Peter Kalden Explained

Peter Kalden
Birth Date:	17 August 1923
Birth Place:	Wittenberge
Death Place:	Friedrichsdorf
Unit:	JG 51
Battles:	World War II
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Peter Kalden (17 August 1923 – 11 June 1996) was a German World War II fighter ace, attached to Jagdgeschwader 51. Depending on source, he was credited with 69 or 84 aerial victories.

Career

Kalden was born on 17 August 1923 in Wittenberge in the Province of Brandenburg of the Weimar Republic.

On 2 May 1944, Kalden was wounded in combat when he was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 140356—factory number) near Kurovichi.

On 1 August, Kalden was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Heinz Venth who had been reported as missing in action on 16 July. On 15 August, as part of the group expansion from three Staffeln per Gruppe to four Staffeln per Gruppe, 10. Staffel was re-designated and became the 13. Staffel while 11. Staffel became the 14. Staffel of JG 51. Consequently, Kalden then commanded 13. Staffel.

Kalden was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 December 1944. The presentation was 11 days later by Generalmajor Robert Fuchs. On 11 March 1945, Kalden attacked Soviet armor near Neustadt in Westpreußen, present-day Wejherowo. On this mission, he was shot down in his Bf 109 G-14 (Werknummer 511439) by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery resulting in a crash landing near Danzig, present-day Gdańsk, and was taken prisoner of war. Command of 13. Staffel then briefly went to Leutnant Engel before Leutnant Kurt Tanzer was given command on 12 April.

Later life

Kalden died on 11 June 1996 at the age of in Friedrichsdorf, Germany.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Kalden was credited with 69 aerial victories. Spick lists him with 84 aerial victories claimed in 538 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 69 aerial victory claims, plus further fifteen unconfirmed and undated claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 63251". 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
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
1	13 July 1943	13:38	Yak-1	PQ 35 Ost 63251 15km (09miles) southeast of Zalegoshch	7	3 October 1943	08:48	La-5	northeast of Orlik
2	14 July 1943	15:52	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 35 Ost 54412 30km (20miles) northeast of Dudorovskiy	8	3 October 1943	08:50	La-5	north of Orlik
3	17 July 1943	04:14	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 63214 vicinity of Zalegoshch	9	24 October 1943	11:28	Yak-9	southeast of Petrovo
4	31 July 1943	09:31?	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 54488 20km (10miles) west-northwest of Bolchov	10	30 November 1943	12:04	P-39	6km (04miles) north of Malaya-Wolaska
5	14 September 1943	14:32	Yak-1	north of Pologi	11	11 December 1943	11:06	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 34 Ost 39511 35km (22miles) west of Borovichi
6	20 September 1943	13:30	La-5	northeast of Dnipropetrovsk	12	17 December 1943	11:22	P-39	PQ 34 Ost 29825
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 July 1944
13	5 January 1944	12:09	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 90732 65km (40miles) east of Vinnytsia	24	2 May 1944	05:49	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 50126 25km (16miles) southeast of Brody
14	10 January 1944	11:18	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 80682 25km (16miles) southeast of Vinnytsia	25	2 May 1944	05:50?	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 50131 15km (09miles) southeast of Brody
15	10 January 1944	11:22	Yak-1	PQ 25 Ost 80681 25km (16miles) southeast of Vinnytsia	26	7 July 1944	10:07	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 55449 25km (16miles) southeast of Yukhnov
16	10 January 1944	11:24	Yak-1	PQ 25 Ost 80683 25km (16miles) southeast of Vinnytsia	27	7 July 1944	14:53	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 55476 30km (20miles) south-southeast of Yukhnov
17	11 January 1944	15:03	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 80662 30km (20miles) east-northeast of Vinnytsia	28	16 July 1944	07:53	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 50318 15km (09miles) southeast of Zolochiv
18	12 January 1944	09:38	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 90549 40km (30miles) south-southeast of Koziatyn	29	18 July 1944	19:28	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 50383 25km (16miles) west of Tarnopol
19	24 January 1944	11:13	La-5	PQ 25 Ost 80431 vicinity of Koziatyn	30	19 July 1944	13:43	R-5	PQ 25 Ost 40135 25km (16miles) northwest of Zolochiv
20	1 February 1944	09:29	Pe-2	PQ 34 Ost 09134	31	20 July 1944	13:03	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 40123 20km (10miles) northeast of Lviv
21	7 April 1944	17:55	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 50712 25km (16miles) south-southeast of Berezhany	32	21 July 1944	16:31	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 30233 20km (10miles) southwest of Zolochiv
22	16 April 1944	13:43	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 50389 25km (16miles) west of Tarnopol	33	21 July 1944	16:38	P-39	PQ 25 Ost 40113 15km (09miles) north of Lviv
23	2 May 1944	05:48	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 50122 15km (09miles) southeast of Brody	34	23 July 1944	10:08	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 30225 20km (10miles) southwest of Żółkiew
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1–34 August 1944
35	2 August 1944	08:17	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 25433 25km (16miles) east-southeast of Blumenfeld	37	8 August 1944	12:31	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 36548 20km (10miles) east-southeast of Nemakščiai
36	4 August 1944	07:54	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 36599 30km (20miles) west of Kėdainiai	38	13 August 1944	19:36	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 24613 45km (28miles) northeast of Łomża
– 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 15 August – 31 December 1944
39	16 August 1944	17:23	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 26628 vicinity of Nemakščiai	53	13 October 1944	13:14	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13545, Jabłonna 15km (09miles) north of Warsaw
40	17 August 1944	15:06	Yak-1	PQ 25 Ost 25283 15km (09miles) east of Blumenfeld	54	13 October 1944	15:57	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13518, Radzymin 20km (10miles) north of Warsaw
41	17 August 1944	17:23	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 26628 vicinity of Nemakščiai	55	14 October 1944	11:14	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 13722 15km (09miles) east of Warsaw
42	1 September 1944	10:54?	Il-2	PQ 25 Ost 13559 15km (09miles) northeast of Warsaw	56	14 October 1944	16:07	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13517 20km (10miles) north of Warsaw
43	1 September 1944	10:58	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13583 15km (09miles) east-northeast of Warsaw	57	14 October 1944	16:08	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 03663 15km (09miles) northwest of Warsaw
44	1 September 1944	13:40	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13528 25km (16miles) north-northeast of Warsaw	58	14 October 1944	16:09	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 03666 15km (09miles) northwest of Warsaw
45	4 September 1944	17:16	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13221 20km (10miles) southeast of Ostrołęka	59	15 October 1944	09:29	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 13517 20km (10miles) north of Warsaw
46	1 October 1944	16:11	Pe-2	PQ 25 Ost 13595 25km (16miles) north-northeast of Warsaw	60	15 October 1944	13:52	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 03499 10km (10miles) northwest of Warsaw
47	7 October 1944	12:57	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13357 25km (16miles) east of Nasielsk	61	19 October 1944	08:42	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13348 20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
48	7 October 1944	13:02	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 13651 25km (16miles) east of Nasielsk	62	19 October 1944	08:44	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13379 20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
49	7 October 1944	13:12	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 13343 20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk	63	19 October 1944	08:45	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13349 20km (10miles) east-southeast of Nasielsk
50	10 October 1944	13:13	Il-2 m.H.	PQ 25 Ost 13517 20km (10miles) north of Warsaw	64	21 October 1944	16:11	Yak-9	PQ 25 Ost 13372 20km (10miles) east-southeast of Nasielsk
51?	13 October 1944	09:26	P-39	15km (09miles) east of Modlin	65	24 October 1944	08:54	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 03457 30km (20miles) east-northeast of Modlin
52	13 October 1944	09:29	Boston	PQ 25 Ost 13512 20km (10miles) north of Warsaw
– 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 – Eastern Front — 1 January – 11 March 1945
66	19 January 1945		unknown		68	24 January 1945		unknown
67	24 January 1945		unknown		69	24 January 1945		unknown

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 May 1944 as Leutnant and pilot
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 December 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 13./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"
• German Cross in Gold on 1 January 1945 as Leutnant in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51

References

Bibliography

• Book: Aders . Gebhard . Held . Werner . 1993 . Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders' Eine Chronik – Berichte – Erlebnisse – Dokumente . Fighter Wing 51 'Mölders' A Chronicle – Reports – Experiences – Documents . de . Stuttgart, Germany . Motorbuch Verlag . 978-3-613-01045-1.
• Web site: Bergström . Christer .

  sv:Christer Bergström

  . Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat . Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website . 26 June 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 1943–1945 . Barnsley . . 978-1-39903-073-1.
• 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 . 2015 . Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L . Walton on Thames . Red Kite . 978-1-906592-19-6.
• 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 . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2012 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Buchverlag Rogge . 978-3-942943-05-5.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Balke . Ulf . Bock . Winfried . 2022 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/I—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/I—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944 . de . Eutin, Germany . Buchverlag Rogge . 978-3-942943-26-0.
• 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.
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• Book: Zabecki . David T. . David T. Zabecki . Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History . Santa Barbara, California . . 2014 . 978-1-59884-981-3.