Hans von Hahn (7 August 1914 – 5 November 1957) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with 34 aerial victories, 15 on the Western Front and 19 on the Eastern Front.
Hans von Hahn | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 August 1914 Frankfurt am Main |
| Died | 5 November 1957 (aged 43) Frankfurt am Main |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |  Kriegsmarine (1934–35) Luftwaffe (1935–45) |
| Years of service | 1934–45 |
| Rank | Hauptmann (captain) |
| Unit | JG 53, JG 3, JG 1, JG 103 Jagdfliegerführer Oberitalien |
| Commands held | I./JG 3, II./JG 1, JG 103 Jagdfliegerführer Oberitalien |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
World War II
editWorld War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 18 September 1939, Hahn was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8. Staffel (8th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). He was the first commander of the Staffel which was part of the newly created III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 53 under the command of Hauptmann Werner Mölders.[1] Hahn claimed his first aerial victory on 22 December 1939 during "Phoney War". That day, he claimed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter from the No. 73 Squadron.[2]
On 27 August 1940, Hahn was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Lothar Keller who had temporarily led the Gruppe after its former commander Hauptmann Günther Lützow had been Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 3 on 21 August.[3] Command of 8. Staffel of JG 53 was given to Oberleutnant Hans Kunert.[4]
War against the Soviet Union
editIn preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Dub on 18 June 1941. At the start of the campaign, JG 3 was subordinated to the V. Fliegerkorps (5th Air Corps), under command of General der Flieger Robert Ritter von Greim, which was part of Luftflotte 4 (4th Air Fleet), under command of Generaloberst Alexander Löhr. These air elements supported Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South), with the objective of capturing Ukraine and its capital Kiev.[5]
Summary of career
editAerial victory claims
editAccording to Obermaier, Hahn was credited with 34 aerial victories claimed in over combat missions. This figure includes 19 claims on the Eastern Front and 15 over the Western Allies.[6] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 31 aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 19 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 12 on the Western Front.[7]
| Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Hahn did not receive credit. | |||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[7] "Phoney War" — 26 September 1939 – 9 May 1940 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22 December 1939 | 15:05 | Hurricane | 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Metz[8] | |||||
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[7] Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 | |||||||||
| 2 | 21 May 1940 | 19:10 | LeO 451 | Châlons[9] | 4 | 31 May 1940 | 19:08 | Curtiss | Abbeville[9] |
— | 21 May 1940 | — | M.S.406 | east of Paris[9] | 5 | 3 June 1940 | 14:35 | Hurricane | Paris[9] |
— | 21 May 1940 | — | Curtiss | east of Paris[9] | — | 3 June 1940 | — | M.S.406 | Paris[10] |
| 3 | 24 May 1940 | 18:15 | Curtiss[9] | 6 | 7 June 1940 | 16:53 | M.S.406 | Compiègne[10] | |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 –[7] Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 26 June – 26 August 1940 | |||||||||
| 7 | 25 August 1940 | 18:27 | Spitfire | 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Portland[11] | |||||
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 –[7] Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 27 August 1940 – 9 June 1941 | |||||||||
| 8 | 5 September 1940 | — | Spitfire | vicinity of London[12] | 11 | 7 October 1940 | — | Hurricane | Thames Estuary[12] |
| 9 | 15 September 1940 | — | Spitfire | north of London[12] | 12 | 10 January 1941 | 14:35 | Blenheim | 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Nieuwpoort[12] |
| 10 | 7 October 1940 | — | Hurricane | Thames Estuary[12] | |||||
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 –[7] Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 16 September 1941 | |||||||||
| 13 | 25 June 1941 | 15:10 | I-153 | 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Dubno[13] | 23 | 10 July 1941 | 15:15 | SB-2 | 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Barbolok[14] |
| 14 | 26 June 1941 | 06:10 | DB-3 | northeast of Brody[13] | 24 | 12 July 1941 | 14:55 | DB-3 | 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Zhytomyr[15] |
| 15 | 26 June 1941 | 06:15 | DB-3 | northeast of Brody[13] | 25 | 14 July 1941 | 14:30 | DB-3 | 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv[15] |
| 16 | 26 June 1941 | 14:20 | SB-2 | Szcurowcze[13] | 26 | 14 July 1941 | 14:31 | DB-3 | 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv[15] |
| 17 | 29 June 1941 | 15:00 | I-153 | 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Brody[16] | 27 | 14 July 1941 | 14:32 | DB-3 | 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv[15] |
| 18 | 29 June 1941 | 15:05 | I-153 | 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Brody[16] | 28 | 11 August 1941 | 06:45 | SB-2 | 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Wihenkij[15] |
| 19 | 5 July 1941 | 11:45 | Pe-2 | northwest of Gudnow[17] | 29 | 11 August 1941 | 06:48 | SB-2 | 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Boryspil[15] |
| 20 | 6 July 1941 | 15:40 | DB-3 | southeast of Shepetivka[17] | 30 | 14 August 1941 | 12:50 | I-16 | 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Kaniv[18] |
| 21 | 6 July 1941 | 15:45 | DB-3 | southeast of Shepetivka[17] | 31 | 16 August 1941 | 10:00 | I-17 (MiG-1) | 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Kaniv[18] |
| 22 | 10 July 1941 | 15:10 | I-17 (MiG-1) | 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kurin[14] | |||||
Awards
edit- Aviator badge
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 July 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 3[19][20]
References
editCitations
editBibliography
edit- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Page, Neil (2020). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1939–42. Philadelphia, PA: Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-61200-849-3.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard (2002). Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" in WWII: Stab and I./JG 3 in Action with the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-1681-4.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2001). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 2—Der "Sitzkrieg"—1.9.1939 bis 9.5.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 2—The "Phoney War"—1 September 1939 to 9 May 1940] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-59-5.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 3—Einsatz in Dänemark und Norwegen 9.4. bis 30.11.1940—Der Feldzug im Westen 10.5. bis 25.6.1940 [Fighter Pilot Association of the German Luftwaffe 1934 to 1945 Part 3—Assignments in Denmark and Norway 9 April to 30 November 1940—The campaign in the West 10 May to 25 June 1940] (in German). Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-61-8.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002a). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26 June 1940 bis 21 June 1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-63-2.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2002b). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/II—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/II—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-64-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-69-4.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
