Jagdgeschwader 52
Encyclopedia
Jagdgeschwader 52 (52nd Fighter Wing) of the Luftwaffe
, was the most successful fighter
-wing
of all time, with a claimed total of more than 10,000 victories over enemy aircraft during World War II
. It was the unit of the top three scoring Fighter ace
s of all time, Erich Hartmann
, Gerhard Barkhorn
and Günther Rall
. The unit flew exclusively with the various versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109
throughout the war.
and the Battle of Britain
. Initially only a 2 'Gruppe' unit—most Jagdgeschwaders were three Gruppe (flight) units; each Gruppe consisted of 3 to 7 Kettes (swarms) of 4 aircraft, the required ground support crew,-- JG 52's achievements during the offensives were rather unremarkable. By the end of 1940, the unit had amassed 177 claims, but had suffered high losses; 53 pilots killed or POW in the Battle of Britain
alone.
, when JG 52 was transferred to the east that the wing started to chalk up kills consistently. JG 52 was based mainly on the Southern, Ukrainian and Central fronts in Soviet Russia
from 1941–1944, supporting Army Group South
. The Geschwader's 500th victory was attained on 7 September 1941. Among those victories, 323 were attained on the Eastern Front.
Initially I./JG 52 was retained in the West, guarding the Northern European coast, while Hpt Woitke's II./JG 52 were seconded to JG 27, claiming 270 kills in the first few months of the offensive. III./JG 52 were the southern-most Gruppe on the whole Russian front, along the Black Sea
coast, where action was limited at this time.
During 1941–1942, with the Luftwaffe constantly on the offensive against the vast numbers of the ill-equipped and poorly trained Soviet Air Force, conditions were perfect for the experienced well-equipped JG 52 fighter pilots to build up huge personal scores of aircraft shot down.
In the period 22 June – 5 December 1941 the unit destroyed 881 Soviet aircraft, in return for 49 losses in aerial combat and five aircraft on the ground.
By early 1942 the Geschwader (with JG 3) provided the fighter support along the vast Southern sector of the Eastern front. A measure of JG 52's success during 1942 was the fact that over 20 Ritterkreuz
awards were made (with 7 'Oakleaves' awards) to its ace pilots in the year. On 8 May 1942, JG 52 scored its 1,500 kill. By 3 June it had reached 2,000.
. I. Gruppe by this time had become a highly mobile 'fire brigade' formation, sent at short notice to areas where fighter cover was quickly and urgently required. Shuttling between areas ranging from the Kerch
peninsula on the Black Sea to the Moscow front, I. /JG 52 was in constant action. The Gruppe's 700th claim was achieved in September 1942.
Although JG 52 were not directly involved in the final stages of the Battle of Stalingrad
, III./JG 52 were used during the push towards the Caucasian oil fields in the south during August–September 1942, and II./JG 52 supported the attempted break-through by 4th Panzer Army
in late 1942. During this time the 4,000 kill mark was reached on 10 December 1942.
The first half of 1943 saw action centred around the Strait of Kerch
and the Crimea
. By mid March II. and III. Gruppen had the vital task of protecting 17th Army's main line of retreat. On 20 April 1943, Hptm. Günther Rall scored the Geschwader's 5,000th victory.
of 2./JG 52 claimed 12 Soviet aircraft destroyed in one day, but the assertion that 7./JG 52's Walter Krupinski
claimed 11 appears to be a misunderstanding.
By this time however, the new generation of advanced Soviet fighter aircraft (such as the Yak-9 or La-5 of the La-5FN version) and improved battle field tactics were taking an ever higher toll of the overworked veteran Luftwaffe pilots.
By November 1943, the loss of Kiev
threatened the stability of the entire Southern sector front, the whole of JG 52 being brought together again to help bolster defences. By December 1943 JG 52 had reached 8,000 victories. Over the Uman
region III./JG 52 claimed 50 victories in 60 days. III./JG 52 became its most successful Gruppe, claiming its 3,500 kill on 21 March 1944. By the end of the month III./JG 52 was based in Poland
.
On 10 May 1944 the 9,000th claim was made, with the 10,000 mark passed on 2 September 1944 by Adolf Borchers
. The last German troops left the Crimea
in May 1944, II./JG 52 retiring from battle a week earlier. Artillery fire and constant air raids had caused steady aircraft losses. A retreat to Romania
followed soon after. A new opponent appeared at this stage, with elements of the USAAF 15th Air Force bombing the Ploieşti
oil fields in Romania. During JG 52's six-week defence, some 15 US aircraft were shot down, but by this time, attrition had reduced II./JG 52 to just nine operational fighters.
With the Normandy invasion
underway, JG 52 were weakened by the removal of three Staffeln for service in the West. New 2, 4 and 7 Staffeln would be activated later in the year, with each JG 52 Gruppen now expanded to four Staffeln.
III./JG 52 were now seconded to the Central front, attached to elements of JG 51. By the spring of 1945, I. and III./JG 52 were stationed within Czechoslovakia
, with II./JG 52 based in Austria
. Although the units surrendered to the American forces at the end of the war, most of the I. and III. Gruppe personnel were controversially handed over the Soviet Army, resulting in several show trials for JG 52 officers and years of prolonged imprisonment for many officers and men.
near the end of the war.
The final actual kill tally of JG 52 cannot accurately be assessed, as unit records from late 1944 to May 1945 were destroyed. Over 10,000 kills were certainly claimed, for some 678 pilots killed in action.
JG 52 produced some of the highest scoring aces of all time. Many of its pilots were imprisoned for up to ten years by the Soviets after the war had finished. Major Erich Hartmann
(352 kills) was kept in Soviet captivity until his release in 1955.
Whilst inevitably there was some degree of over-claiming
(as happened in all air combat in World War II) JG 52 was the top scoring unit in a Luftwaffe fighter force that was outnumbered and therefore had plenty of targets (on all fronts). For the first half of the war at least they were also tactically and technologically superior to all of their opponents, and flew far more missions than most Allied pilots, (up to 1,000 operations) and were thus the most experienced veterans of all the combatant nations. Luftwaffe aircrew did not have rest periods, tours of operations or 'rotations' like Allied Air Forces- they flew until they were incapacitated, taken prisoner or were killed.
/JG52) of attached Slovak Air Force pilots claimed 215 air kills flying Bf-109G's during a tour of operations on the Eastern Front in 1943, while Croatian pilots, flying as part of the Croatian Air Force Legion
, formed 15(Kroat.)/JG52, serving periodically with JG 52 between October 1941 and mid 1944, claiming over 300 kills in 5,000 missions.
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
, was the most successful fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
-wing
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
of all time, with a claimed total of more than 10,000 victories over enemy aircraft during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was the unit of the top three scoring Fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
s of all time, Erich Hartmann
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
, Gerhard Barkhorn
Gerhard Barkhorn
Lieutenant-General Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn , was the second most successful fighter ace of all time after fellow Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann...
and Günther Rall
Günther Rall
Lieutenant-General Günther Rall was the third most successful fighter ace in history. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He achieved a total of 275 victories during World War II: 272 on the Eastern Front,...
. The unit flew exclusively with the various versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
throughout the war.
Western Front
Originally, JG 52 was involved in the air fighting during the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. Initially only a 2 'Gruppe' unit—most Jagdgeschwaders were three Gruppe (flight) units; each Gruppe consisted of 3 to 7 Kettes (swarms) of 4 aircraft, the required ground support crew,-- JG 52's achievements during the offensives were rather unremarkable. By the end of 1940, the unit had amassed 177 claims, but had suffered high losses; 53 pilots killed or POW in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
alone.
Eastern Front
It was only at the outset of Operation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, when JG 52 was transferred to the east that the wing started to chalk up kills consistently. JG 52 was based mainly on the Southern, Ukrainian and Central fronts in Soviet Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
from 1941–1944, supporting Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
. The Geschwader's 500th victory was attained on 7 September 1941. Among those victories, 323 were attained on the Eastern Front.
Initially I./JG 52 was retained in the West, guarding the Northern European coast, while Hpt Woitke's II./JG 52 were seconded to JG 27, claiming 270 kills in the first few months of the offensive. III./JG 52 were the southern-most Gruppe on the whole Russian front, along the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
coast, where action was limited at this time.
During 1941–1942, with the Luftwaffe constantly on the offensive against the vast numbers of the ill-equipped and poorly trained Soviet Air Force, conditions were perfect for the experienced well-equipped JG 52 fighter pilots to build up huge personal scores of aircraft shot down.
In the period 22 June – 5 December 1941 the unit destroyed 881 Soviet aircraft, in return for 49 losses in aerial combat and five aircraft on the ground.
By early 1942 the Geschwader (with JG 3) provided the fighter support along the vast Southern sector of the Eastern front. A measure of JG 52's success during 1942 was the fact that over 20 Ritterkreuz
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield....
awards were made (with 7 'Oakleaves' awards) to its ace pilots in the year. On 8 May 1942, JG 52 scored its 1,500 kill. By 3 June it had reached 2,000.
The Caucasus and Stalingrad offensives
In mid-July 1942 the Gruppen commenced re-equipment with the new Bf 109 G Gustav, and the wing continued covering the armoured spearhead offensive deep into the CaucasusCaucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. I. Gruppe by this time had become a highly mobile 'fire brigade' formation, sent at short notice to areas where fighter cover was quickly and urgently required. Shuttling between areas ranging from the Kerch
Kerch
Kerch is a city on the Kerch Peninsula of eastern Crimea, an important industrial, transport and tourist centre of Ukraine. Kerch, founded 2600 years ago, is considered as one of the most ancient cities in Ukraine.-Ancient times:...
peninsula on the Black Sea to the Moscow front, I. /JG 52 was in constant action. The Gruppe's 700th claim was achieved in September 1942.
Although JG 52 were not directly involved in the final stages of the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
, III./JG 52 were used during the push towards the Caucasian oil fields in the south during August–September 1942, and II./JG 52 supported the attempted break-through by 4th Panzer Army
German Fourth Panzer Army
The 4th Panzer Army was, before being designated a full army, the Panzer Group 4 , a German panzer army that saw action during World War II. Its units played a part in the invasion of France, and then on the Eastern Front.-Early history:The 4th Panzer Group's predecessor was the XVI Corps formed...
in late 1942. During this time the 4,000 kill mark was reached on 10 December 1942.
The first half of 1943 saw action centred around the Strait of Kerch
Strait of Kerch
The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating the Kerch Peninsula in the west from the Taman Peninsula in the east. The strait is to wide and up to deep....
and the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
. By mid March II. and III. Gruppen had the vital task of protecting 17th Army's main line of retreat. On 20 April 1943, Hptm. Günther Rall scored the Geschwader's 5,000th victory.
The Kursk offensive
I. and III./JG 52 moved into the Ukraine in July 1943 in preparation for the massive Kursk offensive. As two of the eight fighter Gruppen involved, the offensive saw JG 52 pass the 6,000 mark in aircraft claimed shot down. Hauptmann Johannes WieseJohannes Wiese
Johannes Wiese was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
of 2./JG 52 claimed 12 Soviet aircraft destroyed in one day, but the assertion that 7./JG 52's Walter Krupinski
Walter Krupinski
Walter ´´Graf Pinski`` Krupinski was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II and a senior West German air force officer after the war. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots, accredited with 197 victories in 1,100 sorties. He was called by his fellow pilots Graf Pinski due to his...
claimed 11 appears to be a misunderstanding.
By this time however, the new generation of advanced Soviet fighter aircraft (such as the Yak-9 or La-5 of the La-5FN version) and improved battle field tactics were taking an ever higher toll of the overworked veteran Luftwaffe pilots.
On the defensive
The withdrawal of JG 3 in August 1943 left JG 52 as the sole complete fighter Geschwader on the Eastern Front. Constantly on the move, JG 52 now operated from makeshift and temporary airstrips close to the rapidly contracting frontline, often in danger of being overrun by Russian armoured spearheads.By November 1943, the loss of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
threatened the stability of the entire Southern sector front, the whole of JG 52 being brought together again to help bolster defences. By December 1943 JG 52 had reached 8,000 victories. Over the Uman
Uman
Uman is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. The city rests on the banks of the Umanka River at around , and serves as the self-governing administrative center of the Umanskyi Raion ....
region III./JG 52 claimed 50 victories in 60 days. III./JG 52 became its most successful Gruppe, claiming its 3,500 kill on 21 March 1944. By the end of the month III./JG 52 was based in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
On 10 May 1944 the 9,000th claim was made, with the 10,000 mark passed on 2 September 1944 by Adolf Borchers
Adolf Borchers
Adolf Borchers was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
. The last German troops left the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
in May 1944, II./JG 52 retiring from battle a week earlier. Artillery fire and constant air raids had caused steady aircraft losses. A retreat to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
followed soon after. A new opponent appeared at this stage, with elements of the USAAF 15th Air Force bombing the Ploieşti
Ploiesti
Ploiești is the county seat of Prahova County and lies in the historical region of Wallachia in Romania. The city is located north of Bucharest....
oil fields in Romania. During JG 52's six-week defence, some 15 US aircraft were shot down, but by this time, attrition had reduced II./JG 52 to just nine operational fighters.
With the Normandy invasion
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
underway, JG 52 were weakened by the removal of three Staffeln for service in the West. New 2, 4 and 7 Staffeln would be activated later in the year, with each JG 52 Gruppen now expanded to four Staffeln.
III./JG 52 were now seconded to the Central front, attached to elements of JG 51. By the spring of 1945, I. and III./JG 52 were stationed within Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, with II./JG 52 based in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Although the units surrendered to the American forces at the end of the war, most of the I. and III. Gruppe personnel were controversially handed over the Soviet Army, resulting in several show trials for JG 52 officers and years of prolonged imprisonment for many officers and men.
Achievements
The vast majority of the Geschwader's victories were achieved against aircraft from the Red Air Force, although a few occurred against USAAF aircraft over AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
near the end of the war.
The final actual kill tally of JG 52 cannot accurately be assessed, as unit records from late 1944 to May 1945 were destroyed. Over 10,000 kills were certainly claimed, for some 678 pilots killed in action.
JG 52 produced some of the highest scoring aces of all time. Many of its pilots were imprisoned for up to ten years by the Soviets after the war had finished. Major Erich Hartmann
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
(352 kills) was kept in Soviet captivity until his release in 1955.
Post war doubts
Post war, the phenomenal scores achieved by the Luftwaffe, particularly on the Russian Front by the likes of JG 52, were questioned by historians as to their validity. However, with the recent availability of Soviet military archives research indicates that most Jagdgeschwader claims in fact stand up to scrutiny far better than many other of the combatant nations in World War II.Whilst inevitably there was some degree of over-claiming
Confirmation and overclaiming of aerial victories
In aerial warfare, the term overclaiming describes a combatant that claims the destruction of more enemy aircraft than actually achieved...
(as happened in all air combat in World War II) JG 52 was the top scoring unit in a Luftwaffe fighter force that was outnumbered and therefore had plenty of targets (on all fronts). For the first half of the war at least they were also tactically and technologically superior to all of their opponents, and flew far more missions than most Allied pilots, (up to 1,000 operations) and were thus the most experienced veterans of all the combatant nations. Luftwaffe aircrew did not have rest periods, tours of operations or 'rotations' like Allied Air Forces- they flew until they were incapacitated, taken prisoner or were killed.
Foreign contingents
JG 52 was also home to attachments from other Axis air forces' fighter arms. A Staffel (13(Slow.)13 JG 52
13. Staffel Jagdgeschwader 52 was a front-line German unit of the Luftwaffe made up of Slovak personnel during World War II.They operated on the Eastern Front using Messerschmitt Bf 109s , between 1941 and 1943....
/JG52) of attached Slovak Air Force pilots claimed 215 air kills flying Bf-109G's during a tour of operations on the Eastern Front in 1943, while Croatian pilots, flying as part of the Croatian Air Force Legion
Croatian Air Force Legion
The Croatian Air Force Legion , or HZL, also known as the Croatian Legion, was a military unit of the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia which fought alongside the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front from 1941 to 1943 and then back on Croatian soil...
, formed 15(Kroat.)/JG52, serving periodically with JG 52 between October 1941 and mid 1944, claiming over 300 kills in 5,000 missions.
Knight's Cross recipients of JG 52
| Name | Knight's Cross | | Oak Leaves | | Swords | | Diamonds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leesmann, Karl-Heinz Karl-Heinz Leesmann Karl-Heinz Leesmann was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl-Heinz Leesmann was shot down on 25 July... |
23 July 1941 | |||
| Steinhoff, Johannes Johannes Steinhoff Johannes Steinhoff was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II, and later a senior West German air force officer and military commander of NATO. Steinhoff was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole of the war period 1939-45... |
30 August 1941 | 2 September 1942 | 28 July 1944 | |
| Köppen, Gerhard Gerhard Köppen Gerhard Köppen was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... |
18 December 1941 | 27 February 1942 | ||
| Graf, Hermann Hermann Graf Colonel Hermann Graf was a German Luftwaffe World War II fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts... |
24 January 1942 | 17 May 1942 | 19 May 1942 | 16 September 1942 |
| Steinbatz, Leopold Leopold Steinbatz Leopold "Bazi" Steinbatz was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and sole non Officer recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II.-Luftwaffe career:After service in the Austrian Army Steinbatz joined the... |
14 February 1942 | 2 June 1942 | 23 June 1942 | |
| Dickfeld, Adolf Adolf Dickfeld Oberst Adolf Dickfeld was a German World War II Luftwaffe 136 victories Flying ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... |
19 March 1942 | 19 May 1942 | ||
| Roßmann, Edmund Edmund Roßmann Edmund "Paule" Roßmann was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 93 aerial victories achieved in 640 combat missions, among the numerous ground attack missions. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial... |
19 March 1942 | |||
| Wachowiak, Friedrich | 5 April 1942 | |||
| Zwernemann, Josef Josef Zwernemann Josef Zwernemann was born on 26 March 1916 in Kirchworbis in the Province of Saxony. During World War II he served as a fighter pilot in German Luftwaffe. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... |
23 June 1942 | 31 October 1942 | ||
| Gratz, Karl Karl Gratz Karl Gratz was an Austrian born Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... |
1 July 1942 | |||
| Grislawski, Alfred Alfred Grislawski Alfred Grislawski was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat... |
1 July 1942 | 11 April 1944 | ||
| Simsch, Siegfried | 1 July 1942 | |||
| Steffen, Karl | 1 July 1942 | |||
| Barkhorn, Gerhard Gerhard Barkhorn Lieutenant-General Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn , was the second most successful fighter ace of all time after fellow Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann... |
23 August 1942 | 12 January 1943 | 2 March 1944 | |
| Dammers, Hans Hans Dammers Hans Dammers was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 113 aerial victories, with 23 unconfirmed claims... |
23 August 1942 | |||
| Schmidt, Heinz Heinz Schmidt Heinz Schmidt was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat... |
23 August 1942 | 16 September 1942 | ||
| Rall, Günther Günther Rall Lieutenant-General Günther Rall was the third most successful fighter ace in history. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He achieved a total of 275 victories during World War II: 272 on the Eastern Front,... |
3 September 1942 | 26 October 1942 | 12 September 1943 | |
| Semelka, Waldemar | 4 September 1942 | Hermann Wolf |
||
| Süß, Ernst | 4 September 1942 | |||
| Resch, Rudolf Rudolf Resch Rudolf Resch was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Rudolf Resch was shot down and killed on 11 July 1943 by... |
6 September 1942 | |||
| Graßmuck, Berthold | 19 September 1942 | |||
| Hammerl, Karl | 19 September 1942 | |||
| Bennemann, Dr. med. dent. Helmut Helmut Bennemann Dr. med. dent. Helmut BennemannIn German a Doctor of Medical Dentistry is abbreviated as Dr. med. dent. . was a German Oberstleutnant.... |
2 October 1942 | |||
| Füllgrabe, Heinrich Heinrich Füllgrabe Heinrich Füllgrabe was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II... |
2 October 1942 | |||
| Krupinski, Walter Walter Krupinski Walter ´´Graf Pinski`` Krupinski was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II and a senior West German air force officer after the war. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots, accredited with 197 victories in 1,100 sorties. He was called by his fellow pilots Graf Pinski due to his... |
29 October 1942 | 2 March 1944 | ||
| Miethig, Rudolf Rudolf Miethig Rudolf Miethig was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... |
29 October 1942 | |||
| von Bonin, Hubertus Hubertus von Bonin Hubertus von Bonin was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe until his death on 15 December 1943. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He is credited with shooting down 77 enemy... |
21 December 1942 | |||
| Freuwörth, Wilhelm | 5 January 1943 | |||
| Wiese, Johannes Johannes Wiese Johannes Wiese was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... |
5 January 1943 | 2 March 1944 | ||
| Denk, Gustav Gustav Denk Gustav Denk was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Denk claimed 67 aerial victories, 1 over the Western Front and 66 over the Eastern Front... |
14 March 1943 | |||
| Nemitz, Willi | 24 March 1943 | |||
| Trenkel, Rudolf Rudolf Trenkel Rudolf Trenkel was a German World War II Luftwaffe 138 victories Flying ace and recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.Rudolf Trenkel served in... |
19 August 1943 | |||
| Korts, Berthold Berthold Korts Berthold Korts was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 113 aerial victories. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... |
29 August 1943 | |||
| Hartmann, Erich Erich Hartmann Erich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare... (the highest scoring ace ever) |
29 October 1943 | 2 March 1944 | 2 July 1944 | 25 August 1944 |
| Quast, Werner Werner Quast Werner "Quax" Quast was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. On 7 August 1943 Werner Quast rammed his BF-109... |
31 December 1943 | |||
| Waldmann, Hans Hans Waldmann (fighter pilot) Hans Dackel Waldmann was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.- World War II :... |
5 February 1944 | |||
| Petermann, Viktor Viktor Petermann Viktor Petermann was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... |
29 February 1944 | |||
| Obleser, Friedrich Friedrich Obleser Friedrich Obleser was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 127 aerial victories achieved in 500 combat missions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or... |
12 March 1944 | |||
| Batz, Wilhelm Wilhelm Batz Major Wilhelm "Willi" Batz was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace. Willi Batz flew 445 combat missions and claimed 237 enemy aircraft shot down... |
26 March 1944 | 20 July 1944 | 21 April 1945 | |
| Fönnekold, Otto Otto Fönnekold Otto Fönnekold was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Fönnekold was credited with 136 victories... |
26 March 1944 | |||
| Sturm, Heinrich Heinrich Sturm Hauptmann Heinrich Sturm was German World War II Luftwaffe 158 victories Flying ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... |
26 March 1944 | |||
| Lipfert, Helmut Helmut Lipfert Helmut Lipfert was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Lipfert ranks as the world's thirteenth fighter ace. Lipfert was credited with 203 victories achieved in 687 combat missions... |
5 April 1944 | 17 April 1945 | ||
| Bunzek, Johannes Johannes Bunzek Johannes Bunzek was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Johannes Bunzek was killed on 11 December 1943 over... |
6 April 1944 | |||
| Hoffmann, Gerhard Gerhard Hoffmann (pilot) Gerhard Hoffmann was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Hoffmann was credited with 130 aerial victories.... |
14 May 1944 | |||
| Düttmann, Peter Peter Düttmann Peter "Bonifazius" Düttmann was a World War II Luftwaffe flying ace. He achieved 152 kills in 398 sorties. All of his victories were scored against Soviet opposition on the Eastern Front flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109.-Military career:... |
9 June 1944 | |||
| Sachsenberg, Heinz Heinz Sachsenberg Heinz Wimmersaal Sachsenberg was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... |
9 June 1944 | |||
| Bachnick, Herbert Herbert Bachnick Herbert Bachnick was a World War II Flying ace in the Luftwaffe credited with 80 victories, all but one over the Eastern front. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... |
27 July 1944 | |||
| Birkner, Hans-Joachim Hans-Joachim Birkner Hans-Joachim Birkner was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.-Career:Birkner was born on 22 October 1921 at... |
27 July 1944 | |||
| Wolfrum, Walter Walter Wolfrum Walter Wolfrum was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from February 1943 until the end of the war... |
27 July 1944 | |||
| Schall, Franz Franz Schall Franz Schall was a German World War II fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... |
10 October 1944 | |||
| Resch, Anton | 7 April 1945 | |||
| Ewald, Heinz | 20 April 1945 | |||
| Haas, Friedrich | 26 April 1945 |
Kommodore
- Major Merhart von Bernegg (19 August 1939 – 18 August 1940)
- Major Hanns Trübenbach (19 August 1940 – 10 October 1941)
- Major Wilhelm Lessmann (15 October 1941 – 2 June 1942)
- Oberstleutnant Friedrich BeckhFriedrich BeckhOberstleutnant Friedrich Beckh was 48 victory-Luftwaffe flying ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
(3 June 1942 – 21 June 1942) - Major Herbert IhlefeldHerbert IhlefeldHerbert Ihlefeld was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until the very end of World War II in May 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(22 June 1942 – 28 October 1942) - Oberstleutnant Dietrich HrabakDietrich HrabakDietrich "Dieter" Hrabak was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945 and again in the Bundeswehr from 1955 until his retirement on 30 September 1970...
(1 November 1942 – 30 September 1944) - Oberstleutnant Hermann GrafHermann GrafColonel Hermann Graf was a German Luftwaffe World War II fighter ace. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts...
(1 October 1944 – 8 May 1945)
I./JG 52
- Hauptmann Dietrich Graf von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (1 November 1939 – 21 November 1939)
- Hauptmann Siegfried von Eschwege (1 December 1939 – 26 August 1940)
- Hauptmann Wolfgang EwaldWolfgang EwaldWolfgang Ewald was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II...
(27 August 1940 – 24 May 1941) - Hauptmann Karl-Heinz LeesmannKarl-Heinz LeesmannKarl-Heinz Leesmann was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl-Heinz Leesmann was shot down on 25 July...
(25 May 1941 – 6 November 1941) - Oberleutnant Carl Lommel (acting 6 November 1941 – ?)
- Hauptmann Helmut BennemannHelmut BennemannDr. med. dent. Helmut BennemannIn German a Doctor of Medical Dentistry is abbreviated as Dr. med. dent. . was a German Oberstleutnant....
(14 June 1942 – 12 November 1943) - Hauptmann Johannes WieseJohannes WieseJohannes Wiese was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
(acting 11 May 1943 – 12 November 1943) - Hauptmann Johannes WieseJohannes WieseJohannes Wiese was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
(13 November 1943 – 20 May 1944) - Hauptmann Adolf BorchersAdolf BorchersAdolf Borchers was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
(11 June 1944 – 31 January 1945) - Hauptmann Erich HartmannErich HartmannErich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
(1 February 1945 – 8 May 1945)
II./JG 52
- Hauptmann Hans-Günther von Kornatzki (1 September 1939 – 26 August 1940)
- Hauptmann Wilhelm Ensslen (27 August 1940 – 2 November 1940)
- Hauptmann Erich WoitkeErich WoitkeErich Woitke was a fighter pilot 'ace' serving in the German Luftwaffe during World War II.Woitke was born 29 January 1912 in Mülheim, near Duisberg...
(3 November 1940 – 28 February 1942) - Hauptmann Johannes SteinhoffJohannes SteinhoffJohannes Steinhoff was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace of World War II, and later a senior West German air force officer and military commander of NATO. Steinhoff was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole of the war period 1939-45...
(1 March 1942 – 24 March 1943) - Hauptmann Helmut Kühle (25 March 1943 – 31 August 1943)
- Hauptmann Gerhard BarkhornGerhard BarkhornLieutenant-General Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn , was the second most successful fighter ace of all time after fellow Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann...
(1 September 1943 – 15 January 1945) - Hauptmann Helmut LipfertHelmut LipfertHelmut Lipfert was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Lipfert ranks as the world's thirteenth fighter ace. Lipfert was credited with 203 victories achieved in 687 combat missions...
(acting 1 June 1944 – ? October 1944) - Hauptmann Erich HartmannErich HartmannErich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
(acting 16 January 1945 – 31 January 1945) - Hauptmann Wilhelm BatzWilhelm BatzMajor Wilhelm "Willi" Batz was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace. Willi Batz flew 445 combat missions and claimed 237 enemy aircraft shot down...
(1 February 1945 – 8 May 1945)
III./JG 52
- Hauptmann Wolf-Heinrich von Houwald (1 March 1940 – 24 July 1940)
- Major Alexander von Winterfeldt (1 August 1940 – 6 October 1940)
- Major Gotthard HandrickGotthard HandrickKarl Hermann Gotthard Handrick was a German Olympic athlete and German fighter pilot during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.-Career:...
(7 October 1940 – 22 June 1941) - Major Albert Blumensaat (23 June 1941 – 30 September 1941)
- Major Hubertus von BoninHubertus von BoninHubertus von Bonin was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe until his death on 15 December 1943. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He is credited with shooting down 77 enemy...
(1 October 1941 – 5 July 1943) - Hauptmann Günther RallGünther RallLieutenant-General Günther Rall was the third most successful fighter ace in history. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He achieved a total of 275 victories during World War II: 272 on the Eastern Front,...
(6 July 1943 – 18 April 1944) - Major Wilhelm BatzWilhelm BatzMajor Wilhelm "Willi" Batz was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace. Willi Batz flew 445 combat missions and claimed 237 enemy aircraft shot down...
(19 April 1944 – 31 January 1945) - Hauptmann Adolf BorchersAdolf BorchersAdolf Borchers was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat...
(1 February 1945 – 8 May 1945)
External links
- http://www.jg52.de/ Traditionsgemeinschaft JG 52
- http://www.graf-grislawski.elknet.pl/index.htm Graf & Grislawski
- http://www.feldgrau.com/JG52.htm A list of commanders and the organisation of JG 52
- http://www.feldgrau.com/JG52.htm A list of commanders and the organisation of JG 52