Werner Hoffmann (nightfighter pilot)

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Werner Hoffmann
Born(1918-01-13)13 January 1918
Stettin
Died8 July 2011(2011-07-08) (aged 93)
Bremen
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1936–45
RankMajor (major)
UnitZG 2
NJG 3
NJG 1
NJG 5
Commands heldI./Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Werner Hoffmann (13 January 1918 – 8 July 2011) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Hoffmann was credited 51 aerial victories, 50 of them at night, claimed in 192 combat missions.[Note 1]

Early life and career[edit]

Hoffmann was born on 13 January 1918 in Stettin, present-day Szczecin in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland, at the time in the Province of Pomerania of the German Empire. He was the only child of Walter, a ship building engineer, and Gertrud Hoffmann.[1] In 1924, Hoffmann began his schooling at the Volksschule, a primary school, in Stettin. A year later, the family moved to Berlin, settling in Wilmersdorf. There, in 1928, he attended a Gymnasium, a secondary school.[2]

Hoffmann began flying gliders in 1932 and joined the Luftwaffe in December 1936, learning to fly with the Luftkriegsschule 3 (LKS 3—3rd air war school), Wildpark-West near Werder. He was awarded his pilot's badge in June 1938 and was then posted to 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 234 (JG 234—234th Fighter Wing), a squadron of III. Gruppe. III. Gruppe of JG 234 was eventually redesignated I. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 52 (ZG 2—52nd Destroyer Wing) in May 1939 and was equipped with the new Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter.

World War II[edit]

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Hoffmann was assigned to 4. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 2 (ZG 2—2nd Destroyer Wing) in early 1940 and participated in the Battle of France. He claimed his aerial first aerial victory, a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter over Dunkirk, on 24 May 1940.[3] That day, he also shot down Flying Officer Peter Cazenove in his Supermarine Spitfire from No. 92 Squadron. On 19 June, he hit by ground fire during a ground attack mission on French troops but returned to his airfield. Hoffmann sustained injuries in his left elbow, requiring weeks of convalescence.[3]

In July 1940, Hoffmann was transferred to Ergänzungs-Zerstörergruppe Værløse as an instructor with the rank of Oberleutnant and appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader). He remained with the unit until 3 August 1941, when the unit was disbanded. He then underwent conversion training as a night fighter pilot.[3]

Night fighter career[edit]

A map of part of the Kammhuber Line. The 'belt' and night fighter 'boxes' are shown.

Following the 1939 aerial Battle of the Heligoland Bight, RAF attacks shifted to the cover of darkness, initiating the Defence of the Reich campaign.[4] By mid-1940, Generalmajor (Brigadier General) Josef Kammhuber had established a night air defense system dubbed the Kammhuber Line. It consisted of a series of control sectors equipped with radars and searchlights and an associated night fighter. Each sector named a Himmelbett (canopy bed) would direct the night fighter into visual range with target bombers. In 1941, the Luftwaffe started equipping night fighters with airborne radar such as the Lichtenstein radar. This airborne radar did not come into general use until early 1942.[5]

Hoffmann was posted as Staffelkapitän to 5. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3—3rd Night Fighter Wing) based at Schleswig. On the night of 25/26 June 1942, Hoffmann shot down two twin-engine bombers during the 1,000-bomber raid on Bremen. Hoffmann was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5—5th Night Fighter Wing) on 11 February 1943.

Group commander[edit]

Hoffmann then served with I./NJG 1, based at Sint-Truiden, Saint-Trond in French pronunciation. On 4 July 1943, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of NJG 5, succeeding Hauptmann Siegfried Wandam in this capacity.[6]

On 15 November, Hoffmann was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) for 15 victories and by the end of 1943 had a victory total of 18. On 20 January 1944 Hoffmann had to bail out over Berlin when his aircraft was damaged by return fire from an RAF Lancaster. On the night of 28/29 January he shot down three Halifax bombers raiding Berlin and claimed two Lancaster bombers shot down the next night.

Hoffmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 31 victories on 4 May 1944.[7] On 29 June, Hoffmann shot down a four-engine bomber but again bailed out when his aircraft received hits from defensive fire from the bomber. On the night of 7/8 July he shot down three RAF bombers. In late July 1944 I./NJG 5 was withdrawn to Stendal for re-equipment with the Ju 88 G-6. Deployed to East Prussia, Hoffmann claimed four victories over Soviet-flown aircraft around Libau during December 1944.

By early 1945 Hoffmann had 44 victories. Following the Soviet offensive on 12 January 1945, Major Hoffmann flew ground-attack operations against ground forces. Hoffmann claimed a further seven victories during 1945. On the night of 16/17 March 1945, Hoffmann claimed three aerial victories but was himself shot down. His first claim, a Lancaster bomber, was shot down southwest of Schwäbisch-Hall, a Halifax bomber was destroyed near Ansbach, and a Lancaster bomber was claimed east of Ansbach. Near Nuremberg, his Ju 88 G-6 came under attack from a No. 239 Squadron De Havilland Mosquito night-fighter flown by Squadron Leader Dennis Hughes and Flight Lieutenant 'Dickie' Percks. His entire crew bailed out with Hoffmann suffered severe bruising to his chest.[8]

On 1 May 1945, Hoffmann joined 7./NJG 3, based at Husum. Hoffmann was recommended for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), a presentation was never made.[9]

Later life[edit]

Following three months internment in the POW camp at Wiedelah, Hoffmann was released.[7] After the war he studied pharmacy and opened a dispensary in Goslar. In 1957, Hoffmann was engaged by Hoechst AG in Bremen in an advisory role.

Aerial victory claims[edit]

Hoffmann was credited with 52 aerial victories, 51 of which by night, claimed in 192 combat missions. He filed four nocturnal aerial victories on the Eastern Front.[9] Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 51 nocturnal victory claims.[10] Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Hoffmann with 51 claims, including one as a Zerstörer pilot by day, plus one further unconfirmed claim, also by day.[11]

In some instances, aerial victories were claimed and logged in a Planquadrat (PQ—grid reference). The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) map was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2).[12][13]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the – (dash) indicates unwitnessed aerial victory claims for which Hoffmann did not receive credit.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 but not in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims.
Claim
(total) 		Claim
(nocturnal) 		Date Time Type Location Serial No./Squadron No.
– 1. Staffel of Zerstörergeschwader 52 –[3]
—
 24 May 1940
—
 Hurricane Dunkirk[3]
1 24 May 1940 20:30 Spitfire Dunkirk[3]
– 5. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 –[3]
2 1 26 June 1942 02:26 Hudson 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Heide[14]
3 2 26 June 1942 03:24 Whitley 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Busum[14]
– 4. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 –[3]
4 3 21 April 1943 00:45 Halifax 1.5 km (0.93 mi) east of Eggesin[15] Halifax JB912/No. 419 Bomber Squadron RCAF[16]
5 4 21 April 1943 00:50 Halifax 500 m (550 yd) south of Gut-Borkum[15] Halifax JB804/No. 77 Squadron RAF[17]
6?[Note 2] 30 May 1943 01:45 Halifax[3]
—
 5 25 June 1943 01:21 Lancaster 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Erkelenz[19]
7 6 25 June 1943 01:24?[Note 3] Lancaster PQ 6278[19]
vicinity of Erkelenz 		Lancaster ED858/No. 156 Squadron RAF[21]
8 7 25 June 1943 01:54 Wellington 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Brasel[22] Wellington HF594/No. 166 Squadron RAF[23]
9 8 29 June 1943 02:18 Stirling 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Lommel[24]
vicinity of Leopoldsburg 		Stirling BK694/No. 15 Squadron RAF[25]
– Stab I. Gruppe of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 –
10 9 4 September 1943 00:32 Lancaster center of Berlin[26]
11 10 7 September 1943 00:24 four-engined bomber east of Munich[27]
12 11 7 September 1943 00:45 Lancaster south of Munich[27] Halifax HR943/No. 158 Squadron RAF[28]
13 12 27 September 1943 23:18 Lancaster Hanover[29] Lancaster JA704/No. 166 Squadron RAF[30]
14 13 18 October 1943 20:25 Halifax 5–10 km (3.1–6.2 mi) northeast of Hanover[31] Lancaster ED499/No. 9 Squadron RAF[32]
15 14 22 October 1943 21:14 Lancaster 35 km (22 mi) north of Kassel[33]
16 15 22 October 1943 21:32 Lancaster Bückeburg[34]
17 16 23 November 1943 20:08 Lancaster southwest of Berlin[35] Lancaster JB223/No. 156 Squadron RAF[36]
18 17 2 December 1943 20:23 Lancaster Berlin[37]
19 18 2 December 1943 20:34 Lancaster Berlin[38]
20 19 2 January 1944 03:06 Lancaster Berlin[39] Lancaster JB703/No. 156 Squadron RAF[40][Note 4]
21 20 20 January 1944 19:20 Lancaster 20 km (12 mi) north-northeast of Rathenow[41]
22 21 29 January 1944 03:12 Halifax 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Neuruppin[42]
23 22 29 January 1944 03:27 Halifax 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Berlin[42]
24 23 29 January 1944 03:55 Halifax 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Berlin[43]
25 24 30 January 1944 20:15 Lancaster center of Berlin[43]
26 25 30 January 1944 20:35 Lancaster center of Berlin[43]
27 26 15 February 1944 20:48 Halifax 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Rostock[44]
28 27 20 February 1944 02:51 Lancaster 25 km (16 mi) east of Braunschweig[44]
29 28 20 February 1944 03:17 Halifax vicinity of Stendal[45] Halifax LV816/No. 78 Squadron RAF[46]
30 29 4 May 1944 00:36 Lancaster 15–20 km (9.3–12.4 mi) south of Mailly-le-Camp[47] Lancaster LL743/No. 166 Squadron RAF[48]
31 30 4 May 1944 00:36 Lancaster 15–20 km (9.3–12.4 mi) south of Mailly-le-Camp[47]
32 31 3 June 1944 01:24 four-engined bomber south of Elbeuf[49]
33 32 28 June 1944 03:50 Halifax northwest of Reims[50]
34 33 29 June 1944 00:58 Halifax northwest of Reims[50] Lancaster PA980/No. 405 Squadron RCAF[51]
35 34 8 July 1944 01:31 Lancaster south of Gisors[52]
36 35 8 July 1944 01:40 Lancaster 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Foucarmont[52]
37 36 8 July 1944 01:50 Lancaster southeast of Dieppe[52]
38 37 13 July 1944 02:12 Lancaster 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Neufchâteau[53]
39 38 13 July 1944 02:18 Lancaster 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Joinville[53]
40 39 15 July 1944 02:10 Lancaster 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Thonnance[54]
41 30 August 1944 01:37 Lancaster 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Königsberg[55]
42 41 14 December 1944 16:54 DB-3[56] vicinity of Libau
43 42 20 December 1944 17:19 PS-84 east of Libau[56]
44 43 20 December 1944 18:09 DB-3 east of Libau[56]
45 44 20 December 1944 18:28 DB-3 east of Libau[56]
46 45 6 January 1945 21:12 Halifax Gdańsk Bay[57] Halifax PB637/No. 103 Squadron RAF
47 46 14 February 1945 21:58 B-17 southwest of Bad Kissingen[58]
48 47 14 February 1945 22:11 Lancaster southwest of Bad Kissingen[58]
49 48 16 March 1945 21:18 Lancaster southwest of Schwäbisch Hall[59]
50 49 16 March 1945 21:26 Lancaster Ansbach[59]
51 50 16 March 1945 21:30 Lancaster east of Ansbach[59]
51 8 April 1945 23:00 Lancaster Weissenfels[60]

Awards[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
  2. ^ This claim is listed in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims but not in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945.[3][18]
  3. ^ According to Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims at 01:54.[20]
  4. ^ According to the Aviation Safety Network, potentially claimed by Hauptmann Walter Borchers.[40]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Williams 2011, pp. 89, 91.
  2. ^ Williams 2011, p. 91.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 539.
  4. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 9.
  5. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 27.
  6. ^ Aders 1978, p. 229.
  7. ^ a b Bowman 2016, p. 223.
  8. ^ Bowman 2016, pp. 222–223.
  9. ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 135.
  10. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 48–246.
  11. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 539–540.
  12. ^ Hinchliffe 1999, p. 208.
  13. ^ Planquadrat.
  14. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 48.
  15. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 76.
  16. ^ Halifax JB912.
  17. ^ Halifax JB804.
  18. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, pp. 83–84.
  19. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 89.
  20. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 389.
  21. ^ Lancaster ED858.
  22. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 90.
  23. ^ Wellington HF594.
  24. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 91.
  25. ^ Stirling BK694.
  26. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 110.
  27. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 112.
  28. ^ Halifax HR943.
  29. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 117.
  30. ^ Lancaster JA704.
  31. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 123.
  32. ^ Lancaster ED499.
  33. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 124.
  34. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 125.
  35. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 129.
  36. ^ Lancaster JB223.
  37. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 130.
  38. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 131.
  39. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 137.
  40. ^ a b Lancaster JB703.
  41. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 141.
  42. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 144.
  43. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 145.
  44. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 148.
  45. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 149.
  46. ^ Halifax LV816.
  47. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 174.
  48. ^ Lancaster LL743.
  49. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 181.
  50. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 194.
  51. ^ Lancaster PA980.
  52. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 199.
  53. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 200.
  54. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 201.
  55. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 213.
  56. ^ a b c d Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 226.
  57. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 229.
  58. ^ a b Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 235.
  59. ^ a b c Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 243.
  60. ^ Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 246.
  61. ^ Williams 2011, p. 97.
  62. ^ Williams 2011, p. 99.
  63. ^ a b c Williams 2011, p. 211.
  64. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 192.
  65. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 103.
  66. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 192.
  67. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 399.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Aders, Gebhard (1978). History of the German Night Fighter Force, 1917–1945. London: Janes. ISBN 978-0-354-01247-8.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  • Bowman, Martin (2016). German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command 1943–1945. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1-4738-4979-2.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Foreman, John; Parry, Simon; Mathews, Johannes (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945. Walton on Thames, UK: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
  • Hinchliffe, Peter (1999). Schnaufer: Ace of Diamonds. Brimscombe Port, UK: Tempus. ISBN 978-0-7524-1690-8.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Williams, David P. (2011). Hunters of the Reich: Night Fighters. Gloucester: Spellmount. ISBN 978-0-7524-5961-5.
  • Accident description for Halifax HR943 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax JB804 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax JB912 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Halifax LV816 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster ED499 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster ED858 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster JA704 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster JB223 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster JB703 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 27 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster LL743 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Lancaster PA980 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Stirling BK694 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 27 September 2022.
  • Accident description for Wellington HF594 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 27 September 2022.
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