[70] On 10 August, this squadron officially became the 8. Erich Hartmann was World War II’s greatest scoring fighter pilot achieving 352 victories during 1,404 combat sorties and engaging in aerial combat 825 times. He was asked to spy on fellow officers, but refused and was given ten days' solitary confinement in a four-by-nine-by-six-foot chamber. The "m.H." The economic depression that followed World War I in Germany prompted Doctor Hartmann to find work in China, and Erich spent his early childhood there. Hartmann transferred command of 4. [84], Sentenced to 25 years of hard labour,[83] he refused to work, and was put into solitary confinement, which led to a riot by some of his fellow detainees, who overpowered the guards, and temporarily freed him. In Krupinski's absence, from the third week of May to the first week of August, Hartmann's number of claims rose from 17 to 60. About the Author: Erik Schmidt is the author of Black Tulip: The Life and Myth of Erich Hartmann, the World’s Top Fighter Ace. [42], In accordance with regulations, he attempted to recover the precision board clock. Is such a thing even plausible? [9] He completed his basic flying training in October 1941 and began advanced flight training at pre-fighter school 2 in Lachen-Speyerdorf on 1 November 1941. Hartmann was always more of a tactician than a brawler. [74], Now Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 52, Erich Hartmann claimed his 350th aerial victory on 17 April, in the vicinity of Chrudim. Hartmann, not ashamed of his war service, opted to go on a hunger strike and starve rather than fold to "Soviet will", as he called it. In the beginning, the Germans trained their pilots heavily in the science of aerodynamics, mechanical systems, and of course dogfighting. [79], In Hartmann's account, the Soviets attempted to convince him to cooperate with them. [98] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 352 aerial victory claims, plus two further unconfirmed claims. Most Soviet fighters did not even have effective gunsights and their pilots, some cases in the early weeks, were forced to draw one on the windscreen by hand: "In the early days, incredible as it may seem, there was no reason for you to feel fear if the Russian fighter was behind you. On 29 October 1943 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for 148 enemy aircraft destroyed and the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross for 202 enemy aircraft on 2 March 1944, followed by the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves exactly four months later for 268 enemy aircraft shot down. The German airman was Erich Hartmann, and this was his last-ever kill—number 352. The family was forced to return to Germany in 1928, when the Chinese Civil War broke out. [13] Hartmann was assigned to III./JG 52,[Note 2] led by Gruppenkommandeur Major Hubertus von Bonin, and placed under the experienced Oberfeldwebel Edmund "Paule" Roßmann, although he also flew with such experienced pilots as Alfred Grislawski, Hans Dammers and Josef Zwernemann. [26] In the afternoon, a two-man patrol with Günther Rall resulted in two claims, and a third for Rall. Germany was in the act of formally surrendering to the Soviets and the Western Allies, so occupying Red Army troops in the eastern German town of Brunn were not expecting to witness what may have been World War II’s last dogfight over Europe. In his later years, after his military career had ended, he became a civilian flight instructor. At the time of its presentation to Hartmann, this was Germany's highest military decoration. Hartmann's time as a trainee pilot did not always go smoothly. Ultimately, Hartmann earned the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds on 25 August 1944 for claiming 301 aerial victories. Hartmann claimed two enemy aircraft before his fighter was hit by debris and he was forced to make an emergency landing. However, Erich’s war in the air became a footnote to his life following the decade of Soviet imprisonment he experienced following the war. Of course, the aircraft were also important. The book has been criticised by some as ahistorical and misleading in recent American and German historiography. [55], III. This number increased to 159 by January 1 and the first two months of 1944 saw him shoot down another 50 Soviet planes. Hartmann was asked to surrender his side arm — a security measure heightened by the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on 20 July 1944. It was not a good time for a baby boy to come into the downtrodden fatherland. [95] Although events subsequently validated his low opinion of the aircraft (269 crashes and 116 German pilots killed on the F-104 in non-combat missions, along with allegations of bribes culminating in the Lockheed scandal), Hartmann's outspoken criticism proved unpopular with his superiors,[94] and he was put into early retirement in 1970. [47] On 2 and 12 October he accounted for four victories and achieved a treble on 14, 15 and 20 October and double claims on 24, 25 and 29 October. [38], The demands on fighter pilots increased after Kursk. Most people are still comfortable with Hartmann’s kill total, and today it is unlikely that some new deluge of information will arrive to change the conversation. His mother was a licensed pilot and his father was a respected physician who had been an Army Doctor in the First World War. [14], Hartmann was placed as wingman to Paule Roßmann, who acted as his teacher, and one of the factors that enabled Hartmann's success. 55 comments. [56] Three days later, Hartmann engaged United States Army Air Forces aircraft in Reichsverteidigung for the first time in defence of the Ploiești oilfields and engaging North American P-51 Mustang fighters for the first time over Romania. [1], Hartmann began his military training on 1 October 1940 at the 10th Flying Regiment in Neukuhren. Erich Hartmann - 352 Kills By May 8, 1945, Adolf Hitler had been dead for more than a week. [15] Hartmann subsequently escaped,[43] and returned to his unit on 23 August. [61], On 15 August, III. On 1 August 1943 Hartmann became an ace-in-a day by claiming five victories. Erich Alfred Hartmann was a German fighter pilot, serving with Luftwaffe, during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. [40] On 20 August, in combat with Il-2s, his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 20485—factory number) was damaged by debris, and he was forced to land behind Soviet lines at 06:20 in the vicinity of Artemivsk. [90], Hartmann also made several trips to the United States, where he was trained on U.S. Air Force equipment. Another solution, also learned from the Soviets, was to ignite fuel under the engine. It seems to me that he controls his flying talent, his good eyesight and his aggressiveness with an extremely cool mind as soon as he engages the enemy. A full 825 of these flights put him in the company of enemy aircraft. [80], During his captivity Hartmann was first arrested on 24 December 1949, and three days later, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Command of his former 9. Aviation History Online ... Erich Hartmann is the ace of aces, with more aerial combat victories than any other pilot in history. According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 15:50. [45] Nine days later, Hartmann downed the Soviet ace Major Vladimir Semenishin of the 104 GIAP while protecting bombers from Kampfgeschwader 27 for his 112th victory. By official order, any claim usually had to be supported by a witness (airborne or ground-based), and the kill had to include either the complete, verifiable destruction of the enemy aircraft or a bail-out by its pilot. Based on this, some might even assume he killed more enemy aircraft than his official tally would indicate. Hartmann later recalled that the incident saved his life: That week confined to my room actually saved my life. Erich Hartmann died on 20 September 1993 aged 71. Hartmann was charged with war crimes, specifically the "deliberate shooting of 780 Soviet civilians" in the village of Briansk, attacking a bread factory on 23 May 1943, and destroying 345 "expensive" Soviet aircraft. [59], Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 44793". Originally released in the United States in 1970, it was published in Germany the next year, as Holt Hartmann vom Himmel! [59], Later that month, P-51s ran his Messerschmitt out of fuel. The Luftwaffe planned to screen the Wehrmacht'spanzers from the Soviet Il-2 Sturmoviks, armored tank-busting aircraft,armed with twin 37mm cannon. Twenty-two days later, Hartmann claimed his first victory, an Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik of the 7th Guards Ground Attack Aviation Regiment, but by the end of 1942, he had added only one more victory to his tally. Hartmann and the former Luftwaffe pilots needed only familiarisation training. [71] At the time, II. This number includes two claims over United States Army Air Forces flown P-51 Mustangs, and 350 Soviet Air Forces piloted aircraft on the Eastern Front. The son of a doctor, Hartmann was born on April 19, 1922. On 8 and 9 July 1943 he claimed four on each day. Gruppe relocated to Roman on 18 May. In the first, Soviet records show at least one La-5 was lost. [21], On 5 July Hartmann claimed four victories during the large dogfights that took place during the Battle of Kursk. The German ace was the first to acknowledge that while some of his opponents were highly skilled and ruthlessly effective, many lacked his preparedness. Erich Hartmann is the most successful fighter pilot of all times – with 352 kills. Oil freezing in the DB 605 engines of the Bf 109G-6s made them difficult to start in the extreme cold of the Russian winter. Hartmann was part of Jagdgeschwader 52 on the Eastern front. [6], Hartmann's flying career began when he joined the glider training program of the fledgling Luftwaffe and was taught to fly by his mother, one of the first female glider pilots in Germany. Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. Had Hartmann gone to war earlier or been sent to any other theatre, his performance probably would not have been as dominant or sustained. According to Hartmann, all four of them got drunk on cognac and champagne. [24] On 7 July he claimed five, including two Il-2s from the 1 ShAK regiment.[25]. Gruppe was based in Nagyrábé, Hungary. A number of factors fed Hartmann’s success. [62] Two days later, Hartmann became the top scoring fighter ace, surpassing fellow JG 52 pilot Gerhard Barkhorn, with his 274th victory. He was retired in 1970, due to his opposition to the procurement of the F-104 Starfighter. [97], The historian Jens Wehner notes that the German-language version of the book was immensely popular in Germany, but contained serious flaws in its presentation of historical realities. On 29 October, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), at which point his tally stood at 148. In October 1943, Hartmann claimed another 33 kills, and, on 29 October, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz, at which point his tally stood at 148 kills. Declarations of War – Why Do So Many Countries Fight Without Them? His 352 confirmed kills will probably stand forever as the bench-mark of success in aerial warfare. [100] He engaged an enemy fighter, but failed to score any hits and nearly collided with it. Turned Himself In Right After His Last Aerial Victory. Erich Hartmann AKA The Black Devil. refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (. [43], In 2016, Hartmann's former unit, JG 71, honoured him by applying his tulip colour scheme to their current aircraft. claimed five … In May, Hartmann filed claims number 208 to 231 which included six on 6 May. All of these factors made him a natural, and exceptionally dangerous, hunter. (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Barbas, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Matthews and Foreman. save. Staffel of JG 3. [82] Hartmann managed to somehow be reinstated as a pilot and escape being grounded. [85] In late 1955 Hartmann was released as a part of the last Heimkehrer. When he did decide to attack, he waited until the enemy was so close that he could hardly miss when he opened fire. [57] One of the P-51Bs flown by Lt. Robert J. Goebel of the 308th Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, broke away and headed straight for Hartmann while he hung in his parachute. Jul 14, 2008 Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, the leading German fighter ace of World War II, is credited with 352 confirmed aerial victories between October 1942 and May 1945. Flying Bf 109s (Me-109s) against the overmatched Soviet MiGs and Yaks for almost three years, he accumulated his unrivalled score. Posted by 1 month ago. Die populäre und populärwissenschaftliche Darstellung der Wehrmacht", "Der "grau-rote Baron" fliegt über Wittmund", "The Shocking Story of Nazi Germany's Greatest Fighter Ace", "Da gondeln, scheppern und gurken sie nun—Boom und Risiken in der westdeutschen Sportfliegerei", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erich_Hartmann&oldid=1017178856, People from the Free People's State of Württemberg, Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Reveal his position only at the last possible moment, Compensate for the low muzzle velocity of the slower-firing 30 mm, Place his shots accurately with minimum waste of ammunition, Prevent the adversary from taking evasive action, This page was last edited on 11 April 2021, at 08:54. All victories were EF, Eastern Front. Hartmann protested multiple times against this judgement. [94] Already in 1957, Hartmann had recommended to Kammhuber to first buy and evaluate a few new and unfamiliar aircraft before committing the air force to a new aircraft type. [41] At least one sources suggests the cause of the crash-landing was enemy fire. The most relevant dissenter in Hartmann’s case was a Russian researcher named Dimitri Khazanov, who published an article in 2005 claiming to have identified notable inconsistencies and even errors in Hartmann’s kill log. [63] He passed the 300-mark on 24 August 1944, a day on which he shot down 11 aircraft in two combat missions, representing his greatest ever victories-per-day ratio (a double-ace-in-a-day) and bringing the number of aerial victories to an unprecedented 301. In 1997, the Russian Federation (posthumously) relieved him of all charges. Could Hartmann have inflated his tally? The resurgence of the Soviet air force after Germany’s early successes in 1941 also played a role in Hartmann’s staggering stats. On the former date, Hartmann claimed two aircraft on each mission he flew. [Note 1]. As a result, he usually entered dogfights with two powerful advantages: 2) the choice of whether or not to engage. [31][2] Hartmann was nicknamed the Cherniy Chort ("Black Devil") because of his skill and paint scheme of his aircraft. [54], In April and May 1944, 9./JG 52 resisted the Soviet Crimean Offensive. Then she went home on the Trans … [101], Hartmann had kept the whereabouts of his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross secret from his captors during his time as a prisoner of war, claiming that he had thrown it away. Hartmann flew 1,404 combat missions during World War II, resulting in 825 engagements, and was never shot down.Hartmann was never wounded and never bailed out due to damage inflicted by enemy pilots. In fact, they are quick to point out the comparatively rigorous process through which a German pilot was awarded a kill. Erica was born in Weissach, in the southern part of Karlsland, to a doctor father and former witch mother. Resuming combat operations, Hartmann was awarded the Knight's Cross on October 29 when his kill total numbered 148. This and the ! Further, the political and social consequences of World War II were completely ignored. Remarkably, other pilots posted even higher averages, albeit during much shorter periods. He was initially sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, later increased to 25 years, and spent 10 years in various Soviet prison camps and gulags until he was released in 1955. [23] Hartmann began to score successes regularly in a target rich environment. After scoring 301, Hartmann was immediately grounded by Luftwaffe Chief Hermann Göring, who feared the possible loss of Hartmann would be a devastating blow to German morale should such a hero be lost. The highest scoring ace of all time was the great German Luftwaffe experte Erich Hartmann with 352 aerial kills. AMONG THE World War II Luftwaffe’s experten, Erich Hartmann stands alone. [4], Hartmann was educated at the Volksschule in Weil im Schönbuch (April 1928 – April 1932), the Gymnasium in Böblingen (April 1932 – April 1936), the National Political Institutes of Education (Nazi Secondary Education School) in Rottweil (April 1936 – April 1937), and the Gymnasium in Korntal (April 1937 – April 1940), from which he received his Abitur. USS Devilfish – The Curious Case of the Only U.S. Navy Submarine to be Attacked by a Kamikaze, The Maginot Line – 11 Fascinating Facts About France's Ill-Fated Fortifications, The Atlantic Wall – 11 Amazing Facts About the Nazi Defences at Normandy. "[26], At the start of August 1943, his tally stood at 42, but Hartmann's tally had more than doubled by the end. According to Scherzer as pilot in the pilot in the 7./, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, National Political Institutes of Education, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II, Der "grau-rote Baron" fliegt über Wittmund, "So war der deutsche Landser. [27] The Red Army began a counteroffensive in the region to contain the German operation and destroy its forces (Operation Kutuzov and Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev). Hartmann claimed, that of all his accomplishments, he was proudest of the fact that he never lost a 395. On 30 January 1944, Hartmann shot down six enemy aircraft (178-183). By the end of the year, this had risen to 159. This contrasts with bomber escort missions, for example, which constrained fighter pilots, limited their initiative, and made them more vulnerable to attack. Seizing a convenient moment, the German fighters attacked our aircraft and shot down three Yak-1s. Staffel which was officially assigned to the II. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. [2] On 10 September, Hartmann married his long-time teenage love, Ursula "Usch" Paetsch. [96], The Blond Knight was a commercial success and enjoyed a wide readership among both the American and the German public. [58] Only one other claim against this type was made by Hartmann in 1945. By contrast, Soviet aviators (Hartmann did shoot down a handful of Americans) varied wildly in their skill and preparedness. These included uncritical borrowing from the Nazi propaganda elements of the Fliegerasse ("aces") and stereotypes about the Soviet Union. Barkhorn was to be honoured with the Swords, while Hartmann, Krupinski and Wiese were to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). [75] Hartmann's last aerial victory occurred over Brno, Czechoslovakia, on 8 May, the last day of the war in Europe. Hartmann and Hermann Graf were ordered to fly to the British sector to avoid capture by Soviet forces while the remainder of JG 52 was ordered to surrender to the approaching Soviets. After a few days of intensive mock combats and practice flights, Grislawski conceded that, although Hartmann had much to learn regarding combat tactics, he was a talented pilot. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). The Hartmanns also owned a light aircraft but were forced to sell it in 1932 as the German economy collapsed. The preliminary criminal investigation was carried out only formally. [32], When the decorated British test pilot Captain Eric Brown asked Hartmann how he had accomplished his total, Hartmann remarked, that along with firing at close range, inadequate Soviet defensive armament and manoeuvre tactics allowed him to claim a victim in every attack. Barkhorn, the commander of II. During the intense manoeuvring, Hartmann ran out of ammunition. Hartmann achieved his 352nd and last aerial victory at midday on 8 May 1945, hours before the German surrender. "[14] The danger of this method was evident on 25 May 1943 when he collided with a Soviet fighter instead of shooting it down. Hartmann declined the offer, preferring to remain with JG 52. His comrade Hans "Assi" Hahn managed to hide the Knight's Cross in a double bottom cigar box and smuggled it back to Germany when he was released from captivity.[147]. [89] This unit was equipped initially with Canadair Sabres and later with Lockheed F-104 Starfighters. Hartmann received numerous awards and citations for his kills. Despite his cavalier attitude and lack of discipline, Hartmann’s training officers realized that he was an immensely talented pilot, and tolerated his behavior. In April Hartmann claimed five victories. A number that will never be surpassed. Hartmann’s supporters criticized Khazannov’s data sources (iffy Soviet-era records) and methodology, while others considered his analysis a welcome reality check. The great Kursk offensive, Operation Zitadelle,began on July 5. [60] Goebel was making a camera pass to record the bailout and banked away from him only at the last moment, waving at Hartmann as he went by. In March 1944, Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn, were summoned to Adolf Hitler’s (did you know) (see Hitler parents) (see William Hitler) Berghof in … He was subsequently sent to another camp, this time at Diaterka in the Ural Mountains. [73] From 1–14 February, he then briefly led I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 as acting Gruppenkommandeur until he was replaced by Helmut Lipfert. According to Matthews and Foreman after 18 March 1945. He was the 54th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. As JG 52 retreated along with German ground forces in 1943,Hartmann's score began to mount. 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