Heinrich Bartels
Encyclopedia
Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Bartels (born 13 July 1918 in Linz
, Austria – killed in action
23 December 1944 near Bad Godesberg
) was German World War II Luftwaffe
99+ victories Flying ace
. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator
credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
and had been recommended for the Oak Leaves.
Heinrich Bartels served with the Ergänzungsstaffel of Jagdgeschwader 26
"Schlageter" from the early summer of 1941 onward, claiming his first two aerial victories, two Supermarine Spitfire
s, on 19 August 1941. He was transferred to the 11th squadron (11. Staffel) of Jagdgeschwader 1, the later re-designated 8 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5
, on 27 January 1942. He claimed 47 Russian aircraft shot down in 100 combat missions on the Arctic front, 21 of which in the month of September 1942 alone. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) after 46 aerial victories on 13 November 1942.
From August 1943 he served with 11 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27
(11./JG 27), later 15./JG 27, firstly on the Balkan front and then on Defense of the Reich
(Reichsverteidigung) duties. According to Walter Schuck
, Bartels was transferred to JG 27 following a court martial involving a disciplinary problem after excessive consumption of alcohol. By the end of 1943 he had increased the number of aerial victories claimed to 73. 24 these victories in 6 weeks among them four each on 25 October 1943 and 15 November 1943. He claimed 12 fighters of the United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF) shot down during April and May 1944 and three times he had claimed three fighters shot down during single combat missions. On the Invasion front he claimed 11 Anglo-American fighters during five days in combat in June 1944. For these achievements he was nominated for Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub).
On 23 December 1944 Heinrich Bartels took off for his last and fatal mission. Most likely he was shot down by P-47 Thunderbolt
fighters of the USAAF 56th Fighter Group. 24 years later, on 26 January 1968, Bartels Bf 109 G-10
(Werknummer 130 359—factory number) "Yellow 13" was found in Villip near Bad Godesberg
. In the cockpit was the intact parachute, which is currently on display at the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
.
His score totalled 99 victories in some 500 combat missions, with 49 on the Eastern Front. His score included nine Spitfires, nine P-47s, eleven P-51s, and fourteen P-38s.
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, Austria – killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
23 December 1944 near Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg is a municipal district of Bonn, southern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. From 1949 till 1990 , the majority of foreign embassies to Germany were located in Bad Godesberg...
) was German World War II Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
99+ victories Flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
and had been recommended for the Oak Leaves.
Early life
Bartels was working as a baker in Austria. When Hitler came to power and completed his unification of Austria, Bartels was drafted by Hitler. Bartels' wife's name was Margo, and they had one son Heinz.Military
Jagdgeschwader 26
Jagdgeschwader 26 Schlageter was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated mainly in Western Europe against Great Britain, France the United States but also saw service against Russia. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran and Freikorps member arrested and...
"Schlageter" from the early summer of 1941 onward, claiming his first two aerial victories, two Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s, on 19 August 1941. He was transferred to the 11th squadron (11. Staffel) of Jagdgeschwader 1, the later re-designated 8 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5
Jagdgeschwader 5
Jagdgeschwader 5 Eismeer was a Luftwaffe fighter Wing that served during World War II. As the name Eismeer implies, it was created to operate in the far North of Europe, namely Norway, Scandinavia and northern parts of Finland, all nearest the Arctic Ocean...
, on 27 January 1942. He claimed 47 Russian aircraft shot down in 100 combat missions on the Arctic front, 21 of which in the month of September 1942 alone. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) after 46 aerial victories on 13 November 1942.
From August 1943 he served with 11 Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27
Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika was a World War II Luftwaffe Geschwader. It was most famous for service in the North African Campaign, supporting the Deutsches Afrikakorps.- Formation:...
(11./JG 27), later 15./JG 27, firstly on the Balkan front and then on Defense of the Reich
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German occupied Europe and Germany itself during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the destruction of German military and civil industries by the Western Allies...
(Reichsverteidigung) duties. According to Walter Schuck
Walter Schuck
Walter Schuck is a former German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. He was born in Frankenholz, Saarland...
, Bartels was transferred to JG 27 following a court martial involving a disciplinary problem after excessive consumption of alcohol. By the end of 1943 he had increased the number of aerial victories claimed to 73. 24 these victories in 6 weeks among them four each on 25 October 1943 and 15 November 1943. He claimed 12 fighters of the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
(USAAF) shot down during April and May 1944 and three times he had claimed three fighters shot down during single combat missions. On the Invasion front he claimed 11 Anglo-American fighters during five days in combat in June 1944. For these achievements he was nominated for Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub).
On 23 December 1944 Heinrich Bartels took off for his last and fatal mission. Most likely he was shot down by P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
fighters of the USAAF 56th Fighter Group. 24 years later, on 26 January 1968, Bartels Bf 109 G-10
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
(Werknummer 130 359—factory number) "Yellow 13" was found in Villip near Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg is a municipal district of Bonn, southern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. From 1949 till 1990 , the majority of foreign embassies to Germany were located in Bad Godesberg...
. In the cockpit was the intact parachute, which is currently on display at the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
German Museum of Technology (Berlin)
Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin was founded in 1982 in Berlin, Germany, and exhibits a large collection of historical technical artifacts. The museum's main emphasis is on rail transport, but it also features exhibits of various sorts of industrial technology. Recently, it has opened both maritime...
.
His score totalled 99 victories in some 500 combat missions, with 49 on the Eastern Front. His score included nine Spitfires, nine P-47s, eleven P-51s, and fourteen P-38s.
Awards
- Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(5 October 1942) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 20 October 1942 as UnteroffizierUnteroffizierUnteroffizier is both a specific military rank as well as a collective term for non-commissioned officers of the German military that has existed since the 19th century. The rank existed as a title as early as the 17th century with the first widespread usage occurring in the Bavarian Army of the...
in the 8./JG 5 - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (22 June 1940)
- 1st Class (18 June 1941)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on 13 November 1942 as Unteroffizier and pilot in the 8./JG 5