List of World War II aces from Germany
This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[1] It is relatively certain that 2,500 German fighter pilots attained ace status, having achieved at least 5 aerial victories.[2] This article lists 890 (updated as of October 2017) of these aces.
German day and night fighter pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories during World War II, 25,000 over British or American and 45,000 over Russian flown aircraft. 103 German fighter pilots shot down more than 100 enemy aircraft for a total of roughly 15,400 aerial victories. Roughly a further 360 pilots claimed between 40 and 100 aerial victories for round about 21,000 victories. Another 500 fighter pilots claimed between 20 and 40 victories for a total of 15,000 victories. These achievements were honored with 453 German day and Zerstörer (destroyer) pilots having received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. 85 night fighter pilots, including 14 crew members, were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.[3]
German losses on the other hand were very high as well. Roughly 12,000 German day fighter pilots were killed or are still missing in action with a further 6,000 being wounded. The Zerstörer (destroyer) pilots suffered about 2,800 casualties, either killed or missing in action, plus another 900 wounded in action. German night fighter losses were in the magnitude of 3,800 pilots or crew members killed or missing and 1,400 wounded.[4]
Background
There are a number of reasons why Germany's highest-scoring pilots shot down many more aircraft than the most successful Allied pilots. During the first years of the war, German day fighter pilots tended to enjoy favourable tactical circumstances; for instance, during the Battle of Britain British pilots generally tried to attack the German bombers rather than the fighters protecting them. German combat tactics during this period also tended to be superior to those of the Allies, with formation leaders in particular often having a higher chance of success.[5]
Formal and informal Luftwaffe practices also contributed to the high numbers of victories achieved by some pilots. The normal practice in fighter units was for the highest-scoring pilot to lead formations, regardless of their rank, which placed them in the best position to shoot down Allied aircraft. The German pilots also typically conducted much more combat flying than their Allied equivalents: while the western Allied air forces frequently rested their fighter pilots, German pilots were required to fly until they became casualties.[5]
Accuracy of claims
In the 1990s, the German archives made available microfilm rolls of wartime records, not seen since January 1945, available to the public.[6] These showed that while in theory the Luftwaffe did not accept a kill without a witness, which was considered only a probable, in practice some units habitually submitted unwitnessed claims and these sometimes made it through the verification process, particularly if they were made by pilots with already established records.[6] In theory the Luftwaffe did not accept shared claims, but it happened. In theory each separate claim should have referred to a particular aircraft, but in practice some victories were awarded to other pilots who had claimed the destruction of the same aircraft.[6] In 1943 the daily OKW communiques (Wehrmachtbericht) of this period habitually overstated American bomber losses by a factor of two or more. Defenders of German fighter pilots have always maintained that these were reduced during the confirmation process. But the microfilms prove this not to be the case.[6] Some 80 – 90 percent of the claims submitted were confirmed or found to be "in order" for confirmation up to the time the system broke down altogether in 1945.[6]
This along with the * (asterisk), indicates that the pilot was either killed in action (KIA), missing in action (MIA), died of wounds (DOW) or killed in a flying accident (KIFA).
A
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Franz Achleitner | Oberleutnant | 5 | JG 3 | |
Heinz-Günther Adam | Leutnant | 7 | JG 26 | |
Horst Ademeit* | Major | 166[7] | JG 54 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 7 August 1944 |
Walter Adolf* | Hauptmann | 24 (+1 in Spain; +4 unconfirmed)[8] | JG 27, JG 26 | Knight's Cross KIA 18 September 1941 |
Ulrich Adrian* | Oberleutnant | 5 | JG 5, JG 7 | KIFA 5 October 1941 |
Heinrich-Wilhelm Ahnert* | Oberfeldwebel | 57[8] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIA 15 August 1942 |
Peter Ahrens | Leutnant | 11 | JG 26 | |
Johann Aistleitner* | Hauptmann | 12 | JG 26 | KIA 14 January 1944 |
Egon Albrecht* | Hauptmann | 25[8] | ZG 76, SKG 210, ZG 1, JG 76 | Knight's Cross KIA 25 August 1944 |
Rudolf Alf* | Oberfeldwebel | 12 | JG 2 | KIFA 26 November 1944 |
Ernst-George Altnorthoff | Oberleutnant | 11 | JG 27 | |
Alfred Ambs | Leutnant | 7 | JG 7 | |
Peter Andel | Leutnant | 6 | JG 26 | |
Ernst Andres* | Oberleutnant | 28 | NJG 2, NJG 4 | Knight's Cross KIA 11 February 1945 |
Lorenz Andreson | 8 | JG 5 | ||
Heinz Arnold* | Oberfeldwebel | 49 | JG 5, JG 7 | KIA 17 April 1945 |
Hans-Jakob Arnoldy* | Leutnant | 7 | JG 77 | KIA 14 April 1941 |
Rudolf Artner | 20 | JG 5 | ||
Hans-Heinz Augenstein* | Hauptmann | 46[9] | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross KIA 7 December 1944 |
Jakob Augustin* | Leutnant | 15 | JG 2 | MIA 15 July 1942 |
B
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sophus Baagoe* | Hauptmann | 14 | ZG 76 | Knight's Cross KIA 14 May 1941 |
Werner Baake | Hauptmann | 41[9] | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Emil Babenz | Oberfeldwebel | 24 | JG 26 | |
Herbert Bachnick* | Leutnant | 80 | JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIA 7 August 1944 |
Erwin Bacsila | Major | 34 | ZG 1, JG 26, JG 52, JG 77, JG 400, JG 3, JG 301 | |
Johann Badum* | Leutnant | 54 | JG 77 | Knight's Cross KIA 12 January 1943 |
Jens Bahnsen* | Feldwebel | 18 | JG 27, JG 53 | |
Günther Bahr | Oberfeldwebel | 37 | NJG 6 | Knight's Cross |
Hans-Joachim Bahr | 7 | JG 5 | ||
Wilhelm Balthasar* | Major | 47(+7 in Spain) | JG 27, JG 3, JG 2, JG 1 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 3 July 1941 |
"Pritzel" Heinrich Bär | Oberst | 220[10] | JG 51, JG 77, JG 1, JG 3, EJG 2, JV 44 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Herbert Bareuther* | Leutnant | 55 | JG 51, JG 3 | German Cross in Gold KIA 30 April 1945 |
"Gerd" Gerhard Barkhorn | Major | 301[10] | JG 2, JG 52, JG 6, JV 44 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Gerhard Bärsdorf* | Leutnant | 7 | JG 300 | KIA 28 July 1944 |
Heinrich Bartels* | Oberfeldwebel | 99[11] | JG 5, JG 27 | Knight's Cross KIA 23 December 1944 |
Franz Barten* | Hauptmann | 52 | JG 51, JG 53 | Knight's Cross KIA 4 August 1944 |
Erich Bartz | Unteroffizier | 30 | JG 51 | |
"Willi" Wilhelm Batz | Major | 237[10] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Helmut Baudach* | Oberfeldwebel | 20 | JG 2 EKdo 262 Kdo Nowotny JG 7 | |
Franz Bauer* | Hauptmann | 9 | JG 53 | KIA 18 June 1944 |
Herbert Bauer | Major | 11 | St.G 2, SG 103 | |
Konrad Bauer | Oberleutnant | 57 | JG 51, JG 3, JG 300 | Knight's Cross |
Viktor Bauer | Oberst | 106[12] | JG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Karl-Heinz Becker | Feldwebel | 7 | NJG 11 | |
Ludwig Becker* | Hauptmann | 46[9] | NJG 11 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Martin Becker | Hauptmann | 58 | NJG 4, NJG 6 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Paul Becker | Leutnant | 20 | JG 27 | |
Friedrich Beckh* | Oberstleutnant | 48 | JG 51, JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIA 21 June 1942 |
Franz-Josef Beerenbrock | Leutnant | 117[13] | JG 51 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Artur Beese | Oberleutnant | 22 | JG 26 | |
Wilhelm Beier | Oberleutnant | 38 | NJG 2, NJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Hans Beißwenger* | Oberleutnant | 152[14] | JG 54 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves MIA 6 March 1943 |
Ludwig Bellof | Oberfeldwebel | 25 | Knight's Cross | |
Helmut Belser* | Hauptmann | 36 | JG 53 | Knight's Cross KIA 19 June 1942 |
Karl-Heinz Bendert | Oberleutnant | 55 | JG 27, JG 104 | Knight's Cross |
Helmut Bennemann | Oberstleutnant | 93 | JG 52, JG 53 | Knight's Cross |
Anton Benning | Leutnant | 28 | JG 106, JG 301 | Knight's Cross |
Sigfried Benz | Leutnant | 6 | JG 26 | |
Helmut Bergmann | Hauptmann | 36 | NJG 4, NJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Heinz-Edgar Berres* | Hauptmann | 53 | JG 53 | Knight's Cross MIA 25 July 1943 |
Hans Berschwinger | Oberfeldwebel | 20 | NJG 1, NJG 2 | |
Günther Bertram | Oberleutnant | 35 | KG 4, NJG 100 | |
Otto Bertram | Major | 22(9 in Spain) | J/88, JG 2, JG 101, JG 6 | Knight's Cross |
Arthur Beth | 16 | JG 5 | ||
Siegfried Bethke | Hauptmann | 14 | JG 2 | |
Erich Beulich | 10 | JG 5 | ||
Ernst Beutelspacher* | Oberleutnant | 5 | SG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 22 July 1944 |
Gerhard Beutin* | Oberfeldwebel | 60 | JG 54 | |
Franz Beyer* | Major | 81 | JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIA 11 February 1944 |
Georg Beyer | Oberleutnant | 8 | JG 26 | |
Heinz Beyer | Oberfeldwebel | 33 | JG 5 | |
Heinz Birk | 14 | JG 5 | ||
Hans-Joachim Birkner* | Leutnant | 117[13] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIFA 14 December 1944 |
Emil Bitsch* | Hauptmann | 108[12] | JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIA 15 March 1944 |
Franz Blazytko | Oberfeldwebel | 30 | JG 27 | |
Joachim Blechschmidt* | Oberstleutnant | 17 | ZG 1 | Knight's Cross MIA 13 July 1943 |
Günther Bleckmann* | Major | 33 | SG 1, SG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 1 June 1944 |
Paul Bley* | Oberleutnant | 9 | ZG 26 | KIFA 28 October 1944 |
Günther Blömertz | Leutnant | 10 | JG 26 | |
Walter Blume | Major | 14 | JG 26, JG 27 | |
Hans-Ekkehard Bob | Major | 60 | JG 54, JG 3, JG 51, EJG 2, JV 44 | Knight's Cross |
Eberhard Bock* | Hauptmann | 28 | JG 3, JG 1, JG 104, JG 27 | KIA 28 May 1944 |
Paul Bohm | 6 | NJG 2 | ||
Karl Böhm-Tettelbach | Oberstleutnant | 10 | ZG 26 | |
Kurt Bohn | Feldwebel | 5 | JG 26 | |
Otto Böhner | Oberleutnant | 5 | JG 53 | |
Helmut-Felix Bolz | Major | 20 (+3 in Spain) | JG 2 | |
Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin | Major | 39 | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Hubertus von Bonin* | Oberstleutnant | 77(+4 in Spain) | JG 26, JG 52, JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 15 December 1943 |
Adolf Borchers | Major | 132[15] | JG 51, JG 52 | Knight's Cross |
Walter Borchers* | Oberstleutnant | 59 | ZG 76, NJG 3, NJG 5 | Knight's Cross KIA 6 March 1945 |
Eberhard von Boremski | Hauptmann | 104 | JG 3, EJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Ernst Börngen | Hauptmann | 41 | JG 27 | Knight's Cross |
Hans-Joachim Borreck | Unteroffizier | 5 | JG 26 | |
Karl Borris | Major | 43 | JG 26 | Knight's Cross |
Oscar Bösch | 18 | JG 3 | ||
Wolfgang Böwing-Treuding* | Oberleutnant | 46 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross KIA 11 February 1943 |
Franz Bozicek | 5 | JG 5 | ||
Felix-Maria Brandis* | Oberleutnant | 18 | JG 5 | |
Kurt Brändle* | Major | 180[7] | JG 53, JG 3 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 3 November 1943 |
Paul Brandt | Leutnant | 30 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 24 December 1944 |
Walter Brandt | Oberleutnant | 57 | LG 2, JG 77, JG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Peter Bremer | Oberfeldwebel | 40 | JG 54 | |
Joachim Brendel | Hauptmann | 189[7] | JG 51 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Heinz Bretnütz* | Hauptmann | 37 | JG 53 | Knight's Cross DOW 27 June 1941 |
Klaus Bretschneider* | Oberleutnant | 34 | JG 300 | KIA 24 December 1944 |
Wendelin Breukel | Leutnant | 14 | NJG 2, NJG 4 | |
Adolf Breves | Hauptmann | 17 | NJG 1 | |
Hugo Broch | Leutnant | 81 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross |
Friedrich Brock | Hauptmann | 8 | JG 54, JG 26 | |
Horst Brock* | Leutnant | 17 | JG 3 | KIA 3 November 1943 |
Jürgen Brocke* | Leutnant | 42 | JG 77 | Knight's Cross KIA 15 September 1942 |
Herbert Broennle* | Leutnant | 58 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 4 July 1943 |
Albert Brunner* | Oberfeldwebel | 53 | JG 5 | Knight's Cross KIA 7 May 1943 |
Hermann Buchner | Leutnant | 58 | SG 2, JG 7 | Knight's Cross |
Max Bucholz | Major | 30 | JG 3, JG 5, JG 101 | Knight's Cross |
Alfred Budde* | Leutnant | 21 | JG 54 | KIA 27 December 1944 |
Adolf Buhl* | Oberleutnant | 7 | LG 2 | KIA 27 September 1940 |
"Bu-Mann" Kurt Bühligen | Oberstleutnant | 112[12] | JG 2 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp | Oberst | 18 (+6 in World War I) | JG 77, JG 2, NJG 101, NJG 105 | Knight's Cross |
Johannes Bunzek* | Leutnant | 75[16] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross 11 December 1943 |
Eberhard Burath | Oberleutnant | 7 | JG 1, JG 51 | |
Lutz-Wilhelm Burckhardt | Hauptmann | 69 | JG 77, JG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Alfred Burk | Oberleutnant | 28 | JG 52, JG 27 | |
Josef Bürschgens | Hauptmann | 10 | JG 26 | |
Erwin Busch | Oberleutnant | 8 | JG 26 | |
Rudolf Busch | 40 | JG 51 | ||
Heinz Busse | Oberleutnant | 22 | JG 51 | |
Erich Büttner* | Oberfeldwebel | 8 | EKdo 262, Kdo Nowotny, JG 7 | KIA 20 March 1945 |
Johannes Büttner | 16 | JG 51 | ||
Bruno Buzzi | 9 | JG 5 |
C
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Horst Carganico* | Major | 60 | JG 5 | Knight's Cross KIA 27 May 1944 |
Georg Christl | Major | 7 | ZG 26, JG 10 | Knight's Cross |
Ernst Christof | Feldwebel | 9 | JG 26 | |
Emil Clade | Hauptmann | 27 | JG 27 | 90th birthday in 2006 |
Erwin Clausen* | Major | 132[15] | JG 77, JG 11 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 4 October 1943 |
Max Clerico | 7 | JG 54 | ||
Helmut Conter | Leutnant | 15 | NJG 100 | |
Heino Cordes | Leutnant | 62 | JG 54 | |
Wilhelm Crinius | Leutnant | 114[13] | JG 53 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Peter Crump | Leutnant | 31 | JG 26 | |
Franz Czech | Feldwebel | 60 | JG 3 |
D
E
F
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wolfgang Falck | Oberst | 7 | ZG 1, NJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Horst-Günther von Fassong* | Hauptmann | 136[15] | JG 51, JG 11 | Knight's Cross KIA 1 January 1945 |
Hans-Joachim Fast | Unteroffizier | 5 | JG 26 | |
Leopold Fellerer | Hauptmann | 41[9] | NJG 1, NJG 5, NJG 6 | Knight's Cross |
Georg Fengler | Oberleutnant | 16 | NJG 4 | |
Herbert Findeisen | Hauptmann | 67 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross |
Günter Fink* | Hauptmann | 46 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 15 May 1943 |
August Fischer | Hauptmann | 10 | NJG 100 | |
Erwin Fleig | Leutnant | 66 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross |
Josef Flögel | Oberfeldwebel | 25 | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Otto Fönnekold* | Oberleutnant | 136[15] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIA 31 August 1944 |
Hermann Förster* | Oberfeldwebel | 13 | JG 27 | |
Josef Fözö | Major | 27 (3 in Spain) | JG 51, JG 108 | Knight's Cross |
Gustav Francsi | Oberleutnant | 56 | NJG 100 | Knight's Cross |
Hans-Dieter Frank* | Major | 55 | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIFA 27/28 September 1943 |
Rudolf Frank* | Leutnant | 45[9] | NJG 3 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 26/27 April 1945 |
Alfred Franke* | Leutnant | 60 | JG 53 | Knight's Cross KIA 9 September 1942 |
Richard Franz | Oberleutnant | 18 | JG 27, JG 77, JG 3, JG 11 | |
Ludwig Franzisket | Major | 43 | JG 27 | Knight's Cross |
Hans Frese | Leutnant | 44 | JG 3 | |
Wilhelm Freuwörth | Oberfeldwebel | 58 | JG 52, JG 26 | Knight's Cross |
Hugo Frey* | Hauptmann | 32 | JG 11, JG 1 | Knight's Cross KIA 6 March 1944 |
Siegfried Freytag | Major | 102[11] | JG 77 | Knight's Cross |
Herbert Friebel | Leutnant | 58 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross |
Gerhard Friedrich* | Major | 33 | NJG 1, NJG 4, NJG 6 | Knight's Cross KIA 16 March 1945 |
Gustav Frielinghaus | Hauptmann | 74[16] | JG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Heinz de Fries | Oberfeldwebel | 10 | NJG 100 | |
Hans-Jürgen Frölich | Feldwebel | 5 | JG 26 | |
Karl Fuchs | Oberfeldwebel | 67 | JG 54 | |
Robert Fuchs | Oberfeldwebel | 23 | JG 54 | |
Erich Führmann | Oberfeldwebel | 5 | JG 11 | |
Heinrich Füllgrabe* | Oberleutnant | 67 | JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIA 30 January 1945 |
Ralph Furch | Leutnant | 32 | JG 51 | |
Hans Fuß* | Leutnant | 71 | JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIFA 10 November 1942 |
G
H
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Friedrich Haas | Leutnant | 74[16] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross |
Horst Haase* | Major | 56 | JG 51, JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIA 26 November 1944 |
Wilhelm Hachfeld* | Hauptmann | 12 | LG 2, JG 51, ZG 2 | Knight's Cross KIFA 2 December 1942 |
August Hachtel | Oberleutnant | 5 | JG 400 | Knight's Cross |
Joachim Hacker | Leutnant | 32 | JG 51 | |
Anton Hackl | Major | 192[7] | JG 77, JG 11, JG 26, JG 300 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Heinrich "Heinz" Hackler* | Leutnant | 56 | JG 77 | Knight's Cross KIA 1 January 1945 |
Heinz-Martin Hadeball | Hauptmann | 33 | NJG 1, NJG 4, NJG 6, NJGr 10 | Knight's Cross |
Anton "Toni" Hafner* | Oberleutnant | 204[7] | JG 51 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 17 October 1944 |
Ludwig Häfner* | Leutnant | 52 | JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIA 10 November 1942 |
Walter Hagenah | Leutnant | 17 | JG 3, JG 7 | |
Johannes Hager | Hauptmann | 48 | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross |
Franz Hahn* | Hauptmann | 17 | JG 77, JG 51, JG 4 | KIA 22 January 1944 |
Hans "Assi" Hahn | Major | 108[12] | JG 2, JG 54 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Hans von Hahn | Major | 34 | JG 53, JG 1, JG 103 | Knight's Cross |
Hans Hahn* | Leutnant | 13 | NJG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 11/12 October 1941 |
Josef Haiböck | Hauptmann | 77 | JG 26, JG 52, JG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Heinz Halstrick | 13 | JG 5 | ||
Joachim Hamer | Leutnant | 35 | JG 51 | |
Alfred Hammer | 26 | JG 53 | ||
Karl Hammerl* | Leutnant | 67 | JG 52 | Knight's Cross MIA 2 March 1943 |
Gotthard Handrick | Oberst | 10 (+5 in Spain) | JG 26, JG 77 | Gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics |
Heinz Hanke | 9 | JG 1 | ||
Günther Hannak | Hauptmann | 47 | LG 2, JG 77, JG 27 | Knight's Cross |
Horst Hannig* | Oberleutnant | 98[11] | JG 54, JG 2 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 15 May 1943 |
Harro Harder | Hauptmann | 22 (+11 in Spain) | JG 53 | |
Jürgen Harder* | Major | 64 | JG 53, JG 11 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIFA 17 February 1945 |
Hans Hartigs | Oberleutnant | 7 | JG 26 | |
Andreas Hartl | Feldwebel | 11 | JG 302 | |
"Bubi" Erich Hartmann | Major | 352[10] | JG 52, JG 53 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds |
Ludwig Hartmann | 10 | JG 2 | ||
Hans-Dieter Hartwein | 16 | JG 5 | ||
Horst Hasse | 82 | JG 51, JG 3 | ||
Helmut Haugk | Hauptmann | 18 | ZG 76, ZG 26 | Knight's Cross |
Werner Haugk* | Leutnant | 9 | StG 77, ZG 76 | Knight's Cross KIA 18 October 1944 |
Wilhelm Hauswirth | Feldwebel | 54 | JG 52 | |
Alfred Heckmann | Oberleutnant | 71 | JG 3, JG 26, JV 44 | Knight's Cross |
Günther Heckmann | Leutnant | 20 | JG 51, JG 1, JG 7 | |
Hubert Heckmann | 5 | JG 1, JG 7 | ||
Guenther Otto Heeger | Hauptmann | 90 | ||
Alfred Heidel | 9 | JG 27 | ||
Joseph Heim* | Gefreiter | 5 | JG 7 | KIA 10 April 1945 |
Friedrich Heimann | Oberfeldwebel | 30 | JG 51 | |
Kurt Hein | Feldwebel | 8 | JG 26 | |
Hans-Joachim Heinecke | Hauptmann | 28 | JG 27 | |
Engelbert Heiner* | Oberleutnant | 15 | NJG 6 | Knight's Cross KIA 18/19 March 1945 |
Richard Heller* | Leutnant | 22 | ZG 26, ZG 10 | Knight's Cross KIA 5 April 1945 |
Bodo Helms | 6 | JG 5 | ||
Horst Hennig* | Hauptmann | 7 | KG 77, NJG 3 | Knight's Cross KIFA 7/8 October 1944 |
Eberhard Henrici | Oberleutnant | 7 | JG 26 | |
Helmut Henz* | Hauptmann | 6 | JG 77 | KIA 25 May 1941 |
Wilhelm Herget | Major | 73 | ZG 76, NJG 3, NJG 1, NJG 4, JV 44 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Kurt Hermann | 9 | NJG 2 | ||
Rolf Hermichen | Major | 64 | JG 26, JG 11, JG 104 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Hajo Herrmann | Oberst | 9 | KG 4, KG 30, JG 300 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Heinrich Heuser | Feldwebel | 5 | JG 26 | |
Hans-Joachim Heyer* | Leutnant | 53 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 9 November 1942 |
Otto-Heinrich Hilleke | Leutnant | 6 | JG 26 | |
Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld* | Oberleutnant | 24 | JG 300, JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 28 July 1944 |
Heinz-Horst Hißbach* | Hauptmann | 34 | NJG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 15 April 1945 |
Walter Höckner* | Major | 68 | JG 77, JG 26, JG 1, JG 4 | Knight's Cross KIFA 25 August 1944 |
Heinrich Höfemeier* | Oberleutnant | 96 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross KIA 7 August 1943 |
Friedrich Hoffmann* | Leutnant | 11 | JG 27 | |
Gerhard Hoffmann* | Leutnant | 125[13] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIFA 17 April 1945 |
Heinrich Hoffmann* | Oberfeldwebel | 63 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Hermann Hoffmann | 8 | JG 26 | ||
Karl Hoffmann | 70 | JG 52 | ||
Reinhold Hoffmann* | Leutnant | 67 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 24 May 1944 |
Werner Hoffmann | Major | 51 | ZG 2, NJG 3, NJG 5 | Knight's Cross |
Karl-Wilhelm Hofmann* | Oberleutnant | 44 | JG 26 | Knight's Cross KIA 26 March 1945 |
Erich Hohagen | Major | 56 | JG 51, JG 2, JG 27, JG 7, JV 44 | Knight's Cross |
Werner Hohenberg | Oberfeldwebel | 33 | JG 52, JG 2 | |
Georg Höhn | 6 | JG 5 | ||
Walter Holl | 7 | JG 26 | ||
Kurt Holler | 18 | NJG 2, NJG 3, NJG 4 | ||
Helmuth Holtz | 56 | JG 51 | ||
Gerhard Homuth* | Major | 63 | JG 27, JG 54 | Knight's Cross MIA 2 August 1943 |
Helmuth Hoppe | 24 | JG 26 | ||
Jürgen Hörschelmann | Oberleutnant | 44 | JG 3 | |
Walter Horten | 7 | JG 26 | ||
Anton Horwick* | Oberfeldwebel | 27 | NJG 2, NJG 7 | Knight's Cross KIA 19 February 1945 |
Dietrich Hrabak | Oberst | 125[13] | JG 76, JG 54, JG 52 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Franz Hrdlicka* | Hauptmann | 60 | JG 77, JG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 25 March 1945 |
Rudolf Hübl | 20 | JG 1 | ||
Eckhard Hübner* | Leutnant | 47 | JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIA 28 March 1942 |
Werner Hübner | 7 | JG 51 | ||
Wilhelm Hübner* | Leutnant | 62 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross KIA 7 April 1945 |
Karl Hülshoff | 11 | NJG 2 | ||
Herbert Huppertz* | Major | 68 | JG 51, JG 5, JG 2 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 8 June 1944 |
Werner Husemann | Major | 34 | NJG 1, NJG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Wolf-Dietrich Huy | Hauptmann | 40 | JG 77 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
I
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hans Iffland | 18 | JG 3 | ||
Herbert Ifeiiefeld | Oberst | 130 (+7 in Spain)[15] | I(J)/LG 2, JG 77, JG 52, JGr.25, JG 11, JG 1 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Iro Ilk* | Major | 10 | LG 1, JG 300 | Knight's Cross KIA 25 September 1944 |
Eduard Isken | Oberfeldwebel | 56 | JG 77, JGr 200, I(F)/123, JG 53 | Knight's Cross |
J
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hans-Joachim Jabs | Oberstleutnant | 50[9] | ZG 76, NJG 1 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Ernst Jäckel | Feldwebel | 8 | JG 26 | |
Alfred Jakobi | 10 | JG 5 | ||
Erich Jauer | 13 | JG 26 | ||
Kurt Jenisch* | Leutnant | 9 | JG 27 | |
Peter Jenne* | Hauptmann | 17 | JG 300 | Knight's Cross KIA 2 March 1945 |
Josef Jennewein* | Leutnant | 86 | JG 26, JG 51 | Knight's Cross MIA 27 July 1943 |
Heinrich Jessen | Oberleutnant | 6 | JG 26 | |
Hans Johannsen | Leutnant | 8 | JG 26 | |
Wilhelm Johnen | Hauptmann | 34 | NJG 1, NJG 5, NJG 6 | Knight's Cross |
Hermann-Friedrich Joppien* | Hauptmann | 70 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 28 August 1941 |
Günther Josten | Oberleutnant | 178[7] | JG 51 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Harald Jung | Hauptmann | 20 | JG 51 | |
Heinrich Jung* | Hauptmann | 68 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 30 July 1943 |
K
L
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
August Lambert* | Oberleutnant | 116[13] | SG 2, SG 77 | Knight's Cross KIA 17 April 1945 |
Günther Landt | 23 | JG 53 | ||
Emil "Bully" Lang* | Hauptmann | 173[7] | JG 54, JG 26 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves 18 in one day |
Friedrich Lange | Leutnant | 8 | JG 26 | |
Gerhard Lange | Hauptmann | 5 | JG 6 | |
Heinz Lange | Major | 70 | JG 21, JG 54, JG 51 | Knight's Cross |
Hans-Joachim Langer | 10 | JG 51, JG 7 | ||
Karl-Heinz Langer | Major | 30 | JG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Erwin Laskowski | Oberfeldwebel | 46 | JG 51, JG 11 | Knight's Cross |
Kurt Lasse* | Oberleutnant | 39 | JG 77 | Knight's Cross KIA 8 October 1941 |
Karl Laub | Oberfeldwebel | 7 | JG 26 | |
Bernhard Lausch | Oberfeldwebel | 39 | JG 51 | |
Heinz Leber | Leutnant | 54 | JG 51 | |
Alois Lechner* | Major | 45 | NJG 100, NJG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 23 February 1944 |
Karl-Heinz Leesmann* | Major | 37 | JG 52, JG 1 | Knight's Cross KIA 25 July 1943 |
Erwin Leibold | Oberfeldwebel | 11 | JG 26 | |
Erich Leie* | Major | 118[13] | JG 2, JG 51, JG 77 | Knight's Cross KIA 7 March 1945 |
Hermann Leiste | Leutnant | 29 | JG 54 | |
Siegfried Lemke | Hauptmann | 96 | JG 2 | Knight's Cross |
Wilhelm Lemke* | Hauptmann | 131[15] | JG 3 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 4 December 1943 |
Helmut Lennartz | Feldwebel | 13 | JG 11, JG 7, EKdo 262, Kdo Nowotny | |
Helmut Lent* | Oberst | 110 | NJG 1, NJG 2, NJG 3 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds |
Richard Leppla | Major | 68 | JG 51, JG 105, JG 6 | Knight's Cross |
Heinrich Lesch | 8 | JG 5 | ||
Heinrich Leschert* | Oberfeldwebel | 23 | JG 53 | KIA 10 August 1942 |
Rudolf Leuschel | Hauptmann | 9 | JG 26 | |
Erwin Leykauf | Oberleutnant | 33 | JG 54 | |
Fritz Liebelt | Leutnant | 25 | JG 51 | |
Carl von Lieres | Oberleutnant | 31 | JG 27 | |
Frank Liesendahl* | Hauptmann | 50 | JG 53, JG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 17 July 1942 |
Arnold Lignitz | Major | 25 | JG 51, JG 54 | Knight's Cross |
Friedrich Lindelaub | Oberfeldwebel | 5 | JG 26 | |
Theodor Lindemann | Oberleutnant | 7 | JG 26 | |
Anton Lindner | Oberleutnant | 73[16] | JG 51 | Knight's Cross |
Walter Lindner | 64 | JG 52 | ||
Lothar Linke* | Oberleutnant | 27 | ZG 76, NJG 1, NJG 2 | Knight's Cross KIA 14 May 1943 |
Rudi Linz* | Leutnant | 70 | JG 5 | Knight's Cross KIA 9 February 1945 |
Helmut Lipfert | Hauptmann | 203[7] | JG 52, JG 53 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld* | Major | 51 | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIFA 12 March 1944 |
Wolfgang Lippert* | Hauptmann | 29 (+4 in Spain) | JG 53, JG 27 | Knight's Cross KIA 3 December 1941 |
Stefan Litjens | Oberfeldwebel | 38 | JG 53 | Knight's Cross |
Gerhard Loos* | Oberleutnant | 92 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 6 March 1944 |
Walter Loos | Oberfeldwebel | 38 | JG 301, JG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Fritz Losigkeit | Major | 68 | JG 26, JG 1, JG 51, JG 77 | Knight's Cross |
August Lübking | 38 | JG 5, JG 7 | ||
Werner Lucas* | Hauptmann | 106[12] | JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIA 24 October 1943 |
Max-Hermann Lücke* | Oberleutnant | 78 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross KIA 8 November 1943 |
Fritz Lüddecke* | Oberfeldwebel | 51 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross KIA 10 August 1944 |
Rudolf Lüder | 6 | JG 5 | ||
Herbert Lütje | Oberstleutnant | 50 | NJG 1, NJG 6 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Johannes Lutter | Hauptmann | 12 | ZG 1, ZG 76, ZG 2, SKG 210, SKG 10, SG 4 | Knight's Cross |
Richard Lutzka | 5 | JG 5 | ||
Günther Lützow* | Oberst | 108 (5 in Spain)[12] | JG 3, JV 44 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords MIA 24 April 1945 |
August Luy | 35 | JG 5 |
M
N
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heinz Nacke | Major | 14 | ZG 76, NJG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Johannes Naumann | Major | 34 | JG 26, JG 6, JG 7 | Knight's Cross |
Kurt Necesany* | Oberleutnant | 6 | KG 40, ZG 1 | MIA 14 February 1944 |
Willi Nemitz* | Leutnant | 81 | JG 52 | Knight's Cross KIA 11 April 1943 |
Wolfgang Neu | Hauptmann | 12 | JG 26 | |
Hermann Neuhoff | Leutnant | 40 | JG 53 | Knight's Cross |
Eduard Neumann | Oberstleutnant | 11 (+2 in Spain) | JG 26, JG 27 | |
Helmut Neumann | Leutnant | 62 | JG 5 | Knight's Cross |
Klaus Neumann | Leutnant | 37 | JG 51, JG 3, JG 7, JV 44 | Knight's Cross |
Siegfried Ney | Oberfeldwebel | 11 | NJG 1 | |
Karl-Gottfried Nordmann | Oberst | 78 | JG 51 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Jakob Norz* | Leutnant | 117[13] | JG 5 | Knight's Cross KIA 16 September 1944 |
"Nowi" Walter Nowotny* | Major | 258[10] | JG 54, Kdo Nowotny, JG 101 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds KIA 8 November 1944 |
O
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Friedrich Obleser | Oberleutnant | 120[13] | JG 52 | Knight's Cross |
Walter Oesau* | Oberst | 125 (+8 in Spain)[13] | JG 1, JG 2, JG 51, J/88 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords KIA 11 May 1944 |
Walter Ohlrogge | Leutnant | 77 | JG 3, JG 7 | Knight's Cross |
Robert Olejnik | Major | 41 | JG 2, JG 3, JG 1, JG 400 | Knight's Cross |
Emil Omert* | Hauptmann | 70 | JG 3, JG 2, JG 77 | Knight's Cross KIA 24 April 1944 |
Theo Osterkamp | Generalleutnant | 6 (+32 in World War I) | JG 51 | Knight's Cross |
Max-Hellmuth Ostermann* | Oberleutnant | 102[11] | ZG 1, JG 54 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords KIA 9 August 1942 |
P
Q
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Klaus Quaet-Faslem* | Major | 49 | JG 53, JG 3 | Knight's Cross KIFA 30 January 1944 |
Richard Quante* | Feldwebel | 49 | JG 51 | KIA 14 August 1942 |
Werner Quast | Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel | 84 | JG 52 | Knight's Cross |
R
S
T
U
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kurt "Kuddel" Ubben* | Major | 110[12] | JG 77, JG 2 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 27 April 1944 |
Hermann Ulbrich | Feldwebel | 33 | JG 51 | |
Horst Ulenberg | Leutnant | 17 | JG 26 | |
Willy Unger | Leutnant | 24 | JG 3, JG 7 | Knight's Cross |
Robert Unzeitig | Leutnant | 10 | JG 26 |
V
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heinrich Vandeweerd | Oberfähnrich | 6 | JG 26 | |
Bernhard Vechtel | Oberleutnant | 108[12] | JG 51 | Knight's Cross |
Heinz Venth* | Oberleutnant | 17 | JG 51 | MIA 16 July 1944 |
Helmut Viedebantt* | Major | 23 | ZG 1, SG 10 | Knight's Cross KIA 1 May 1945 |
Heinz Vinke* | Oberleutnant | 54 | NJG 1 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 26 February 1944 |
Otto Vinzent | Oberleutnant | 45 | JG 54 | |
Gerhard Vivroux* | Feldwebel | 11 | JG 3 | WIA 25 October 1944 |
Ferdinand Vögl | Hauptmann | 33 | JG 27 | |
Heinz-Gerhard Vogt* | Oberleutnant | 48 | JG 26 | Knight's Cross KIA 14 January 1945 |
Maximilian Volke* | Oberfeldwebel | 37 | JG 77 | Remains of plane and pilot found in 2007 near Modena, Italy. |
W
Z
Name | Rank | Total wartime victories | Unit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Joachim Zeller | 7 | JG 26 | ||
Walter Zellot* | Leutnant | 85 | JG 53 | Knight's Cross KIA 10 September 1942 |
Oskar Zimmermann | Leutnant | 34 | JG 51, JG 3 | Knight's Cross |
Füllbert Zink | Hauptmann | 36 | JG 26 | |
Josef Zirngibl | Oberfeldwebel | 9 | JG 26 | |
Paul Zorner | Major | 59 | NJG 2, NJG 3, NJG 100, NJG 5 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Franz-Josef Zoufahl | Oberfeldwebel | 26 | JG 51 | |
Eugen-Ludwig Zweigart* | Oberleutnant | 69 | JG 54 | Knight's Cross KIA 12 January 1943 |
Josef Zwernemann* | Hauptmann | 126[13] | JG 52, JG 11 | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 8 April 1944 |
Rudi Zwesken | Oberfeldwebel | 25 | JG 52, JG 300 | Knight's Cross |
References
Citations
- ↑ Spick 1996, pp. 3–4.
- ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 241.
- ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 14.
- ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 242.
- 1 2 Spick 1996
- 1 2 3 4 5 Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 96.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Spick 1996, p. 228.
- 1 2 3 Obermaier 1989, p. 81.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Spick 1996, p. 244.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Spick 1996, p. 227.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Spick 1996, p. 233.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Spick 1996, p. 232.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Spick 1996, p. 231.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Spick 1996, p. 229.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Spick 1996, p. 230.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Spick 1996, p. 237.
- 1 2 Spick 1996, p. 241.
Bibliography
- Caldwell, Donald; Muller Richard (2007). The Luftwaffe Over Germany: Defense of the Reich. Greenhill books. ISBN 978-1-85367-712-0.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1941 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
- Sims, Edward H (1982). Jagdflieger Die großen Gegner von einst (in German). Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-115-9.
- Toliver, Raymond F. & Constable, Trevor J. (1998), Das waren die Deutschen Jagdflieger-Asse 1939–1945 (in German). Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-193-0.