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The Kracker Luftwaffe Archive: Axis Powers Pilots and Crew




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You searched for: “barkhorn

#Pilot/Crew
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PhotoUnitsAircraftAwards*************Notes*************LinksAuthorComments
1 Barkhorn, DietrichOfhr2/28/1923Königsberg, Ostpreussen4/JG-2 (6/43 France)Bf 109G-6 Werk # 19911 (lost 6/4/43), Bf 109G-6 Werk # 15374 (lost 8/4/43)Wound Badge
Fighter Operational Clasp
KilledInAction (KIA) 4 August 1943 during aerial combat near Abbeville. Younger brother of Gerhard. Added: Burial in the German War Cem. at Bourdon, France, Plot 32, Gr 287 (M.Krebbers). WIA 4 June, 1943 during aerial combat near Abbeville, bailed safely (Bf 109 Loss List).


Courtesy Christian König

2 Barkhorn, Gerhard 'Gerd'Obstlt3/20/1919Königsberg, Ostpreussen301

Courtesy Christian König

5/JG-52(7/42), Stfkpt 4/JG-52 (2/43 S.U.), Kdr I/JG-52 (8/43 Charkow, S.U.), Kdr II/JG-52 (Russia), Kdr JG-6 (1/45), JV-44 (4/45)Bf 109E-7 Werk # Werk # 5922 "Yellow 2 + -" (into Channel 10/29/40), Bf 109F-4 Wk#13388 "White 5 + -" (WIA 7/25/42), Bf 109G-6 Werk # 15909 "Black <<5 (7/43 Anapa, S.U.), Bf 109G-6 Werk # 20003 "Black << w/mini White 5" (8/43 S.U.), Bf 109G-6 Werk # 162198 "<<5" (5/44 Kherones), Bf 109G-6 Wk#163195 "Black <<5 + -" (WIA 5/31/44), Bf 109K-4, Fw 190D-9 w JG-6, Me 262
RK(8/23/42)
S(3/2/44)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(9/7/42)
EP(7/20/42)

EK 1
Wound Bdg(7/25/42)
Ftr. Oper.Clasp w/Pendant
EL(1/11/43). 1104 combat missions. His first known Soviet vivtory, a Pe-2 NE of Petrovskaya on 27 May, 1942. Four LaGG-3s on 7 October, 1942. A Yak-1 and two LaGG-3s on 30 October, 1942. A P-40, a Yak-1 and a LaGG-3 on 30 November, 1942. A LaGG-5 and two Yak-1s on 5 August, 1943. Four LaGG-5s on 23 August, 1943. A Yak-9, a P-39 and two Yak-1s on 29 December, 1943. Another of many multiple victories for this high scorer! Shot down with severe wounds 31 May, 1944, exhausted after his sixth mission of the day. Flying his G-6, Wk# 163195 "Black 5", he lost his concentration, and was jumped by a Soviet P-39. His last victory was on 5 Jan., 1945. Injured in another crash on 25 April, 1945, when his Me 262 was shot down by a P-51. He carried the name "Christl", his wifes name on nearly all his AC. Barkhorns wingman was Fahnrich Graf Keller. His crew chief from 40 to 45, Cpl. Albert Kusterer. Shot down 9 times. In 1955, he joined the West German Luft. and became a General. Deceased 11 January, 1983; auto accident 6 January,1983, wife Christl killed instantly 6 January. Post war home: Tegernsee.


Heinrich Sturm, left, Gerhard Barkhorn middle, Wilhelm Batz right

Christian König

Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn, Gruppenkommandeur II./JG 52, Bagerowo, 12 February 1944 in his Bf 109 G-6/Trop W.Nr. 44. 'Schwarzer Doppelwinkel' after his 250th victory



3 Batz, Wilhelm 'Willi'Maj5/21/1916Bamberg237

Courtesy Christian König

Instr duty, 5/JG-52 (12/42), Stfkpt 5/JG-52 (8/43 S.U.), Kdr III/JG-52 (4/44), Kdr II/JG-52 (5/45)Bf 109G, Bf 109K-4 "Black <1" in II/JG-52
RK(3/26/44)
S(4/21/45)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(1/28/44)
EP(11/14/43)

EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge
Ftr. Oper.Clasp w/"400"
6th ranked German Ace. Wounded three times, shot down four times. Shot down 15 enemy AC on 30 May, 1944, on seven separate missions. 445 combat missions, all victories in the East except 5. 2 four engine bombers. His first known Soviet victory, a LaGG-3 on 11 March, 1943. Two LaGG-3s on 15 April, 1943. Two Il-5s and a LaGG-3 on 20 April, 1943. A Yak-1 on 9 May, 1943. A LaGG-3 S of Anapa on 10 June, 1943. A Yak-1 on 21 July, 1943. A P-39 on 7 August, 1943. Two Yak-1s on 9 August, 1943. Two Yak-1s on 5 September, 1943. A LaGG-5 and a Yak-9 on 12 October, 1943. Three Yak-1s on 16 November, 1943. Six victories in the Eltigen area on 5 December, 1943. A Yak-1 and a Yak-9 on 10 February, 1944. He scored 15 victories on 31 May, 1944. Six Soviet victories on 19 July, 1944. His 200th on 20 July, 1944. Six victories on 17 August, 1944. Nicknamed "Rabitzky" by his Russian counterparts, he was one of the most feared by the Soviet airmen. He and his Group eluded Soviet capture after the war. Retired from the BundesLuftwaffe as Oberst. Deceased 11 September, 1988 at Mauschendorf, Unterfranken.

Courtesy Heinrich Sturm, left, Gerhard Barkhorn middle, Wilhelm Batz right

Christian König

4 Ewald, Heinz 'Esau'Lt9/1/1922Zoppot bei Danzig84

6/JG-52 (11/43 S.U.), 5/JG-52, Stfkpt 7/JG-52 (1/45 Babolnapuszta, Hungary), Stfkpt 6/JG-52 (4/45)Bf 109G-6 Werk # 143568 "Yellow 11", Bf 109G-14 Wk# 610964 "Wh 10", Bf 109G-14 "White 7", Bf 109G-10 Wk# 610487 "White 3" (1/45) [all ac in 7 Staffel], added CKönig: Bf 109G-10AS "White 8" (2/45)
RK(4/20/45)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(11/30/44)
EP(5/25/44)

EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge
Fighter Operational Clasp
A "New Growth" pilot, he served as wingman for Barkhorn, Batz, Lipfert and Sturm. Shot down with wounds by U.S. bomber return fire while serving in Romania. Shot down by German Flak in 1945 over Hungary. All victories were in the East. His first known victory, a Soviet Yak-1 on 12 November, 1943, a Gefr at the time. A 2nd Yak-1 on 14 November, 1943. A 3rd, an Il-2 SW of Eltigen on 5 December, 1943. A 4th Soviet, a Yak-1 N of Gorkom on 17 December, 1943. A 5th, and reaching "Ace" status, a Yak-1 on 29 December, 1943. Two P-39s and a Yak-1on 31 December, 1943. A P-39 on 23 January, 1944. Two Yak-9s on 12 February, 1944. Three Yak-7s on 25 February, 1944. A P-39 on 30 May, 1944. A Yak-11 on 6 October, 1944. Two Yak-7s and an Il-2 on 1 November, 1944. Scored five victories on 3 January, 1945. Shot down with wounds in Wk# 610964 on 1 March, 1945. His 84th and last victory, a Yak-9 on 16 April, 1945. 396 missions. Survived the war. Bowers/Lednicer, 85 victories. Deceased 14 March, 2002.



5 Semelka, WaldemarLt1/8/1920Dombrau Sudetenland654/JG-52 (5/42 Russia)Bf 109F-4/R1 Werk # 13057 "White 7" (5/12/42 MIA-retd), Bf 109G-2 Werk # 13558 "White 7" (lost 8/21/42) RK(9/4/42 Post.)

Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(9/7/42)
EP(7/6/42)

EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp
KilledInAction (KIA) 21 August, 1942 over Stalingrad during aerial combat after downing two Soviet Bostons. MIA 12 May, 1942 after aerial combat at Markowka. The ac was written off and he returned later. Another Barkhorn tutor. 240 missions, all victories in the East. His first known Soviet victory, an Il-2 at Dudnikowka on 26 May, 1942. Four LaGG-3s and an I-153 on 18 August, 1942. An I-180 and two LaGG-3s on 21 August, 1942. Bowers/Lednicer, 65 victories.
6 Stigler, Ludwig FranzOblt.8/21/1915Amberg (Bav)28

Courtesy Christian König

Flt Instr(40), 2 & 4/JG-27(5/42 Martuba Libya; 6/42 Sidi Barani Egypt), 6/JG-27(5/43 Trapani Sicily; 7/43 So. Ital.), Stfkpt 12/JG-27(1/44 Graz), 8/JG-27, Actg Kdr III/JG-27(10/44 Grossenhain), JV-44(2/45 Lechfeld & Brandenburg; 3/45 Munich)He 72 (as Instr @ Dresden), Bf 109F/Trop Werk # 8401 "Wht 12 + -" (80% dam 6/25/42; eng dam near Tmimi) w/4 Staffel, Bf 109G-4 "Yellow 2 (4/43), Bf 109G-6 Werk # 15371 (lost 5/15/43; injured in a crash at Trapani), Bf 109G-6 Trop Werk # 16347 (80% dam 6/3/43 TO accident, pilot OK), Bf 109G-6 "Yellow 12" (8/43 Wiesbaden), Bf 109G-6 "Yel 2" (44), Bf 109G-14 (10/44), Fw 190D-9, Me 262A-1a "White 3" (also flown by Adolf Galland)
Deutsches Kreuz - Gold(10/1/44)
EP(2/28/44)


EK 1 & 2
Wound Badge

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with pendant "400"
On 20 Dec., 1943, Stigler refused to shoot down the heavily damaged B-17 F, Ser.# 42-3167, "Ye Olde Pub", of 379BG. The B-17 pilot, 2nd Lt. Charles L. Brown, learned the identity of the chivilrous pilot in 1990, and they have been friends ever since. Stigler lived in Vancouver, B.C. and Brown in Miami. Article of the event and a Stigler autographed photo on file. 487 missions. 17 victories in the Desert. 11 bombers, 2 with the Me 262. Shot down 17 times, bailing 6 times. Serious wounds from B-17 return fire, shattering his windshield. 30 unconfirmed victories. Nominated for the RK. One known victory, his 1st, a P-40 SW of Ft. Acroma North Africa on 31 May, 1942. Another, a Spitfire V N of El Alamein on 10 July, 1942. A P-38F of 82FG, piloted by Lt Conrad Bentzlin (drowned) on 16 April, 1943, at sea, 70km west of Marettimo. His 20th, a B-17 10 km S of Urach, E of Freiburg , on 6 September, 1943. A double victory, Nos 21 & 22, on 29 November, 1943; both B-17s, one 3 km NW of Harpstedt, the other (an HSS) 15 km SW of Wildenhausen. His 24th, a B-24 NW of Cirkle on 19 March, 1944. his 25th, a P-38 2 km W of Dunavecse on 3 April, 1944. A Spitfire in the Rambouillet area on 16 August, 1944. His famous student, Barkhorn! Both Stigler & Brown deceased in 2008, Stigler 22 March (P. Bastin). Alternate spelling: Steigler & Stiegler (109 Loss List).



7 Sturm, HeinrichHptm1920/06/12Dieburg, Hessen157

Lt. Heinrich Sturm, left , Gerhard Barkhorn middle, Maj. Wilhelm Batz

<

6./JG 52 (08/42 S.U.) Stfkpt 4./JG 52Bf 109 E "White 13", Bf 109 F, Bf 109 G-6 "Black 11 + -" Werknr 442036 (lost 22/12/44) RK (26/03/44)

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold(30/08/43)
EP (26/07/43)

EK 1 & 2

Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold with pendant "300"
KIFA 22 December, 1944 during takeoff in Czor Hungary, when his "Black 11" ground looped after hitting a car on the runway. All victories in the East. His first known victory, a Soviet I-180 on 28 August, 1942. A Yak-1 on 30 October, 1942. A Boston III and an Il-2 on 8 December, 1942. A LaGG-3 and an Il-2 on 17 December, 1942. A LaGG-3 5 km S of Navodimitrijewski on 13 February, 1943. Two LaGG-3s on 23 February, 1943. Two Yak-1s on 5 March, 1943. Two P-39s on 22 March, 1943. Three LaGG-3s on 15 April, 1943. Two LaGG-3s SW of Gelendzhik on 17 April, 1943. On 20 April, 1943, he scored 5 victories in one day; two LaGG-5s, a LaGG-3 and two Il-5s. Another of his many multiples, three LaGG-5s on 3 June, 1943. An Il-2 and a Yak-7 on 22 October, 1943. Five Yak-1s and an Il-2 (m.H.) on 5 November, 1943. Five Yak-1s and a P-39 on 6 November, 1943. A captured Ju 87, an Il-2 and a LaGG-3 on 24 September, 1944. Two LaGG-5s and two Il-2s on 31 October, 1944.




Courtesy CK

8 Witt, GüntherOblt25/JG-52 (6/40), IV/JG-1 (10/42), Stfkpt 10/JG-11 (8/43), 7/JG-1 (2/44 Reich Def)Bf 109E in JG-52, Fw 190A-4 in JG-1, Fw 190A in JG-11, Bf 109G-6 Werk # 15406 "White 2" (lost 2/8/44) EK 2
Wound Badge
Fighter Operational Clasp
WIA 8 February, 1944 during aerial combat with a P-47 in the Luxemburg area; DOW later in a Luxembourg hospital (Rosseels). Constantly circled Barkhorn 29 October, 1940 as Barkhorn awaited rescue from the English Channel. One known victory, his 1st, a Hawk-75A south of Reims, 9 June, 1940. His 2nd, a Spitfire at London on 20 October, 1940.

Results 1 to 8 of 8.



Wer vor der Vergangenheit die Augen verschließt, wird blind für die Gegenwart. Richard von Weizsäcker

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