414:19Yak-9PQ 35 Ost N/05215, 34km (21miles) southeast of Vitebsk
15km (09miles) west-southwest of Liozna
1431 August 194411:00La-5PQ 25 Ost 25437
25km (16miles) east-southeast of Blumenfeld
12010 January 194414:44Yak-9PQ 35 Ost N/06769, 16km (10miles) south of Vitebsk
15km (09miles) southeast of Vitebsk
1441 August 194411:07Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 25491
25km (16miles) east of Trakehnen
121?12 January 194411:14La-5PQ 25 Ost 93611, 24km (15miles) east of Azarychy
40km (30miles) south-southeast of Parichi
1452 August 194410:36Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 24433
15km (09miles) south-southeast of Augustow
12212 January 194411:30Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 93475, 23km (14miles) northeast of Azarychy
30km (20miles) south-southeast of Parichi
1462 August 194410:39Il-2PQ 25 Ost 24434
15km (09miles) south of Augustow
12313 January 194413:02Pe-221km (13miles) east-northeast of Kalinkavichy
20km (10miles) northeast of Mazyr
14712 August 194412:37Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 24624
45km (28miles) north-northwest of Białystok
12415 January 194414:20Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 93447, 25km (16miles) east-northeast of Azarychy
30km (20miles) south-southeast of Parichi
14812 August 194416:56Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 24697
20km (10miles) northwest of Białystok
12516 January 194409:55Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 93626, 50km (30miles) southwest of Zhlobin
40km (30miles) southeast of Parichi
14913 August 194414:57Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 24626, Suwałki
45km (28miles) north-northwest of Białystok
1266 February 194409:28La-5PQ 25 Ost 96654, 40km (30miles) northwest of Vitebsk
15km (09miles) southwest of Gorodok
15017 August 194406:55Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 36347
45km (28miles) north-northeast of Nemakščiai
1276 February 194411:20Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 96692, 24km (15miles) northwest of Vitebsk
20km (10miles) northwest of Vitebsk
15117 August 194416:10La-5PQ 25 Ost 26283
30km (20miles) southeast of Telsche
1286 February 194411:35Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 96657, 42km (26miles) northwest of Vitebsk
15km (09miles) southwest of Gorodok
15219 August 194417:04Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 36319
25km (16miles) southwest of Schaulen
12921 February 194415:30Yak-9PQ 35 Ost 03149, 9km (06miles) east of Slonim
vicinity of Zhlobin
15319 August 194417:12Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 36345
20km (10miles) west-northwest of Marijampolė
13021 February 194415:32Yak-9PQ 35 Ost 03176, 10km (10miles) north-northeast of Strešyn
10km (10miles) south of Zhlobin
15423 August 194419:05Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 27491
50km (30miles) south-southwest of Tukums
13121 February 194415:41Pe-2PQ 35 Ost 04726, 21km (13miles) northeast of Rahachow
20km (10miles) north-northeast of Rahachow
15526 August 194419:08Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 27437
20km (10miles) west-southwest of Tukums
13223 February 194414:37La-5PQ 35 Ost 04543, 8km (05miles) south-southwest of Stara Bychow
20km (10miles) southwest of Stara Bychow
15627 August 194418:59P-39PQ 25 Ost 37518
40km (30miles) southwest of Schaulen
13330 April 194410:19Yak-7PQ 25 Ost 42841, 16km (10miles) southwest of Novosil
15km (09miles) southwest of Kovel
15728 August 194412:32Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 37514
40km (30miles) southwest of Schaulen
13430 May 194416:55Yak-7PQ 25 Ost 42735, 25km (16miles) west of Kovel
vicinity of Lubomi
15828 August 194416:04P-39PQ 25 Ost 37343
35km (22miles) west-southwest of Mitau
13525 June 194407:38La-5PQ 25 Ost 93193, Rahachow
vicinity of Parichi
15929 August 194418:27La-5PQ 25 Ost 37373
40km (30miles) west-southwest of Mitau
13625 June 194413:35Pe-2PQ 25 Ost 93221
20km (10miles) west-northwest of Zhlobin
16016 September 194409:33Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 17383
10km (10miles) east of Libau
13725 June 194413:47P-39PQ 25 Ost 94863
10km (10miles) west of Rahachow
16116 September 194409:45Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 17628
45km (28miles) east-southeast of Libau
13828 June 194415:11P-39PQ 25 Ost 84829
25km (16miles) southwest of Swistlotsch
16216 September 194417:01Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 17665
60km (40miles) east-southeast of Libau
1394 July 194412:23Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 62131
25km (16miles) north-northeast of Kursk
16316 September 194417:07Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 27537
55km (34miles) north-northeast of Telsche
1407 July 194419:07La-5PQ 25 Ost 54719
15km (09miles) northeast of Karachev
16429 September 194411:00Pe-2PQ 25 Ost 27594
15km (09miles) southeast of Telsche
14116 July 194418:26La-5PQ 25 Ost 50356
25km (16miles) northwest of Ternopil
16529 September 194411:20Pe-2PQ 25 Ost 17628
45km (28miles) east-southeast of Libau
14226 July 194413:18?Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 40119
15km (09miles) northeast of Kowna
– I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
Eastern Front — 1945
According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 166 to 173 were not documented.
7 April 1945La-5southeast of Heiligenbeil1747 April 1945unknown

Awards

Works

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.