Bio of Oberst Karl-Gottfried Nordmann (1915-1982)

Karl-Gottfried "Karlfried" Nordmann

Date of Birth: 22.11.1915 - Gießen, Großherzogtum Hessen und bei Rhein (German Empire)
Date of Death: 22.07.1982 - Greenwich, Connecticut (USA)

Achieved 78 victories in about 840 sorties

Wife: Tina
Children: Eric and Corinne

Promotions:
06.04.1936 Fahnenjunker
01.01.1938 Leutnant
01.04.1940 Oberleutnant
19.09.1941 Hauptmann
18.06.1942 Major
01.08.1943 Oberstleutnant
30.01.1945 Oberst

Career:
06.04.1936 joined the Luftwaffe
01.03.1938 - 30.04.1938 1. Staffel / Kampfgeschwader 253
00.05.1938 posted to the Jagdfliegerschule Werneuchen
00.07.1938 Staffeloffizier with the Stab of I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 77
02.11.1938 Staffeloffizier with the Stab of I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 331 (renamed)
01.05.1939 Staffeloffizier with the Stab of I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 77 (renamed)
03.09.1939 claimed his first victory when he shot down a Polish PZL.43
21.11.1939 Staffeloffizier with the Stab of IV.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51 (renamed)
01.03.1940 Staffelkapitän 12.Staffel / IV.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51
20.07.1941 Gruppenkommandeur IV.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51
28.08.1941 claimed his 50th victory
10.04.1942 Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 51
17.01.1943 involved in a midair collision with Hauptmann Rudolf Busch, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 51. Busch was killed and Nordmann, severely injured, did not fly operationally again
01.04.1944 Jagdfliegerführer Ostpreussen
04.01.1945 Inspekteur der Tagjäger Ost
04.04.1945 Kommandeur 1. Flieger-Division

Awards and Decorations:
08.10.1939 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
05.01.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
28.07.1941 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
01.08.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 12.Staffel / IV.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51). Awarded after 31 aerial victories.
16.09.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #35, as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 12.Staffel / IV.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51). Awarded after 59 aerial victories.
04.05.1944 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht: Fighter wing "Mölders", under the leadership of Oberstleutnant Nordmann, reported its 8 000th aerial victory.

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Karl-Gottfried Nordmann was born on 22 November 1915 in Giessen, at the time in the Grand Duchy of Hesse of the German Empire. He was the son of a doctor and joined the military service of the Luftwaffe on 6 April 1936 as a Fahnenjunker (officer cadet). Nordmann was promoted to Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 1 January 1938 and served with 1. Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 253 from 1 March to 30 April 1938. He was then posted to the Jagdfliegerschule (Fighter Pilot School) at Werneuchen, under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Theodor Osterkamp. Since July 1938, he served as a Staffeloffizier (squadron officer) with the Stab of I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing), which later became IV./Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing).

This unit underwent a series of redesignations which started with VI./Jagdgeschwader 132 (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing), was renamed on 2 November 1938 to I./Jagdgeschwader 331 (JG 331—331st Fighter Wing). While based at Breslau-Schöngarten (currently called Copernicus Airport Wrocław), it was redesignated again, this time to I./JG 77 on 1 May 1939, which was redesignated to IV./JG 51 on 21 November 1940.

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Nordmann claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Polish PZL.43 on 3 September 1939. Nordmann achieved his next victory during the Battle of France and seven more in the Battle of Britain. He was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 12. Staffel (12th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) on 1 March 1940, replacing Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Erwin Neuerburg who became Staffelkapitän of 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). In this function, he was promoted to Oberleutnant on 1 April 1940. Nordmann was victorious over two Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfires on 17 October 1940 and achieved his ninth aerial victory on 6 May 1941.

In June 1941, JG 51 and the majority of the Luftwaffe were transferred to the Eastern Front in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. On 20 July 1941 Nordmann was appointed to command IV./JG 51, succeeding Major Friedrich Beckh who was selected to command JG 51 as Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander). Command of the 12. Staffel was passed on to Oberleutnant Heinrich Bär. Less than two weeks later, on 1 August 1941 Nordmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) after a total of 31 victories which was presented to him by General der Flieger Bruno Loerzer. Unteroffizier (Sergeant) Franz-Josef Beerenbrock flew as Nordmann's Rottenflieger (wing man) around this time. Nordmann achieved his 40th victory in total on 16 August and his 50th on 28 August. Only three weeks later he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 16 September 1941 after 59 victories which was presented by Adolf Hitler. Three days later, on 19 September, he was promoted to Hauptmann (captain). On 10 April 1942, Nordmann took over command of JG 51 as Geschwaderkommodore from Beckh who was transferred to the Reich Air Ministry.

Nordmann was promoted to Major (major) on 18 June 1942. On 26 June 1942 Nordmann crashed his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-2 (Werknummer 12825—factory number). The aircraft flipped during the landing and Nordmann suffered a basilar fractured skull, an injury typical of high-speed crashes. Although he flew again shortly after the crash his injury required hospitalization in August. Nordmann, who had been assisted by Hauptmann Joachim Müncheberg as a Geschwaderkommodore in training, temporarily replaced him during his absence. On 17 January 1943 Nordmann's Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was involved in a midair collision with Hauptmann Rudolf Busch, Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 51. Busch was killed and Nordmann, severely injured, did not fly operationally again. In total, Nordmann claimed 78 aerial victories, 69 of which on the Eastern Front, flying over 800 combat missions. Under his leadership JG 51 reported the 4,000th aerial victory on 16 December 1942, the 5,000th victory on 2 June 1943, the 6,000th victory on 27 July 1943 and the 7,000th victory on 15 September 1943.

Nordmann, who had been promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) on 1 August 1943, was appointed Jagdfliegerführer Ostpreussen on 1 April 1944. This command was also later referred to as Jagdabschnittsführer 6 (leader of the 6th fighter sector), while subordinated to the Luftflotte 6 (6th Air Fleet). On 11 November, Reichsmarschall (Marshal of the Realm) Hermann Göring, in his role as commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, organized a meeting of high-ranking Luftwaffe officers, including Nordmann. The meeting, also referred to as the "Areopag" was held at the Luftkriegsakademie (air war academy) at Berlin-Gatow. This Luftwaffe version of the Greek Areopagus—a court of justice—aimed at finding solutions to the deteriorating air was situation over Germany. He was appointed Inspekteur der Tagjäger Ost (Inspector of Fighter Operations East) on 4 January 1945 and on 30 January 1945 promoted to Oberst (Colonel). Just prior to the end of the war, on 4 April 1945, he took over command of the 1st Fighter Division until the end of the war.

After World War II, Nordmann joined Mercedes-Benz in 1950, initially working in sales. He later became head of the sales department and, in 1968, head of worldwide services. In January 1971 he was appointed president of Mercedes-Benz in North America and Canada, retiring in January 1981. Despite his retirement, he continued to hold a position as company director. During his tenure with Mercedes, Nordmann was an early mentor of Jürgen Schrempp, who later became the chief executive officer of Daimler AG. Under Nordmann's leadership, Mercedes sales in the United States increased from 30,000 cars in 1970 to 43,600 cars in 1972, a 0.4% U.S. market share. To further expand the market presence in North America, Mercedes in 1976 opened a facility in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1977 Daimler bought the Euclid Company of Ohio and Freightliner Trucks in 1981.

In 1981 Nordmann attended an aviation symposium of the International Order of Characters (IOC) held in Stamford, Connecticut. The symposium panel was made up of four former World War II fighter pilots. In addition to Nordmann, the panel included the former RAF pilots, Sir Douglas Bader and Robert Stanford Tuck, and the former United States Army Air Forces pilot Robert S. Johnson.

He died at his home on 22 July 1982 in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. Nordmann's wife was named Tina. They had a son, Eric, and a daughter, Corinne.

Nordmann claimed 78 aerial victories, 69 of which on the Eastern Front, achieved in flying over 800 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 75 aerial victory claims, plus two further unconfirmed claims. This number includes 1 claim over Poland, 8 on the Western Front, and 66 on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 37432". The Luftwaffe grid map 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 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3x4km in size.

Leutnant Karl Gottfried Nordmann (right) plays with an eagle with his fellow Luftwaffe pilot. The eagle is most likely the mascot of the unit in which he served: I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77) "Herz As". This photo itself was taken in the spring of 1940, and most likely in March when Nordmann was Staffelkapitän of 3.Staffel in his Gruppe. By this time he was already an experienced pilot but still not quite an "ace" (five or more aerial victories). Nordmann had his first victory in early September 1939 over Poland, while further victories were recorded over France. In the Battle of Britain he recorded seven enemy planes being shot down (though over a very long period of time, from July 1940 to July 1941!). Overall, Nordmann claimed 78 victories in more than 800 combat missions. Nearly all of his victories were recorded in Russia where he fought until the end of 1942.



Oberleutnant Karl-Gottfried Nordmann.



From left to right: Oberstleutnant Friedrich Beckh (Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 51) and Hauptmann Karl-Gottfried Nordmann (Gruppenkommandeur IV.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51). This picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Jütte on 18 September 1941 when Nordmann was awarded the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz by Beckh, after achieving 59 aerial victories (the awarding of the medal was already received two days previously). Nordmann himself was appointed to command IV./JG 51, succeeding Beckh who was selected to command JG 51 as Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) on 20 July 1941.



Hauptmann Karl-Gottfried Nordmann.

Eastern Front: Hauptmann Karl-Gottfried Nordmann (left, Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 51) in conversation with unidentified Oberleutnant of the Luftwaffe. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Helmut Grosse in June 1942.

Oberstleutnant Karl-Gottfried Nordmann as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders", April 1943. The picture was taken in Smolensk, Eastern Front, by Kriegsberichter Fischer.

Oberstleutnant Karl-Gottfried Nordmann as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders", July 1943. The picture was taken in Smolensk, Eastern Front, by Kriegsberichter Fischer.

Oberstleutnant Karl-Gottfried Nordmann (right, Geschwaderkommodore Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders") with unknown Major, possibly the leader of 15.Spanische Staffel / JG 51 or "Escuadrilla Azul" (Blue Squadron), a group of volunteer pilots and ground crews recruited from the Spanish Air Force that fought in the side of Germany on the Eastern Front.

Source :
Bundesarchiv photo collection
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=karl-gottfried+nordmann&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl-Gottfried_Nordmann
https://www.generalassaultmilitaria.com/product/portrait-lw-kc-with-oak-leaves-winner-karl-gottfried-nordmann/
http://www.mourningtheancient.com/truth-animalsx6.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/35660/Nordmann-Karl-Gottfried.htm
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/photos-and-paper-items-forum/11872759-iding-a-luftwaffe-hauptmann-oak-leaf-knights-cross-recipient-photo?p=11872929#post11872929

Five Ritterkreuzträger of 6./JG 5

 

Five Luftwaffe ace pilots from 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) "Eismeer" standing in front of the fuselage of a Messerschmitt Bf 109. From left to right: Feldwebel Hans Döbrich (24 March 1916 – 6 April 1984. Ritterkreuz on 19 September 1943. Final score: 65 air victories), Leutnant der Reserve Theodor Weissenberger (21 December 1914 – 11 June 1950. Ritterkreuz on 13 November 1942 and Eichenlaub on 2 August 1943. Final score: 208 air victories), Staffelkapitän Oberleutnant Heinrich Ehrler (14 September 1917 – 4 April 1945. Ritterkreuz on 4 September 1942 and Eichenlaub on 2 August 1943. Final score: 208 air victories), Feldwebel Rudolf "Rudi" Müller (21 November 1920 – 21 October 1943. Ritterkreuz on 19 June 1942. Final score: 94 air victories), and Oberfeldwebel Albert Brunner (17 July 1918 – 7 May 1943. Ritterkreuz posthumously on 3 July 1943. Final score: 53 air victories). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Hirschfelder in the Scandinavian theatre of war, early 1943.

Source :
https://reibert.info/threads/genrix-ehrler-heinrich-ehrler.576442/
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Rudolf_M%C3%BCller_(pilot)

Bio of Major Theodor Weissenberger (1914-1950)

Theodor "Theo" Weissenberger

Date of birth: 21.12.1914 - Mühlheim am Main, Hesse-Darmstadt (German Empire)
Date of death: 11.06.1950 - Nürburgring, Rheinland-Pfalz (West Germany)

Promotions:
01.12.1940 Feldwebel der Reserve
01.02.1942 Oberfeldwebel der Reserve
01.07.1942 Leutnant
01.06.1943 Oberleutnant
01.06.1944 Hauptmann
01.01.1945 Major

Career:
1935: made his first glider flight with the DLV
10.1936: began training with 2./ Fl.Ers.-Abt. 14
01.1937: began training for powered flight
1941: with Zerstörerschule Neubiberg
End 08.1941: Feldwebel d.R. transferred to ZSt./ JG 77
01.09.1941: assigned to (Z) Staffel/ JG 77 (later 15.(Z)/JG 77)
25.04.1942: Oberfeldwebel d.R. in 10.(Z)/ JG 5, shot down by a Pe-2 and force-landed in area of Salmijärvi - Bf110 E-2 (LN +BR)
01.07.1942: Ofw., awarded the Ehrenpokal and promoted to Leutnant d.R.
19(10?).09.1942: transferred to 6./ JG 5
11.10.1942: Leutnant d.R. in 6./ JG 5, crashed vic Petsamo due to an accident
22.10.1942: Leutnant d.R., 6./ JG 5 damaged Bf 109 F-4/R1 (Yellow 4) - bailed out due to motor failure over the Tschupa Lake - crashed in the area of Petsamo
28.03.1943: Leutnant d.R. in 6./ JG 5 - Bf 109 G-2 (Yellow 4+-) emergency landing vic Kukin near Salmijärvi /Finland -due to AA damage
01.06.1943: Leutnant d.R. promoted to Oberleutnant (Kr.O./Fl.)
15.06.-14.(30.?)09.1943: Oberleutnant, appointed Staka 7./ JG 5
14.(30.?)09.1943-26.03.1944: Oberleutnant, appointed Staka 6./ JG 5
11.11.1943: Oberleutnant, 6./ JG 5 unhurt? - Bf 109 G-6 (Yellow 4) disoriented during fuel starvation NW of Idriza
26.(20?)03.-03.06.1944: Oberleutnant, then Hauptmann, appointed Kdr. II./ JG 5
28.05.-03.06.1944: Hauptmann, appointed Kdr. IV./ JG 4, then Kdr. I./ JG 5
03.06.-14.10.1944: Hauptmann, Kdr. II./ JG 5, appointed Kdr. I./ JG 5
12.06.1944: Hauptmann, Stab I./ JG 5 WIA - Bf 109 G-5/AS (<< +) combat with P-47, vic St. Andre-en-Eure
14.10.-25.11.1944: appointed Kdr. III./ JG6 due to unit renaming
25.11.1944-14.01.1945: Major, appointed Kdr. I./ JG 7
01(15?).01.-08.05.1945: Major, appointed Kommodore JG 7
Piloted credited with over 500 combat missions and 208 air victories, 33 of these were in the west, and 8 were flying with the Me-262.
10.06.1950: died in an auto racing accident at Nürburgring

Awards and Decorations:
16.09.1940 Flugzeugführerabzeichen
06.11.1941 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
20.11.1941 Frontflugspange für Jäger in Bronze
17.02.1942 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
26.03.1942 Frontflugspange für Jäger in Silber
28.05.1942 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
14.07.1942 NSFK Segelflieger-abzeichen
31.07.1942 Frontflugspange für Jäger in Gold
23.08.1942 Vapaudenristin Miekkoineen 4.luokka (Finland)
08.09.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
13.11.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Leutnant and Flugzeugführer in 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) "Eismeer", awarded after 38 aerial victories
15.11.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
10.07.1943 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht: "German fighters repulsed an enemy torpedo aircraft attack on a convoy in the seas up north last night and destroyed without sustaining any losses 20 enemy aircraft. Leutnant Weissenberger achieved seven aerial victories in this engagement."
02.08.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #266, as Oberleutnant and Staffelführer 7.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) "Eismeer", awarded after 112 aerial victories
22.06.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
26.07.1944 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht: "Hauptmann Weissenberger, group commander in a fighter wing, achieved his 200th aerial victory on the eastern front.
03.12.1944 Frontflugspange für Jäger in Gold mit Anhänger und Einzatszahl (with '500' pennant)

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Theodor "Theo" Weissenberger, the son of a plant nursery owner, was born on 21 December 1914 in Mühlheim am Main in the Grand Duchy of Hesse of the German Empire. He had a brother Otto who also served as a pilot in Luftwaffe. As a glider pilot with the German Air Sports Association (Deutscher Luftsportverband), he made his maiden flight on 16 November 1935. On 20 July 1941 he logged his 645th flight as a glider pilot, in total 196 hours and 46 minutes of powerless flight. Most of these flights were made as an instructor over the Rhön Mountains, Silesia and Bavaria.

He joined the military service of the Luftwaffe with 2./Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 14 (2nd Company of Flier Replacement Unit 14) in Detmold on 19 October 1936. There he was promoted to Feldwebel of the Reserves on 1 December 1940.

Weissenberger was posted to a front-line unit on 27 August 1941, almost two years after the start of World War II. His unit, 1.(Z)/Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) was a Zerstörer (Z—heavy fighter or destroyer) Staffel (squadron) flying the twin-engine, up to three-seat, Messerschmitt Bf 110. The unit was stationed in Norway, operating in the Murmansk area in support of Finnish operations against the Soviet Union during the Continuation War. Germany regarded its operations in the region as part of its overall war efforts on the Eastern Front, and it provided Finland with critical material support and military cooperation. There he flew his first combat mission of the war on 13 September 1941.

Weissenberger claimed his first aerial victory, a Polikarpov I-153 biplane fighter, on 24 October 1941 and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse) on 6 November 1941. He was promoted to Oberfeldwebel of the Reserves on 1 February 1942. During this phase of his military career, he often got into trouble with his superiors regarding his lack of discipline. A few times his comrades had to intervene to save him from punishment. On 24 January 1942, Weissenberger and Oberleutnant Max Franzisket flew on a ground attack mission against the Kirov Railway line. Weissenberger claimed a Polikarpov I-18 shot down at 13:35, roughly 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) northwest of the railway station of Bojaskoje. At 13:40, he claimed a Hawker Hurricane shot down, his third aerial victory.

In February 1942 he mostly flew escort fighter missions for Junkers Ju 87 and Ju 88 bombers attacking the harbors at Ferosero, Polyarnoye, present-day Polyarny, and Murmansk. Weissenberger received the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 17 February 1942. On 25 February he claimed two more Hurricanes shot down at 11:15 and 11:22, his fourth and fifth victories. His Staffel was redesignated as 10.(Z) of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) on 16 March 1942 and subordinated to JG 5. In April 1942 he claimed eight victories, three of which were shot down on 15 April during two combat missions west of Murmansk. On 25 April at 07:20 Weissenberger took off at Kirkenes for an emergency intercept mission against 20 Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers. He shot down two bombers before his aircraft was hit by the defensive fire. The right engine started burning and he was forced to disengage from the enemy. Returning to the German lines, he made a safe belly landing.

Weissenberger became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time on 10 May 1942 when he shot down five enemy aircraft, aerial victories 14–18, between 16:45 and 16:57 while on a Ju 87 escort mission. These victories were claimed over aircraft of 2 Gvardeyskiy Smeshannyy Aviatsionny Polk (2 GSAP—2nd Soviet Guards Composite Aviation Division), which lost ten Hurricanes destroyed and three damaged. He claimed his 20th victory on 15 May when he shot down a Hurricane 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Murmansk. In June 1942, JG 5 was augmented by another group, VI. Gruppe (4th Group) under the command of Hauptmann Hans Kriegel. This led to a number of Staffel redesignations. Weissenberger's 10.(Z) Staffel was renamed as 13.(Z) Staffel and remained subordinated to JG 5. He transferred from the reserve force to active service and was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 July 1942. In early September he was transferred to 6. Staffel of JG 5, now flying the single-engine, single-seat, Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter. By this date, Weissenberger, as a Zerstörer pilot, had claimed 23 aerial victories in addition to 15 locomotives, 2 FLAK installations, a radio station, a railway station and other ground targets destroyed and was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 8 September 1942.

At the time, 6. Staffel at the time was based in Petsamo, present-day Pechenga in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Weissenberger took off on his first Bf 109 combat mission at 14:00 on 15 September 1942 after he had spent a few days familiarizing himself with the single-engine fighter aircraft. The mission, flown by 10 Bf 109 fighters from 6. Staffel, was a combat air patrol in the vicinity of Murmashi. The flight encountered enemy aircraft and Weissenberger filed claims over two Curtiss P-40 Warhawk Lend-Lease fighters shot down at 14:31 and 14:33. These were his first victories claimed on the Bf 109, taking his total to 25 victories. A week later, on 22 September, Weissenberger and 6. Staffel were again patrolling the airspace near the Soviet airfield at Murmashi. During this mission, he claimed three more aerial victories, over Hurricanes shot down between 14:59 and 15:05.

On 27 September 1942, Weissenberger claimed five victories during the course of two combat missions. During the first mission, he shot down a Bell P-39 Airacobra at 11:36. On his second mission, which began at 15:00, he encountered a formation of roughly 30 aircraft, claiming four Hurricanes shot down from 15:49 to 15:56, a time space of seven minutes. This "ace-in-a-day" achievement took his total to 33 aerial victories. On 22 October 1942, Weissenberger was tasked with fighter protection for a reconnaissance aircraft. The engine of his Bf 109 F-4 seized up just west of Murmansk. He managed to nurse his aircraft back to the German lines before bailing out. He was picked up eight hours later by a Gebirgsjäger (mountain infantry) patrol and brought back to his Staffel. Following this event he was given one week of rest. He returned to combat on 30 October 1942, and during two combat missions again achieved "ace-in-a-day" status. He claimed three victories on his first mission and two P-40s at 15:00 and 15:06 on his second mission of the day. This took his total to 38 aerial victories and he was honored with the presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 13 November 1942. That day, Feldwebel Heinrich Bartels from 8. Staffel of JG 5 was also awarded the Knight's Cross.

Following the winter break, Weissenberger claimed 33 further victories between 6–28 March 1943. Often he achieved multiple victories per day; six claims on 10 March, victories 43 to 48 on 10 March, victories 49 to 53 on 12 March, and numbers 54 to 57 on 13 March. A ground attack mission against the airfield at Salmiyarvi on 28 March was his last action of the month. Weissenberger claimed three P-39s shot down during this mission, but was himself hit by anti-aircraft fire and had to make a forced landing. He was picked up and returned by a Fiesler Fi 156 "Storch". On 13 April 1943, a flight of five aircraft from 6. Staffel claimed 18 Soviet aircraft destroyed without loss. Six of the enemy aircraft were credited to Weissenberger, shot down between 17:05 and 17:16. This took his score to 77 aerial victories. On 13 May, he claimed four P-39s destroyed, representing victories 83 to 86, and he was promoted to Oberleutnant on 1 June 1943.

Weissenberger claimed another five victories on 8 June 1943 north of Murmansk between 17:15 and 17:23. This brought his score to 91 aerial victories and on 15 June he was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 7. Staffel of JG 5. In the period 15 June to 4 July, 7. Staffel claimed 122 aerial victories under his leadership. The heaviest fighting occurred on 22 June over the Karelia Front, during which his Staffel claimed 13 victories, of which three were Hurricanes shot down by Weissenberger. A day later, he again claimed three aircraft shot down, comprising victories 95 to 97.

On 4 July 1943, Weissenberger led 7. Staffel to 16 aerial victories, while providing fighter cover for a departing German naval task force. First, Weissenberger claimed a Pe-2 reconnaissance aircraft shot down at 21:07. A flight of 25 to 30 enemy bombers and torpedo bombers was then spotted at 21:50. Weissenberger claimed an Ilyushin Il-2 "Sturmovik" at 21:54, his 100th aerial victory. He was the 43rd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. The Staffel returned to its airfield at 22:19 without having sustained any losses during the encounter. Weissenberger alone had claimed seven victories during this mission, taking his total to 104 victories.

He achieved "ace-in-a-day" status for the fourth time on 25 July 1943, claiming aerial victories numbers 108 to 112. Following his 112th victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 2 August 1943, the 266th member of the Wehrmacht to be so honored. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland. Five other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler, Hauptmann Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, Hauptmann Manfred Meurer, Hauptmann Heinrich Ehrler, Oberleutnant Joachim Kirschner, Hauptmann Werner Schröer were also awarded the Oak Leaves, and Major Helmut Lent received the Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.

Weissenberger was placed in command of 6. Staffel on 14 September 1943 and in October and November added five more victories to his score, four of which were achieved on 3 November over the Rybachy Peninsula. At the end of 1943, II. Gruppe (2nd Group) was ordered to relocate further south to the front near Nevel, Leningrad and Lake Ilmen. Relocating from Pskov, 6. Staffel arrived at their new airfield at Idritsa on 11 November 1943 and was in action again on 17 November. In January 1944, II. Gruppe was subordinated to Luftflotte 2 (2nd Air Fleet) in the middle sector of the Eastern Front in support of the defensive battles at Vitebsk. The Staffel flew combat missions from Orsha and Polotsk. Between 10:50 to 10:58 on 1 February 1944, Weissenberger achieved his fifth "ace-in-a-day", taking his total to 124. On 28 February, he claimed his 140th aerial victory.

At the end of February 1944, II. Gruppe relocated again to Polotsk and then to Jakobstadt, present-day Jēkabpils in Latvia, and on 16 March Weissenberger claimed his 141st victory. Among his four victories claimed on 20 March were three Il-2 ground attack aircraft. On 25 March 1944, another "ace-in-a-day" achievement saw his total increase to 153 aerial victories. In late March 1944, II. Gruppe was transferred to the far north again, and was based at Alakurtti. Here they defended against the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive.

Weissenberger was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of JG 5 on 26 March 1944, succeeding Hauptmann Horst Carganico who was transferred. Command of 6. Staffel was passed to Oberleutnant Ernst Scheufele. He claimed three aircraft shot down on 4 April, and four more on 9 April, taking his victories from 159 to 162. At the end of April 1944, II. Gruppe relocated to Jakobstadt, withdrawing from the Arctic Front for the last time. On 17 May he claimed victories 169 to 172, and the next day shot down three Yakovlev Yak-9s, taking his total to 175. These were his last victories on the Eastern Front. At the end of May 1944, II. Gruppe was transferred to Defense of the Reich duties and was relocated to Gardelegen Airfield in Germany.

Weissenberger was promoted to Hauptmann on 1 June 1944. On 3 June he arrived in Herzogenaurach to take over command of I. Gruppe (1st Group) of JG 5. The former Gruppenkommandeur Major Horst Carganico had been killed in a flying accident on 27 May 1944. Three days after Weissenberger took command, the Allied invasion of Normandy began. To counter the invasion, elements of I./JG 5 were transported to France by train that afternoon. The ground personnel were flown on Junkers Ju 52s to their airfield at Montdidier, 35 km (22 mi) south of Amiens. The following day, Weissenberger took I. Gruppe into combat, achieving "ace-in-a-day" status once again on his first day of combat on the Western Front. His 176th victory was over a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt shot down at 09:05. He claimed two further P-47s shot down 20 minutes later. I. Gruppe was scrambled again in the afternoon which resulted in aerial combat with roughly 12 P-47s near Beauvais. During the course of this encounter, which ended at 17:39, Weissenberger claimed two P-47s shot down.

On 8 June the final elements of I. Gruppe arrived in Montdidier, making the unit complete. In the evening Weissenberger again claimed two P-47s shot down, his 181st and 182nd aerial victories. The airfield at Montdidier came under heavy fighter bomber attack on 11 June followed by another attack on 12 June resulting in significant damage to the airfield. On 12 June Weissenberger filed a claim for three aerial victories. Together with his wingman, Unteroffizier (Sergeant) Alfred Tichy, he took off at 06:00 and during the course of 12 minutes shot down three P-47s. After his first victory, Tichy was killed in action, crashing near Évreux. At 07:02 Weissenberger shot down his third P-47 of the day but his Bf 109 G-5 (Werknummer 110256—factory number) was hit in the engine forcing him to bail out near Saint André. The airfield in Montdidier was rendered unserviceable and I. Gruppe was forced to relocate. It was first moved to Péronne, then to Chauny, a makeshift airfield between Noyon and Tergnier. The constant attacks against German airfields forced another move in July 1944, this time to Frières in the vicinity of Laon.

II. Gruppe flew a combat air patrol on 6 July 1944, resulting in the claim of three Lockheed P-38 Lightnings destroyed. Weissenberger was credited with two of these victories, the first at 08:48 and the second at 08:49, both shot down south of Cambrai. The next day, the Gruppe took off heading for the airspace south of Rosières where they engaged a formation of 15 to 20 P-47s. During this encounter, Weissenberger claimed three victories, numbers 188 to 190. The Gruppe was given a few days of rest and on 13 July were ordered to operate against enemy fighter bombers attacking German positions in the area Rouen – Bernay – Évreux. During this mission, he shot down a Hawker Typhoon at 18:24 near Trouville and another one two minutes later. They were then tasked with a fighter bomber mission on 14 July, attacking enemy positions near Caen. After a number of ground strafing attacks they themselves came under attack of numerous Supermarine Spitfires and P-47s. Flying at a height of 10 meters (33 feet), Weissenberger managed to shoot down one Spitfire 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Bayeux.

The commanding general of II. Jagdkorps (2nd Fighter Corps), Generalleutnant Alfred Bülowius, accompanied by Oberstleutnant Herbert Ihlefeld inspected II. Gruppe at their airfield in Frières on 15 July 1944. On 17 July, Weissenberger led his Gruppe on a number of missions in the combat area near Caen without encountering any enemy aircraft. On their last mission of the day, having taken off at 19:00, they encountered enemy fighter bombers near Caen – Le Mesnil. During aerial combat, the Gruppe lost three pilots without any success for themselves. On 19 July 1944, I. Gruppe was tasked with flying top cover for Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" and Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter". During this mission, Weissenberger claimed four aerial victories. At 20:22 he shot down his first Typhoon of the mission north of Lisieux, another Typhoon one minute later and his third at 20:25 northwest of Cormeilles. His fourth victory was over a North American P-51 Mustang, shot down at 20:35 near Charleval.

On 25 July 1944, the Gruppe was again tasked with a combat air patrol mission in the greater Caen area. Weissenberger received the order to take off at 10:30 and at 11:00 they spotted Spitfires in the vicinity of Rouen. In the ensuing aerial encounter at an altitude of 3,800 m (12,500 ft), Weissenberger shot down a Spitfire 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Rouen. This was his 199th aerial victory. Two minutes later, at 11:02, he shot down his 200th opponent. Weissenberger left the Gruppe on 30 July 1944 and went on vacation to Bad Wiessee.

His I. Gruppe was withdrawn from combat and moved to Wunstorf for a period of rest and conversion training to the Bf 109 G-14. The ground personnel were transferred to II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 6 (JG 6—6th Fighter Wing). Conversion training ended in October 1944 and I. Gruppe was disbanded shortly after and became III. Gruppe (3rd Group) of JG 6 on 14 October. On 24 October 1944 Weissenberger was ordered to Königsberg in der Neumark, present-day Chojna in Poland. At Königsberg, he was given command of the newly forming I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 7 "Nowotny" (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing).

JG 7 "Nowotny" was the first operational jet fighter wing in the world and was named after Walter Nowotny, who was killed in action on 8 November 1944. Nowotny, a fighter pilot credited with 258 aerial victories and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), had been assessing the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet aircraft under operational conditions. JG 7 "Nowotny" was equipped with the Me 262, an aircraft which was heavily armed and faster than any Allied fighter. General der Jagdflieger (General of the Fighter Force) Adolf Galland hoped that the Me 262 would compensate for the Allies' numerical superiority. On 12 November 1944, the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL—Air Force High Command) ordered JG 7 "Nowotny" to be equipped with the Me 262. Galland appointed Oberst Johannes Steinhoff as its first Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander).

JG 7 "Nowotny" was initially formed with the Stab (headquarters unit) and III. Gruppe at Brandenburg-Briest from the remnants of Kommando Nowotny. I. Gruppe was created on 27 November from pilots and personnel from II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) and placed under the command of Weissenberger. Weissenberger's appointed Staffelkapitäne in I. Gruppe were Oberleutnant Hans Grünberg, Oberleutnant Fritz Stehle, and Oberleutnant Hans Waldmann, commanding 1.–3. Staffel respectively.

On New Year's Day 1945, Weissenberger married his teenage-love Cilly Vogel in Langenselbold near Hanau. Best man at his wedding was his former JG 5 comrade and friend Walter Schuck. Schuck succeeded Waldmann as Staffelkapitän of the 3. Staffel following the latter's death in a flying accident on 18 March 1945. Weissenberger was promoted to Major on 1 January 1945 and replaced Steinhoff as Geschwaderkommodore of JG 7 "Nowotny" shortly after. Both Galland and Steinhoff, among others, were relieved of their commands in the aftermath of the Fighter Pilots' Revolt in early 1945.

Under his command, JG 7 "Nowotny" achieved some success before the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945. On 18 March 1945, JG 7 "Nowotny" claimed 25 aerial victories over Berlin, among them three Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses shot down by Weissenberger. On 4 April, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force dispatched 1,431 heavy bombers, escorted by 850 fighter aircraft, to northern Germany. The bombers targets included the harbor and residential areas of Kiel and Hamburg and five Luftwaffe airfields, including Parchim Airfield where III. Gruppe of JG 7 was based. Defending against this attack, Weissenberger shot down a B-17 bomber near Bremen, his last claim. Over all, he achieved eight confirmed victories, seven B-17 bombers and a P-51 fighter, while flying the Me 262. Weissenberger survived the war and was credited with a total of 208 aerial victories, including 33 over the Western Front, claimed in 375 combat missions.

Weissenberger became a motor racing driver after the war, and was killed at the Nürburgring circuit on 11 June 1950, when his modified BMW 328 single seater (Veritas), start number 15, crashed on the first lap of the XV Eifelrennen, a Formula Three motor race.

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Weissenberger was credited with 208 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 two further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 175 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 33 on the Western Front, including seven four-engined bombers and 8 victories with the Me 262 jet fighter.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 3914". The Luftwaffe grid map (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 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Weissenberger
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2383352#p2383352
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/27644/Weissenberger-Theodor-Theo-JG-5-Eismeer.htm
https://www.weitze.net/militaria/30/Luftwaffe_grosser_Nachlass_aus_dem_Besitz_des_Ritterkreuztraegers_mit_Eichenlaub_Major_Theodor_Weissenberger_Traeger_des_Ritterkreuz_mit_Eichenlaub_der_10_erfolgreichste_Jagdflieger_des_2_Weltkriegs__322830.html

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony of Lehrgeschwader 2

After the official awards ceremony photograph, three of II.Gruppe (schlacht) / Lehrgeschwader 2's four Ritterkreuzträger (Knight's Cross recipients) of 21 August 1941 gather round their GOC for an informal chat. From left to right: Major Otto Weiss (Gruppenkommandeur II./LG 2), Generaloberst Alfred Keller (Chef Luftflotte 1), Oberleutnant Georg Dörffel (back to the camera, Staffelkapitän 5./LG 2), Oberleutnant Werner Dörnbrack (Staffelkapitän 4./LG 2), and Oberleutnant Bruno Meyer (Staffelkapitän 5./LG 2).

Oberleutnant Georg "Orge" Dörffel (27 July 1914 - 26 May 1944). Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 August 1941 as Staffelkapitän of 5.Staffel / II.Gruppe (schlacht) / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2) after flying over 200 sorties, all while distinguishing himself in the Polish, Western, British and Eastern campaigns (he particularly distinguished himself on 17 May 1940 when he helped to crush a dangerous Allied tank attack north of Cambrai that was directed at the flank of marching German forces). Received the Eichenlaub #231 for his Ritterkreuz on 14 April 1943 as Hauptmann and stellvertretender Gruppenkommandeur (mit der Führung beauftragt) of I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 1 (SG 1) after flying over 750 ground attack sorties. KIA on 26 May 1944 following an attack in his F-8 on four-engine bombers ten miles north of Rome. After he bailed, it is thought his head struck the tailplane, and thus, did not open his chute. It was his third mission in Italy. He was buried in Pomezia, Italy. 1004 combat missions. He scored his 30th victory the day of his 1000th mission in his F-3. 1004 total missions. Last rank: Oberstleutnant (posthumously).

Oberleutnant Werner "Prinzchen" Dörnbrack (29 February 1916 - 16 March 1981). Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 August 1941 as Staffelkapitän of 4.Staffel / II.Gruppe (schlacht) / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2) after flying over 200 ground attack sorties on all fronts (he particularly distinguished himself as a pilot during the pocket battle of Byalistok). Received the Eichenlaub #660 for his Ritterkreuz on 25 November 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Schlachtgeschwader 4 (SG 4) after flying over 1000 ground attack sorties. "Little Prince", as he was nick-named. Channel pilot. 1118 combat missions. 11 victories in the East, 18 in the Mediterranean area. Captured by American troops on 9 May, 1945 and handed over to the Soviets six days later. He escaped two days later, and managed to reach his home successfully. His first known Soviet victory, an I-16 Rata 3 km W of Martowka on 12 May, 1942. An I-61 on 18 May, 1942. An I-16 Rata E of Staryy Saltov on 15 June, 1942. One known victory, while in 7/SG-2, a Spitfire 2 km northeast of Campo (Calabria) Italy, 24 September, 1943. Serving in I/SG-4, he downed a Soviet MiG-3 on 4 August, 1944. A Yak-9 on 9 October, 1944. On 16 October, 1944, he downed two Yak-9s, a B-25, an La-5 and an Il-2 SW of Vilkaviskis. A Yak-9 8 km NE of Ebernek on 18 October, 1944. An Er-7 on 20 October, 1944. A Yak-9 on 23 October, 1944. Last rank: Major.



Oberleutnant Bruno Meyer (13 November 1915 - 16 November 1990). Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 August 1941 as Staffelkapitän of 10.Staffel / II.Gruppe (schlacht) / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2) after flying over 200 ground attack sorties on all fronts. Served as Kdr IV/SG-9 in October, 1944 flying the Hs129B. His last command was I/SG-104, flying the Fw 190F & G and the Ju 87 D & G. At least 500 missions. About 50 destroyed tanks. During aerial combat with a female Russian pilot, his ac caught fire, and he jettisoned his canopy which struck her AC, causing her to crash. He landed near her crashsite, and found she had no rank, identification or parachute (Colin Fuller). Deceased 16 November, 1990 Australia (P. Bastin). Last rank: Major.

Source :
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=2000&q=white%2012&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_type=&search_only=
http://www.crash-aerien.news/forum/les-as-de-la-seconde-guerre-mondiale-t28936-1725.html
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/D%C3%B6rnbrack,_Werner
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2439399#p2439399
https://lewhobotov.livejournal.com/1029546.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/84929/Meyer-Bruno.htm

Bio of Hauptmann Egon Albrecht (1918-1944)

Full nama: Egon Albrecht-Lemke
Nickname: Egon
Date of Birth: 19 May 1918 at Curitiba, Paraná (Brazil)
Date of Death: 25 August 1944 at Saint-Claude, Jura, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (France)
NSDAP Number: unknown
SS Number: unknown
Academic Title: unknown
Family Member: Father Frederico Albrecht; mother Hedwig Elditt Albrecht
Physical Feature: unknown

Beförderungen (Promotion):
1938 Fahnenjunker
1940 Leutnant
1942 Oberleutnant
1943 Hauptmann

Karriere (Career):
00.00.1940 Served in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Zerstörergeschwader 76
24.04.1941 Now in 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / SKG 210 (Schnellkampfgeschwader 210)
04.01.1942 Transferred to 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Zerstörergeschwader 1 due to unit renaming
12.06.1942 - 02.08.1943 Staffelkapitän 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Zerstörergeschwader 1
09.10.1943 - 00.07.1944 Gruppenkommandeur II.Gruppe / Zerstörergeschwader 1
24.07.1944 - 25.08.1944 Gruppenkommandeur III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 76

Orden und Ehrenzeichen (Medals and Decorations):
00.00.19__ Goldenes Hitlerjugend Abzeichen
00.00.194_ Flugzeugführerabzeichen
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
00.00.194_ Frontflug-Spange in Bronze
00.00.194_ Frontflug-Spange in Silber
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42"
21.09.1942 Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Silber (or Gold)
00.00.194_ Frontflug-Spange in Gold
03.12.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
22.05.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Zerstörergeschwader 1

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Egon Albrecht-Lemke (19 May 1918 – 25 August 1944) was born on 19 May 1918 in Curitiba, Brazil. He was the son of Frederico Albrecht and Hedwig Elditt Albrecht. By 1940, Albrecht-Lemke was serving with 6. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) operating Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer (destroyer) heavy fighter. After redesignation as 9./Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76) in June 1940, and then 6. Staffel of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 (SKG 210—210th Fast Bomber Wing) in April 1941, Albrecht flew combat operation over the Eastern Front. In January 1942 6./SKG 210 became 6./ZG 1.

Albrecht-Lemke was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader), 1./ZG 1 in June 1942. Now an Oberleutnant, Albrecht-Lemke was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in May 1943 for 15 aerial victories, along with 11 aircraft, 162 motor vehicles, 254 covered vehicles, 3 locomotives, 8 Flak positions, 12 anti-tank gun positions and 8 infantry positions destroyed on the ground.

In October 1943, Albrecht succeeded Hauptmann Karl-Heinrich Matern who was killed in action on 8 October as Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of ZG 1. The unit was relocated to the Western Front, based on the Atlantic coast of France, flying missions over the Bay of Biscay. Later in 1943, the Gruppe was transferred to Austria to combat the incursions from the Italian-based United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 15th Air Force.

After heavy losses in July 1944, II./ZG 1 converted to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G fighter and were redesignated as III./Jagdgeschwader 76. Albrecht-Lemke then led the unit in operations over the Invasion front in western France.

On 25 August 1944 Albrecht was intercepted by USAAF P-51 Mustang fighters and shot down in his Bf 109 G-14 near Creil. Albrecht-Lemke bailed out of his stricken aircraft but was dead when found on the ground.

Albrecht-Lemke was credited with 25 victories, with 15 victories claimed over the Eastern Front and 10 over the Western Front. This total included at least six B-24 four-engine USAAF bombers. In addition he claimed 11 aircraft destroyed on the ground on the Eastern Front.

Matthews and Foreman, authors of "Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims", researched the German Federal Archives and found records for more than 18 aerial victory claims. This figure includes at least eleven aerial victories on the Eastern Front and seven four-engined bombers on the Western Front.

 

FLTR: Helmut Lent and Egon Albrecht

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2008-0021
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2009/11/hauptmann-egon-albrecht-1918-1944-pilot.html
https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/dba/de/search/?topicid=dcx-thes_personen_774u7o4j3kp12ysysden
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egon_Albrecht-Lemke

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Luftwaffe Ace Erich Schmidt

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Leutnant Erich Schmidt (pilot in 9.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 53), which were held in the Eastern Front on 23 July 1941. Presented the award is General der Flieger Oberst Werner Mölders. On the opening day of Operation Barbarossa, 22 June 1941, Schmidt shot down four Russian aircraft (18-21). He recorded his 30th victory on 4 July when he shot a Russian I-16 fighter.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2015/04/foto-werner-molders.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2363470#p2363470
https://www.luftwaffe.cz/schmidt.html

The Death of Luftwaffe Ace Klaus Mietusch

 

Luftwaffe ace Klaus Mietusch

On 17 September 1944. Lt. William Beyer (9 victories) of the 361st fighter group USAAF shot down and killed 75 victory German Experten Major Klaus Mietusch for his first official victory after a very well orchestrated duel. Beyer's description of his duel with Mietusch is spectacular, and while he ultimately vanquished his enemy, Beyer paid a respectful tribute to the German in the final lines of his after-action report.

Following the III./JG 26 bounce on the 361 FG this day, the leader of the P-51 flight, Lt. William Beyer picked out one Messerschmitt in the center of the attacking enemy formation, while the rest of the German fighters zoomed back up into the clouds, the diving Bf 109 flown by Major Klaus Mietusch was chased by Beyer. According to Beyers combat combat report, the German pilot in front of him tried everything in the book to get him off his back, finally by lowering his speed he tried to get Beyer to overshoot him, but Beyer lowered his flaps and even his landing gear to have a chance to stay with Mietusch twisting and turning Messerschmitt (a really dangerous maneuver at low level flight, especially since the Bf 109 had much better low speed characteristics than a P-51). And when Mietusch applied full throttle for a zoom-climb, Beyer was able follow him and hit the Bf 109 with one long burst.

Beyer's description of his duel with Mietusch is spectacular, and while he ultimately vanquished his enemy, Beyer paid a respectful tribute to the German in the final lines of his after-action report: "Knowing the caliber of this German pilot, I am sure that if I had taken the time to get off some shots when he was slowing down he could have possibly shot me down or made a getaway".

After registering his 73rd and 74th victories on August 26th, Major Mietusch was again engaged in combat with USAAF P-51 fighters from the 361st Fighter Group near Geldern on 17 September 1944.

After gaining his 75th and final victory over a P-51 Mustang, "Mary Jane", of the 376th FS. flown by Lt. Woodrow W Glover (KIA), Mietusch was shot down and fatally wounded flying "Black 25" in the vicinity of Rath-Aldekerk by another American pilot, Lieutenant William Beyer (9 victories) of the 376th Fighter Squadron of the 361st Fighter Group, USAAF.

75th claim
17.9.44/1455
P-51B-10-NA Mustang
N of Moenchen-Gladbach/Geldern (PQ 05 Ost S/LN-1/LN-7/KN) @ 3500m
No.4 plane in cover flight of 361st FG. Their losses included: P-51B10-NA 42-106944/E9-A "Mary Jane" of 376th FS. Lt. Woodrow W Glover KIA (some sources believe this was Glover)

Mietusch was posthumously awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Eichenlaub) (Nr 653) on the 18th November 1944.

Burial detail: Kriegsgräberstätte Düsseldorf - Nordfriedhof. Feld 112 Row O. Grave 117
In recent years, Beyer´s claim this day has been questioned, as new research points out the fact that Mietusch probably was killed during a belly landing or emergency landing after his machine had sustained battle damage during his earlier engagement, and that this well publicized engagement in fact was more like "shooting rats in a barrel", in other words a air-to-ground rather than an air-to-air victory.
Anyway, this was Lieutenant William R. Beyer first claim of the war, five more would follow just ten days later, making him an USAAF fighter-ace.

Trained as gunner, Beyer joined glider pilot program, and then assigned to Air Cadet training. Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Detached Service with 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron. Re-assigned to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 9 kills, in 87 missions. Completed Tour of Duty (ETD).

2 x ME-109's, 7 x FW-190's. On 29-Sep-44, became the 8AF 4th ace in a day, when he shot down 5 x Fw-190's on mission to Kessel Germany.

Awards: DFC, SS, AM (12 OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (3 Bronze star), American Campaign, GC.
Post war: Worked as an instrument mechanic at Merck & Company for 33 years.

Klaus Mietusch, an pilot ace that suffered from shaky self-confidence during his whole career as a fighter pilot told a reporter: "I was a decidedly unskilled, poor fighter pilot, since I could not shoot. Everything happened too fast".

The remedy for his poor shooting was: "Bore in, until the enemy is as large as a barn door in your sights". Although he was shot down ten times, and wounded at least four times, Mietusch never turned down an a mission, and had logged 452 combat sorties at the time of his death.

Major Klaus Mietusch, Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 26, in 452 combat missions, had gained 75 victories. He claimed 60 of those victories over the Western Front including 13 four-engine bombers.
He was wounded several times and was shot down ten times.

Updated Claims verification of 61 victory claims shows that out of those 61 confirmed victories, 54 of them are actual verifiable losses per Allied loss reports; Mietusch only had 7 unverified claims...
His accuracy is an impressive 88.5%!

Awards:
⚜Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (26 April 1941)
⚜Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
⚜Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class
1st Class
⚜Wound Badge (1939)
in Black
in Silver
⚜German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"
⚜Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
⚜Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"
⚜653rd recipient of the Oak Leaves on 18 November 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"

William Beyer holding his youth picture during World War II

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1472011002826823/permalink/4196915603669669/
https://www.pinterest.es/pin/270638258838826884/

Four Fighter Aces from JG 51 "Mölders"

Four Luftwaffe fighter aces from I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51) "Mölders", who were also Ritterkreuzträger, posed together in a photo which was taken in the spring of 1942. From left to right: Oberfeldwebel Heinrich "Tubby" Höfemeier (Flugzeugführer at 1.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 51. Ritterkreuz 5 April 1942; total 96 air victories; KIA 7 August 1943), Leutnant Erwin Fleig (Staffelkapitän 2.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 51. Ritterkreuz 12 August 1941; total 66 air victories; taken prisoner by the Russian on 29 May 1942 after he bail-out from his plane following the dogfight against the Russian MiG 3), Hauptmann Heinz "Pritzl" Bär (Staffelkapitän 1.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 51. Ritterkreuz 2 July 1941, Eichenlaub 14 August 1941, and Schwerter 16 February 1942; total 222 air victories; survive until the end of the war), and Hauptmann Heinrich "Gaudi" Krafft (Gruppenkommandeur I.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51. Ritterkreuz 18 March 1942; total 78 air victories; KIA 14 December 1942). They all wore fliegeranzug (aviator suits), with Höfemeier and Bär wearing special fighter pilot jackets known as "Messerschmitt Jacke".

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29879&p=2171141&hilit=fleig+b%C3%A4r#p2171141

Josef Wurmheller and Other Pilots from JG 2

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aces Oberleutnant Josef Wurmheller (wearing Ritterkreuz) and Oberfeldwebel Paul Bleyer of JG 2 (Jagdgeschwader 2) in France, July 1943.

Source :
ECPAD Archive, Courtesy of Blanluet Christophe
https://www.facebook.com/groups/152986901863424/

Greim and Grasser at Award Ceremony for 15.(Spanische)Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 51

 

2 July 1942: General der Flieger Robert Ritter von Greim (Oberbefehl über das Luftwaffenkommando Ost) greeted by Major Julio Salvador Díaz-Benjumea (Staffelkapitän 15.[Spanische]Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 51) in his visit to the 15.(Spanische)Staffel base at Orel, Soviet Union. Behind Greim standing Hauptmann Hartmann Grasser (Gruppenkommandeur II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders")

 7 July 1942: Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse award ceremony for the celebrated members of 15.(Spanische)Staffel, awarded by General der Flieger Robert Ritter von Greim (Oberbefehl über das Luftwaffenkommando Ost). The recipients, from left to right: Oberleutnant Federico Garret-Rueda, Hauptmann Bengoechea Menchaca, and Oberleutnant Emilio Barañano (Baraño).

The Blue Squadron (Spanish: Escuadrilla Azul, German: 15. Spanische Staffel) was a generic name given to the group of volunteer pilots and ground crews recruited from the Spanish Air Force that fought in the side of Germany on the Eastern Front, during the Second World War. The "Blue Patrol" was a counterpart offered by Franco to Nazi Germany for its help with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War.

Between September 1941 and May 1943 five Spanish squadrons rotated through the Eastern Front, attached to Luftwaffe fighter wings Jagdgeschwader 27 and Jagdgeschwader 51. Flying Messerschmitt fighters and Focke-Wulf fighter-bombers, the Spaniards were credited with destroying more than 160 Soviet aircraft in nearly two years, while losing 20 pilots killed, missing, or captured. The unit remained in central Russia, despite requests by Muñoz Grandes that they be attached to the Blue Division, until their withdrawal in 1943.

Source :
http://www.history.jp/wehrmacht/008a.htm