Wikipedia

Friedrich Haas

Friedrich Haas (20 January 1924 – 9 April 1945) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace from Dillenburg/Hesse, Germany and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Friedrich Haas was credited with 74 aerial victories all over the Eastern Front (World War II). Haas was shot down and killed in 1945 over Vienna, Austria.

Friedrich Haas
Born(1924-01-20)20 January 1924
Dillenburg/Hesse, Germany
Died9 April 1945(1945-04-09) (aged 21)
Vienna, Austria
Buried
Oberwölbling, Austria
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1943–1945
RankLeutnant (second lieutenant)
UnitJG 52
Battles/wars
Awards

Career edit

Haas was posted to 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in late 1943.[1] He flew on 385 combat missions,[2] scoring 74 kills over the subsequent year and a half.[3] Haas' squadron was often outnumbered and short on fuel at this late stage of the war.[4]

On 10 July, Haas made an emergency landing in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 163574—factory number) west of Stryi and sustained injuries.[5]

Squadron leader and death edit

On 1 February 1945, Haas succeeded Hauptmann Erich Hartmann as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel of JG 52. On 1 March, this Staffel was renamed and became the 5. Staffel of JG 52. At the same time, the former 5. Staffel was also renamed and became the 6. Staffel.[6][7] At the time, II. Gruppe was based at Veszprém in Hungary.[8]

Haas was shot down over Vienna on 9 April 1945 and, though he managed to bail out from his Bf 109 G at low altitude, he struck the vertical stabilizer and fell to his death.[9] He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) in April.[10][11][12] Haas was succeeded by Leutnant Paul Linxen as commander of 5. Staffel.[6] He is buried in Oberwölbling, Austria.[2]

Summary of career edit

Aerial victory claims edit

According to Barbas, Obermaier and Spick, Haas was credited with 74 aerial victories claimed in 385 combat missions.[13][14][15] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 50 aerial victory claims recorded on the Eastern Front.[16]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 66671". 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.[17]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Haas 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 Barbas, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[18]
Eastern Front — December 1943
1 6 December 1943 10:33 Yak-1 northwest of Cape Tusla[19] 2 29 December 1943 12:35 P-39 southeast of Kerch[20]
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[16]
Eastern Front — 1 January – 31 December 1944
3 3 January 1944 08:26 P-39 PQ 66671[21]
east of Kerch 		27 30 May 1944 14:53 P-39 vicinity of Huși[22]
8 km (5.0 mi) north of Iași
4 12 January 1944 06:55 P-39 vicinity of Cape Tarchan[21]
Adshim-Uschkai 		28 31 May 1944 06:41 Il-2 PQ 78681[22]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Iași
5 1 February 1944 14:58 P-39 vicinity of Cape Khroni[23]
vicinity of Cape Khroni 		29 31 May 1944 06:53 Il-2 vicinity of Iași[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Iași
6 7 April 1944 11:38 Yak-7 PQ 37892[24]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Perekop 		30 31 May 1944 10:37 Il-2 vicinity of Iași[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Iași
7 15 April 1944 06:41 Il-2 PQ 35481[25]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Sevastopol 		31 1 June 1944 13:36 P-39 vicinity of Iași[26]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Iași
8 15 April 1944 06:43 Yak-7 PQ 35483[25]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Sevastopol 		32 2 June 1944 08:42 P-39 vicinity of Iași[26]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Iași
9 15 April 1944 15:20 Il-2 PQ 35391[25]
Black Sea, southwest of Sevastopol 		33 2 June 1944 15:41 Yak-7 vicinity of Iași[26]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Iași
10 18 April 1944 10:38 Il-2 PQ 35444[25]
vicinity of Sevastopol 		34 3 June 1944 18:38 P-39 vicinity of Cârpiţi[26]
15 km (9.3 mi) north of Iași
11 19 April 1944 17:23 Yak-7 vicinity of Dzhankoi[25]
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Sevastopol 		35 4 June 1944 12:41 Boston vicinity of Abony[26]
12 27 April 1944 17:52 P-39 PQ 35483[25]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Sevastopol 		36 16 October 1944 16:07 Yak-11 PQ 18891[27]
10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Oradea
13 4 May 1944 07:45 Yak-7 PQ 35363[28]
Black Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Sevastopol 		37 18 October 1944 12:03 Yak-11 PQ 18814[27]
35 km (22 mi) south of Debrecen
14 4 May 1944 07:48 Yak-9 vicinity of Belbek[28]
Black Sea, 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Sevastopol 		38 19 October 1944 10:21 La-5 PQ 18444[29]
15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Debrecen
15 6 May 1944 13:22 Il-2 vicinity of Belbek[28]
vicinity of Sevastopol 		39 30 October 1944 14:09 La-5 PQ 08765[29]
20 km (12 mi) east of Szolnok
16 6 May 1944 13:25 Yak-7 vicinity of Dzhankoi[28]
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Sevastopol 		40 1 November 1944 10:21 Yak-9 PQ 97263[29]
east of Kecskemét
17♠ 7 May 1944 09:32 Yak-7 vicinity of Balaklava[28]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sevastopol 		41 23 November 1944 08:38 Yak-9 PQ 98436[30]
vicinity of Atkár
18♠ 7 May 1944 09:36 Il-2 vicinity of Balaklava[28]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sevastopol 		42 23 November 1944 11:46 Il-2 PQ 8174[30]
30 km (19 mi) south-southeast of Miskolc
19♠ 7 May 1944 09:37?[Note 1] Il-2 PQ 35471[28]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sevastopol 		43 5 December 1944 08:57 Yak-9 PQ 98445[30]
west of Tura
20♠ 7 May 1944 15:14 Yak-7 PQ 35612[28]
Black Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sevastopol 		44 5 December 1944 09:00 Il-2 PQ 98454[30]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Gyöngyös
21♠ 7 May 1944 15:20 P-40 PQ 35453[22]
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Sevastopol 		45 11 December 1944 09:58 Yak-9 PQ 98354[30]
22 8 May 1944 10:46 Yak-7 vicinity of Balaklava[22]
Black Sea, 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sevastopol 		46 11 December 1944 10:03 Yak-9 PQ 98355[30]
30 km (19 mi) north-northeast of Budapest
23 8 May 1944 10:55 Yak-7 PQ 35392[22]
Black Sea, southwest of Sevastopol 		47 20 December 1944 09:08 Yak-9 PQ 88848[30]
vicinity of Seregélyes
24 9 May 1944 11:33 Yak-7 PQ 35471[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sevastopol 		48 20 December 1944 09:11 Yak-9 PQ 87211[30]
15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Dunaújváros
25 9 May 1944 14:12 Yak-7 vicinity of Balaklava[22]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Sevastopol 		49 21 December 1944 13:14 Yak-9 PQ 88844[30]
vicinity of Seregélyes
26 29 May 1944 08:43 Pe-2 PQ 87254[22]
15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Kishinev 		50 21 December 1944 13:14 Yak-9 PQ 88844[30]
vicinity of Seregélyes

Awards edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:39.[18]

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Weal 2007, p. 84.
  2. ^ a b deZeng IV, Henry L.; Stankey, Douglas G. "Career Summaries - Luftwaffe Officers 1935 - 1945" (PDF). ww2.dk. Michael Holm. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  3. ^ Jacobs, Peter (2014). Aces of the Luftwaffe: The Jagdflieger in the Second World War. United Kingdom: Frontline Books. ISBN 978-1848326897. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  4. ^ Spick, Mike (24 March 2006). Aces of the Reich: The Making of a Luftwaffe Pilot. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 978-1853676758. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  5. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 321.
  6. ^ a b Barbas 2005, p. 286.
  7. ^ Weal 2007, p. 85.
  8. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 194–195.
  9. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 199, 325.
  10. ^ Schreier 1990, p. 183.
  11. ^ Mitcham 2021, p. 122.
  12. ^ Weal 2004, p. 118.
  13. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 200.
  14. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 124.
  15. ^ Spick 1996, p. 237.
  16. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 446–447.
  17. ^ Planquadrat.
  18. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 446.
  19. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 394.
  20. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 395.
  21. ^ a b Barbas 2005, p. 358.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barbas 2005, p. 366.
  23. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 359.
  24. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 362.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Barbas 2005, p. 364.
  26. ^ a b c d e Barbas 2005, p. 367.
  27. ^ a b Barbas 2005, p. 368.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h Barbas 2005, p. 365.
  29. ^ a b c Barbas 2005, p. 369.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barbas 2005, p. 370.
  31. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 156.
  32. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 357.
  33. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 208.

Bibliography edit

  • Barbas, Bernd (2005). Die Geschichte der II. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52 [The History of 2nd Group of Fighter Wing 52] (in German). ISBN 978-3-923457-71-7.
  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  • 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 (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
  • Mitcham, Samuel W. Jr. (2021). The Death of Hitler's War Machine. Manhattan, New York City: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-68451-138-9. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Schreier, Hans (1990). JG 52 Das erfolgreichste Jagdgeschwader des 2. Weltkriegs [JG 52 The Most Successful Fighter Wing of World War II] (in German). Berg am See: K. Vowinckel. ISBN 978-3-921655-66-5.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten. Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 15. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4.
  • Weal, John (2007). More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 76. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-177-9.
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