Hans Hahn (night fighter pilot)
Hans Hahn
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Born | 21 February 1919 Rheydt |
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Grantham, England |
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/ |
Luftwaffe |
Years of service | 1940–1941 |
Rank | Leutnant |
Unit | NJG 2 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Hans Hahn (21 February 1919 – 11 October 1941) was a Luftwaffe night fighter 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; his was the first awarded to a night fighter.[1]
Contents
Victories
During his career he claimed twelve aerial victories, all of them at night.[Note 1]
Most successful Night Fighter pilot until his death. On five occasions, he returned to his base at Gilze-Rijen on one engine. Once he returned with a balloon cable wrapped around his wing in his C-4.[1]
Before his last mission, he had brought down ten British planes in England:
- His first known victory, a Wellington near Linton-on-Ouse on the night of 24–25 October 1940.
- His 2nd, a Whitley on the East Anglia coast, 50 km east of Withernsea, the night of 2–3 January 1941.
- His 3rd, a Hudson at Leeming on the night of 12–13 March 1941.
- His 4th, a Blenheim over England on the night of 13–14 March 1941.
- His 5th, a Hampden at Upwood, 8 April 1941.
- His 6th, a Wellington at Wellingore on 8 April 1941.
- His 7th, a Hampden SE of Waddington the night of 16–17 April 1941.
- His 8th, a Herford at Digby on 21 April 1941.
- His 9th, a Fulmar at Stoke Holy Cross on 3–4 May 1941.
- His 10th, a Blenheim at Feltwell, 5 May 1941.[1]
Death
Hans Hahn was killed near Grantham, England, on 11 October 1941 after his JU 88 collided with a RAF Oxford trainer aircraft he targeted. He is buried at Cannock Chase German war cemetery (Block 3, Grave 306) alongside his flight crew of Unteroffizier Helmut Scheidt (flight engineer) and Unteroffizier Ernst-Wilhelm Meissler (wireless operator).[2]
Awards
- Aviator badge
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 July 1941 as Leutnant and pilot in the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2[3][Note 2]
Notes
- ↑ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces
- ↑ According to Scherzer as pilot in the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2.[4]
References
Citations
Bibliography
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External links
- Pages using infobox military person with unknown parameters
- Pages with broken file links
- 1919 births
- 1941 deaths
- People from Mönchengladbach
- Luftwaffe pilots
- German World War II flying aces
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- German military personnel killed in World War II
- People from the Rhine Province
- Burials at Cannock Chase German war cemetery