Erich Hartmann, the best fighter pilot in history

Hartmann



Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann was the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial combat. During his career, he shot down 352 enemy planes. Apart from six American planes shot down over the Romanian oilfields - including five Mustangs in one day - all his kills were Soviet. In 30 months he flew 1425 combat missions and was shot down sixteen times but was never wounded

Hartmann was born in Weissach, Germany, on 19th April, 1922. His father was a doctor. He was taught to fly gliders by his mother at the age of 14.

Hartmann joined the Luftwaffe in 1941 and was deployed to fighter squadron JG52 in October 1942, on the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union. Assigned to fly Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, Hartmann shot down his first Soviet plane and soon established himself as one of the most talented pilots of the war.

Germany's fortunes began to fall apart in 1943, beginning with a terrible defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad, but Hartmann shot down planes at a record pace. In July 1943, he was made captain of his squadron, and shot down seven planes in a single day during the Battle of Kursk. After reaching 250 victories he was grounded by Luftwaffe chief of staff Hermann Göring, who was fearful of the possibility the hero might die in combat. However, Hartmann successfully lobbied to be reinstated as a combat pilot.

On August 24th 1944 Hartmann scored his 300th aerial victory and thus was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

On the last day of the war, Hartmann flew from his base in German-occupied Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic) and surrendered to the British in north-western Germany, shooting down a Soviet Yak-11 along the way. But the British handed him over to the Red Army and the Soviets.

After spending 10 years in harsh conditions of a Soviet POW camp, he was released in 1955 and returned to West Germany, where he was reunited with his wife, to whom he had written every day of the war. Hartmann often said that he was more proud of the fact that he had never lost a wingman in combat than he was about his rate of kills.

When he returned to West Germany, he became an officer in West German Air Force where he commanded West Germany’s first all jet unit, the Jagdgeschwader 71, equipped with US made Lockheed F-104 Starfighters. He also made numerous trips to USA where he trained US Air Force pilots. He retired in 1970.

Hartmann died in 1993 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Is he still alive?

Saddly, no.

He passed away in 1993 in Stuttgart.

Though he could be still alive...He would be 83.

World lost a fine man when Hartmann died...

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What is it with you and glorifying nazi soldiers.

German and Nazi are two difrent thing.

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Shot down 16 times! I bet by the 5th one he was just doing it casually.

Very funny.....

If a Russian soldier is fighting for Communists does that have to mean that he is communist?

No.

If a country is ruled by communist does that make all its people communists? No.

Sigh...

That doesnt make him Nazi.

soviet78 wrote:

He may not have been a nazi but he was advancing that cause through his shooting down of planes of the enemies of nazis.

So fragging what? You are seeing everything as black and white.

soviet78 wrote:

Is it not black in white, in this case? He may have been a good man, etc, but he was still fighting for the nazi regime.

And?

He is an incredible pilot, although fighting for the Fascist Scum.

And does that mean that he was nazi and bad man? No.

Indeed he is a great pilot, regardless of whether or not he is a Nazi.

He is a great man.

Too bad he didn't die in '39.

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Too bad he didn't die in '39.

....

Comrade Vlad wrote:

He is a great man.

Too bad he didn't die in '39.

Why do you got Lenin at the same sig as Stalin?

soviet78 wrote:

Is it not black in white, in this case? He may have been a good man, etc, but he was still fighting for the nazi regime.

I actually agree with soviet78 here.

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Erich Hartmann, the best fighter pilot in history

352 kills very impressive but I don't think that he is the best. Their are plenty of aviators who are good but did not fight in wars.