Kurt Dombacher

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Kurt Dombacher
Born(1920-02-09)9 February 1920
Untertürkheim, Germany
Died8 October 1993(1993-10-08) (aged 73)
Rust, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service?–1945
1956–1970's
RankOberleutnant (Wehrmacht)
Major (Bundeswehr)
UnitJG 5
JG 51
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Kurt Dombacher (9 February 1920 – 8 October 1993) was a German Luftwaffe ace during World War II. Kurt Dombacher was credited with 68 victories in 800+ missions, with 1 over Western forces and 67 over Soviet forces. He was captured by Soviet forces in May 1945 and was held until 1950.

Career[edit]

On 10 September 1944, Dombacher was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He succeeded Leutnant Gerhard Mai who had temporarily led the Staffel after its former commander Hauptmann Joachim Brendel had been transferred on 2 September.[1]

Summary of career[edit]

Aerial victory claims[edit]

According to Spick, Dombacher is credited with 68 aerial victories claimed in approximately 300 combat missions.[2] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 68 aerial victory claims, 67 of which on the Eastern Front and one four-engined heavy bomber on the Weastern Front.[3]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 34333". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[4]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Dombacher an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 –
Action in south and west Norway — 1 January – 26 June 1942
1?[Note 1] 3 April 1942
—
 Spitfire Trondheim Fjord[6]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[5]
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
2 10 June 1943 19:03 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 34333[7]
5 km (3.1 mi) east of Seschtschinskaja 		14♠ 14 August 1943 18:24 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northeast of Schilow[8]
3 30 June 1943 09:05 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 64322[9]
10 km (6.2 mi) south-southeast of Belyov 		15 16 August 1943 18:26 La-5 southwest of Tschernezkii[10]
4 6 July 1943 19:30 Boston PQ 35 Ost 63843[11]
5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Zolotukhino 		16 18 August 1943 17:39 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] west of Savur-Mohyla[10]
5 13 July 1943 13:43 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63254[12]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch 		17 18 August 1943 17:43 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northwest of Dmitriyevka[10]
6 13 July 1943 14:08 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63251[12]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Zalegoshch 		18 27 September 1943 10:28 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] south of Akimovka[13]
7 17 July 1943 08:10 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63564[12]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 		19 27 September 1943 10:29 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] east of Sagolitschki[13]
8 5 August 1943 07:34 LaGG-3 west of Petrosselki[8] 20 27 September 1943 16:08 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northeast of Schulgowka[13]
9 5 August 1943 07:40 Boston southwest of Krassawka[8] 21 27 September 1943 16:10 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northeast of Gorodajewka[13]
10♠ 14 August 1943 18:14 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] east of Rakinoye[8] 22 29 September 1943 14:35 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] west of Trozko[13]
11♠ 14 August 1943 18:16 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] east of Jkalowka[8] 23 30 November 1943 08:29 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 34 Ost 49818[14]
30 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Dnepropetrovsk
12♠ 14 August 1943 18:17 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] north of Kut[8] 24 30 November 1943 13:23 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 49767[14]
55 km (34 mi) southwest of Dnepropetrovsk
13♠ 14 August 1943 18:21 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] southwest of Ogulzy[8]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[5]
Eastern Front — 1 January – 14 August 1944
25 16 January 1944 13:10 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 90572[15]
40 km (25 mi) east-northeast of Vinnytsia 		32 7 April 1944 17:49 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 50814[16]
40 km (25 mi) south of Ternopil
26 24 January 1944 10:32 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 80662[15]
30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Vinnytsia 		33 22 April 1944 18:18 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 40681[16]
20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Berezhany
27 24 January 1944 10:35 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 80632[15]
25 km (16 mi) south-souheast of Koziatyn 		34 27 April 1944 15:34 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 24 Ost 59314[16]
20 km (12 mi) north of Kolomyia
28 24 January 1944 10:42 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 90513[15]
30 km (19 mi) south-souheast of Koziatyn 		35?[Note 1] 1 May 1944 17:10 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 24 Ost 59173[16]
29 25 January 1944 10:37 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 80634[15]
25 km (16 mi) south-souheast of Koziatyn 		36 7 July 1944 14:55 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 44816[17]
10 km (6.2 mi) west of Kovel
30 25 January 1944 10:42?[Note 3] Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 90371[15]
25 km (16 mi) south-souheast of Koziatyn 		37 1 August 1944 10:43 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 35315[17]
20 km (12 mi) north of Mariiampil
31 7 April 1944 14:23 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 50641[15]
20 km (12 mi) south of Ternopil 		38 1 August 1944 11:15 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 35345[17]
20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Mariiampil
– 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[5]
Eastern Front — 15 August – 9 September 1944
39♠ 15 August 1944 14:45 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 25297[18]
25 km (16 mi) east of Blumenfeld 		43♠ 15 August 1944 18:27 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 35342[18]
20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Mariiampil
40♠ 15 August 1944 14:50 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 35155[18]
35 km (22 mi) north of Mariiampil 		44 17 August 1944 07:00 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 36331[18]
25 km (16 mi) south of Schaulen
41♠ 15 August 1944 15:23 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 35319[18]
20 km (12 mi) northwest of Mariiampil 		45 1 September 1944 10:56 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 13552[18]
15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Warsaw
42♠ 15 August 1944 18:20 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 25433[18]
25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Blumenfeld
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[19]
Eastern Front — 10 September – 31 December 1944
46 12 September 1944 09:12 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost N/13729[20]
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Warsaw 		50 18 September 1944 13:43 P-51?[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost N/03685[20]
20 km (12 mi) west of Warsaw
47 12 September 1944 09:16?[Note 5] Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost N/13588[20]
15 km (9.3 mi) east-northeast of Warsaw 		51 9 October 1944 14:22 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost N/26726[21]
vicinity of Tauroggen
48 15 September 1944 09:55 P-39 PQ 25 Ost N/03861[20]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Warsaw 		52 13 October 1944 14:30 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost N/25312[21]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Insterburg
49 15 September 1944 10:15 P-39 PQ 25 Ost N/13547[20]
15 km (9.3 mi) north of Warsaw
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[19]
Eastern Front — 1 January – 8 May 1945
According to Mathews and Foreman, Dombacher claimed 17 aerial victories on the Eastern Front in 1945, six of which are documented.[3]
56 16 February 1945
—
 Il-2 northwest of Graudenz 59 19 February 1945
—
 Il-2 northwest of Neuenburg
57 16 February 1945
—
 Il-2 northwest of Graudenz 60 20 February 1945
—
 unknown
58 16 February 1945
—
 Il-2 northwest of Graudenz 61 9 March 1945 12:48 Il-2

Awards[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[5]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  3. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:43.[5]
  4. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.[19]
  5. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:18.[19]
  6. ^ According to Obermaier on 20 March 1944.[24]
  7. ^ Kurt Dombacher's nomination by the troop was processed by the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe/Auszeichnung und Disziplin (OKL/AuD—Air Force High Command/Award and Discipline) on 15 April 1945. This nomination, now recommending approval, was forwarded on 16 April with a Luftwaffenpersonalamt-Verleihungsvorschlag (LPA-VV—Air Force Staff Office Nomination Recommendation) Nr. 1576 to the adjutancy of Hermann Göring. The nomination was never finalized and was left unfinished by the end of the war. A presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross cannot be verified. The presentation date of 7 April 1945 as listed by Ernst Obermaier, author of Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939–1945—The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Fighter Force 1939–1945, must be incorrect.[24] The presentation date of 8 April 1945 as listed by the Walther-Peer Fellgiebel is an assumption of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients.[26]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 319.
  2. ^ Spick 1996, p. 238.
  3. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 231–232.
  4. ^ Planquadrat.
  5. ^ a b c d e Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 231.
  6. ^ Prien et al. 2004, p. 180.
  7. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 148.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2012, p. 152.
  9. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 149.
  10. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 153.
  11. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 150.
  12. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 151.
  13. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2012, p. 154.
  14. ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 156.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2022, p. 481.
  16. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2022, p. 482.
  17. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2022, p. 484.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2022, p. 485.
  19. ^ a b c d Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 232.
  20. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2022, p. 325.
  21. ^ a b Prien et al. 2022, p. 326.
  22. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 67.
  23. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 89.
  24. ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 102.
  25. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 138.
  26. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 126.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  • 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.
  • Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
  • 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.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2004). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 7—Heimatverteidigung—1. January bis 31 Dezember 1942—Einsatz im Westen—1. Januar bis 31. Dezember 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 7—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1942—Action in the West—1 January to 31 December 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-73-1.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/I—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/I—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-26-0.
  • 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.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
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