Gerhard Barkhorn

Gerhard Barkhorn (born the March 20th 1919 with Königsberg in Eastern Prussia and dead the January 12th 1983 with Frechen), was a German fighter pilot , officer during the Second world war then general in the Bundeswehr. It was one of the large air aces of the Second world war (301 victories).

Biography

Barkhorn entered the Luftwaffe in 1938 and controlled later one year its first Messerschmitt Bf 109. Initially affected in Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG-2) " Richthofen" , it took part in missions against the England. During this period it did not obtain any victory but it was reached by twice by British hunters. Once, it was even cut down above the Manche and escaped from the difficulty from accuracy thanks to its parachute.

In August 1940 it was affected with the rank of " Oberleutnant" (lieutenant) with the II. /JG-52. In this flotilla, it obtained its first victory the July 2nd 1941, at its hundred-twentieth operational exit. In 1942 he became chief of flotilla.

The August 23rd 1942, after its 59ème victory, it was decorated with the cross of knight of the Croix of iron (Ritterkreuz). The January 11th 1943, its 120ème success enabled him to take down the sheets of oaks for its cross of knight. In June 1943 it took the head of JG-52. March 2nd 1944, then " Hauptmann" (captain), it was decorated with the swords for its 250ème victory obtained the February 13rd 1944. In May 1944, during a mission of escort of a formation of Stuka S ordered by the famous Hans-Ulrich Rudel, it was cut down by a Russian hunter and was found in a military hospital during four months.

In January 1945 it was named with the head of Jagdgeschwader 6 (JG-6) " Wessel" horst; before being transferred in the " Jagdverband 44" ordered by Adolf Galland and equipped with the new jet fighters Messerschmitt Me 262. It carried out only two missions on this apparatus and was cut down during the second. It was about to tackle a formation of American bombers when it was obliged to make an emergency landing following a breakdown of one of its two engines. It was wounded at the time of the landing and it finished the war at the hospital. Like hundreds of others pilot, Barkhorn was made prisoner but, by chance, it fell to the hands from the Americans, which saved long years of captivity to him.

Barkhorn carried out 1104 missions of combat and more than 2000 hours of flight on Messerschmitt Bf 109. With 301 victories in aerial combat, it is located at the second rank in the list of the fighter pilots of Luftwaffe (like with the world plan), after Erich Hartmann. During all the war it was also cut down eight times.

After the war, it entered the new German army, the Bundeswehr, in 1956. It accepted a new formation at the same time as other veterans of the Second world war, such Johannes Steinhoff, Günther Rall or Erich Hartmann. At the beginning, the formations took place in Great Britain and with the the United States, then, as from January 1957 in Germany. As from this date and until in 1962, it ordered the flotilla of fighter-bombers Jagdbombergeschwader 31 " Boelcke".

In 1964 it was named " Oberst" (colonel) and became staff officer of the squadron of tests of the Luftwaffe. In 1969 he became brigadier general then, four years later, " Generalmajor" (air major general). Finally Barkhorn became chief of staff of 4th ATAF (Allied Tactical Air Force) of NATO to Ramstein. It took its retirement in 1975.

In 1983, it and his Christl wife, of which it had formerly painted the first name on the fuselage of its apparatuses, found death in an car accident with Frechen close to Cologne. They were buried close to the lake of Tegernsee, in Bavaria.

Internal bonds

List of the aces of aviation

External bonds

aces of Luftwaffe.

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