Erich Hartmann

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Erich Hartmann
File:Erich Hartmann.jpg
Erich Hartmann
Nickname(s)Bubi
The Blond Knight
The Black Devil
The Black Devil of the South (to the Soviets)
AllegianceNazi Germany Nazi Germany (to 1945)
West Germany West Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht)
Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr)
Years of service1940 – 1945
1956 – 1970
RankMajor (Wehrmacht)
Oberst (Bundeswehr)
UnitJG 52, JG 53 and JG 71
Commands heldI./JG 52 and JG 71
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsRitterkreuz mit Eichenlaub, Schwerten und Brillianten
Other workCivilian Flight instructor

Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993), also nicknamed "The Blond Knight Of Germany" by friends and "The Black Devil" by his enemies, was a German fighter pilot and still is the highest scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial combat. He scored 352 aerial victories (of which 345 were won against the Soviet Air Force, and 260 of which were fighters) in 1,404 combat missions and engaging in aerial combat 825 times while serving with the Luftwaffe in World War II. Never wounded, never lost a wingman, Hartmann was forced to crash land his damaged fighter 14 times. This was due to damage received from parts of enemy aircraft he had just shot down, or mechanical failure. Hartmann was never shot down or forced to land due to enemy fire.[1]

Hartmann, a pre-war Glider pilot, joined the Luftwaffe in 1940 and completed his fighter pilot training in 1942. He was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52) on the Eastern front and was fortunate to be placed under the supervision of some of the Luftwaffe's most experienced fighter pilots. Under their guidance Hartmann steadily developed his tactics which would earn him the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds on 25 August 1944 for claiming 301 aerial victories.

He scored his 352nd and last aerial victory on 8 May 1945. He and the remainder of JG 52 surrendered to US forces and were turned over to the Red Army. Convicted of false "War Crimes" and sentenced to 25 years of hard labour, Hartmann would spend 10 years in various Soviet prison camps until he was released in 1955. In 1956, Hartmann joined the newly established West German Luftwaffe and became the first Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen". Hartmann resigned early from the Bundeswehr in 1970, largely due to his opposition of the F-104 Starfighter deployment in the Bundesluftwaffe and the resulting clashes with his superiors over this issue. Erich Hartmann died in 1993.[2]

Early life

Hartmann was born in Weissach in Württemberg as the older of two brothers. His younger brother Alfred would also join the Luftwaffe during World War II. Alfred served as a gunner on a Ju 87 in North Africa. He was taken prisoner of war and spent four years in British captivity. Most of their childhood was spent in China, as his father, Alfred Erich Hartmann, was a doctor who wanted to escape the economic depression. With help of Dr. Hartmann's cousin, a German consul in Shanghai, Dr. Hartmann went to China and found work in Changsha. Erich and his family were forced to return to Germany in 1928 due to the Chinese Civil War.[3]

Erich attended the Volksschule in Weil im Schönbuch from April 1928 until April 1932. He continued his education at the Gymnasium in Böblingen (April 1932 – April 1936) and the National Political Institutes of Education in Rottweil (April 1936 – April 1937). He received his Abitur from the Gymnasium in Korntal, which he attended from April 1937 until April 1940. It is here at Korntal that the 17 year old Hartmann met his future wife to be. Ursula "Usch" Paetsch was only 15 years old at the time and initially her parents were unhappy about their friendship, but they learned to accept the relationship.[4]

He joined the glider training program of the fledgling Luftwaffe. His mother, Elisabeth Wilhelmine Machtholf, was one of the first female glider pilots, gaining her license from the Böblingen flying club. She taught Erich to fly. The Hartmanns bought a light aircraft, but were forced to sell it in 1932 due to the collapsing German economy. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, gliding was encouraged. Elisabeth Hartmann helped set up a flying school at Weil im Schönbuch in 1936, by which time, the 14-year old Erich had become an instructor.[5]

Military career

Hartmann got his pilot's license in 1939 and started his military training on 1 October1940 at the 10th Flying Regiment in Neukuhren and from 1 March 1941 at the Luftkriegsschule 2 in Berlin-Gatow. His first flight with an instructor took place on 5 March 1941, and flew as a solo pilot on 24 March. Hartmann completed his basic training in October 1941. His next stop on 1 November 1941 was the pre-fighter school 2 in Lachen-Speyerdorf. This advanced pilot training was completed on 31 January 1942. He learned to fly the Messerschmitt Bf 109 at the Jagdfliegerschule 2 in Zerbst/Anhalt, beginning on 1 March 1942 until 20 August 1942. By this time he was qualified to fly 17 different types of powered aircraft. His next posting, lasting from 21 August 1942 to 10 October 1942, was Jagdergänzungsgruppe Ost (Fighter Supply Group, East) in Gleiwitz in Upper Silesia.[4][6]

Hartmann's military career may have ended before it began. On 31 March 1942, Erich was flying a Bf 109 during gunnery training. He took the opportunity to break the rules by doing Aerobatics over the Zerbst airfield. Hartmann was immediately confined to quarters and fined two-thirds of his pay, for a three month period. Hartmann recalled that the incident saved his life:

That week confined to my room actually saved my life. I had been scheduled to go up on a gunnery flight the afternoon that I was confined. My roommate took the flight instead of me, in an aircraft I had been scheduled to fly. Shortly after he took off, while on his way to the gunnery range, he developed engine trouble and had to crash-land near the Hindenburg-Kattowitz railroad. He was killed in the crash.[7][8]

Hartmann continued to practice hard. During a gunnery practice session in June 1942, Erich hit a target drogue with 24 of the alloted 50 rounds of machine gun fire.[9]

Into the Luftwaffe

Hartmann got his "wings" in 1941 and was assigned to the fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 52 in October 1942. JG 52 was stationed on the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union and was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109G. JG 52 were based at Maykop, but Hartmann and several other pilots were to ferry several Junkers Ju 87 Stukas down to Mariupol, as there were not any replacement Bf 109s needed by JG 52. Hartmann's first flight in the Stuka ended in a crash due to brake failure. The Junkers went straight into the controller's hut, destroying it.[10]

The commander of III./JG 52, Gruppenkommandeur Major Hubertus von Bonin, placed Hartmann under the experienced Oberfeldwebel Edmund "Paule" Roßmann, but Hartmann also flew with such experienced pilots as Alfred Grislawski, Hans Dammers and Josef Zwernemann. After a few days of intensive mock combats and practice flights, Grislawski admitted that, although Hartmann had much to learn regarding combat tactics, he was a quite talented pilot. But it was Paule Rossmann that taught him the fundamentals of the surprise attack, a tactic, which would lead to Hartmann's "See – Decide – Attack – Reverse" style of aerial combat.[11]

Hartmann flew his first combat mission on 14 October 1942 as a wingman of Paule Rossmann. Rossmann radioed that he had spotted ten enemy aircraft below. Hartmann became overly exited and obsessed by the idea of scoring his first kill. Hartmann opened full throttle and left his leader Rossmann as he started to open fire on one enemy fighter. His shots missed and he almost collided with the enemy aircraft. Now surrounded by the Soviets, he headed for the low cloud cover to escape. Neglecting Rossmann's orders and running out of fuel, the engine stopped and Hartmann crash-landed his aircraft. Hartmann had violated almost every rule of air-to-air combat, and von Bonin sentenced him to three days of working with the ground crew. Twenty-two days later he shot down his first Soviet victim on 5 November, 1942, an Il-2 from 7 GShAP (7th Guards Ground Attack Aviation Regiment). By the end of the year he had added only one more kill and, as with many top aces, took some time to establish himself as a consistently scoring fighter pilot.[12]

Hartmann was assigned to 7./JG 52[a] to serve as wingman to the ace Walter Krupinski, who became his mentor and friend. From Kuprinski's constant urgings in the air, "Hey, Bubi, get in closer" and his youthful appearance ("Bubi" is the hypocoristic form of "young boy" in the German language) came Erich's nickname, which stuck with him his entire life.[13] On May 25 he shot down a LaGG-5 then collided with a second Soviet fighter while climbing into position for a second attack. Hartmann regained control of his damaged aircraft without crashing.[14]

On July 7, 1943, he shot down seven enemy aircraft in a single day, during the massive dogfights that occurred during the Battle of Kursk. He had reached 50 victories by August 1943, and in that month claimed another 48 kills. He was then appointed Staffelkapitän of 9./JG 52 in September 1943.

Hartmann accorded the Russian pilots a distinct lack of respect in the first year of his service. Hartmann recalled that most Soviet fighters did not have proper gunsights, and that Soviet pilots resorted to drawing hand-painted sights on the windshield. Hartman said that while he considered the P-39 Airacobra, Curtiss P-40 and Hawker Hurricane inferior to the Fw 190 and Bf 109, they provided the Soviets with valuable gunsight technology:

In the early days, incredible as it may seem, there was no reason for you to feel fear if the Russian fighter was behind you. With their hand-painted "gunsights" they couldn't pull the lead properly or hit you[15]

However, Hartmann soon found himself learning various "techniques" from captured Soviet pilots. The German pilots and ground crew suffered chronic problems with the Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine on their Bf 109G-6s during the Russian winter. A captured Soviet airman offered to help. Hartmann and his ground crew watched in horror as the Russian poured fuel into the aircraft's oil sump. Expecting the Bf 109 to blow up, the engine started at the first time of asking, and ran "smoothly". The Russian explained that frozen oil prevented aero engines from starting, but the fuel liquefied the oil, and then evaporated in the heat. Another Russian pilot "proudly", showed Hartmann another way. Pouring fuel into a tray he ignited it and put it under the engine. The Germans were convinced it would ruin the electrical systems. It did not, and the engine started straight away.[16] Hartmann would find this useful. From now on he could take off in extreme temperatures during the harsh winter months.

Behind enemy lines

By late August 1943, Hartmann had 90 aerial victories, but on 19 August in combat with Il-2's his aircraft was damaged by debris and he was forced to land behind Soviet lines. Geschwaderkommodore Dietrich Hrabak had given the orders to support Hans-Ulrich Rudel and his Stukas in a counter attack. The situation changed and the flight of eight fighters engaged Russians Yaks and Laggs that were supporting Il-2 Sturmoviks on a ground attack mission. Hartmann shot down two enemy aircraft before his fighter was hit by debris and he was forced to make an emergency landing. Hartmann then, according to Luftwaffe regulation, attempted to recover the precision board clock. As he was doing so Soviet ground troops approached. Realising that capture was unavoidable he faked internal injuries. The acting was convincing enough that they put him on a stretcher and loaded him on a truck.[17]

Hartmann, patient and waiting for the right moment, jumped the single guard just as Stukas began an attack. He "bailed out" the back and ran into a large field of giant sunflowers and tried to lose the pursuing soldiers. Hartmann went into hiding and waited for nightfall. Heading west he followed a Russian patrol to the front. As he approached the German position the sentry challenged him and fired a shot at him which passed through his trousers. When Hartmann's Crew Chief, Heinz "Bimmel" Mertens, heard what had happened he took a rifle and went out searching for Hartmann.[18]

In October 1943, he claimed another 33 kills and was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 29 October 1943, after 148 kills. At the end of the year his toll stood at 159.[19]

The Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross

File:Erich hartmann front.jpg
Erich Hartmann

In January – February 1944, Hartmann claimed 50 kills in 60 days. Throughout 1944, Hartmann claimed 172 victories, a total surpassed only by his friend Wilhelm Batz. Hartmann continued scoring at an even greater pace. His spectacular rate of kills raised a few eyebrows even in the Luftwaffe High Command; his claims were double- and triple-checked, and his performance closely monitored by an observer flying in his formation. On 2 March, he reached 202 kills.[20] By this time the Soviet pilots were familiar with Hartmann's radio call-sign of Karaya 1 and the Soviet Command had put a price of 10,000 Rubles on the German pilot's head.[21] Hartmann, for a time, used a black Tulip design around the engine cowling near the spinner of his aircraft, so Soviet personnel consequently nicknamed him Cherniye Chort ("Black Devil"). However, Hartmann's opponents were often reluctant to stay and fight if they noticed his personal design. As a result, this aircraft was often allocated to novices, who could fly it in relative safety. On 21 March, Hartmann scored JG 52s 3,500th kill of the war.[22] Adversley, the reluctance of the Soviet airmen to fight, caused Hartmann's kill rate to drop. Hartmann then had the tulip design removed, and his aircraft painted just like the rest of his unit. In the following two months, Hartmann amassed over 50 kills.[23]

In March 1944, Erich Hartmann, Gerhard Barkhorn, Walter Krupinski and Johannes Wiese were summoned to Adolf Hitler's Berghof in Berchtesgaden. Barkhorn was to be honoured with the Swords while Hartmann, Krupinski and Wiese were to receive the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. On the train all four of them got drunk on cognac and champagne. Supporting each other and unable to stand they arrived at Berchtesgarden. Major Nicolaus von Below, Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant, was shocked. After some time of sobering out, Hartmann was still intoxicated from the alcohol. Hartmann took a German officer hat from a stand and put it on, but it was too large. Von Below became upset and told Hartmann it was Hitler’s and ordered him to put it back.[24]

Defense of the Reich: Fighting the United States Army Air Forces

On 21 May 1944, Hartmann engaged United States Army Air Force aircraft for the first time. While flying "top over" for another Schwarm, Hartmann bounced a flight of four P-51 Mustangs over Bucharest, Romania, downing two while the other two P-51s fell victim to his fellow pilots.[25] On June 1, 1944 Hartmann shot down four Mustangs in a single mission over the Ploieşti oil fields.[26] Later that month, during his fifth combat with American pilots he shot down two more Mustangs before being forced to bail out, when eight other Mustangs ran his Messerschmitt out of fuel. During the intense manoeuvring, Hartmann managed to line-up one of the Mustangs at close range, but heard only a "clank" when he fired, as he had run out of ammunition.[25][27] Whilst hanging in his parachute, the Mustangs circled above him, and Erich wondered if they would take this opportunity to kill him. One of the Mustangs broke away and headed straight for him, only to bank away from him at the last moment, waving at Erich as he went by.[28]

On 17 August 1944, Hartmann became the top scoring fighter ace, surpassing fellow JG 52 pilot Gerhard Barkhorn, with his 274th kill.[b]

The Diamonds to the Knight's Cross

On 23 August 1944 Erich claimed eight victories in three combat missions bringing his score to 290 victories.[29] Erich Hartmann passed the 300 kill mark the on 24 August 1944, a day on which he shot down 11 aircraft in two combat missions bringing the number of aerial victories to an unprecedented 301 victories. He was immediately grounded by Luftwaffe chief of staff Hermann Göring, who was fearful of the effect on German morale should such a hero be lost. Hartmann, however, later successfully lobbied to be reinstated as a combat pilot. He had over 300 kills and became one of only 27 German soldiers in World War II to receive the Diamonds to his Knight's Cross.[30]

Hartmann was summoned to the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze, Adolf Hitler's military headquarter near Rastenburg, to receive the coveted award from Hitler personally. On arrival he was asked to surrender his sidearm – a security measure caused by the aftermaths of the failed assassination attempt on 20 July 1944. Hartmann refused and threatened to decline the Diamonds if he were not trusted to carry his pistol. After consulting Oberst Nicolaus von Below, Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant, Hartmann was allowed to keep his sidearm and accepted the Diamonds.[31]

During Hartmann's meeting with Hitler, Hartmann discussed at length the shortcommings of fighter pilot training. Hitler revealed to Hartmann that he believed that, "militarily, the war is lost", and that he wished the Luftwaffe had "more like him and Rudel".[32]

The Diamonds to the Knight's Cross also earned him a ten day leave. On his way to his vacation, Hartmann was ordered by General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland to attend a meeting in Berlin-Gatow. Galland wanted to transfer Hartmann to the Messerschmitt Me 262 test program. Hartmann requested that the transfer be cancelled on the grounds of his deep attachment to JG 52. Galland, valuing comradeship and seeing the merit in Hartmann's request, cancelled the transfer to the jet squadron and rescinded the order that had taken him off combat operations. Galland then ordered Hartmann to the Jagdfliegerheim (vacation resort for fighter pilots) in Bad Wiessee.[33] It is here that on 10 September 1944, Hartmann married his long-time teenage love, Ursula "Usch" Paetsch. Witnesses to the wedding included his friends Barkhorn and Batz.[34]

Fighting technique

Hartmann flew a Messerschmitt Bf 109 Fighter

Unlike Hans-Joachim Marseille who was a marksman and expert in the art of deflection shooting, Hartmann was a master of stalk-and-ambush tactics. By his own account he was convinced that 80% of the pilots he downed did not even realize what hit them. He relied on the powerful engine of his Messerschmitt Bf-109 for high-power sweeps and quick approaches, occasionally diving through entire enemy formations to take advantage of the confusion that followed in order to disengage. His favourite method of attack was to hold fire until extremely close (60ft/20m or less), then unleash a short burst at point-blank range – a technique he learned while flying as wingman of his former commander, Walter Krupinski, who favoured this approach. This technique, as opposed to long-range shooting, allowed him to:[35][11]

  • reveal his position only at the last possible moment
  • compensate for the low muzzle velocity of the slower firing 30 mm MK 108 cannon equipping some of the later Bf 109 models, (though most of his victories were claimed with Messerschmitts equipped with the high velocity MG 151 cannon)
  • place his shots accurately with minimum waste of ammunition
  • prevent the adversary from taking evasive actions

However, firing at close range ran the risk of having to fly through the debris of a damaged or exploding aircraft, thereby damaging his own fighter in the process (much of the damage Hartmann sustained in combat was caused by collision with flying debris). If it was dangerous to dog-fight further he would break off and content himself with one victory. His careful approach was described by himself by the line "See – Decide – Attack – Break": observe the enemy, decide how to proceed with the attack, make the attack, and then disengage to re-evaluate the situation.[11]

Hartmann once famously described dog-fighting as "a waste of time".

Surrender

From 1 to 14 February 1945, Hartmann briefly led I./JG 53 as acting Gruppenkommandeur until he was replaced by Helmut Lipfert. In March 1945, Hartmann, his score now standing at 336 aerial victories, was asked a second time by General Adolf Galland to join the Me-262 units forming to fly the new jet fighter. Hartmann attended the jet conversion program led by Heinrich Bär. Galland also intended Hartmann to fly with JV 44. Hartmann declined the offer, preferring to remain with JG 52. Some sources report that Hartmann's decision to stay with his unit was due to a request via telegram made by Oberstleutnant Hermann Graf.[36] Now Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 52 Erich Hartmann claimed his 350th aerial victory on 17 April 1945 in the vicinity of Chrudim. The last known wartime photo of Hartmann was taken on this account.[37]

At the end of the war Hartmann disobeyed an order from General Hans Seidemann. Seidemann had ordered him and Hermann Graf to fly to the British sector, to avoid capture by Soviet forces. Hartmann said:

I must say that during the war I never disobeyed an order, but when General Seidemann ordered Graf and me to fly to the British sector and surrender to avoid the Russians, with the rest of the wing to surrender to the Soviets. I could not leave my men. That would have been bad leadership.[38]

Hartmann's last kill occurred over Brno, Czechoslovakia on 8 May 1945, the last day of the war in Europe. Early in the morning Hartmann was ordered to fly a reconnaissance mission and report the position of Soviet forces. Hartmann took off with his wingman at 08:30 and spotted the first Soviet units just 40 kilometres away. Passing over the area Hartmann saw two Yak 11 fighters performing aerobatics for the Soviet columns. Determined to "spoil the party" Hartmann dived on the fighters from his vantage point at 12,000 ft and shot one of them down from a range of 200 feet. As he lined up the second Hartmann noticed a flicker of shiny dots above him heading west-east. They were P-51 Mustangs. Rather than make a stand and be caught between the Soviet and Americans, Hartmann and his wingman fled into the pall of smoke, that covered Brno, at low level.[39] When he landed he learned the Soviet forces were within shelling range of the airfield. Karaya One along with 24 other Bf 109s and large quantities of ammunition were destroyed by JG 52.[40] Hartmann said in a later interview:

Well, we destroyed the aircraft and all munitions, everything. I sat in my fighter and fired the guns into the woods where all the fuel had been dropped, and then jumped out. We destroyed twenty-five perfectly good fighters. They would be nice to have in museums now.[38]

As Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 52, Hartmann chose to surrender his unit to members of the US 90th Infantry Division.[41]

Imprisonment

After his capture, the U.S. Army handed Hartmann, his pilots, and ground crew over to the Soviet Union on 24 May 1945, where he was imprisoned in accordance with the Yalta Agreements which stated that airmen and soldiers fighting Soviet forces had to surrender directly to them. Hartmann and his unit were led by the Americans to a large open air compound to await the transfer. The number of prisoners grew to 50,000. Living conditions deteriorated and some American guards turned "a blind eye" to escapes. In some cases they assisted, by providing food and maps.[40]

After being handed over to the Soviets, the German group was split up into groups according to gender. Hartmann witnessed widespread rape and murder of civilians. When the outnumbered Americans tried to intervene the Soviet soldiers charged towards them, firing into the air and threatening to kill them. Order was later restored, and some of the guilty soldiers were hanged "on the spot" by a Soviet Commander.[41]

Initially the Russians tried to convince Erich to help and cooperate with them. He was asked to spy on fellow officers and become a Stukatchka, or "stool pigeon". He refused and was given 10 days solitary confinement in a four by nine by six foot chamber. He slept on a concrete floor and was given only bread and water. On another occasion the Soviets threatened to kidnapp his wife and murder her (the death of his son was kept from Hartmann). During similar interrogations, about his knowledge of the Me 262, Hartmann was struck by a Soviet officer using a cane, prompting Hartmann to slam his chair down on the head of the Russian, knocking him out. Expecting to be shot, Erich was transferred back to the small bunker.[42]

Hartmann, not ashamed of his war service, opted to go on hunger strike and starve rather than fold to "Soviet will", as he called it.[43] The Russians allowed the hunger strike to go on for four days before force feeding Hartmann. More subtle efforts by the Soviet authorities to convert Hartmann to Communism also failed. He was offered a post in the Luftstreitkräfte der Nationale Volksarmee (East German Air Force), which he refused:

If, after I am home in the West, you make me a normal contract offer, a business deal such as people sign every day all over the world, and I like your offer, then I will come back and work with you in accordance with the contract. But if you try to put me to work under coercion of any kind, then I will resist to my dying gasp.[42]

False War Crimes Charges

Hartmann had gone too far with his resistance. He was falsely charged with war crimes, specifically the deliberate shooting of 780 Soviet civilians in the village of Briansk, attacking a "bread factory" on 23 May 1943, and destroying 345 "expensive" Soviet aircraft.[44] He was subjected to harsh treatment during the early years of his imprisonment, including solitary confinement in total darkness. Hartmann refused to confess to these charges, and conducted his own defence, which was a waste of time according to the judge.[44] Hartmann was sentenced to 25 years hard labour; but he refused to work. He was eventually put into solitary confinement, which enraged his fellow prisoners. They began a revolt, overpowered the guards, and freed him. Hartmann made a complaint to the Commandant's office, asking for a representative from Moscow and a international inspection as well as a tribunal to acquit him of his unlawful conviction. This was refused and he was transferred to another camp in Novocherkassk, spending five months in solitary confinement. Eventually Hartmann was granted a tribunal, which upheld the sentence. He was sent to another camp in Diaterka, in the Ural Mountains.[45]

During his long imprisonment, Hartmann's three-year-old son, Erich-Peter born in 1945, whom he had never seen, died in 1948. (Hartmann later had a daughter, Ursula Isabel, born on 23 February 1957).[46] In 1955 Hartmann's mother wrote to the new West German Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer to secure his freedom. Hartmann's release, and that of another 16,000 German military personnel, was obtained as part of a trade agreement between the two countries. After spending ten and a half years in Soviet POW camps he was among the last batch of prisoners to be released in 1955 and returned to West Germany, where he was reunited with his wife Ursula, to whom he had written every day of the war.

In January 1997, the Russian government, as a legal successor to the Soviet Union, exonerated Hartmann, by admitting that his conviction for war crimes was unlawful.[2]

In the Luftwaffe of the Bundeswehr

Luftwaffe Canadair Sabre in the Hartmann "black tulip" color scheme at the Luftwaffenmuseum.

When he returned to West Germany, Hartmann became an officer in the West German Air Force (Bundesluftwaffe), where he commanded West Germany's first all-jet unit, Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen", which was equipped initially with Canadair Sabre, and later with Lockheed F-104 Starfighters. He also made several trips to the United States, where he was trained on U.S. Air Force equipment. He had the JG 71 aircraft painted with the same spreading black tulip pattern used by Karaya 1 on the Eastern Front.[47]

File:JG 71 Cuffband.jpg
Erich Hartmann receiving the Richthofen Cuffband from General Josef Kammhuber.

Hartmann considered the F-104 a fundamentally flawed and unsafe aircraft and strongly opposed its adoption by the Bundesluftwaffe. Although events subsequently validated his low opinion of the aircraft (282 crashes and 115 German pilots killed on the F-104 in non-combat missions, along with allegations of bribes culminating in the Lockheed scandal), Hartmann's outspoken criticism proved unpopular with his superiors. General Werner Panitzki, successor to General Josef Kammhuber as Inspekteur der Luftwaffe, said "Erich is a good pilot but not a good officer" and this relationship with his superiors forced Hartmann into early retirement in 1970.[48]

After retirement, from 1971 to 1974, he worked as a flight instructor in Hangelar, near Bonn. Hartmann also flew in an aerobatics team with "Dolfo" Galland. Hartmann had a sudden change in his lifestyle when in 1980 he had caught a cold, which developed into angina pectoris that had killed his father at the age of 58. He recovered and by 1983 had passed the medical examinations for flying and resumed instructing at the various flying schools. However, fearing a second attack he became overly cautious and limited the number of public appearances. He stated: "I am retired and I am a civilian, and now I like to have my rest and peace. I do not live for exhibitions."[49] After that he decided to relax and enjoy life. Erich Hartmann died on 20 September 1993, at the age of 71, in Weil im Schönbuch.[c]

Summary of career

Erich Hartmann flew 1,404 combat missions during World War II resulting in 825 engagements,[50] losing 14 aircraft from combat damage and forced landings. He was never wounded and never bailed out due to damage inflicted by enemy pilots. His kill tally included some 200 various single-engined Soviet-built fighters, more than 80 US-built P-39s, 15 Il-2 ground attack aircraft, and 10 twin-engined medium bombers. He often said that he was more proud of the fact that he had never lost a wingman in combat than he was about his rate of kills. However it appears Hartmann did lose one wingman. Major Günther Capito had joined the unit in the Spring of 1943. Capito was a former bomber pilot who had retrained on fighters. After scoring his fifth victory Capito asked to be Hartmann's wingman. Hartmann refused initially, believing Capito was insufficiently trained on Messerschmitts. On their first mission together they were enaged by P-39 Airacobras:

I called to him to turn hard opposite, so I could sandwich the Red fighters, but in his standard-rate bomber turn he got hit. I saw the whole thing and ordered him to dive and bail out immediately. To my intense relief I saw him leave the aircraft and his parachute blossom. I was happy to get this Airacobra, but I was mad at myself for not harkening to my intuition not to fly with Günther Capito.[51]

Hartmann destroyed both the Soviet fighters soon afterwards.

Decorations

References in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
24 August 1944 Oberleutnant Hartmann erhöhte am gestrigen Tage mit dem Abschuß von 8 Sowjetflugzeugen die Zahl seiner Luftsiege auf 290[52] Yesterday Oberleutnant Hartmann increased his aerial victories by shooting down 8 Soviet aircraft to 290.
25 August 1944 In Luftkämpfen und durch Flakartillerie verloren die Sowjets gestern 58 Flugzeuge. Hiervon schoß der mit dem Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes ausgezeichnete Oberleutnant Hartmann, Staffelkapitän in einem Jagdgeschwader, allein 11 Flugzeuge ab und errang damit seinen 301. Luftsieg[53] Yesterday the Soviets lost 58 aircrafts either in aerial combat and by anti aircraft artillery. Oberleutnant Hartmann, recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Staffelkapitän in a Jagdgeschwader, alone accounted for 11 kills and achieved his 301st aerial victory.

Dates of rank

Erich Hartmann joined the military service in Wehrmacht on 1 October 1940. His first station was Neukuhren in East Prussia where he received his military basic training as a Luftwaffe recruit.[54]

31 March 1942: Leutnant
1 July 1944: Oberleutnant' (First Lieutenant)
1 September 1944: Hauptmann (Captain)
8 May 1945: Major (Major)
12 December 1960: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
26 July 1967: Oberst (Colonel)

Footnotes

  • a For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization
  • b Sources over the exact number of P-51 victories are inconclusive and vary between seven and eight. Toliver & Constable give the impression that eight kills are probable, while other sources speak of seven victories.
  • c Erich Hartmann's Grave

References

Citations
  1. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 12.
  2. ^ a b Berger 1999, p. 107.
  3. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 15, 16.
  4. ^ a b Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 296.
  5. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 89.
  6. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 90.
  7. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 90.
  8. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 31. Template:En icon
  9. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 90.
  10. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 32–33.
  11. ^ a b c Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 46–47, 54, 61, 84.
  12. ^ Deac 1998, p. 30.
  13. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 54.
  14. ^ Kurowski 1996, p. 177.
  15. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 93.
  16. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 104.
  17. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 102.
  18. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 64–77.
  19. ^ Deac 1998, p. 34.
  20. ^ Weal 2001, p. 73.
  21. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 104.
  22. ^ Weal 2003a, p.74.
  23. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 104-105.
  24. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 9–11. Template:En icon
  25. ^ a b Kaplan 2007, p. 115.
  26. ^ Toliver & Constable 1985, p. 177–182, 339 Template:De icon
  27. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 165–169. Template:En icon
  28. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 116.
  29. ^ Weal 2001, p. 78.
  30. ^ Weal 2003a, p.71.
  31. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 142–143. Template:En icon
  32. ^ Weal 2001, p. 79.
  33. ^ Toliver & Constable 1985, p. 148.
  34. ^ Hartman & Jäger 1992, p. 139–145.
  35. ^ Spick 1996, p. 201.
  36. ^ Weal 2003a, p.82.
  37. ^ Weal 2004, p. 119.
  38. ^ a b interview by Colin Heaton
  39. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 117.
  40. ^ a b Kaplan 2007, p. 118.
  41. ^ a b Kaplan 2007, p. 118–119.
  42. ^ a b Kaplan 2007, p. 121.
  43. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 120.
  44. ^ a b Kaplan 2007, p. 122.
  45. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 122–123.
  46. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 125
  47. ^ Toliver & Constable 1985, p. 278 Template:De icon
  48. ^ Toliver & Constable 1985, p. 285–286 Template:De icon
  49. ^ Toliver & Constable 1986, p. 289.
  50. ^ Toliver & Constable 1985, p.340 Template:De icon
  51. ^ Kaplan 2007, p. 100.
  52. ^ Murawski 1962, p. 248.
  53. ^ Murawski 1962, p. 249.
  54. ^ Toliver & Constable 1985, p. 296–297.
Bibliography
  • Berger, Florian (2006). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
  • Deac, Wil (1998). "Air War's Top Ace" in WWII Air War The Men The Machines The MissionsCowles Enthusiast Media. ISBN 1-558-36193-6.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Hartmann, Ursula & Jäger, Manfred (1992). German Fighter Ace Erich Hartmann. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.. ISBN 0-88740-396-4.
  • Jackson, Robert (1978). Fighter Aces of World War II. Corgi Books.
  • Kaplan, Philip (2007). Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe in World War WWII. Auldgirth, Dumfriesshire: Pen & Sword Aviation. ISBN 184415460-2.
  • Kurowski, Franz (1996). Luftwaffe Aces. J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc. ISBN 0-921991-31-2.
  • Murawski, Erich (1962). Der deutsche Wehrmachtbericht 1939 - 1945, vom 1.7.1944 bis zum 9.5.1945. Schriften des Bundesarchivs 9. Boppoard am Rhein: Harald Boldt Verlag.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. & Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
  • Sims, Edward H. (1982). Jagdflieger Die Grossen Gegner von Einst. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-115-9.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.
  • Toliver, Raymond F. & Constable, Trevor J. (1985). Holt Hartmann vom Himmel!. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-216-3.
  • Toliver, Raymond F. & Constable, Trevor J. (1986). The Blond Knight of Germany. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-8306-8189-2.
  • Weal, John (2003a). Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-084-6.
  • Weal, John (2004). Aviation Elite Units Jagdgeschwader 52 The Experten. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84176-786-7.

See also

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
none
 Commander of Jagdgeschwader 71 Richthofen
19 January 1959 – 29 May 1962 		Succeeded by

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