Karl-Heinz Langer
Karl-Heinz Langer | |
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Born | 19 April 1914 Görlitz, German Empire |
Died | 6 May 1955(1955-05-06) (aged 41) Remscheid, West Germany |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | Luftwaffe |
Years of service | ?–1944 |
Rank | Major |
Unit | JG 3 |
Commands | III./JG 3 |
Battles/wars | World War II
|
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Karl-Heinz Langer (19 April 1914 – 6 May 1955) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with 30 aerial victories in 486 missions, 10 on the Western Front and 20 on the Eastern Front.
Career
In December 1942, III. Gruppe's primary task was providing fighter escort to Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft and Heinkel He 111 bombers shuttling supplies for the encircled German forces fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad. On 17 December, Langer and the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 3, Major Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke, escorted 16 Ju 52 transport aircraft to the Pitomnik Airfield which was located within the Stalingrad pocket. While taking off at Pitomnik Airfield, his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 13739—factory number) ran over unexploded ordnance which then exploded, destroying his aircraft and significantly injuring Langer. He was later flown out of the pocket on a Ju 52.[1]
Squadron leader
Langer was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 7. Staffel (7th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing) on 1 June 1943. He succeeded Oberleutnant Eberhard von Boremski who was wounded in combat the day before.[2] On 14 October, during the Second Raid on Schweinfurt, Langer claimed the destruction of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber shot down 8 kilometers (5.0 miles) east of Hammelburg.[3] In this engagement, his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 26924) was shot down by defensive fire. Langer was forced to bail out near Hammelburg.[4] Due to the injuries sustained, he was replaced by Leutnant Erwin Stahlberg as leader of 7. Staffel.[5]
On 14 July 1943, Langer was temporarily given command of III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 3 after its former commander Hauptmann Wolfgang Ewald was shot down behind enemy lines and taken prisoner of war. In consequence, command of 7. Staffel was briefly given to Leutnant Hans Schleef. When on 20 July, Hauptmann Walther Dahl took command of the Gruppe, Langer returned to his 7. Staffel.[6] On 21 May 1944, Langer was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe of JG 3. He thus succeeded Dahl who was transferred.[7]
Later life
Langer died on 6 May 1955 at the age of 41 in Fischbach, West Germany.[8]
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
Langer was credited with 30 aerial victories claimed in 486 combat missions.[9] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 29 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. This number includes ten on the Western Front, including four four-engined bombers, and 19 on the Eastern Front.[10]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 4056". 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 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[11]
Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory. This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. | |||||||||
Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 –[10] Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 6 November 1941 | |||||||||
1 | 14 July 1941 | 07:10 | I-153[12] | 2 | 5 October 1941 | 14:55 | DB-3[13] | ||
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Eastern Front – 10 February 1942 – 14 April 1942 | |||||||||
3 | 9 March 1942 | 11:08 | I-61 (MiG-3) | 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of Salustsche[15] | 4 | 18 March 1942 | 10:15 | Pe-2[16] | |
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Eastern Front – 19 May 1942 – 3 February 1943 | |||||||||
5 | 24 August 1942 | 13:50 | R-5 | Zarjew[17] | 9 | 17 October 1942 | 06:23 | Il-2 | PQ 4056, west of Rulew[18] |
6 | 24 August 1942 | 13:56 | MiG-1 | east of Leninsk[17] | 10 | 26 October 1942 | 14:15 | Il-2 | PQ 49357, Bassargino railway station[18] |
7 | 3 September 1942 | 15:53 | LaGG-3 | Akelin[19] | 11 | 28 December 1942 | — | Yak-1 | Stalingrad[20] |
8 | 1 October 1942 | 06:57 | LaGG-3 | PQ 40793, northeast Gratschi[21] vicinity of Spartak | |||||
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Eastern Front – 1 June – 1 August 1943 | |||||||||
12 | 5 July 1943 | 11:16 | La-5 | southeast of Kobenaja[22] southeast of Rakitnoye | 14 | 21 July 1943 | 09:45 | Il-2 | 14 km (8.7 mi) northeast of Dworeznaja[23] 9 km (5.6 mi) northwest of Bogoroditskoye |
13 | 7 July 1943 | 04:07 | Il-5 | northwest of Vovchansk[24] | 15 | 31 July 1943 | 11:15 | Il-2 | Kuybyshevo[23] |
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Defense of the Reich — 8 August – 14 October 1943 | |||||||||
16 | 14 October 1943 | 14:40 | B-17 | 8 km (5.0 mi) east of Hammelburg[25] | |||||
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Defense of the Reich — 1 January – 5 June 1944 | |||||||||
17 | 27 May 1944 | 12:17 | B-17* | PQ 04 Ost S/DO, southwest of Strasbourg[26] | 19 | 30 May 1944 | 11:17 | B-17 | Dessau[26] |
18 | 30 May 1944 | 11:12 | B-17 | Dessau[26] | |||||
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Normandy Invasion — 6 June – 22 September 1944 | |||||||||
20 | 21 June 1944 | 19:10 | P-47 | PQ 04 Ost N/AD-7[27] vicinity of Houdan | 22 | 26 July 1944 | 14:50 | P-38 | PQ 14 West BU-2/3[27] east of Briouze |
21 | 21 June 1944 | 19:25 | P-51 | PQ 04 Ost N/AC-2[27] vicinity of Dreux | 23 | 19 August 1944 | 09:10 | P-47 | PQ 05 Ost UB-6/1[27] vicinity of Bernay |
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Defense of the Reich — 24 November – 31 December 1944 | |||||||||
24?[Note 1] | 23 December 1944 | — | B-26[27] | 25 | 27 December 1944 | — | P-47[28] | ||
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" –[14] Eastern Front — 1 January – May 1945 | |||||||||
26 | 19 February 1945 | 08:55 | Boston[29] | 29 | 19 April 1945 | — | Il-2[29] | ||
27 | 6 March 1945 | 15:24 | Il-2[29] | 30 | 23 April 1945 | — | Yak-3[29] | ||
28 | 18 March 1945 | — | Il-2[29] |
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class[8]
- Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (12 August 1944)[9]
- German Cross in Gold on 26 July 1944 as Hauptmann in the III./Jagdgeschwader 3[30]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 April 1945 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"[31][32]
Notes
- ^ According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim is unconfirmed.[14]
References
Citations
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, pp. 199–200, 454.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 124.
- ^ Prien et al. 2008, pp. 321, 329.
- ^ Prien et al. 2008, p. 330.
- ^ Prien et al. 2008, p. 326.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, pp. 124, 137.
- ^ Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 442.
- ^ a b Dixon 2023, p. 222.
- ^ a b Obermaier 1989, p. 153.
- ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 720–721.
- ^ Planquadrat.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 142.
- ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 148.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 721.
- ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 34.
- ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 35.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 221.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 226.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 223.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 228.
- ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 225.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 131.
- ^ a b Prien et al. 2012, p. 133.
- ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 132.
- ^ Prien et al. 2008, p. 329.
- ^ a b c Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 343.
- ^ a b c d e Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 344.
- ^ Prien, Stemmer & Bock 2018, p. 345.
- ^ a b c d e Prien & Stemmer 1996, p. 505.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 269.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 284.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 493.
Bibliography
- Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (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.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
- 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.
- 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; Stemmer, Gerhard (1996). Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945 [Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the III./Jagdgeschwader 3 in 1940 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-33-5.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-69-4.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2008). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 10/II—Reichsverteidigung—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 10/II—Defense of the Reich—1 January to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-85-4.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried (2018). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/IV—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/IV—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-19-2.
- 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.
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by Major Walther Dahl | Commander of III. Jagdgeschwader 3 21 May 1944 – 8 May 1945 | Succeeded by None |