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Hannes Trautloft - Pilot Profile - Hannes Trautloft

Hannes Trautloft

Victories : 61
-----------------------------
Country : Germany
Fought in : WW2
Fought for : Axis
Died : 11th January 1995

This pilot scored 5 or more victories during the Battle of Britain, 10th July - 31st October 1940.

Awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross
Knights
Cross

Hannes Trautloft is one of the Luftwaffe's great fighter leaders, scoring his first air victory in the Spanish Civil War in August 1936. Returning to Germany in 1937 he joined the national aerobatics team flying the Me109. Soon after the outbreak of World War II, Hannes took command of I./JG20 taking part in the Battle of Britain, before moving to the Balkans as Kommodore of JG54. Now leading the group on the Russian Front, JG54 took part in the heavy fighting, first in the Me109, then the Fw190. In the summer of 1943 Hannes Trautloft joined General Galland's staff. As a 'mutineer' he was sacked by Goering, thus ending an illustrious combat career comprising 550 combat missions and 57 aerial victories. he died 11th January 1995.

Click here for artwork signed by this Ace!


Latest Axis Aviation Artwork !
 In early May 1941, in conditions of strict secrecy because the United States was not yet at war, seventeen pilots of the US Navy had arrived in Britain and been attached to Catalina squadrons of Coastal Command.  These experienced PBY pilots were there to assist the Royal Air Force to become familiar with the Catalina, and also to gain operational experience for the US Navy.  On 26th May 1941 Catalina Z of No.209 Sqn, commanded by Flying Officer Dennis Briggs RAF, with Ensign Leonard B Smith USN as co-pilot, joined the search for the Bismarck.  At 1015 the aircraft was being flown in poor visibility at an altitude of 500ft when Ensign Smith sighted the Bismarck at a range of eight miles.  The Catalina was flown towards the contact so that a positive identification could be made and emerged from the cloud only 500 yards from the German ship.  The aircraft met a hail of anti-aircraft fire but was able to make its escape.  As a result of the sighting report from Catalina Z the Bismarck was again engaged by ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and was sunk at 1040 on 27th May 1941.  Leonard Smith can be considered therefore, the first American to be directly involved in action in World War Two.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (American) for his actions.

The Aircraft That Found the Bismarck by Ivan Berryman.
 One of the all time great fighter aces, Adolf Galland is depicted flying Bf 109E-4/N of Stab/JG26 in September 1940.  Galland flew 705 combat missions during World War Two and was credited with a final tally of 104 aerial victories. He survived the war and died peacefully in February 1996.

Tribute to Generalleutnant Adolf Galland by Ivan Berryman.
 Walter Briegleb is shown in his Ju88 G.7 4R+BR as he stalks his prey - on this occasion a Lancaster.  Flying below their target, his crew would aim upward firing cannon at the inner wing of the bomber, igniting the fuel tanks.  For the bomber crews, they were very much defenceless against this type of attack, and often had no idea of the presence of an enemy aircraft in the dark.

Tribute to Walter Briegleb by Ivan Berryman.
 The attack by Leutnant Walter Briegleb and his crew on Lancaster Mk.III ND960 DX-I of No.57 Sqn early on 22nd May 1944.  Flying Me110 with codes D5+BV with his crew of Feldwebel Walter Bräunlich and Bordfunker Feldwebel Brandt, Briegleb flew undetected beneath the bomber and used the deadly 'Schräge Musik' - upward firing cannon - to hit the fuel tanks in the port wing between the fuselage and inner engine.  Pulling away, he watched the aircraft burn and could see both gunners in their turrets but no return fire came.  He wondered why none of the crew escaped by parachute with the bomber doomed - it disintegrated in the air over the coast of the island of Fyn, Denmark, impacting near Emtekær at 00:44hrs.<br><br><center>All of the crew were killed :<br>Flight Lieutenant Arthur Richards (Pilot)<br>Flying Officer William Woodall (Navigator)<br>Pilot Officer Athur Bugden (Flight Engineer)<br>Sergeant Thomas Edwards (Wireless Operator)<br>Flying Officer George Ferguson (Air Bomber)<br>Sergeant Harold Griffiths (Air Gunner)<br>Sergeant Cyril Woodmass (Air Gunner)

The Hunted and the Hunter by Ivan Berryman.

Hannes Trautloft

Squadrons for : Hannes Trautloft
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Hannes Trautloft. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

JG51


Country : Germany
Founded : August 1939
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG51
JG51

Jagdgeschwader 51 Mölders was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II, named after the fighter ace Werner Mölders in 1942. JG 51's pilots won more Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes than any other Jagdgeschwader, and flew combat from 1939 in all major theatres of war. Flying Bf 109s and then FW 190s, the wing claimed over 8,000 air victories. Experten included 'Toni' Hafner, Heinz Bär, Richard Leppla, Karl-Gottfried Nordmann, Günther Schack and the legendary Mölders.

Formed in August 1939, and commanded by 48-year-old World War I ace Onkel Theo Osterkamp, the early months of the war JG 51 was based in the West, fighting in the French campaign, and in the Battle of Britain. From late June to mid July JG 51 was the only fighter Geschwader engaged against the RAF constantly. During the whole battle JG 51 lost 68 pilots, the highest casualty rate of the Luftwaffe fighter units engaged. JG 51 was one of the two Geschewader that had four Gruppen. The other being JG 1.

Four Bf 109 of JG 51 in France 1940Whilst based out of the Belgian airfield at Mardyik in late 1940, the German ace Josef Pips Priller was a Staffelkapitän with JG 51, flying Bf 109-E Yellow One. Josef Priller went on to score over 100 victories, the third highest scoring Luftwaffe day fighter ace on the Western Front, fighting solely against the Western Allies.

Against the Western Allies JG 51 had claimed 345 aircraft destroyed by May 1941. JG 51 were therefore one of the Jagdwaffe's elite units, with 'top ten' aces at this time including Werner Mölders with 68 claims, Walter Oesau with 34 claims, and Hermann-Friedrich Joppien with 31. Major Werner Mölders became unit Geschwaderkommodore during July 1940 and led the unit into the invasion of Russia in June 1941.

Barbarossa (1941)

Claiming 69 kills on the first day of the offensive, by 30 June 1941 JG 51 became the first fighter Geschwader to claim 1,000 air victories (113 kills in 157 sorties were claimed for the day). On 24 June JG 51 claimed 57 bombers shot down for the day. Mölders became the first fighter pilot to reach 100 claims in August and in the same month JG 51's Oberfeldwebel Heinz Bär reached 60 claims and was decorated with the Oak Leaves. A total of 500 Soviet claims was reached on 12 July 1941, although 6 pilots had been lost by JG 51 in the intervening 3 weeks since the offensive had started.

After Mölders' departure in September 1941 (and death later that year) the Geschwader adopted his name as a title of honor in early 1942. Jagdgeschwader 51 Mölders was to remain on the centre sector of the Russian front throughout the rest of 1941. However Oberstleutnant Friedrich Beckh ( one of the few fighter pilots to wear spectacles) proved an uncharismatic commander after Mölders, and it was not until Major Karl-Gottfried Nordmann took over in April 1942 that a worthy successor to Mölders was found. In the period 22 June - 5 December 1941 the unit destroyed 1,881 Soviet aircraft, in return for 84 losses in aerial combat and a single aircraft on the ground.

Air support for the Wehrmacht's Army Group Centre was entrusted to General Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen's VIII. Fliegerkorps. In early January 1942, among the fighter units available to von Richthofen were II, III and IV/ JG 51. With the onset of the sub-zero conditions of the Russian winter, the majority of JG 51's available aircraft became grounded.

The Russian winter counter offensive forced III./ JG 51 into flying numerous fighter-bomber operations in direct support of the infantry, and the gruppe filed few aerial 'kill' claims through January 1942. II./ JG 51 however, accounted for most of VIII. Fliegerkorps's aerial victories during the Soviet offensive. Particularly successful was the duo of Lt. Hans Strelow and Ofw. Wilhelm Mink, both of 5. JG 51. They claimed five MiG-3s of 16 IAP on 4 January (Mink claimed three) and 9 days later Mink claimed a Pe-2 and Strelow destroyed two R-Z biplanes for his 30th and 31st victories. On 4 February, Strelow increased his victories to 36 by shooting down four Russian aircraft. The 19 year-old Strelow claimed his 40th victory on 28 February and claimed 4 victories on both 6 March and 17 March. The next day he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes and also shot down seven Soviet aircraft. He was awarded the Eichenlaub on 24 March, his claims total at 66.

Normandy (1944)

7./JG 51, (with Bf 109G-6's) was attached to II./JG 1 in May 1944 from Brest-Litovsk, with pilots arriving at Störmede late in May and hurriedly converting to the FW-190. (It was later renamed 8./JG 1 on 15 August 1944 when the four-Staffeln Gruppe became standard) 7. Staffel was led by Ritterkreuzträger (Knight's Cross winner) Hptm. Karl-Heinz Weber with 136 confirmed kills. Its two other experten were Lt. Friedrich Krakowitzer (23 kills) and Ofhr. Günther Heckmann with 12 kills.

7./JG 51 joined II. Gruppe with 15 pilots on strength at the end of May, and during the first two months of the Normandy campaign the staffel was decimated, with twelve pilots killed, one POW and one severely wounded.

As the war turned against Germany JG 51 was forced to operate closer and closer to Germany, finally staging out of East Prussia.

JG54


Country : Germany
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG54
JG54

I./JG 54 was initially formed as I./JG 70 near Nuremberg in July 1939, just two short months before hostilities broke out. As was to become tradition within Grunherzgeschwader, the Gruppe took the Nurember coat-of-arms (a veritcally divided shield with a black heraldic bird on the left, and red and white diagonal stripes on the right) to represent the region the unit came from.

On September 15, 1939, I./JG 70 was redesignated I./JG 54

The initial unit designation for II./JG 54 was I./JG 138. This unit was raised in 1938 after the Austrian annexation. Naturally many Austrian nationals were recruited when I./JG 138 was formed. The Aspern coat of arms (black lion's head surmounting a white cross on a red field) was taken by the Gruppe for its identity.

I./JG 138 was briefly designated I./JG 76 before finally becoming II./JG 54 on April 6, 1940.

The III./JG 54 has its roots in Prussia. Initially I./JG 21, the members were drawn from the Jesau region in Prussia. The modified Jesau coat-of-arms (a shield with a Jesau cross with three diving aircraft on a red background, with a white outline on the shield) was adopted as the Gruppe's own.

On July 15, 1939, I./JG 21 was redesignated III./JG 54. However, the bureaucratic nature of the young Luftwaffe was such that it was over a year before records would reflect the new designation. Consequently, III./JG 54 fought in Poland and France as I./JG 21.


Kommodoren of JG 54 :

Major Martin Mettig; 2 Feb 40 to 25 Aug 40.
Oberst Hannes Trautloft; 25 Aug 40 to 5 Jul 43.
Major Hubertus von Bonin; 6 Jul 43 to 15 Dec 43.
Oberstleutnant Anton Mader; 28 Jan 44 to Sep 44.
Oberst Dieter Hrabak; 1 Oct 44 to 8 May 45.

JG77


Country : Germany
Founded : May 1939
'Ace of Hearts'

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of JG77
JG77

Herz As (Ace of Hearts) was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II. It served in all the German theaters of war, from Western Europe to the Eastern Front, and from the high north in Norway to the Mediterranean.

JG 77 was formed in May 1939 with I. and II. Gruppe. III./JG 77 was formed on 5 July 1940 in Trondheim from the II(J)./JG 186. I./ JG 77 was reorganized on 21 November 1940 into IV./JG 51 and a new I./JG 77 was established. In January 1942 I./JG 77 was transferred to I./JG 5 and a new I./JG 77 was created.

In April 1942 1. Staffel was transferred to Romania and designated the defence unit for the Ploie?ti oil fields at Mizil. (This staffel was redesignated 1./JG 4 in August 1942.)

Known Victory Claims - Hannes Trautloft

DATE

PILOT

UNIT

JG

CLAIMED

LOCATION

TIME

FRONT

25/08/1936Oblt. Hannes TrautloftJ/88Breguet 19--Spanish Civil War
30/08/1936Oblt. Hannes TrautloftJ/88Potez--Spanish Civil War
01/09/1936Oblt. Hannes TrautloftJ/88Nieuport 46--Spanish Civil War
30/09/1936Oblt. Hannes TrautloftJ/88Potez--Spanish Civil War
08/12/1936Oblt. Hannes TrautloftJ/88Rata--Spanish Civil War
05/09/1939Hptm. Hannes TrautloftStab I.JG 77PZL P-23Warta 15km NW Sieradz8.2Western Front
29/05/1940Hptm. Hannes TrautloftStab I.JG 20SpitfireSE Dünkirchen18.4Western Front
31/05/1940Hptm. Hannes TrautloftStab I.JG 20SpitfireN. Dünkirchen18.06Western Front
19/07/1940Hptm. Hannes TrautloftStab III.JG 51DefiantS. Folkestone13.42Western Front
08/08/1940Hptm. Hannes TrautloftStab III.JG 51SpitfireDungeness12.48Western Front
25/08/1940Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SpitfireÄrmelkanal20.2Western Front
07/09/1940Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54HurricaneMaidstone19Western Front
27/10/1940Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SpitfireAshford15.05Western Front
22/06/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54DB-3NW Mariampol16.48Eastern Front
23/06/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SB-3Kussen10.15Eastern Front
24/06/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54DB-3N. Tauroggen19.3Eastern Front
25/06/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54DB-3S. Schaulen9.3Eastern Front
30/06/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54DB-3N. Dünaburg15.1Eastern Front
30/06/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54DB-3N. Dünaburg15.3Eastern Front
06/07/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SB-2SE Ostrow19.1Eastern Front
13/07/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-18NE Šoltzy17.34Eastern Front
14/07/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-18SE Kingisepp18.12Eastern Front
21/07/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SB-2Waluj21Eastern Front
24/07/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SB-3E. Porchow19.52Eastern Front
24/07/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SB-3--Eastern Front
24/07/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SB-3E. Dno20Eastern Front
17/09/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-18--Eastern Front
04/10/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-26Leningrad/Ljuban10.4Eastern Front
07/10/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-16 RataSmolino15.1Eastern Front
07/10/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-18Smolino15.15Eastern Front
25/10/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Pe-2Budogoschtsch9.38Eastern Front
25/10/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54SB-2NE Oskuje14.26Eastern Front
29/10/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-26vor Tichwin11.07Eastern Front
08/11/1941Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54I-26--Eastern Front
09/05/1942Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Jak-1-15.5Eastern Front
09/05/1942Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Pe-2-16.1Eastern Front
30/05/1942Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54MiG-3-9.24Eastern Front
05/08/1942Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Pe-2SE Shimsk: 6500m (Novgorod)18.35Eastern Front
09/08/1942Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Pe-2NE Reschew: 1000m (Reshew)10Eastern Front
22/08/1942Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54LaGG-3N. Uljanovo10.15Eastern Front
28/08/1942Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54LaGG-3N. Rschev: 800m5.12Eastern Front
17/01/1943Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Il-2N. Mga: 200m10.01Eastern Front
14/02/1943Obstlt. Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Il-210 523: 300m14.1Eastern Front
14/02/1943Obstlt. Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Il-210 562: 200m14.15Eastern Front
14/02/1943Obstlt. Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Il-2mH.10 524: 300m14.3Eastern Front
15/02/1943Obstlt. Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Mustang00 444: 1000m9.28Eastern Front
17/02/1943Obstlt. Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Il-2mH.10 522: 400m15.02Eastern Front
18/02/1943Obstlt. Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Il-210 382: 400m9.5Eastern Front
07/03/1943Obstlt. Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54Il-218 324: 200m14.1Eastern Front
30/05/1943Major Hannes TrautloftStabJG 54MiG-3-9.24Eastern Front

Known Claims : 50

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