Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin
Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin | |
---|---|
Born |
Potsdam | 14 November 1919
Died |
11 January 1992 72) Hamburg-Eimsbüttel | (aged
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/branch | Luftwaffe |
Years of service | 1937–45 |
Rank | Oberstleutnant |
Unit | NJG 1 |
Commands held | II./NJG 1 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Relations | Hubertus von Bonin |
Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin (14 November 1919 — 11 January 1992) was a German World War II night fighter pilot who served in the Luftwaffe. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[1] He is credited with shooting down 37 enemy aircraft claimed during 150 combat missions.
Family
His brother, Oberstleutnant Hubertus von Bonin (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient) was killed in action on 15 December 1943. He lost two other brothers during the war.
Aerial victory claims
Von Bonin was credited with 37 aerial victories claimed in roughly 150 combat missions. Two of his claims were over four-engined bombers during daytime operations, the other 35 were claimed during nocturnal missions.[2]
This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Von Bonin an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
This along with the ! (exclamation mark) indicates a daytime aerial victory.
Chronicle of aerial victories | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victory | Date | Time | Type | Location | Serial No./Squadron No. | |
– 6./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 – | ||||||
1 | 11 May 1941 | 02:20 | Wellington[3] | Tönningen | ||
2 | 12 May 1941 | 02:20 | Blenheim[3] | 3 km (1.9 mi) west of Sankt Peter-Ording | ||
3 | 15 July 1941 | 01:40 | Wellington[4] | east of Zwolle | R1613/No. 214 Squadron RAF[5] | |
4 | 7 April 1942 | 02:38 | Manchester[6] | |||
5 | 3 June 1942 | 02:41 | Wellington[7] | 10 km (6.2 mi) north-northwest of Brussels | ||
6 | 9 June 1942 | 02:38 | Halifax[7] | 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Brussels | ||
7 | 26 June 1942 | 01:38 | Blenheim[8] | 16 km (9.9 mi) north of Tirlemont | ||
8 | 30 July 1942 | 03:17 | Wellington[9] | 50 km (31 mi) east of Antwerp | ||
9 | 5 October 1942 | 22:38 | Wellington[10] | northeast of Maastricht | ||
10 | 12 March 1943 | 21:40 | Halifax[11] | 4–5 km (2.5–3.1 mi) north-northwest of Amerika | ||
13 | 26 May 1943 | 01:36 | Wellington[12] | 8 km (5.0 mi) north of Maastricht | ||
14 | 30 May 1943 | 00:43 | Wellington[13] | |||
15 | 12 June 1943 | 01:47 | Halifax[13] | Oye-Plage, northeast of Liège | ||
16 | 22 June 1943 | 01:50 | Stirling[14] | 18 km (11 mi) southeast of Eindhoven | ||
17 | 31 July 1943 | 00:57 | Halifax[15] | Mariaweiler | ||
18! | 17 August 1943 | 11:45 | B-17[16] | 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Aachen | ||
19! | 17 August 1943 | 15:07 | B-17[16] | 3 km (1.9 mi) northeast of Aachen | ||
20 | 31 August 1943 | 00:45 | Halifax[17] | |||
21 | 7 September 1943 | 00:45 | Halifax[18] | southwest of Munich | ||
22 | 7 September 1943 | 00:47 | Halifax[18] | southwest of Munich | ||
23 | 3 November 1943 | 19:30 | Lancaster[19] | southwest of Gangelt | ||
24 | 19 November 1943 | 19:30 | Lancaster[20] | northeast of Ronse | ||
25♠ | 26 November 1943 | 02:20 | Halifax[20] | north of Prüm | ||
26♠ | 26 November 1943 | 02:42 | Halifax[20] | southeast of Darmstadt | ||
27♠ | 26 November 1943 | 02:45 | Lancaster[20] | 12 km (7.5 mi) Brandau, south of Darmstadt | JB-221/No. 97 Squadron RAF | |
28♠ | 26 November 1943 | 19:24 | Lancaster[21] | south-southwest of Liège | ||
29♠ | 26 November 1943 | 19:30 | Halifax[21] | Hermeskeil | ||
30 | 20 December 1943 | 19:26 | Halifax[22] | Mayen | ||
31 | 20 December 1943 | 19:45 | Halifax[22] | Dachsenhausen | ||
32 | 20 February 1944 | 05:40 | Lancaster[23] | 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Dessau | ||
33 | 24 February 1944 | 21:36 | four-engined bomber[24] | Brieg | ||
34 | 24 February 1944 | 21:48 | four-engined bomber[24] | Marling | ||
35 | 15 March 1944 | 22:10 | four-engined bomber[25] | southeast of Saint-Dizier | ||
36 | 15 March 1944 | 22:41 | four-engined bomber[26] | northeast of Lure | ||
37 | 22 June 1944 | 01:14 | Lancaster[27] | 18 km (11 mi) east-southeast of Turnhout | ME782/No. 630 Squadron RAF |
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
- Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 8 May 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän[28]
- German Cross in Gold on 1 August 1943 as Hauptmann in the 6./Nachtjagdgeschweder 1[29]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 February 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Nachtjagdgeschweder 1[30]
References
Citations
- ↑ Spick 1996, pp. 3, 4.
- ↑ Obermaier 1989, p. 91.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 20.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 25.
- ↑ Bowman 2015, p. 118.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 37.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 44.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 47.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 52.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 60.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 71.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 82.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 84.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 88.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 99.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 102.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 109.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 112.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 125.
- 1 2 3 4 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 129.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 130.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 133.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 150.
- 1 2 Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 151.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 154.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 155.
- ↑ Foreman, Matthews & Parry 2004, p. 190.
- ↑ Patzwall 2008, p. 55.
- ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 51.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 139.
Bibliography
- Bowman, Martin (2015). The Wellington Bomber. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1-78383-176-0.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
- Foreman, John; Matthews, Johannes; Parry, Simon (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
- 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.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
- 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.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.