Helmut Lipfert
Encyclopedia
Helmut Lipfert was a German
Luftwaffe
fighter ace
and recipient of Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
. Lipfert ranks as the world's thirteenth fighter ace. Lipfert was credited with 203 victories achieved in 687 combat missions. All his victories were claimed over the Eastern front
and included a P-51 Mustang
, 41 Yakovlev Yak-1
, 41 Yakovlev Yak-9
fighters, two four-engine bombers and 39 Ilyushin Il-2
ground-attack aircraft. He was shot down fifteen times, without being injured.
(JG 52), based on the Eastern front, on 16 December 1942. His first kill was a Lavochkin La-5
, a powerful radial engined fighter, on the 30 January 1943, in Malaya-Balabinka (Southern Russia).
In September 1943, Lipfert assumed command of 6./JG 52. On 8 October, he shot down five Russian aircraft (kills 30 to 34). Four more are shot down on 5 December and his score raises to 72. By the end of 1943 his victories total had reached 80. On 5 April 1944 his 90th air victory had won him the Knight’s Cross( Ritterkreuz). Six days later, 11 April 1944, an “all-white Sturmovik” provided him with his century.
But the last Germans had to evacuate from Crimea
in May, retiring to Kherson
. There, the Luftwaffe Gruppen were subjected to near-costant Soviet bombing raids, and Lipfert's 6./JG 52, in particular, lost a number of aircraft. The 11 June 1944 he destroyed his first American four engined bomber, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress on the sky of Tateroi (victory number 127). Two weeks later, on the 24 of June, he downed a Consolidated B-24 Liberator over Ştefăneşti
in the historical Romanian region of Moldavia ("victim" number 128). His 150th claim came on 24 October 1944: a Yakovlev Yak-7
over Feherto
, Hungary
.
Hauptmann Lipfert was appointed Gruppenkommandeur
of I./JG 53 (based in Hungary) on 15 February 1945. And on 8 April 1945 was the last “experten” to pass quote 200. Eight days later, 16 April 1945, he shot down his last victim, a Yakovlev Yak-9
, a formidable Russian dogfighter, in the sky of Goding.
The following day he was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 837) for his 203 victories. After the dissolution of I./JG 53, Lipfert was transferred to 7./JG 52, until the end of the conflict. He claimed 27 unconfirmed victories. After the end of the war he was not turned over to the Russian (like Erich Hartmann
).
After the war, he became a school teacher, and was seldom seen by his war comrades. He died on 10 August 1990
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
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....
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
and recipient of Knight's 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...
. Lipfert ranks as the world's thirteenth fighter ace. Lipfert was credited with 203 victories achieved in 687 combat missions. All his victories were claimed over 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...
and included a P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, 41 Yakovlev Yak-1
Yakovlev Yak-1
The Yakovlev Yak-1 was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft. Produced from early 1940, it was a single-seat monoplane with a composite structure and wooden wings....
, 41 Yakovlev Yak-9
Yakovlev Yak-9
The Yakovlev Yak-9 was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union in World War II and after. Fundamentally a lighter development of the Yak-7 with the same armament, it arrived at the front at the end of 1942. The Yak-9 had a lowered rear fuselage decking and all-around vision canopy...
fighters, two four-engine bombers and 39 Ilyushin Il-2
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...
ground-attack aircraft. He was shot down fifteen times, without being injured.
Biography
He is remembered by contemporaries as a consistent, professional pilot and leader. He withdrew often from squadron mates into long periods of contemplation. Helmut Lipfert joined the Luftwaffe in 1941 and underwent fighter pilot training. Lipfert was posted to 6./Jagdgeschwader 52Jagdgeschwader 52
Jagdgeschwader 52 of the Luftwaffe, was the most successful fighter-wing of all time, with a claimed total of more than 10,000 victories over enemy aircraft during World War II. It was the unit of the top three scoring Fighter aces of all time, Erich Hartmann, Gerhard Barkhorn and Günther Rall...
(JG 52), based on the Eastern front, on 16 December 1942. His first kill was a Lavochkin La-5
Lavochkin La-5
|- See also :- References :NotesBibliography* Abanshin, Michael E. and Nina Gut. Fighting Lavochkin, Eagles of the East No.1. Lynnwood, WA: Aviation International, 1993. ISBN unknown....
, a powerful radial engined fighter, on the 30 January 1943, in Malaya-Balabinka (Southern Russia).
In September 1943, Lipfert assumed command of 6./JG 52. On 8 October, he shot down five Russian aircraft (kills 30 to 34). Four more are shot down on 5 December and his score raises to 72. By the end of 1943 his victories total had reached 80. On 5 April 1944 his 90th air victory had won him the Knight’s Cross( Ritterkreuz). Six days later, 11 April 1944, an “all-white Sturmovik” provided him with his century.
But the last Germans had to evacuate from Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
in May, retiring to Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
. There, the Luftwaffe Gruppen were subjected to near-costant Soviet bombing raids, and Lipfert's 6./JG 52, in particular, lost a number of aircraft. The 11 June 1944 he destroyed his first American four engined bomber, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress on the sky of Tateroi (victory number 127). Two weeks later, on the 24 of June, he downed a Consolidated B-24 Liberator over Ştefăneşti
Stefanesti
Ştefăneşti may refer to several places.*in Moldova:**Ştefăneşti, a commune in Floreşti District**Ştefăneşti, Ştefan Vodă, a commune in Ştefan Vodă District**Ştefăneşti, a village in Tănătarii Noi Commune, Căuşeni District*in Romania:...
in the historical Romanian region of Moldavia ("victim" number 128). His 150th claim came on 24 October 1944: a Yakovlev Yak-7
Yakovlev Yak-7
The Soviet Yakovlev Yak-7 was developed from the earlier Yak-1 fighter, initially as a trainer but converted into a "heavy" fighter. As both a fighter and later reverting to its original training role, the Yak-7 proved to be a capable aircraft and was well liked by air crews. The Yak-7 was simpler,...
over Feherto
Fehértó
- External links :*...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
Hauptmann Lipfert was appointed Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of I./JG 53 (based in Hungary) on 15 February 1945. And on 8 April 1945 was the last “experten” to pass quote 200. Eight days later, 16 April 1945, he shot down his last victim, a Yakovlev Yak-9
Yakovlev Yak-9
The Yakovlev Yak-9 was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union in World War II and after. Fundamentally a lighter development of the Yak-7 with the same armament, it arrived at the front at the end of 1942. The Yak-9 had a lowered rear fuselage decking and all-around vision canopy...
, a formidable Russian dogfighter, in the sky of Goding.
The following day he was awarded the Eichenlaub (Nr 837) for his 203 victories. After the dissolution of I./JG 53, Lipfert was transferred to 7./JG 52, until the end of the conflict. He claimed 27 unconfirmed victories. After the end of the war he was not turned over to the Russian (like Erich Hartmann
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann , nicknamed "Bubi" by his comrades and "The Black Devil" by his Soviet enemies, was a German World War II fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare...
).
After the war, he became a school teacher, and was seldom seen by his war comrades. He died on 10 August 1990
Awards
- 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 (12 March 1943)
- 1st Class (29 April 1943)
- Front Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeFront Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeThe Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft...
for fighter pilots in gold (26 April 1943) - 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...
(14 November 1943) - 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 28 January 1944 as Leutnant in the 6./JG 52 - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight'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...
- Knight's Cross on 5 April 1944 as Leutnant (war officer) and StaffelführerStaffelkapitänStaffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of the 6./JG 52 - 837th Oak Leaves on 17 April 1945 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...
(war officer) and GruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of the I./JG 53
- Knight's Cross on 5 April 1944 as Leutnant (war officer) and Staffelführer