Eduard Neumann (fighter pilot)

Eduard "Edu" Neumann (5 June 1911 – 9 August 2004) was a Luftwaffe officer and commanded the Jagdgeschwader 27 ‘Afrika’ during the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943.

For other uses, see Eduard Neumann.
Eduard Neumann
Eduard Neumann (right) with Adolf Galland in North Africa, 22 September 1942.
Born(1911-06-05)5 June 1911
Died9 August 2004(2004-08-09) (aged 93)
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchLuftwaffe
Years of service1934–1945
RankOberst
UnitCondor Legion, JG 26
Commands heldJG 27
Battles/warsNorth African campaign

The day after scoring his first (World War II) victory during the opening phase of the Battle of Britain, a RAF No. 236 Squadron RAF Blenheim off the coast of Cherbourg on the 20 July 1940, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 27. After a brief participation In the Invasion of Yugoslavia, in April 1941 the unit moved to Ain-el Gazala, Libya, North Africa on 18 April 1941.[1] He received the German Cross in Gold on 11 May 1942 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur I./JG 27.[2]

On 8 June 1942 he was promoted to Major and Geschwaderkommodore of JG 27, which he successfully led until 22 April 1943 when he joined the Staff of General der Jagdflieger. In March 1943 Neumann was promoted to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel), and later in 1944 to Oberst (Colonel).[3] Neumann finished the war as the Commander of Fighter Forces in Northern Italy.

After the war Neumann worked as a technical consultant on the Hans-Joachim Marseille biographical film, Der Stern von Afrika, (The Star of Africa), directed by Alfred Weidenmann and starring Joachim Hansen as Marseille.

References
Citations
  1. Weal, p. 30.
  2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 328.
  3. Scutts 1994
Bibliography
  • 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.
  • Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter; Stemmer, Gerhard (1998). Messerschmidt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I./Jagdgeschwader 27 1939 – 1945 [Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarter Unit and I./Jagdgeschwader 27 in 1939 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-46-5.
  • Scutts, Jerry (1994). Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-448-0.
  • Weal, John (2003). Jagdgeschwader 27 'Afrika'. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-538-9.
Military offices
Preceded by
Major Bernhard Woldenga		 Commander of Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika
June 10, 1942 – April 22, 1943		 Succeeded by
Oberstleutnant Gustav Rödel
Preceded by
Oberstleutnant Bernhard Woldenga		 Commander of Jagdabschnittsführer Rumänien
February 1944 – August 1944		 Succeeded by
none
Preceded by
Oberstleutnant Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn		 Commander of Jagdfliegerführer Oberitalien
December 1944 – January 1945		 Succeeded by
Oberst Günther Lützow
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