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The Kracker Luftwaffe Archive: Axis Powers Pilots and Crew




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You searched for: “batz”

#Pilot/Crew
SORT (↑)		RankBornPlaceScore
SORT (↑)		PhotoUnitsAircraftAwards*************Notes*************LinksAuthorComments
1 Evers,Lt1III/JG-52 (5/44)Bf 109G EK 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a Soviet Yak-9 on 29 May, 1944, while serving with W. Batz.
2 Zebrowski, WolfgangLt1924/01/19Berlin (CK)LKS 7 Wien-Langenlebarn (10/42-07/43, CK), FFS C Zeltweg (07-10/43 CK), BFS Wesendorf (10/43-01/44 CK), 4./SKG 10 (Nacht) (02/44 Le Mans CK), T.O. 2./SKG 10 (Nacht) (03-06/44 CK), NSGr 20 (renamed, -05/45)Ju-86, Ju-88, He-111, Si-204, Ju-52, Fi-156, Bf-108 (dam 25/05/44), Fw -190 G-8 "Red 2" (03/44-; lost one "Red 2" on 07/07/44, dam another "Red 2" 07/08/44, lost his last "Red 2" on 05/05/45)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (proposed)

EK 1 & EK 2 (15/06/44 CK)


Assault Operational Clasp in Gold
Wound badge		Following info added; 144 combat missions. He wrote a book about his war experiences named "Nachts über den Wolken". His first combat mission was in 04/44, a 13 aircraft night attack against London where he simply few alongside without bombs as training. Emergency night landing on 25/05/44 near Maubeuge with the Bf-108 of Gruppenkommandeur Major Dahlmann. Bailed out of his "Red 2" on 03/07/44 due to Flak damage near Caen over Nomandsland, but were encountered by Germans. WIA 7 August, 1944 NE of Niort, damaged by flak, he made a belly landing parallel to a railroad track. He served in the first unit to see service on D-Day, flew in 300m over an invasion beach and later attacked a battle ship or cruiser, couldnt identify damage of his bomb due to evasion maneurvrers. Good friend of OFhr Heribert Batz. His main black man/ Mech for Red 2 was OGefr Fritz Kühl. Retired from the Bundeswehr as Oberst.(CK)CKönig
3 Sturm, HeinrichHptm1920/06/12Dieburg, Hessen157

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

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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
4 Steinecke,1III/JG-52 (5/44)Bf 109G EK 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a Soviet Pe-2 on 29 May, 1944, while serving with W. Batz.
5 Reh, HorstOfhr5/JG-26Bf 109E-7 Werk # 7254 (lost 4/8/41)Fighter Operational ClaspHis ac reported lost 8 April, 1942 near the Isle of Batz, cause and pilot disposition unknown (absa3945).rehx
6 Reeh, HorstLt2/23/1920Gars/Horn5/JG-26Bf 109E-7 Werk # 2754 (lost 8/4/41)Fighter Operational ClaspKilledInAction (KIA) 4 August, 1941 by RAF No. 82 Sq. Blenheim return fire N of Morlaix, near Brest. Reeh crashed into the sea near the Ile de Batz.
7 Mannetstetter, HermannLt78/JG-2 (6/43), 9/JG-2 (9/43), 12/JG-2 (3/44Fw 190A
EK 1 & 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a Whitley V on 3 June 1943 at 20:14, at Biscay Bay (BD414 of 10 OTU). A 2nd, a P-51 on 12 June, 1943 NW of Ile de Batz. A 3rd, a Spitfire on 31 August, 1943. Same day, a Spitfire XII. A 5th, a Spitfire on 11 September, 1943. A 6th, a B-17 SW of West Ulm on 18 March, 1944. A 7th, a P-47 at Hochstenbach on 21 October, 1944. This seems to be Hermann Mannestetter, above, and Hermann Mannstetter, below.Allied Losses Database Whitley BD414
8 Koch, HarryHptm1913/02/01Köln305./JG 26 (08/40-04/41), I./JG 1, Stfkpt 7./JG 1 (01/42), Stfkpt 6./JG 1 (03/43, 06/43 Woensdrecht)Bf 109 E in JG 26, Fw 190 A of I./JG 1, Bf 109 E Werknr 5477 of 9./JG 1, Fw 190 A-4 Werknr 5592 (lost 18/03/43, Spitfires, pilot safe), Fw 190 A-5 "Yellow 5" (or Yellow 12) Werknr 7345 (70% dam 6/10/43, frc lnd Hulst, combat, pilot OK) in 6./JG 1, Fw 190 A Werknr 26067 (lost 20/10/43, shot down), Fw 190 A-6 "Yellow 11 + -" Werknr 550751 (lost 22/12/43)
Deutsches Kreuz - Gold (17/10/43)
EP (30/09/41)

EK 1 & 2

probably Fighter Operational Clasp in Gold
KilledInAction (KIA) 22 December, 1943, when he collided with his wingman, Uffz Erwin Mietho, during aerial combat at Badbergen in his A-6. Buried Köln-Südfriedhof 38E/79 (Geensen). Sharks teeth painted under 190 cowling. Thirteen victories while serving in JG-26. 13 bombers. His first victory, a Hurricane at Dungeness on 30 August, 1940. His 2nd, a Spitfire at Brighton on 1 October, 1940. His 3rd, a Hurricane at Tonbridge on 29 November, 1940. His 4th, a Blenheim at Ile de Batz, 8 April, 1941, while in 5/JG-26. His 5th, a Spitfire in the St. Omer/Longuenesse area on 7 August, 1941. His 12th, a Spitfire 7 km west of Westkapellen on 10 March, 1943. His 16th, a P-47 north of Zeebrugge on 16 May, 1943. His 20th, a B-17 at Herford on 28 July, 1943. His 25th, a P-38 S of Quackenbrück on 13 November, 1943. His 27th, a B-17 SSW of Cologne on 1 December, 1943. His 30th, and last victim, a B-17 on 20 December, 1943.


Courtesy CK
9 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.



10 Albertz,1III/JG-52 (5/44)Bf 109G EK 2
Fighter Operational Clasp		One known victory, a Soviet Pe-2 on 29 May, 1944, while serving with W. Batz.
11 Becker,Lt5/JG-52 (4/43 S.U.)Bf 109GFighter Operational ClaspServed under Batz & Helmut Kühle. Possibly Lt Otto Becker, Stfkpt 8/JG-52.
12 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

Extended Record
13 Bätz, RudolfLt3/KG-54 (Med)Ju 88A-4 Werk # 140533 "B3 + HL" (lost 3/22/43)Bomber Operational ClaspKilledInAction (KIA) 22 March, 1943; hit by flak at Matmata, near Gabes, one other unnamed crew injured (Ju 88 Loss List).
14 Batz, HeribertOFhr2./SKG 10 (Nacht) (06/44-04/45)FW-190 FGood friend of Lt Wolfgang Zebrowski. Survived the war. Came to unit in 06/44.CKönig
15 Batz, HelmutOFhr6./SG 103 (04/44 Metz)FW-190KIFA as a trainee in April 1944 in Metz probably due to pilot error.CKönig
16 Batz, HelmutOFhr6./SG 103 (04/44 Metz)FW-190KIFA in April 1944 in Metz probably due to pilot error.CKönig
17 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



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