Bernhard Vechtel

Bernhard Vechtel (31 July 1920 – 21 August 1975) was a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Vechtel was credited with 108 aerial victories in a total of 860 combat missions, all on the Eastern Front.[1]

Bernhard Vechtel
Bernhard Vechtel in World War 2
Born(1920-07-31)31 July 1920
Vohren near Warendorf
Died21 August 1975(1975-08-21) (aged 55)
Speyer
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
RankOberleutnant (first lieutenant)
UnitJG 51
Commands held14./JG 51
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Vechtel was born on 31 July 1920 in Vohren, present-day part of Warendorf, at the time in the Province of Westphalia in the Weimar Republic. Following flight training,[Note 1] he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) on 2 May 1942.[3] There, he was assigned to the 10. Staffel (10th squadron) which was subordinated to the IV. Gruppe (4th group) of JG 51. At the time, 10. Staffel was headed by Leutnant Horst Haase while IV. Gruppe was commanded by Hauptmann Johann Knauth and based at an airfield in Vyazma on the Eastern Front.[4] During May, the Gruppe was briefly withdrawn from combat for a period of maintenance and equipment overhaul at Smolensk. They were then sent to Dugino where it was tasked with providing fighter cover over the left flank of Army Group Center in vicinity of the 9th Army.[5]

Attack on the Rzhev salient in August 1942

On 30 July 1942, the Soviet Kalinin Front launched the First Rzhev–Sychyovka Offensive Operation with the objective to crush the Rzhev salient held by the 9th Army.[6] Vechtel claimed his first aerial victory on 2 August 1942 over an Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft northeast of Rzhev.[7][8]

He claimed JG 51s 8000th aerial victory of the war on 1 May 1944. He was awarded the Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 3 January 1944, the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 28 January 1944, and later received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 27 July 1944.[9] On 28 August, IV. Gruppe moved to Modlin Airfield located approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Warsaw. Here, the Gruppe predominately flew combat missions to the area north and northeast of Warsaw.[10] On 1 September, Vechtel was shot down and wounded by anti-aircraft artillery in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 163631—factory number) 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) northwest of Wyszków.[11]

Squadron leader

On 11 December 1944, Vechtel was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the 14. Staffel of JG 51, also a squadron of IV. Gruppe. He replaced Oberleutnant Horst Walther who was transferred. At the time, the Gruppe was commanded by Major Heinz Lange and was based at Modlin.[12][13] Soviet forces launched the Vistula–Oder Offensive on 12 January 1945. Two days later, Soviet forces reached Modlin, forcing VI. Gruppe to move to Danzig-Langfuhr, present-day Wrzeszcz, Poland.[14] On 25 March 1945, Vechtel was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 99th Luftwaffe pilot to have shot down 100 aircraft.[15] On 1 May, JG 51 received the order to relocate to Flensburg in northern Germany. Some of the pilots decided for themselves that the war was lost and deserted, including Vechtel. On 2 May, he refused to fly to Flensburg and led a Schwarm close to his hometown Warendorf near Münster. There, he arrived with two other pilots, a third pilot was shot down and captured by British forces.[16]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Vechtel was credited with 108 aerial victories.[17] Spick also lists Vechtel with 108 aerial victories claimed in 860 combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[1] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and also state that he claimed 108 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. However, not all of his claims can be verified through the archives.[18]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47682". 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.[19]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[7]
Eastern Front — 1 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
1 2 August 1942 09:52 Il-2 PQ 47682[8]
15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Rzhev		 4 6 December 1942 09:22 Il-2 PQ 07732[20]
2 3 September 1942 14:36 MiG-3 east of Sychyovka[21] 5 16 December 1942 08:15 MiG-3 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Velikiye Luki[22]
3 3 December 1942 13:05 MiG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Tuleblja[21]
5 km (3.1 mi) west of Velikiye Luki		 6 17 December 1942 11:45 Il-2 7 km (4.3 mi) east of Ischewosew[22]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[23]
Eastern Front — 4 February – 28 October 1943
7 18 March 1943 15:45 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 45522[24]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Utrikowo		 25 21 September 1943 09:01 Yak-9 northeast of Nowo Stepjanka[25]
8 7 May 1943 04:25 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63279[26]
20 km (12 mi) south of Zalegoshch		 26 24 September 1943 13:28 Yak-9 northwest of Kremenchuk[25]
9 7 May 1943 04:29 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63281[26]
20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Zalegoshch		 27 24 September 1943 13:30 Yak-9 west of Khmilnyk[25]
10 8 June 1943 19:16 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64843[26]
20 km (12 mi) south of Mtsensk		 28 26 September 1943 13:25 Yak-1 south of Wassilijewka[25]
11 8 June 1943 19:19 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 64853[26]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Mtsensk		 29 27 September 1943 10:32 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] south of Gorodajewka[25]
12 2 August 1943 08:32 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 53453[27]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Kromy		 30 27 September 1943 10:33 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northeast of Ssusslowka[25]
13 2 August 1943 08:39 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 53474[27]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Kromy		 31 27 September 1943 14:30 Pe-2 west of Schulgowka[25]
14 2 August 1943 12:00 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 53654[28]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Kromy		 32 29 September 1943 11:55 Yak-1 west of Sloschenkowo[25]
15 7 August 1943 11:40 P-40 west of Peschkowa[28] 33 29 September 1943 12:10 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] north of Waldorf[25]
16 15 August 1943 05:05 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 60152[29]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kharkiv		 34 4 October 1943 06:55 Yak-1 east of Tarassowka[30]
17 16 August 1943 18:25 La-5 east of Kulakovka[29] 35 6 October 1943 12:46 Yak-9 southwest of Schulgowka[30]
18 17 August 1943 05:06 Yak-1 east of Gurinowka[29] 36 7 October 1943 15:03 P-39 west of Orlik[30]
19 19 August 1943 15:00 La-5 southeast of Dergatschevka[29] 37 12 October 1943 08:15 Yak-9 north of Lake Sennitza[30]
20 19 August 1943 15:05 La-5 southwest of Ulitschewka[29] 38 21 October 1943 08:55 Yak-9 northeast of Sselenoye[30]
21 21 August 1943 16:25 Il-2 south of Guty[29] 39 22 October 1943 08:55 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] southwest of Sybkoye[30]
22 1 September 1943 12:10 Yak-9 north of Borodino[29] 40 26 October 1943 14:38 P-39 northwest of Chervonaya Znamenka[30]
23 1 September 1943 18:11 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] northeast of Berniki[29] 41 28 October 1943 06:23 P-39 southwest of Michailovka[30]
24 20 September 1943 06:39 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] southeast of Igun[25]
– 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[23]
Eastern Front — 29 October 1943 – 22 November 1943
42 29 October 1943 11:06 Pe-2 northeast of Pogelnastoje[31] 46 20 November 1943 11:34 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] west of Salbachowka[31]
43 30 October 1943 12:28 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] west of Annowka[31] 47 20 November 1943 13:05 Yak-9 southwest of Huliaipole[31]
44 5 November 1943 13:51 La-5 Rameropol[31] 48 22 November 1943 12:30 P-39 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of Sybkoje[31]
45 20 November 1943 11:30 Yak-1 southeast of Mirnaja[31] 49 22 November 1943 12:40 P-39 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Trudowka[31]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[32]
Eastern Front — 28 November 1943 – 31 May 1944
50 28 November 1943 11:12 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] Petrowka[31] 65 30 April 1944 08:56 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 50543[33]
15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Berezhany
51 30 November 1943 08:25 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 34 Ost 49796[31]
55 km (34 mi) north of Nikopol		 66 1 May 1944 10:02 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 24 Ost 59315[33]
20 km (12 mi) north of Kolomea
52 30 November 1943 08:27 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 34 Ost 49815[31]
30 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Dnepropetrovsk		 67 1 May 1944 10:06 Yak-9 PQ 24 Ost 59318[33]
20 km (12 mi) north of Kolomea
53 27 February 1944 09:38 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 14567[34]
vicinity of Krasnopillia		 68 3 May 1944 09:07 Yak-9 PQ 24 Ost 59358[35]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Kolomea
54 27 March 1944 10:55 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 05693[34]
vicinity of Gorki		 69 3 May 1944 18:35?[Note 3] La-5 PQ 24 Ost 59378[35]
vicinity of Kolomea
55 9 April 1944 18:22 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 50763[33]
45 km (28 mi) south-southwest of Ternopil		 70 4 May 1944 18:54?[Note 4] Yak-9?[Note 4] PQ 25 Ost 50474[35]
vicinity of Ternopil
56 10 April 1944 11:48 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 50734[33]
30 km (19 mi) south-southwest of Ternopil		 71 5 May 1944 11:18?[Note 5] Yak-1 PQ 25 Ost 50563[35]
20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Ternopil
57 15 April 1944 16:24 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 50522[33]
25 km (16 mi) east of Berezhany		 72 5 May 1944 18:31?[Note 6] Yak-1 PQ 25 Ost 50562[35]
20 km (12 mi) south-southwest of Ternopil
58 18 April 1944 11:55 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 59151[33]
40 km (25 mi) north-northeast of Kolomea		 73 15 May 1944 18:47 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 50431[35]
59 19 April 1944 16:42 Yak-9 PQ 24 Ost 59122[33]
40 km (25 mi) east of Stanislau		 74 24 May 1944 05:44 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 50616[35]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Ternopil
60 22 April 1944 16:42?[Note 7] Yak-1?[Note 7] PQ 25 Ost 50871[33]
25 km (16 mi) south of Ternopil		 75 28 May 1944 06:34 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 50534[35]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Ternopil
61 23 April 1944 10:57 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 50582[33]
25 km (16 mi) southeast of Berezhany		 76 29 May 1944 06:47 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 59376[35]
vicinity of Kolomea
62 27 April 1944 15:52 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 24 Ost 59311[33]
20 km (12 mi) north of Kolomea		 77 31 May 1944 11:16?[Note 8] La-5 PQ 24 Ost 59375[35]
vicinity of Kolomea
63 27 April 1944 18:22 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 24 Ost 59314[33]
20 km (12 mi) north of Kolomea		 78 31 May 1944 14:32 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 49498[35]
5 km (3.1 mi) west of Kolomea
64 30 April 1944 08:54 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 40661[33]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Berezhany		 79 31 May 1944 14:43 Yak-9 PQ 24 Ost 59375[35]
10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kolomea
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[36]
Eastern Front — August 1944
80 13 August 1944 16:32 Yak-9 PQ 24 Ost 25644[37]
40 km (25 mi) northeast of Łomża		 82 13 August 1944 18:01 Yak-9 PQ 24 Ost 24625[37]
45 km (28 mi) north-northwest of Białystok
81 13 August 1944 16:33 La-5 PQ 24 Ost 24627[37]
45 km (28 mi) north-northwest of Białystok
– 14. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[36]
Eastern Front — August 1944 – May 1945
83 15 August 1944 18:13 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 25491[37]
25 km (16 mi) east of Trakehnen		 88 22 August 1944 10:37 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 36215[37]
15 km (9.3 mi) east of Schaulen
84 15 August 1944 18:25 La-5 20 km (12 mi) west-northwest of Marijampolė 89 24 August 1944 08:53 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 37543[37]
55 km (34 mi) north-northwest of Schaulen
85 17 August 1944 11:12 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 36374[37]
20 km (12 mi) northeast of Nemakščiai		 90 24 August 1944 11:22 P-39 PQ 25 Ost 37385[37]
25 km (16 mi) southwest of Mitau
86 17 August 1944 11:13 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 25 Ost 36375[37]
20 km (12 mi) east-southeast of Nemakščiai		 91 24 August 1944 15:22 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 27665[37]
60 km (37 mi) northeast of Telsche
87 17 August 1944 16:35 Yak-9 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Nemakščiai
According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 92 to 99 were not documented.[36] The author Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock state that the aerial victory records of IV. Gruppe dated later than November 1944 are incomplete.[38]
100 25 March 1945
—
 unknown
According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 101 to 108 were not documented.[36]

Awards

Notes
  1. Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.[2]
  2. The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 18:38.[36]
  4. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Lavochkin La-5 at 18:57.[36]
  5. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:08.[36]
  6. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 18:39.[36]
  7. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Yakovlev Yak-9 at 16:35.[23]
  8. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:12.[36]

References

Citations
  1. Spick 1996, p. 232.
  2. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. Obermaier 1989, p. 217.
  4. Prien et al. 2006, p. 350.
  5. Prien et al. 2006, p. 340.
  6. Prien et al. 2006, p. 342.
  7. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1348.
  8. Prien et al. 2006, p. 355.
  9. Aders & Held 1993, p. 163.
  10. Prien et al. 2022, pp. 466–467.
  11. Prien et al. 2022, p. 491.
  12. Aders & Held 1993, pp. 167, 251.
  13. Prien et al. 2022, p. 477.
  14. Aders & Held 1993, p. 168.
  15. Obermaier 1989, p. 244.
  16. Aders & Held 1993, p. 183.
  17. Zabecki 2019, p. 330.
  18. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1348–1350.
  19. Planquadrat.
  20. Prien et al. 2006, p. 357.
  21. Prien et al. 2006, p. 356.
  22. Prien et al. 2006, p. 358.
  23. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1349.
  24. Prien et al. 2012, p. 147.
  25. Prien et al. 2012, p. 154.
  26. Prien et al. 2012, p. 148.
  27. Prien et al. 2012, p. 151.
  28. Prien et al. 2012, p. 152.
  29. Prien et al. 2012, p. 153.
  30. Prien et al. 2012, p. 155.
  31. Prien et al. 2012, p. 156.
  32. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1349–1350.
  33. Prien et al. 2022, p. 482.
  34. Prien et al. 2022, p. 481.
  35. Prien et al. 2022, p. 483.
  36. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1350.
  37. Prien et al. 2022, p. 485.
  38. Prien et al. 2022, p. 487.
  39. Patzwall 2008, p. 208.
  40. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 485.
  41. Scherzer 2007, p. 756.
  42. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 429.

Bibliography
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  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  • Bergström, Christer; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
  • 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 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
  • 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.
  • 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 (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.
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