Helmut Neumann Explained

Helmut Neumann
Birth Date:21 November 1921
Birth Place:Frankfurt am Main, Weimar Republic
Death Place:Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Serviceyears:1939–1945
Rank:Leutnant (second lieutenant)
Unit:JG 5
Commands:14./JG 5
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmut Neumann (21 November 1921 – 21 April 1992) was a Luftwaffe (German air force) fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 62 aerial victories achieved in 162 combat missions, becoming an "ace-in-a-day" on two separate occasions. All but two of his aerial victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Career

Neumann was born on 21 November 1921 in Frankfurt am Main, at the time in the Province of Hesse-Nassau within the Weimar Republic. Following completion of flight, Neumann completed his fighter pilot training with the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe West, a supplementary training unit for fighter pilots, based in Cazaux, France. He was then posted to 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) on 11 August 1942 based in Kirkenes. At the time, 7. Staffel was commanded by Oberleutnant Hans-Curt Graf von Sponeck, son of Hans Graf von Sponeck, and subordinated to III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 5 headed by Hauptmann Günther Scholz. Two days later, he crash landed his Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 6033—factory number) at Kirkenes, nearly destroying the aircraft.

On 4 April 1943 at 13:10, 7. and 9. Staffel were scrambled to intercept an inbound Soviet formation of Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, escorted by Bell P-39 Airacobra and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters. In this encounter, Neumann claimed one of the P-39 fighters shot down which was not confirmed. During this aerial engagement, his Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 8562) suffered engine failure, resulting in a forced landing at Petsamo. On 26 September, Neumann was wounded in combat when his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 15791) was hit by anti-aircraft artillery during a search and rescue mission southeast of the Liza Bight. Nevertheless, he managed to fly back to Petsamo. Searching for Leutnant Friedrich Schumann, who remained missing in action, shrapnel from the anti-aircraft artillery shell had hit him in the throat. Heavily bleeding, he had to be pulled out if his aircraft. Nearly dying from the loss of blood, his speech remained impaired for the rest of his life and Neumann was hospitalized for six months.

Squadron leader and end of war

On 4 September 1944, Finland implemented a ceasefire followed by the Soviet Union a day later, effectively ending the Continuation War. Consequently, IV. Gruppe of JG 5 was ordered to move to northern Norway. That day, 14. Staffel relocated to Trondheim-Værnes Airfield and placed under the command of Neumann, replacing Oberleutnant Horst Keim. On 26 September, Neumann claimed his 50th aerial victory when he shot down a Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter.

On 13 January 1945, Neumann flew his last combat mission with JG 5. He was then transferred to Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 2 for conversion training to the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. With this unit, he flew the Me 262 for the first time at Lechfeld Airfield on 28 January. Command of his former 14. Staffel of JG 5 was transferred to Leutnant Hans Richter. Neumann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 12 March 1945 for 62 aerial victories claimed.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Neumann was credited with 62 aerial victories claimed in 162 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 62 aerial victories, claimed in 162 combat missions. All but two of his aerial victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 37 Ost RC-3". 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 5 –
Eastern Front, eastern and northern Norway, and Finland — 1 January – 31 December 1943
122 July 194323:02HurricanePQ 37 Ost RC-3, 15km (09miles) west of Pummanki623 August 194304:53P-39PQ 37 Ost SE 3, north of Eyna Guba
10km (10miles) north of Eyna Guba
225 July 194302:55P-39PQ 37 Ost QC-4
18km (11miles) south of Kiberg
72 September 194317:50P-40northwest of Pummanki
8km (05miles) northwest of Pummanki
325 July 194302:58P-39PQ 37 Ost QC-6
20km (10miles) southeast of Kiberg
814 September 194318:39P-39PQ 37 Ost RC 46, northwest of Petsamo
20km (10miles) northwest of Petsamo Bight
418 August 194312:43P-39southeast of Eyna Guba
4km (02miles) southeast of Eyna Guba
914 September 194318:53P-40PQ 37 Ost RC 93, south of Heinäsaari
4km (02miles) southwest of Heinäsaari
518 August 194314:45P-39southeast of Eyna Guba
8km (05miles) southeast of Eyna Guba
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Eastern Front and northern Norway, and Finland — May – July 1944
1011 May 194407:35Yak-9PQ 37 Ost QC-5/6
35km (22miles) northwest of Vayda-Guba
29♠17 June 194421:35BostonPQ 37 Ost RC-4/1
34km (21miles) northeast of Jaarnet
1116 May 194419:15P-39PQ 37 Ost QC-3/8
20km (10miles) east of Kiberg
3027 June 194416:41Yak-9PQ 37 Ost SD-6/6
24km (15miles) southeast of Kirkenes
1216 May 194419:40P-39PQ 37 Ost QF-9/5
31km (19miles) north-northeast of Cape Lazar
3127 June 194416:42P-40PQ 37 Ost SD-8/4
18km (11miles) south-southwest of Kirkenes
1325 May 194421:47P-40north-northeast of Berlevåg
18km (11miles) north-northeast of Berlevåg
3227 June 194416:46BostonPQ 37 Ost RB-4/5
21km (13miles) northeast of Kirkenes
1425 May 194421:49Bostonnorth-northeast of Berlevåg
29km (18miles) north-northeast of Berlevåg
33♠28 June 194400:01BostonPQ 37 Ost SU-3/3
4km (02miles) northwest of Kirkenes
1525 May 194421:51P-39north of Berlevåg
16km (10miles) north of Berlevåg
34♠28 June 194400:03BostonPQ 37 Ost SU-8/1
20km (10miles) southwest of Kirkenes
1626 May 194405:01P-40north-northeast of Hamningberg
19km (12miles) north-northeast of Hamningberg
35♠28 June 194400:11P-40PQ 37 Ost RD-9/6
13km (08miles) northeast of Ivarnet
1726 May 194405:02P-39north of Hamningberg
15km (09miles) north-northeast of Hamningberg
36♠28 June 194403:47P-40PQ 37 Ost RD-7/4
6km (04miles) north-northeast of Petsamo Fjord
1826 May 194405:03Il-2northeast of Hamningberg
12km (07miles) north-northeast of Hamningberg
37♠28 June 194403:48P-40PQ 37 Ost SD-2/3
13km (08miles) northeast of Petsamo Fjord
1926 May 194405:07P-39northeast of Hamningberg
26km (16miles) north-northeast of Hamningberg
38♠28 June 194403:59Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RC-8/9
12km (07miles) northwest of Petsamo Fjord
2015 June 194402:42Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RD-6/8
8km (05miles) north of Pumanki
394 July 194403:47P-40PQ 37 Ost NB-7/5
21km (13miles) northeast of Makur
2115 June 194419:28P-40PQ 37 Ost SD-2/3, northeast of Kirkenes
8km (05miles) southwest of Pumanki
404 July 194419:15BostonPQ 37 Ost RA-2/5
22km (14miles) northwest of Jaarnet
22♠17 June 194407:48P-40PQ 37 Ost PC-6/2
12km (07miles) west of Kiberg
414 July 194419:19P-40PQ 37 Ost SA-3/4
18km (11miles) east of Kirkenes
23♠17 June 194407:49P-40PQ 37 Ost PC-9/3
18km (11miles) east-northeast of Kiberg
4217 July 194418:54Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RA-4/1
21km (13miles) north of Kirkenes
24♠17 June 194408:06BostonPQ 37 Ost QC-2/7
20km (10miles) south of Kiberg
4317 July 194418:56Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RA-5/4
19km (12miles) west of Kirkenes
25♠17 June 194408:10Il-2PQ 37 Ost/QC-9/1
27km (17miles) southwest of Kiberg
4417 July 194418:59BostonPQ 37 Ost SB-4/9
27km (17miles) southeast of Kirkenes
26♠17 June 194421:28P-40PQ 37 Ost RB-6/5
38km (24miles) northeast of Kirkenes
4528 July 194413:15P-39PQ 37 Ost RU-3/7
15km (09miles) southeast of Vadsø
27♠17 June 194421:29P-39PQ 37 Ost RB-5/3
35km (22miles) northeast of Kirkenes
4628 July 194413:22Il-2PQ 37 Ost RA-3/6
17km (11miles) southeast of Ekkerøya
28♠17 June 194421:30P-40PQ 37 Ost RB-7/8
15km (09miles) northeast of Jaarnet
4728 July 194413:26P-39PQ 37 Ost RC-5/4
16km (10miles) northwest of Heinäxaret island
Stab of III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Eastern Front — August 1944
4817 August 194410:18Pe-2PQ 37 Ost RB
10km (10miles) south of Ekkerøya
4923 August 194412:17?Il-2PQ 37 Ost RQ
5km (03miles) southeast of Ekkerøya
– 14. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Eastern Front — 6 September – 6 November 1944
50?26 September 194416:48Yak-940km (30miles) east of Ekkerøya568 October 194409:03P-3935km (22miles) southeast of Petsamo
51?27 September 1944Pe-2Ekkerøya
23km (14miles) east-southeast of Ekkerøya
579 October 194408:31P-3927km (17miles) southeast of Petsamo
52?27 September 194411:41?P-3923km (14miles) south of Kiberg589 October 194408:34P-3940km (30miles) southeast of Petsamo
5327 September 194411:43P-3930km (20miles) south of Kiberg599 October 194408:37Boston40km (30miles) southeast of Petsamo
5427 September 194411:44Boston40km (30miles) east of Ekkerøya609 October 194414:47Boston52km (32miles) southeast of Petsamo
5529 September 194415:27P-3928km (17miles) east-southeast of Ekkerøya
26km (16miles) east-southeast of Ekkerøya

Awards

References

Bibliography

. . 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 . German . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.