Gerhard Hoffmann (pilot)

Gerhard Hoffmann
Nickname Fakken
Born 6 November 1919(1919-11-06)
Nieden, Eastern Prussia
Died 17 April 1945(1945-04-17) (aged 25)
near Breslau
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Rank Leutnant
Unit JG 52
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gerhard Hoffmann (6 November 1919 – 17 April 1945) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Hoffmann was credited with 130 aerial victories.

Unteroffizier Hoffmann was transferred to the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52) in June 1942 on the Eastern front. His first streak of success was achieved in April and May 1943 over the Cuban bridgehead where he claimed his 42nd aerial victory on 30 May 1943. He was wounded on 25 September 1943 and claimed his century mark in the middle of March 1944 over the Crimea. His victory tally stood at 125 when he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 May 1944. He was transferred to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe West at the end of April 1944 as a fighter pilot instructor and promoted to Leutnant. He was put in command of the 4./Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 1 (EJG 1). He claimed 4 aerial victories in March 1945 at the Oder front with this Staffel and was made Staffelkapitän of the 11./JG 52. He shuttled an aircraft to Breslau on 11 April 1945. On this flight he crashed and was killed. The reasons for this crash remain unanswered.[1]

Awards

References

Citations
  1. ^ a b c Obermaier 1989, p. 135.
  2. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 231.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 - 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
  • 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.