Heinz Lange
Encyclopedia
Heinz Lange was a German
World War II
Luftwaffe
70-victory flying ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. He held the position of Geschwaderkommodore
of fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 51
. He held the rank
of Major
.
He flew his first opartions during the Polish campaign of September 1939. Leutnant Lange claimed his first victory on 30 October 1939, a Bristol Blenheim
RAF light bomber over Quakenbück. After the Battle of France
I./JG 21 was redesignated III./JG 54 and Lange promoted to Oberleutnant in 8./JG 54 during August.
During the Balkan campaign in spring 1941 Lange flew strafing attacks and jabo mission from Arad
, Rumania.
During Operation Barbarossa, III./JG 54 supported Army Group North
attacking towards Leningrad. Lange claimed seven victories and made Staffelkapitän of 1 stafel, JG 54 in October 1941.Lange was appointed Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 51 in November 1942. After 500 missions Lange was promoted to Hauptmann in February 1943. On 22 August Lange claimed a La-5, a Yak-1 and two Il-2s for a total of 40 victories. In January 1944 Lange was acting Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 54 before in May becoming Gruppenkommandeur, IV./JG 51.
On 15 October Lange claimed his 70th victory and was awarded the Ritterkreuz in November. IV./JG 51 began conversion to the Fw 190 A-8 and Fw 190 D-9 in March 195. In April 1945 Lange was appointed Kommodore of JG 51, althoughlate in April Lange returned as Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 51. Lange flew his last mission on 29 April.
Lange flew 628 combat missions and was credited with 70 aerial victories, all but one on the Eastern front
including 24 Il-2 Sturmoviks
and 12 twin engined bombers.
Shortly after the end of the war the British
wanted to evaluate the performance the German Fw 190 D-13. At Flensburg
, the British Disarmament Wing wanted to compare the fighter's performance gainst a Hawker Tempest
. Squadron Leader Evans approached Major Lange and asked him to fly a mock combat
against one of their pilots. Lange accepted, even though he had only ten flights in a D-9.
The mock dogfight was conducted at an altitude of 3,000 meters, with only enough fuel for the flight and no ammunition. The machines proved evenly matched. Major Lange assessed that the outcome of such a contest greatly depended on the skills of the individual pilot. At the time Major Lange was not aware that he was not flying a D-13, but rather a D-9.
After the war Lange attended the University of Kiel
and studied law receiving a doctorate
in law (Dr. jur.) degree. In August 1950 he started his career working for the Gerling Insurance Group. He retired in 1982.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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....
70-victory 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...
and 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...
. He held the position of Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
of fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 51
Jagdgeschwader 51
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...
. He held the rank
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
Career
Lange was born on 2 October 1917 in Colgne, the son of a pilot with the Imperial Air Service. Lange entered the Luftwaffe in 1937, and after completing his pilot training initially joined 4 staffel, Jagdgeschwader 234, later serving with JG 132 and II./JG 26. In July 1939 Lange was posted to JG 21 based in East Prussia.He flew his first opartions during the Polish campaign of September 1939. Leutnant Lange claimed his first victory on 30 October 1939, a Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
RAF light bomber over Quakenbück. After the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
I./JG 21 was redesignated III./JG 54 and Lange promoted to Oberleutnant in 8./JG 54 during August.
During the Balkan campaign in spring 1941 Lange flew strafing attacks and jabo mission from Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
, Rumania.
During Operation Barbarossa, III./JG 54 supported Army Group North
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
attacking towards Leningrad. Lange claimed seven victories and made Staffelkapitän of 1 stafel, JG 54 in October 1941.Lange was appointed Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 51 in November 1942. After 500 missions Lange was promoted to Hauptmann in February 1943. On 22 August Lange claimed a La-5, a Yak-1 and two Il-2s for a total of 40 victories. In January 1944 Lange was acting Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 54 before in May becoming Gruppenkommandeur, IV./JG 51.
On 15 October Lange claimed his 70th victory and was awarded the Ritterkreuz in November. IV./JG 51 began conversion to the Fw 190 A-8 and Fw 190 D-9 in March 195. In April 1945 Lange was appointed Kommodore of JG 51, althoughlate in April Lange returned as Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 51. Lange flew his last mission on 29 April.
Lange flew 628 combat missions and was credited with 70 aerial victories, all but one on the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
including 24 Il-2 Sturmoviks
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 was a ground-attack aircraft in the Second World War, produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers...
and 12 twin engined bombers.
Shortly after the end of the war the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
wanted to evaluate the performance the German Fw 190 D-13. At Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
, the British Disarmament Wing wanted to compare the fighter's performance gainst a Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
. Squadron Leader Evans approached Major Lange and asked him to fly a mock combat
Mock combat
Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons...
against one of their pilots. Lange accepted, even though he had only ten flights in a D-9.
The mock dogfight was conducted at an altitude of 3,000 meters, with only enough fuel for the flight and no ammunition. The machines proved evenly matched. Major Lange assessed that the outcome of such a contest greatly depended on the skills of the individual pilot. At the time Major Lange was not aware that he was not flying a D-13, but rather a D-9.
After the war Lange attended the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
and studied law receiving a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in law (Dr. jur.) degree. In August 1950 he started his career working for the Gerling Insurance Group. He retired in 1982.
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...
(27 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 (17 May 1943) - 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 and 1st class - 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 18 November 1944 as HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
and leader of the IV./JG 51 "Mölders"