Peter Düttmann

Peter "Bonifazius" Düttmann (23 May 1923 – 9 January 2001) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 152 aerial victories achieved in 398 combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Peter Düttmann
Nickname(s)Bonifazius
Born(1923-05-23)23 May 1923
Gießen
Died9 January 2001(2001-01-09) (aged 77)
Echterdingen, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1940–45
RankLeutnant (second lieutenant)
UnitJG 52
Commands held5./JG 52
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Born in Gießen, Düttmann grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. In 1940, he joined the military service of the Lufftwaffe where he was trained as a fighter pilot. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in May 1943. Flying with this wing, Düttmann claimed his first aerial victory on 21 May 1943 over a Soviet Air Forces fighter aircraft. Following his 91st aerial victory he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944. He claimed his 100th aerial victory on 25 September and was appointed squadron leader of 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of JG 52 in December. He led this squadron until the end of World War II. Düttmann died on 9 January 2001 in Echterdingen.

Early life and career

Düttmann was born on 23 May 1923 in Gießen, at the time in People's State of Hesse in the Weimar Republic.[1] His father was surgeon Dr. Erich Düttmann.[2] Following fligh training, Düttmann was transferred to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost (Supplemantary Fighter Group East) in southern France. In February 1943, Düttmann and other flight students of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost under the leadership of Oberleutnant Walter Krupinski were based at La Leu Airfield near La Rochelle, France. There, Düttmann flew the Arado Ar 96. On some of his flights, he was joined by members of the Kriegsmarine's U-boat force who were made aware how easily a surfaced U-boat could be spotted from the air.[3]

World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. Following completion of flight and fighter pilot training, Düttmann joined 5. Staffel (5th squadron), Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) on 7 May 1943.[4] At the time, this squadron led by Leutnant Helmut Haberda who was killed in action on 8 May. Command of 5. Staffel was then temporarily given to Leutnant Josef Zwernemann who passed on command to Oberleutnant Wilhelm Batz on 26 May. The squadron was subordinated to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of JG 52 under the command of Hauptmann Helmut Kühle.[5] II. Gruppe was based at Anapa and was fighting in the Battle of the Caucasus on the Eastern Front.[6] Düttmann served with the same unit until the end of the war and soon became one of their most successful pilots, flying with Heinz Ewald and Heinz Sachsenberg. He claimed his first aerial victory on 21 May 1943 over a Polikarpov Po-2, also known as a U-2, in the vicinity of Krasnodar.[7] He downed another 24 by the end of the year.

JG 52 Emblem

On 11 July 1943, Düttmann ditched his Bf 109 G-4 southeast of Anapa in the Black Sea after being hit by return fire form a formation of Douglas Boston medium bombers.[8] In early morning hours of 26 July, 15 Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, escorted by Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter aircraft, headed for German shipping off of Anapa. The Soviet flight was intercepted over sea and scattered. During this engagement, German pilots claimed ten aerial victories, five Il-2s and five Yak-1s, including a Il-2 and Yak-1 shot down by Düttmann. One of the aerial victories claimed by Düttmann was also 5. Staffel's 500th aerial victory to date.[9][Note 1]

Following aerial combat on 9 August 1943, he force landed his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 19623—factory number) in no-man's land and was posted missing for 17 hours. On the 23 August 1943, his Bf 109 G-6 was again hit by anti-aircraft artillery resulting in a forced landing 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) west of Nikolajewka.[11] On 23 January 1944, Düttmann's Bf 109 G-6 three times was damaged in combat. At 08:00, during takeoff at Baherove, his aircraft was hit in the engine by a strafing Il-2 ground-attack aircraft. Later at 09:03, his Bf 109 G-6 was hit in aerial combat by a Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter aircraft resulting in a forced landing. At 14:45, his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft artillery causing engine fire in flight. Nevertheless, he managed to return to his airfield and made a deadstick landing at Baherove.[12]

He scored a further 18 kills in March 1944, 22 in April and 14 in May 1944. Düttmann became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time on 11 April 1944 over the Kerch Peninsula.[13] On 7 May 1944, he claimed nine aerial victories to take his score to 91.[14] Suffering from combat fatigue he was sent on leave at the end of May and returned in September 1944. During this period, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 9 June 1944.[4]

Retreat through Hungary

Düttmann claimed his 100th aerial victory on 25 September 1944. He was the 92nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[15] On 1 November 1944, Düttmann, flying Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 167238), was involved in a ground accident at Ferihegy Airfield, killing his wingman Unteroffizier Heinrich Wester. Low on fuel, Wester had landed his Bf 109 G-14 (Werknummer 782775) first, the engine seized due to lack of fuel, leaving him sitting on the runway. Düttmann, who landed next, did not see Wester and crashed into his aircraft, killing him instantly.[16]

On the 13 November 1944, he was shot down by an Il-2 rear gunner and bailed out at 1000 feet, landing behind enemy lines, but managing to reach German lines. The same happened to him on the 3 March 1945 due to AA damage and he returned a day later. On 23 December 1944, Düttmann was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5. Staffel of JG 52. He replaced Hauptmann Heinrich Sturm who was killed in a flying accident the before. On 1 March 1945, this squadron was renamed and became the 6. Staffel of JG 52.[17] On 24 April 1945, Düttmann claimed the destruction of a M4 Sherman tank 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Cham.[18]

Düttmann died on 9 January 2001.[4]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Düttmann was credited with 152 aerial victories claimed in 398 combat missions, 21 of which were ground support missions.[1] Both Spick and Weal state that his total of aerial victories was 150 claimed in 398 combat missions,[19] plus two tanks destroyed which were counted as additional victories.[20] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 147 aerial victory claims, plus 45 further unconfirmed claims, including one North American P-51 Mustang. All of his confirmed victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.[21]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 96453". 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.[22]

Awards

Dates of rank
21 September 1943:Feldwebel (Technical Sergeant), effective as of 1 October 1943[51]
1 February 1944:Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)[52]

Notes
  1. According to Weal, Düttmann claimed 5. Staffel's 500th aerial victory on 25 July 1943.[10]
  2. The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  3. This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[31]
  4. According to Obermaier and original award document on 8 February 1944.[1][45]
  5. According to Von Seemen and Weal on 9 May 1944.[49][50]

Works
  • Düttmann, Peter (2002). Klinnert, Falk (ed.). Wir kämpften in einsamen Höhen [We Fought in Lonely Heights] (in German). Leipzig, Germany: Kunst- & Verlagsbuchbinderei.

References

Citations
  1. Obermaier 1989, p. 104.
  2. Bode 2008, p. 118.
  3. Braatz 2010, pp. 84, 86.
  4. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 248.
  5. Prien et al. 2012, p. 374.
  6. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 325, 375.
  7. Prien et al. 2012, p. 383.
  8. Prien et al. 2012, p. 398.
  9. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 342–343, 386.
  10. Weal 2004, p. 95.
  11. Prien et al. 2012, p. 399.
  12. Barbas 2005, p. 318.
  13. Bergström 2008, pp. 47–48.
  14. Bergström 2008, p. 51.
  15. Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
  16. Barbas 2005, pp. 174, 322.
  17. Barbas 2005, p. 286.
  18. Barbas 2005, p. 372.
  19. Spick 1996, p. 229.
  20. Weal 2001, p. 81.
  21. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 248–251.
  22. Planquadrat.
  23. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 248–249.
  24. Prien et al. 2012, p. 389.
  25. Prien et al. 2012, p. 384.
  26. Prien et al. 2012, p. 385.
  27. Prien et al. 2012, p. 390.
  28. Prien et al. 2012, p. 386.
  29. Prien et al. 2012, p. 387.
  30. Prien et al. 2012, p. 393.
  31. Prien et al. 2012, p. 394.
  32. Prien et al. 2012, p. 395.
  33. Prien et al. 2012, p. 388.
  34. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 249–250.
  35. Barbas 2005, p. 358.
  36. Barbas 2005, p. 362.
  37. Barbas 2005, p. 363.
  38. Barbas 2005, p. 359.
  39. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 250–251.
  40. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 251.
  41. Düttmann 2002, p. 219: award document
  42. Düttmann 2002, p. 220: award document
  43. Düttmann 2002, p. 221: award document
  44. Patzwall 2008, p. 70.
  45. Düttmann 2002, p. 224: award document
  46. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 95.
  47. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 167.
  48. Scherzer 2007, p. 283.
  49. Von Seemen 1976, p. 115.
  50. Weal 2004, p. 106.
  51. Düttmann 2002, p. 222: rank document
  52. Düttmann 2002, p. 226: rank document

Bibliography
  • Barbas, Bernd (2005). Die Geschichte der II. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52 [The History of 2nd Group of Fighter Wing 52] (in German). ISBN 978-3-923457-71-7.
  • Bergström, Christer (2008). Bagration to Berlin—The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Burgess Hill: Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  • Bode, Andreas (2008). Herzog, Markwart (ed.). Fussball zur Zeit des Nationalsozialismus: Alltag, Medien, Künste, Stars [Football at the Time of National Socialism: Everyday Life, Media, Arts, Stars] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Kohlhammer Verlag. ISBN 978-3-17-020103-3.
  • Braatz, Kurt (2010). Walter Krupinski - Jagdflieger, Geheimagent, General [Walter Krupinski - Fighter Pilot, Spy, General] (in German). Moosburg, Germany: NeunundzwanzigSechs Verlag. ISBN 978-3-9811615-5-7.
  • 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.
  • 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.
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  • 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.
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