See main article: Heinrich Bär.
Oskar-Heinrich Bär (25 May 1913 – 28 April 1957) was a German Luftwaffe flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. Bär flew more than one thousand combat missions, and fought in the Western, Eastern and Mediterranean theatres. On 18 occasions he survived being shot down, and according to records in the German Federal Archives, he claimed to have shot down 228 enemy aircraft and was credited with 208 aerial victories, 16 of which were in a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. Sources credit him with 220 – 96 on Eastern Theatre and 124 on Western Theatre – up to 222 aerial victories may also be possible.
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Bär was credited with 221 aerial victories. Obermaier also lists him with 221 aerial victories. The highest figure is given by Aders and Held who list Bär with 222 aerial victory claims. According to Spick, as well as by Morgan and Weal, Bär was credited with 220 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 208 aerial victory claims, plus 20 further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 95 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 113 on the Western Front, including 14 four-engined bombers and 15 victories with the Me 262 jet fighter.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 05 Ost S/FN". 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.
Claim | Claim# | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Claim# | Date | Time | Type | Location | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – | |||||||||||||
1 | 1 | 25 September 1939 | 12:30 | Curtiss P-36 | Weissenburg-Lauterburg | 20 | 17 | 22 June 1941 | 09:45 | SB-2? | vicinity of Starnice | ||
2 | 2 | 21 May 1940 | 16:20 | Hurricane | Samer | 21 | 18 | 25 June 1941 | 11:30 | SB-2 | vicinity of Terespol | ||
3 | 3 | 23 May 1940 | 11:10 | Hurricane | Béthune | 22 | 19 | 25 June 1941 | 11:33 | SB-2 | vicinity of Terespol | ||
4 | 18 August 1940 | 19:45 | Hurricane | Thames Estuary | 23♠ | 20 | 30 June 1941 | 10:55 | DB-3 | vicinity of Histowka | |||
5 | 4 | 20 August 1940 | 16:10 | Spitfire | Thames Estuary | 24♠ | 21 | 30 June 1941 | 11:12 | DB-3 | vicinity of Histowka | ||
6 | 5 | 24 August 1940 | 14:13 | Hurricane | Margate | 25♠ | 22 | 30 June 1941 | 19:20 | DB-3 | vicinity of Histowka | ||
7 | 6 | 29 August 1940 | 20:10 | Spitfire | Hawkinge | 26♠ | 23 | 30 June 1941 | 19:35 | DB-3 | vicinity of Histowka | ||
8 | 7 | 2 September 1940 | 09:15 | Spitfire | Canterbury | 27♠ | 24 | 30 June 1941 | 19:40 | DB-3 | vicinity of Histowka | ||
9 | 8 | 8 September 1940 | 13:20 | Spitfire | 28 | 25 | 1 July 1941 | 13:45 | I-16 | vicinity of Nowo Histowka | |||
10 | 9 | 9 September 1940 | 18:33 | Hurricane | 29 | 26 | 2 July 1941 | 11:29 | I-16 | vicinity of Histowka | |||
11 | 15 September 1940 | Spitfire | 30 | 27 | 3 July 1941 | 13:45 | V-11 (Il-2) | vicinity of Babruysk | |||||
12 | 10 | 8 November 1940 | 12:18 | Hurricane | Strait of Dover | 31 | 28 | 5 July 1941 | 11:27 | I-18 (MiG-1) | vicinity of Babruysk | ||
13 | 8 November 1940 | 15:05 | Hurricane | north of Dungeness | 32 | 29 | 5 July 1941 | 13:44 | DB-3 | vicinity of Babruysk | |||
14 | 11 | 16 April 1941 | 18:25 | Hurricane | 20km (10miles) west of Le Touquet | 33 | 30 | 5 July 1941 | 13:45 | DB-3 | vicinity of Babruysk | ||
15 | 12 | 21 April 1941 | 20:07 | Hurricane | northwest of Ashford | 34 | 31 | 6 July 1941 | 20:15 | V-11? | vicinity of Babruysk | ||
16 | 13 | 6 May 1941 | 14:10 | Spitfire | 20km (10miles) northwest of Calais | 35 | 32 | 6 July 1941 | 20:20 | V-11 | vicinity of Babruysk | ||
17 | 14 | 11 May 1941 | 21:40 | Spitfire | 8km (05miles) east of Deal | 36 | 33 | 8 July 1941 | 19:35 | SB-2 | vicinity of Babruysk | ||
18 | 22 June 1941 | 07:25 | I-18 (MiG-1) | 37 | 34 | 11 July 1941 | 15:02 | DB-3 | vicinity of Babruysk | ||||
19 | 15 | 22 June 1941 | 09:40 | SB-2 | vicinity of Starnice | 38 | 35 | 11 July 1941 | 15:05 | DB-3 | vicinity of Babruysk | ||
16 | 22 June 1941 | 09:42 | SB-2 | vicinity of Starnice | 39 | 36 | 11 July 1941 | 16:45 | DB-3 | ||||
– 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – | |||||||||||||
40 | 37 | 22 July 1941 | 10:50 | I-153 | vicinity of Dankowow | 66 | 62 | 19 August 1941 | 19:15 | Pe-2 | |||
41 | 38 | 22 July 1941 | 15:03 | I-153 | vicinity of Dankowow | 67 | 63 | 19 August 1941 | 19:20 | Pe-2 | |||
42 | 39 | 23 July 1941 | 12:57 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Dankowow | 68 | 64 | 20 August 1941 | 08:55 | I-15 | |||
43 | 40 | 23 July 1941 | 13:02 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Dankowow | 69 | 65 | 20 August 1941 | 09:10 | I-16 | |||
44 | 41 | 23 July 1941 | 13:10 | R-3? | 70 | 66 | 22 August 1941 | 10:25 | I-15 | ||||
45 | 42 | 24 July 1941 | 06:15 | I-18 (MiG-1) | 71 | 67 | 28 August 1941 | 18:12 | Pe-2 | southeast of Novgorod | |||
46 | 43 | 26 July 1941 | 04:25 | R-3? | 72 | 68 | 28 August 1941 | 18:15 | Pe-2 | southeast of Novgorod | |||
47 | 44 | 28 July 1941 | 07:45 | DB-3 | 73♠ | 69 | 30 August 1941 | 12:00 | I-61 (MiG-3) | ||||
48 | 45 | 29 July 1941 | 04:12 | SB-3 | 74♠ | 70 | 30 August 1941 | 12:02 | DB-3 | ||||
49 | 46 | 29 July 1941 | 18:10 | Pe-2 | 75♠ | 71 | 30 August 1941 | 12:03 | DB-3 | ||||
50 | 29 July 1941 | DB-3 | 76♠ | 72 | 30 August 1941 | 12:08 | I-61 (MiG-3) | ||||||
51 | 47 | 2 August 1941 | 17:40 | Pe-2 | 77♠ | 73 | 30 August 1941 | 18:05 | SB-3 | ||||
52 | 48 | 3 August 1941 | 13:55 | R-3? | 78♠ | 74 | 30 August 1941 | 18:06 | SB-3 | ||||
53 | 49 | 9 August 1941 | 13:30 | DB-3 | 79 | 75 | 31 August 1941 | 11:20 | Pe-2 | ||||
54 | 50 | 9 August 1941 | 13:34 | DB-3 | 80 | 76 | 31 August 1941 | 11:25 | Pe-2 | ||||
55 | 51 | 9 August 1941 | 19:00 | SB-2 | 81 | 77 | 28 November 1941 | 13:40 | SB-3 | ||||
56 | 52 | 10 August 1941 | 10:40 | I-61 (MiG-1) | 82 | 78 | 2 December 1941 | 08:45 | I-61 (MiG-1) | ||||
57 | 53 | 10 August 1941 | 10:55 | I-15 | 83 | 79 | 2 December 1941 | 09:00 | I-61 (MiG-1) | ||||
58 | 54 | 11 August 1941 | 14:25 | I-16 | 84 | 80 | 2 December 1941 | 10:15 | Pe-2 | ||||
59 | 55 | 12 August 1941 | 07:55 | SB-3 | 85 | 81 | 2 December 1941 | 12:07? | I-61 (MiG-1) | ||||
60 | 56 | 12 August 1941 | 08:30 | SB-2? | 86 | 82 | 5 December 1941 | 12:05 | I-61 (MiG-1) | ||||
61 | 57 | 13 August 1941 | 11:30 | I-18 (MiG-1) | 87 | 83 | 7 December 1941 | 11:30 | Pe-2 | ||||
62 | 58 | 14 August 1941 | 18:55 | I-18 (MiG-1) | 88 | 84 | 7 December 1941 | 13:57 | Pe-2 | ||||
63 | 59 | 15 August 1941 | 16:30 | I-61 (MiG-1) | 89 | 11 February 1942 | Pe-2 | ||||||
64 | 60 | 18 August 1941 | 16:55 | I-15 | 90 | 11 February 1942 | Pe-2 | ||||||
65 | 61 | 19 August 1941 | 17:15 | I-16 | 91 | 22 February 1942 | I-61 (MiG-3) | 10km (10miles) south of Mologino | |||||
– Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 77 – | |||||||||||||
92 | 85 | 16 May 1942 | 10:35 | LaGG-3 | 135 | 131 | 10 December 1942 | 15:10 | P-40 | northwest of El Agheila | |||
93 | 86 | 16 May 1942 | 10:40 | LaGG-3 | 136 | 132 | 10 December 1942 | 15:15 | P-40 | northwest of El Agheila | |||
94 | 87 | 17 May 1942 | 13:05 | I-16 | 137 | 133 | 11 December 1942 | 15:32 | P-40 | east of Ras Umm er Garanigh | |||
95 | 88 | 17 May 1942 | 13:35 | I-16 | 138 | 134 | 14 December 1942 | 11:20 | P-40 | west of El Agheila | |||
96 | 92 | 17 May 1942 | 13:40 | I-16 | 139 | 135 | 14 December 1942 | 11:25 | P-40 | west of El Agheila | |||
97 | 93 | 18 May 1942 | 12:10 | LaGG-3 | 140♠ | 136 | 14 January 1943 | 08:39? | P-40 | ||||
98 | 94 | 18 May 1942 | 16:05 | LaGG-3 | 141♠ | 137 | 14 January 1943 | 10:43 | B-25 | north of Tamet | |||
99♠ | 95 | 19 May 1942 | 09:42 | R-5 | 142♠ | 138 | 14 January 1943 | 10:44 | B-25 | north of Tamet | |||
100♠ | 96 | 19 May 1942 | 16:42 | I-16 | 143♠ | 139 | 14 January 1943 | 14:32 | Spitfire | ||||
101♠ | 97 | 19 May 1942 | 16:45 | I-16 | 144♠ | 140 | 14 January 1943 | 14:37 | Spitfire | ||||
102♠ | 98 | 19 May 1942 | 16:46 | I-16 | 145 | 141 | 22 January 1943? | 15:15 | P-38 | vicinity of Tripolitania | |||
103♠ | 99 | 19 May 1942 | 16:50 | I-16 | 146 | 142 | 22 January 1943? | 15:16 | P-38 | vicinity of Tripolitania | |||
104 | 100 | 5 June 1942 | 09:32 | DB-3 | 147 | 143 | 23 January 1943 | 11:40 | P-40 | ||||
105 | 101 | 13 June 1942 | 12:35 | I-16 | 148 | 144 | 25 January 1943 | 12:35 | P-40 | ||||
13 June 1942 | unknown | 149 | 145 | 25 January 1943 | 12:38 | P-40 | |||||||
106 | 102 | 14 June 1942 | 18:58 | I-16 | 150 | 146 | 27 January 1943 | 14:48 | P-40 | vicinity of Djebel Cheraline | |||
107 | 103 | 14 June 1942 | 19:00 | I-16 | 151 | 147 | 27 January 1943 | 15:01 | P-40 | vicinity of Djebel Cheraline | |||
108 | 104 | 17 June 1942 | 17:35 | MBR-2 | 152 | 148 | 27 January 1943 | 15:05 | P-40 | vicinity of Djebel Cheraline | |||
109 | 105 | 19 June 1942 | 04:17 | I-16 | 153 | 149 | 4 February 1943 | 14:40 | B-17 | ||||
110 | 106 | 21 June 1942 | 18:35 | I-16 | 154 | 4 February 1943 | P-39? | ||||||
111 | 107 | 21 June 1942 | 18:41 | I-16 | 155 | 150 | 15 February 1943 | 07:45 | Spitfire | vicinity of Thélepte | |||
112 | 108 | 27 June 1942 | 06:35 | I-16 | 156 | 151 | 15 February 1943 | 07:46 | Spitfire | vicinity of Thelepte | |||
113 | 109 | 27 June 1942 | 06:43 | I-16 | 157♠ | 152 | 26 February 1943 | 10:55 | Spitfire | vicinity of Gabès | |||
11 October 1942 | Spitfire | 158♠ | 153 | 26 February 1943 | 14:05 | P-40 | vicinity of Gabès | ||||||
114 | 110 | 13 October 1942 | 07:58 | Spitfire | north of Malta | 159♠ | 154 | 26 February 1943 | 14:15 | P-40 | vicinity of Gabès | ||
115 | 111 | 13 October 1942 | 08:14 | Spitfire | 10km (10miles) north of Marsa Scirocco | 160♠ | 155 | 26 February 1943 | 17:03 | P-40 | vicinity of Gabès | ||
116 | 112 | 14 October 1942 | 17:59 | Spitfire | 30km (20miles) northwest of St. Paul's Bay | 161♠ | 156 | 26 February 1943 | 17:08 | P-40 | vicinity of Gabès | ||
117 | 113 | 17 October 1942 | 13:32 | Spitfire | southeast of La Valletta, Malta | 162 | 157 | 27 February 1943 | 10:50 | Beaufighter | |||
118 | 114 | 2 November 1942 | 14:50 | Spitfire | southwest of El Alamein | 163 | 158 | 1 March 1943 | 14:58? | Spitfire | |||
119♠ | 115 | 3 November 1942 | 12:08 | P-40 | southeast of El Alamein | 164 | 159 | 3 March 1943 | 07:40 | P-40 | |||
120♠ | 116 | 3 November 1942 | 12:10 | P-40 | southeast of El Alamein | 165 | 160 | 3 March 1943 | 07:45 | P-40 | |||
121♠ | 117 | 3 November 1942 | 15:55 | P-40 | northwest of Quotafiya | 166 | 161 | 5 March 1943 | 07:58 | P-40 | |||
122♠ | 118 | 3 November 1942 | 15:59? | P-40 | northwest of Quotafiya | 167 | 162 | 5 March 1943 | 08:20? | Spitfire | |||
123♠ | 119 | 3 November 1942 | 16:12 | P-40 | northwest of El Alamein | 168 | 163 | 6 March 1943 | 09:26? | Spitfire | |||
124 | 120 | 5 November 1942 | 13:40 | P-40 | vicinity of Fuka | 169 | 164 | 6 March 1943 | 09:28? | Spitfire | |||
125 | 121 | 5 November 1942 | 13:50 | P-40 | vicinity of Fuka | 170 | 165 | 7 March 1943 | 12:27 | P-40 | vicinity of Medenine | ||
126 | 122 | 9 November 1942 | 14:50 | P-40 | east of Sollum | 171 | 166 | 10 March 1943 | 16:33 | P-40 | vicinity of Medenine | ||
127 | 123 | 10 November 1942 | 14:34 | P-40 | east of Sollum | 13 March 1944 | P-40 | ||||||
128 | 124 | 10 November 1942 | 14:38 | P-40 | east of Sollum | 172 | 167 | 23 March 1943 | 10:43 | B-25 | |||
129 | 125 | 11 November 1942 | 09:30 | P-40 | southeast of Gambut | 23 March 1943 | P-39 | ||||||
130 | 126 | 11 November 1942 | 09:38 | P-40 | southeast of Gambut | 173 | 168 | 24 March 1943 | 10:10 | P-40 | northwest of Fatnassa | ||
131 | 127 | 7 December 1942 | 14:50 | P-40 | west of El Agheila | 174 | 169 | 24 March 1943 | 10:12 | P-40 | northwest of Fatnassa | ||
132 | 128 | 7 December 1942 | 14:52 | P-40 | west of El Agheila | 175 | 170 | 25 March 1943 | 12:09 | Boston | |||
133 | 129 | 8 December 1942 | 10:40 | P-40 | 176 | 171 | 16 April 1943 | 15:50 | Spitfire | northwest of Cap Bon | |||
134 | 130 | 8 December 1942 | 10:55 | P-40 | 177 | 172 | 29 April 1943 | 17:25 | Spitfire | Ras Mostafa | |||
– Stab of Jagdgruppe Süd – | |||||||||||||
178 | 173 | 2 December 1943 | 13:04 | P-38 | southeast of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer | 179 | 174 | 2 December 1943 | 13:06 | B-17 | southeast of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer | ||
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 – | |||||||||||||
180 | 175 | 10 February 1944 | 11:13 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/FN, vicinity of Zwolle | 189* | 180 | 25 February 1944 | 13:30 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/US, vicinity of Heilbronn | ||
181 | 10 February 1944 | 11:18 | P-47 | PQ 05 Ost S/FO, east of Zwolle | 25 February 1944 | 13:43 | B-17 | PQ 04 Ost N/AT-8/9, vicinity of Stuttgart | |||||
182 | 176 | 21 February 1944 | 13:58 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/GT/GU, 12- west of Hanover | 190* | 181 | 25 February 1944 | 14:45 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/US-1/5, vicinity of Heilbronn | ||
183 | 177 | 21 February 1944 | 14:03 | P-51 | PQ 05 Ost S/GT-5, 5km (03miles) north of Stadthagen | 191 | 25 February 1944 | 14:55 | B-24 | PQ 05 Ost S/UR-2/3, vicinity of Germersheim | |||
184 | 178 | 21 February 1944 | 15:25 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/GT-5, north-northwest of Rheine | 192 | 182 | 3 March 1944 | 11:40 | P-51 | PQ 05 Ost S/EU-3/6, vicinity of Verden | ||
185 | 22 February 1944 | 12:51 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/KO, northwest of Bottrop | 193 | 183 | 6 March 1944 | 12:00 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/FR-4, east of Lingen | |||
186 | 22 February 1944 | 14:18 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/HO-1/4, north of Grevenbroich | 194 | 184 | 6 March 1944 | 12:10 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/FS-4/5, southwest of Verden | |||
187 | 179 | 24 February 1944 | 12:30 | B-24 | PQ 05 Ost S/GR-8, vicinity of Osnabrück | 195 | 6 March 1944 | 14:45 | B-17 | PQ 05 Ost S/GO/GN, vicinity of Deventer | |||
188 | 24 February 1944 | 12:34 | B-24 | PQ 05 Ost S/GS-9, east of Osnabrück | |||||||||
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 1 – | |||||||||||||
196 | 185 | 29 March 1944 | 13:25 | P-51 | PQ 15 Ost S/HB-9, south of Söllingen | 200 | 188 | 22 April 1944 | 20:08 | B-24 | PQ 05 Ost S/JQ, vicinity of Ahlen | ||
197 | 186 | 29 March 1944 | 13:35 | P-51 | PQ 15 Ost S/JB-9, west of Halberstadt | 201 | 189 | 29 April 1944 | 10:56 | P-47 | PQ 15 Ost S/HB, northwest of Halberstadt | ||
198 | 187 | 8 April 1944 | 13:50 | B-24 | PQ 15 Ost S/EB/FB, southwest of Salzwedel | 202 | 190 | 29 April 1944 | 10:59 | B-24 | PQ 15 Ost S/GB, east-southeast of Braunschweig | ||
199 | 11 April 1944 | 10:59 | B-17 | PQ 15 Ost S/FB-7, 10km (10miles) northeast of Fallersleben | |||||||||
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 3 – | |||||||||||||
203 | 191 | 7 August 1944 | 14:40 | P-51 | PQ 04 Ost N/CD-2/5 southeast of Chartres | 205 | 193 | 1 January 1945 | 19:25 | Typhoon | Eindhoven air base | ||
204 | 192 | 1 January 1945 | 09:23 | Typhoon | Eindhoven air base | ||||||||
– Stab III. Gruppe of Ergänzungsjagdgeschwader 2 – | |||||||||||||
206 | 194 | 19 March 1945 | 12:00+ | P-51 | vicinity of Dresden | 214 | 199 | 9 April 1945 | 10:05 | B-26 | 9km (06miles) southwest of Amberg | ||
207 | 195 | 21 March 1945 | B-24 | 215 | 200 | 9 April 1945 | 10:?? | B-26 | vicinity of Amberg | ||||
208 | 196 | 24 March 1945 | B-24 | vicinity of Stuttgart | 216 | 201 | 12 April 1945? | B-26 | |||||
209 | 197 | 24 March 1945 | P-51 | vicinity of Stuttgart | 217 | 202 | 18 April 1945 | P-47 | |||||
210 | 27 March 1945 | P-47 | vicinity of Lechfeld | 218 | 203 | 18 April 1945 | P-47 | ||||||
211 | 27 March 1945 | P-47 | vicinity of Lechfeld | 219 | 204 | 19 April 1945 | P-51 | ||||||
212 | 27 March 1945 | P-47 | vicinity of Lechfeld | 220 | 205 | 19 April 1945 | P-51 | ||||||
213 | 198 | 4 April 1945 | 15:00+ | P-51 | |||||||||
– Jagdverband 44 – | |||||||||||||
221 | 206 | 27 April 1945 | P-47 | 223 | 208 | 28 April 1945? | P-47 | vicinity of Bad Aibling | |||||
222 | 207 | 27 April 1945 | P-47 |
sv:Christer Bergström
. Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat . Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website . 9 March 2018 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20181222042030/http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm . 22 December 2018 . dead.