Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn (20 March 1919 – 11 January 1983) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow pilot Erich Hartmann. Other than Hartmann, Barkhorn is the only fighter ace to ever exceed 300 claimed victories.[1]
List of aerial victories claimed
According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Barkhorn claimed 301 victories in 1,100 combat missions. He was shot down nine times, bailed out once and was wounded twice.[2] Author Spick states his total number of combat missions was 1,104.[3] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 300 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. All of his aerial victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.[4]
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 44793". 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.[5]
♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Barkhorn an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
– (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Barkhorn did not receive credit.
? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Barbas, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Barkhorn joined 6. Staffel (6th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) on 18 August 1940.[6]
^ abcdefghijklmnoThe "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
^According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, this claim was with 4./JG 52 as Barkhorn was Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel until 31 August 1943.[38] Mathews and Foreman state that this claim was with Stab II./JG 52.[39]
^According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:18.[44]
^According to Mathews and Foreman claimed on 12 February 1944.[44]
Barbas, Bernd (2014). Das vergessene As — Der Jagdflieger Gerhard Barkhorn [The Forgotten Ace — The Fighter Pilot Gerhard Barkhorn] (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN978-3-941437-22-7.
Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims – Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN978-1-906592-18-9.
Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN978-3-923457-70-0.
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. ISBN978-3-923457-77-9.
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. ISBN978-3-942943-05-5.
Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces: The Jadgflieger and their Combat Tactics and Techniques. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. ISBN978-1-84832-627-9.