Otto Fönnekold Explained

Otto Fönnekold
Birth Date:15 February 1920
Birth Place:Hamburg
Death Place:Ssaß-Budak, Siebenbürgen
Child:yes
Death Cause:Killed in action
Serviceyears:1939–1944
Rank:Leutnant (second lieutenant)
Unit:JG 52
Commands:5./JG 52
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Otto Fönnekold (15 February 1920 – 31 August 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 136 aerial victories—that is, 136 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. All but three of his victories were claimed over the Soviet Air Forces in about 600 combat missions.

Born in Hamburg, Fönnekold was trained as a fighter pilot and posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing) in late 1942. Fighting on the Eastern Front, he claimed his first aerial victory on 7 September 1942 during Case Blue, the German strategic 1942 summer offensive in southern Russia. On 12 January 1944, Fönnekold was credited with his 100th aerial victory and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 March 1944. In April 1944, he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of JG 52. He was killed in action on 31 August 1944 by a strafing US North American P-51 Mustang at the airfield in Ssaß-Budak.

Career

Fönnekold was born on 15 February 1920 in Hamburg of the Weimar Republic. Following flight training, he was posted to the 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in the fall of 1942. At the time, this squadron was officially commanded by Oberleutnant Siegfried Simsch who was on home leave recovering from wounds sustained on 29 May. 5. Staffel was a squadron of II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 commanded by Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff.

War against the Soviet Union

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Germany had launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941. A year later, German forces launched Operation Fridericus II, the attack on Kupiansk, a preliminary operation to Case Blue, the strategic 1942 summer offensive in southern Russia. In August 1942, II. Gruppe was subordinated to VIII. Fliegerkorps and supported the 6th Army offensive to capture Stalingrad. On 6 September, II. Gruppe reached an airfield named Gonschtakowka located north-northeast of Mozdok on the Terek in the Caucasus.

Fönnekold claimed his first aerial victory on 7 September when he shot down a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighter. The Gruppe then moved to Maykop located in the North Caucasus on 21 September where, with the exception of 24 to 29 October, they were based until 26 November. Operating from Maykop, Fönnekold claimed his second aerial victory, an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down on 6 October. There, he claimed three further aerial victories over LaGG-3 fighters, one each on 29 October, 15 and 19 November. On 19 November, Soviet forces launched Operation Uranus which led to the encirclement of Axis forces in the vicinity of Stalingrad. To support the German forces fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad forced the Luftwaffe to relocate its forces and ordered II. Gruppe to move from Maykop to Morozovsk, located approximately 200abbr=offNaNabbr=off west of Stalingrad, on 26 November. There, Fönnekold claimed another LaGG-3 fighter shot down on 11 December before the Gruppe moved to Zimovniki the following day.

On 17 December, II. Gruppe relocated again, this time to Kotelnikovo where they stayed until 26 December. Operating from Kotelnikovo, Fönnekold claimed a Lavochkin La-5 fighter shot down on 22 December and another on 25 December. On 22 January 1943, II. Gruppe had to retreat further and moved to an airfield at Rostov-on-Don where Fönnekold shot down a LaGG-3 fighter on 30 January. On 7 February 1943, the Gruppe moved to Kuteinikowo near Stalino, present-day Donetsk, where Fönnekold claimed two Yakovlev Yak-1 the following day.

Kuban bridgehead and Crimea

The Gruppe was moved to the combat area of the Kuban bridgehead on 10 February 1943 where it was initially based at an airfield at Slavyansk-na-Kubani. Due to whether conditions, II. Gruppe then moved to Kerch on 16 February. While based at Slavyansk-na-Kubani, Fönnekold claimed two Polikarpov I-16 fighters shot down on 14 February and a Polikarpov I-153 biplane fighter on 27 February. On 13 March, the Gruppe moved to Anapa located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov and was fighting in the Battle of the Caucasus.

On 8 May, Leutnant Helmut Haberda, who had led 5. Staffel since Simsch was injured in November 1942, was killed in action. In consequence Oberleutnant Wilhelm Batz was appointed Staffelkapitän (Squadron Leader) of the Staffel on 9 May. That day, Fönnekold claimed a LaGG-3 fighter shot down. By 31 May, he claimed ten further aerial victories, increasing his total to 28 aerial victories. In June, Fönnekold added seven more claims, reaching 35 aerial victories. While in July the bulk of the Luftwaffe fighter force was being concentrated further north and fought in the Battle of Kursk, II. Gruppe with some exceptions remained at Anapa. Here, Fönnekold claimed further aerial victories, reaching 39 claims by end of July and 49 claims by end of August. Fönnekold was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (German: Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 9 August and the German Cross in Gold (German: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 16 August 1943.

On 1 September, II. Gruppe was made complete again, reuniting with all three Staffeln at a makeshift airfield named Karlowka located approximately 50abbr=offNaNabbr=off east of Poltava. There, Fönnekold claimed four aerial victories total. On 6, 7 and 8 September he claimed an Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down, and on 10 September he was credited with the destruction of a Yak-1 fighter, taking his total to 53 claims. On 1 October, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Nove Zaporizhzhya located approximately 15abbr=offNaNabbr=off west of Zaporizhzhia. The Gruppe relocated to an airfield named Beresowka near the Inhulets, located approximately halfway between Kremenchuk and Kirovohrad. They remained at Beresowka until 25 October when the Gruppe moved to Fedorivka, a small village 17abbr=offNaNabbr=off north-northwest of Melitopol. Two days later, the Gruppe was ordered to Askania-Nova. By the end of October 1943, Fönnekold's number of aerial victories claimed had increased to 65, making him the second most successful and still living fighter pilot in II. Gruppe at the time. The Gruppe had moved to Kherson on 30 October and then transferred to Baherove on the Crimean peninsula where they were based until 19 March 1944.

Based at Baherove, Fönnekold increased his number of aerial victories to 80 by end November and to 92 aerial victory claims by the end of 1943. On 12 January 1944, Fönnekold claimed three aerial victories, including his 100th aerial victory in total. He was the 62nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Fönnekold was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 26 March 1944. On 8 April, Soviet forces launched the Crimean offensive, forcing the Germans to evacuate the Crimea. By this date, Fönnekold had accumulated 116 aerial victories.

Squadron leader and death

On 14 April 1944, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Chersonesus at Sevastopol where they were based until 9 May. On 19 April, Fönnekold was appointed Staffelkapitän of 5. Staffel of JG 52 when its former commander, Batz, was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of JG 52. The Gruppe was transferred to Huși at the Prut River on 27 May 1944. There, on 30 May, Fönnekold became an "ace-in-a-day" when claimed seven Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters and a single Yak-1 fighter shot down near Tudora and Iași. Included in this figure are three claims over P-39 fighters from 129 GvIAP (Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment—Gvardeyskiy Istrebitelny Aviatsionny Polk). On 9 July, aerial combat with two Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters resulted in a forced landing of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 163564—factory number) near Iași.

On 29 August, III. Gruppe relocated to an airfield at Budak, present-day Budacu de Sus and part of Dumitrița. Fönnekold claimed three United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) North American P-51 Mustang fighters shot down near Luieriu (Lövér) on 31 August. Later that day, he was bounced during his landing approach at Ssaß-Budak by P-51 fighters. One of the .50 caliber projectiles penetrated his heart while taxiing his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 441931) "black 9". He was succeeded by Heinrich Sturm as commander of 5. Staffel. Fönnekold was buried on the cemetery at Ssaß-Budak.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Fönnekold was credited with 136 aerial victories. Spick also lists Fönnekold with 136 aerial victories claimed in approximately 600 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 134 confirmed and three unconfirmed aerial victories. All these victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 54512". 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
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –
Eastern Front — September 1942 – 3 February 1943
17 September 194209:27LaGG-3PQ 54512611 December 194212:45LaGG-3PQ 49381
25km (16miles) south of Basargino
26 October 194212:35Il-2PQ 96733
25km (16miles) east-northeast of Tuapse
722 December 194211:32La-5PQ 49712
65km (40miles) south-southeast of Stalingrad
329 October 194215:40LaGG-3PQ 95873
10km (10miles) east of Lazarevskoye
825 December 194211:22La-5PQ 49773
15km (09miles) east of Aksal
415 November 194208:50LaGG-3PQ 94194930 January 194314:52LaGG-3PQ 06391
519 November 194212:50LaGG-3PQ 94634
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
108 February 194309:35Yak-1PQ 44 Ost 09333528 September 194305:27Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 60521
20km (10miles) west of Andreyevka
118 February 194309:50Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 99664
5km (03miles) east of Rovenki
5310 September 194312:33Yak-1PQ 35 Ost 50283
10km (10miles) west of Merefa
1214 February 194311:00I-16PQ 34 Ost 75265412 October 194307:40P-39PQ 34 Ost 49173
55km (34miles) east-northeast of Mironovka
1314 February 194311:03I-16PQ 34 Ost 75232
north of Krymsk
5515 October 194305:50Yak-1PQ 35 Ost 10123
10km (10miles) south of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi
1427 February 194306:02I-153PQ 34 Ost 85344
vicinity of Aberbijewka
5615 October 194305:58Yak-1PQ 35 Ost 10121
10km (10miles) south of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi
156 May 194305:38La-5PQ 34 Ost 75293, 8km (05miles) northwest of Neberdschajewskaja
northeast of Novorossiysk
5719 October 194311:07Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 39424
25km (16miles) east-northeast of Mironovka
166 May 194311:30La-5PQ 34 Ost 85153
vicinity of Abinsk
5820 October 194310:10Pe-2PQ 34 Ost 39181, north of Petrowka
15km (09miles) northeast of Alexandrija
176 May 194312:05Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 76894
vicinity of Kijewakoje
5920 October 194312:55Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 39332, north of Krasnaja-Fedorowka
10km (10miles) northeast of Mironovka
189 May 194316:10LaGG-3PQ 34 Ost 86754
east of Trojzkaja
6020 October 194312:57Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 39412
20km (10miles) northeast of Mironovka
1915 May 194318:40Yak-1southwest of Kabardinka6120 October 194312:58Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 39284
30km (20miles) east-northeast of Mironovka
2019 May 194307:20?LaGG-3PQ 34 Ost 85313
southeast of Schapssugskaja
6221 October 194306:50P-39PQ 34 Ost 39631
20km (10miles) east of Pjatichatki
2121 May 194304:23R-5PQ 34 Ost 96771
10km (10miles) east of Krasnodar
6321 October 194314:45P-39PQ 34 Ost 39674
vicinity of Piatykhatky
2221 May 194315:42U-2PQ 34 Ost 96784
20km (10miles) east of Krasnodar
6425 October 194312:28Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 57151
5km (03miles) northwest of Melitopol
2321 May 194315:46U-2PQ 34 Ost 96774
10km (10miles) east of Krasnodar
6528 October 194314:38Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 47154
30km (20miles) northwest of Ivanovka
2428 May 194310:38Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 76893, southeast of Kijewskoje
south of Bakanskij
662 November 194314:40Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66734, 5km (03miles) southeast of Eltigen
2529 May 194304:37LaGG-3north of Krymskaja
north of Krymsk
673 November 194311:20R-5PQ 34 Ost 66644
east of Bakssy
2629 May 194318:30Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 76894
vicinity of Kijewakoje
684 November 194312:37Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66644
east of Bakssy
2730 May 194315:36B-25PQ 34 Ost 76861
north of Kessjetowa
695 November 194310:24Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66842
southwest of Tamanj
2831 May 194305:25LaGG-3PQ 34 Ost 86772
south of Trojzkaja
705 November 194310:37Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigen
vicinity of Tobetschik
291 June 194308:48Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 76861
Sea of Azov
716 November 194309:03Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 66671, east of Kerch
east of Kerch
306 June 194305:03La-5PQ 34 Ost 75231, northwest of Krymskaja
northwest of Krymsk
726 November 194306:06Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 66644
east of Bakssy
317 June 194315:21?P-39PQ 34 Ost 76822
west of Kalabatka
7312 November 194310:27?Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66641, northwest of Bakssy
east of Bulganak
327 June 194315:25?P-39PQ 34 Ost 76812
vicinity of Kalabatka
7414 November 194314:03Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66643, Kolonka
east of Bakssy
3310 June 194314:42Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 75473
Black Sea, 25km (16miles) southwest of Novorossiysk
7521 November 194313:00Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 66562, south of Bulganag
vicinity of Babtschik
3415 June 194317:07Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 85373, south of Gelendzhik
vicinity of Gelendzhik
7627 November 194308:39Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigen
vicinity of Tobetschik
3525 June 194304:37?Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 85371
vicinity of Gelendzhik
7727 November 194308:56Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 66641, northwest of Bakssz
east of Bulganak
3621 July 194304:32Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 88261
vicinity of Jalisawehino
7828 November 194308:42Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66594
vicinity of Kamysch-Burun
3723 July 194317:40?LaGG-3PQ 34 Ost 88424
20km (10miles) south of Jalisawehino
7928 November 194308:50Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigen
vicinity of Tobetschik
3825 July 194307:44Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 98173
40km (30miles) southwest of Rovenki
8028 November 194311:40Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 66813, west of Taman
over sea, vicinity of Cape Tusla
3931 July 194306:14Il-2PQ 34 Ost 88232
30km (20miles) west-southwest of Rovenki
811 December 194307:22Il-2PQ 34 Ost 66732, east of Eltigen
vicinity of Tobetschik
402 August 194318:10Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 88621, northeast of Marinowka
vicinity of Jalisawehino
821 December 194313:45Pe-2north of Eltigen
417 August 194307:38Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 75233, Kijewskoje
west of Krymsk
832 December 194314:20LaGG-3east of Eltigen
427 August 194307:45SpitfirePQ 34 Ost 76892, northeast of Kijewskoje
vicinity of Kijewskoje
842 December 194314:26Il-2 m.H.southeast of Eltigen
437 August 194317:25Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 75261, Krymskaja
north of Nowo-Bakanskaja
854 December 194307:08Il-2 m.H.east of Eltigen
449 August 194308:17SpitfirePQ 34 Ost 75234, 5km (03miles) west of Moldawanskoje
vicinity of Krymsk
864 December 194307:17LaGG-3south-southwest of Eltigen
459 August 194308:22Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 75292, 4km (02miles) south of Nebershajewskaja
northeast of Noworossijsi
874 December 194311:02Il-2 m.H.southeast of Eltigen
469 August 194308:25Il-2 m.H.PQ 34 Ost 75261, 8km (05miles) northeast of Moldawanskoje
north of Nowo-Bakanskaja
884 December 194311:12Il-2 m.H.southwest of Eltigen
4726 August 194315:42LaGG-3PQ 34 Ost 76863, northwest of Kijewskoje
north of Kessjetowa
895 December 194313:20P-39southwest of Eltigen
4826 August 194315:47LaGG-3PQ 34 Ost 85114, north of Abinskaja
vicinity of Mertschanskaja
908 December 194313:53Il-2 m.H.south of Kolonka
4931 August 194312:14P-39PQ 34 Ost 88671
25km (16miles) west-northwest of Taganrog
918 December 194313:59Il-2PQ 34 Ost 66671, east of Kerch
506 September 194310:02Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 60174
vicinity west of Merefa
9211 December 194309:11Yak-1east of Eltigen
north of Taman
517 September 194309:19Il-2 m.H.PQ 35 Ost 60522
20km (10miles) west of Andreyevka
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –
Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 August 1944
934 January 194406:43Il-2Cape Khroni11623 March 194407:03unknownCape Khroni
949 January 194412:01P-39Adzhimushkay117♠30 May 194410:35P-39vicinity of Iași
vicinity of Sulani
959 January 194414:40LaGG-3PQ 66614
vicinity of Majak-Bakny
118♠30 May 194411:05P-39PQ 78642
10km (10miles) south of Tudora
9610 January 194409:45Il-2vicinity of Bulganak119♠30 May 194413:50P-39vicinity of Iași
10km (10miles) south of Iași
9710 January 194411:50Yak-1vicinity of Grammatikowo120♠30 May 194414:08P-39vicinity of Huși
8km (05miles) north of Iași
9811 January 194413:32LaGG-3Adzhimushkay121♠30 May 194414:12P-39vicinity of Iași
10km (10miles) south of Iași
9912 January 194406:50BostonPQ 66611
vicinity of Cape Khroni
122♠30 May 194414:41P-39PQ 78671
15km (09miles) north of Iași
10012 January 194413:46P-39Cape Tarchan123?30 May 194417:51Yak-1vicinity of Huși
10112 January 194414:06Il-2PQ 66614
vicinity of Majak-Bakny
124♠30 May 194417:52P-39PQ 78644
10km (10miles) north of Tudora
10213 January 194407:26Yak-1Adzhimushkay12531 May 194404:12Yak-1PQ 78674
8km (05miles) north of Iași
10317 January 194410:40P-39Cape Tarchan12631 May 194412:45P-39PQ 78673
15km (09miles) north of Iași
10419 January 194412:10Il-2PQ 66642
Majak
1272 June 194409:03BostonPQ 78634
15km (09miles) northwest of Iași
10523 January 194406:47Il-2PQ 66652
Malikut
1282 June 194413:50Il-2PQ 78732
15km (09miles) northwest of Iași
10625 January 194412:37BostonPQ 66673
Kossa Tulsa
12927 June 194404:48?Yak-7PQ 7924
10728 January 194412:07Yak-1north of Kerch1304 August 194411:20Il-2PQ 11595
15km (09miles) northeast of Mielec
10828 January 194415:01Il-2vicinity of Kerch1315 August 194411:05P-39PQ 11644
vicinity of Mielec
1095 February 194406:26P-39vicinity of Kerch13221 August 194418:40La-520km (10miles) northeast of Leipzig
1107 February 194406:56P-39vicinity of Bulganak13322 August 194407:16La-5?PQ 97524
30km (20miles) east-northeast of Leipzig
1117 February 194413:28?Yak-1PQ 66673
vicinity of Kossa Tulsa
13422 August 194413:25Yak-7PQ 87662
25km (16miles) east-northeast of Szekszárd
11210 February 194408:00Yak-9PQ 66514
west of Dsheilaw
13523 August 194417:26Yak-7PQ 87828
20km (10miles) near Leipzig
11314 March 194412:55Pe-2PQ 47793
30km (20miles) southwest of Genitschek
31 August 1944P-51vicinity of Luieriu (Lövér)
11422 March 194410:55Yak-7Cape Tarchan31 August 1944P-51vicinity of Luieriu (Lövér)
11522 March 194411:00Yak-7Adzhimushkay31 August 1944P-51vicinity of Luieriu (Lövér)

Awards

References

Bibliography