Hans-Joachim Birkner

Hans-Joachim Birkner (22 October 1921 – 14 December 1944) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Birkner was credited with 117 aerial victories—that is, 117 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft.

Hans-Joachim Birkner
Born22 October 1921
Schönwalde, Germany
Died14 December 1944(1944-12-14) (aged 23)
Kraków, Poland
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1940–44
RankLeutnant (second lieutenant)
UnitJG 52
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Early life and career

Birkner was born on 22 October 1921 at Schönwalde in East Prussia, at the time part of the Weimar Republic's Free State of Prussia. In the summer of 1943, Feldwebel Birkner had completed flight training and was posted to 9. Staffel (9th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing), a squadron of III. Gruppe (3rd group).[1][Note 1][Note 2] At the time, III. Gruppe was officially commanded by Major Günther Rall, occasionally replaced by either Oberleutnant Walter Krupinski on Oberleutnant Josef Haiböck.[3]

World War II

On Friday 1 September 1939 German forces had invaded Poland which marked the beginning of World War II, and in June 1941, Germany had invaded the Soviet Union which created the Eastern Front. In late September 1943, III. Gruppe of JG 52 was equipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G and fought in the Battle of the Caucasus and was based at Zaporizhia.[4] In October, III. Gruppe flew combat missions over the right flank of the 1st Panzer Army and the left flank of 6th Army at the Dnieper.[5]

Birkner claimed his first aerial victory on 1 October 1943 over a P-39 Airacobra in combat south-southwest of Bolschoj Tokmak. That day, III. Gruppe had claimed 17 aerial victories in an encounter with Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft and their fighter escort.[6] By the end of the year he had claimed 24 victories in total. Over the next few months Birkner often flew as Rottenflieger (wing man) to the high scoring aces Günther Rall and Erich Hartmann, claiming any of his victories whilst flying with them. On 15 January 1944 Birkner claimed five P-39 fighters shot down. In April, he claimed a further 29 victories, including six in one day on 19 April. In May he claimed 17 victories, including five on 30 May. In June he claimed a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) P-51 Mustang escort fighter over Rumania on 24 June for his 92nd victory.

Birkner was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1944 for 98 victories. On 1 October 1944, Birkner was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) 9./JG 52. In October Birkner claimed another 18 victories, including his 100th victory on 14 October. He was the 95th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[7]

Birkner was killed on 14 December 1944 when he suffered engine failure landing at Krakau in a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14.[8]

Hans-Joachim Birkner was credited with 117 victories in 284 missions, and some 121 combats. All his victories were recorded over the Eastern Front. Included in his total are at least 15 Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmoviks.[9]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Birkner was credited with 117 aerial victories. This figure includes 116 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and one over the Western Allies.[10]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 58842". 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 × 4 km in size.[11]

Awards

Notes
  1. Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings, and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[2]
  2. For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
  3. According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as an Ilyushin Il-2.[12]
  4. The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  5. According to Scherzer as pilot in the III./Jagdgeschwader 52.[22]

References

Citations
  1. Obermaier 1989, p. 89.
  2. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. Prien et al. 2012, p. 474.
  4. Prien et al. 2012, p. 475.
  5. Prien et al. 2012, p. 461.
  6. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 461, 490.
  7. Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  8. Weal 2004, p. 81.
  9. Weal 2004, p. 80.
  10. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 105–107.
  11. Planquadrat.
  12. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 105.
  13. Prien et al. 2012, p. 490.
  14. Prien et al. 2012, p. 493.
  15. Prien et al. 2012, p. 491.
  16. Prien et al. 2012, p. 492.
  17. Prien et al. 2012, p. 494.
  18. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 107.
  19. Patzwall 2008, p. 52.
  20. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 43.
  21. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 133.
  22. Scherzer 2007, p. 222.

Bibliography
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  • Bergström, Christer; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
  • Matthews, 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 (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.
  • 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.
  • Weal, John (2001). Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-084-1.
  • Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten (Aviation Elite Units). London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4.
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