Herbert Bachnick

Herbert Bachnick was a World War II Flying ace in the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) credited with 80 aerial victories—that is, 80 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft, all but one over the Eastern Front. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Herbert Bachnick
Born9 February 1920
Mannheim, Germany
Died7 August 1944 (1944-08-08) (aged 24)
Myslowitz. Oberschlesien, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
RankLeutnant
UnitJG 52, JGr Ost
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career
Karaya-Staffel emblem

Bachnick was born on 9 February 1920 in Mannheim, and was posted to 9. Staffel (9th squadron), also known as the Karaya-Staffel, of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52–52nd Fighter Wing) in December 1942 serving on the Eastern Front. He claimed his first three aerial victories on 5 July 1943 and had by August claimed 14 victories. By late September his victory total was 31, and by the end of 1943 had 47 victories credited. On 7 January 1944 he claimed five Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft shot down. He claimed 27 victories in March.

On 7 January 1944, Bachnick became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time when shot down five Soviet aircraft.[1] In April, Unteroffizier Bachnick was transferred to 2. Staffel of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost as an instructor. He was promoted to Leutnant in May. Bachnick was wounded in combat with United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) bombers and fighters on 7 July force landing his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 near Moran. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 27 July for 78 aerial victories.[2]

Bachnick returned to 9. Staffel of JG 52 following three months as an instructor. On 7 August 1944 he engaged a USAAF formation and shot down a P-51 Mustang. However, his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 166065—factory number) "Yellow 4" was damaged in the encounter. Bachnick attempted a forced landing but crashed and was killed near Myslowitz.[3]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Bachnick was credited with 80 aerial victories, 79 of which on the Eastern Front, claimed in 373 combat mission.[4] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 78 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[1]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 62773". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.[5]

Awards

Notes
  1. The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  2. According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 10:26.[2]
  3. According to Matthews and Foreman claimed as a Douglas A-20 Havoc.[2]

References

Citations
  1. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 27–28.
  2. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 27.
  3. Page 2020, p. 93.
  4. Obermaier 1989, p. 83.
  5. Planquadrat.
  6. Prien et al. 2012, p. 483.
  7. Prien et al. 2012, p. 489.
  8. Prien et al. 2012, p. 485.
  9. Prien et al. 2012, p. 486.
  10. Prien et al. 2012, p. 487.
  11. Prien et al. 2012, p. 493.
  12. Prien et al. 2012, p. 488.
  13. Prien et al. 2012, p. 494.
  14. MacLean 2007, p. 40.
  15. Patzwall 2008, p. 121.
  16. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 21.
  17. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 120.
  18. Scherzer 2007, p. 198.

Bibliography
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  • 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.
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
  • Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
  • Page, Neil (2020). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943–45. Philadelphia, PA: Casemate. ISBN 978-1-61200-880-6.
  • 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.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/II—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/II—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5.
  • 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.
  • Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten (Aviation Elite Units). London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4.
  • Weal, John (2007). More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-177-9.
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