Heinrich Füllgrabe

Heinrich Füllgrabe (26 July 1916 – 30 January 1945) 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. After joining the Luftwaffe in the late 1930s, after his training as a fighter pilot, Füllgrabe was appointed to serve as the Unteroffizier 9./JG 52 in spring 1941. Füllgrabe became a member of one of the most efficient units of the Luftwaffe, Karaya Quartet, where he flew alongside Hermann Graf (212 kills), Alfred Grislawski (133) and Ernst Süß (68). Füllgrabe was killed on 30 January 1945 by Soviet anti-aircraft fire near Brieg in Silesia. During his career he was credited with 67 aerial victories, all of them on the Eastern Front, including five Il-2 Sturmoviks.

Heinrich Füllgrabe
Born26 July 1916
Witzenhausen
Died30 January 1945(1945-01-30) (aged 28)
Brieg
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service?–1945
RankOberleutnant (first lieutenant)
UnitJG 52
JG 50
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Early life and career

Füllgrabe was born on 26 July 1916 in Witzenhausen in Hesse-Nassau, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia within the German Empire.[1] Füllgrabe joined the military service of the Luftwaffe, initially serving as a mechanic with I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 234 (JG 234–234th Fighter Wing), which later became the I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26–26th Fighter Wing). He was trained as a fighter pilot at the Jagdfliegerschule, the fighter pilot school at Stolp-Reitz.[Note 1] In June 1940, Füllgrabe was posted to 2. Staffel (2nd squadron) of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Merseburg, a supplementary training unit based at Merseburg. In Merseburg, he befriended Hermann Graf and Alfred Grislawski, with whom he would later spend much of his combat career.[3] In early 1941, he was posted to 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), a squadron of III. Gruppe.[4]

World War II
9. Staffel also known as the Karaya-Staffel

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. At the time of Füllgrabel's posting to 9. Staffel, the Gruppe was commanded by Major Gotthard Handrick.[5] The rise of General Ion Antonescu in Romania in 1940 led to a reorganization of his country's armed forces. In this, he was supported by a military mission from Germany, the Luftwaffenmission Rumänien (Luftwaffe Mission Romania) under the command of Generalleutnant (equivalent to major general) Wilhelm Speidel.[6][7] III. Gruppe of JG 52 was transferred to Bucharest in mid-October and temporarily renamed I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 28 (JG 28—28th Fighter Wing) until 4 January 1941.[8] Its primary task was to train Romanian Air Force personnel.[6][9] Here, the trio of Füllgrabe, Graf and Grislawski were joined by Ernst Süß, and later by Leopold Steinbatz and Edmund Roßmann.[6]

War against the Soviet Union

Following its brief deployment in the Balkan Campaign, III. Gruppe was back in Bucharest by mid-June.[9] There, the unit was again subordinated to the Luftwaffenmission Rumänien and reequipped with the new, more powerful Bf 109F-4 model. On 21 June, the Gruppe was ordered to Mizil in preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Its primary objective was to provide fighter protection for the oil fields and refineries at Ploiești.[10] Prior to the invasion, Handrick was replaced by Major Albert Blumensaat as commander of III. Gruppe. Blumensaat was then replaced by Hauptmann Hubertus von Bonin on 1 October. At the time, von Bonin was still in convalescence so that Hauptmann Franz Höring, the commander of 9. Staffel, was also made the acting Gruppenkommandeur (group commander).[11]

Füllgrabe received the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 30 March 1942.[12] On 22 July, the Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 52, Major Herbert Ihlefeld, was severely injured in a flight accident and had to surrender command during his convalescence. In consequence, Major Gordon Gollob, the commander of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing), temporarily took over command of JG 52 as acting Geschwaderkommodore. [13] On 17 August, Gollob was ordered dispatch one Schwarm, a flight of four aircraft, of every III. Gruppe squadron to the Don-bend. The pilots selected for this mission included Füllgrabe, Graf and Süß.[14]

Defense of the Reich

In response to political humiliation caused by de Havilland Mosquito bombing raids into Germany, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, ordered the formation of two specialized high-altitude Luftwaffe units. These units were Jagdgeschwader 25, commanded by Major Herbert Ihlefeld, and Jagdgeschwader 50, commanded by his friend Graf.[15][16][17][18] Graf was permitted to choose his personnel and had his friends Füllgrabe, Grislawski and Süß transferred from III. Gruppe of JG 52.[19][17]

In December 1943, he was posted to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost (Supplemantary Fighter Group East) as fighter pilot instructor.[20]

On 10 January 1944, the United States Army Air Forces targeted the Luther-Werke, at the time a factory of the Messerschmitt Bf 110, Messerschmitt Me 210 and Messerschmitt Me 410, in Braunschweig, and the aircraft repair works in Waggum, a district of Braunschweig. The 3rd Bombardment Division sent 169 bombers, escorted by 466 fighter aircraft. Defending against this attack, Füllgrabe shot down one of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.[21]

In late 1944, Füllgrabe and Leutnant Anton Resch were transferred to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of JG 52. The request was made by Graf who had been appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 52 in September 1944. At the time, the Geschwaderstab was based at Krakau, present-day Kraków.[22] Graf appointed him Geschwaderadjutant (adjutant to the wing commander).[23] Füllgrabe was killed in action on 30 January 1945. Flying Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 (Werknummer 511012—factory number), he was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Brieg, present-day Brzeg in southwestern Poland.[24][25]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Füllgrabe was credited with 65 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[26] The author Obermaier lists him with 67 aerial victories, 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 found records for 63 aerial victory claims, all but one heavy bomber on the Eastern Front.[27]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 95514". 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.[28]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  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
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[20]
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
1 10 August 1941 11:10 I-16[29] 6 2 October 1941 09:58 I-26 (Yak-1) 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Poltava[30]
2 25 August 1941 10:48 I-16[29] 7 14 October 1941 09:58 I-26 (Yak-1) north of Valki[31]
3 26 August 1941 10:50 Pe-2[32] 8 6 November 1941 07:59 I-61 (MiG-3)[33]
4 2 September 1941 12:16 V-11 (Il-2)[32] 9 17 November 1941 14:35 I-16[34]
5 28 September 1941 10:46 one-engined ground-attack aircraft[30]
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[20]
Eastern Front — 6 December 1941 – 28 April 1942
10 6 December 1941 11:02 I-16[35] 21 23 February 1942 12:05 I-26 (Yak-1)[36]
11 27 December 1941 14:26 I-16 northeast of Golodayevka[35] 22 25 February 1942 10:49 I-26 (Yak-1)[36]
12 27 December 1941 14:33 I-16[37] 23 25 February 1942 10:51 I-26 (Yak-1) south-southwest of Andreyevka[36]
13 5 January 1942 14:42 I-16[37] 24 1 March 1942 11:48 I-26 (Yak-1)[36]
14 25 January 1942 12:15 I-153 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of Lyskow[38] 25 16 March 1942 11:08 I-61 (MiG-3)[36]
15 25 January 1942 12:17 I-153 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Lyskow[38] 26 16 March 1942 11:48 I-61 (MiG-3)[36]
16 16 February 1942 11:11 Su-2 (Seversky) Krassnoje[38] 27 26 March 1942 16:55 I-16[39]
17 19 February 1942 08:22 I-61 (MiG-3)[40] 28 27 March 1942 10:10 I-61 (MiG-3)[39]
18 19 February 1942 08:28 I-61 (MiG-3)[40] 29 28 March 1942 17:10 I-61 (MiG-3)[39]
19 19 February 1942 11:41 Su-2 (Seversky)[40] 30 28 March 1942 17:43 I-16[39]
20 23 February 1942 11:57 R-5[36] 31 8 April 1942 11:22 I-61 (MiG-3)[39]
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[20]
Eastern Front — 29 April 1942 – 3 February 1943
32 29 May 1942 09:14 MiG-1[41] 47 17 August 1942 16:56 TB-7?[Note 2] PQ 95514[43]
vicinity of Gumrak
33 29 May 1942 09:16 MiG-1[41] 48 22 August 1942 14:00 Yak-1 PQ 49151[44]
20–30 km (12–19 mi) east of Stalingrad
34 2 June 1942 11:30 Su-2 (Seversky)[45] 49 23 August 1942 07:25 LaGG-3 PQ 49281[44]
10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Stalingrad
35 9 June 1942 13:17 LaGG-3[45] 50 23 August 1942 13:33 LaGG-3 PQ 49242[44]
36 22 June 1942 06:41 MiG-1[46] 51 27 August 1942 04:44 LaGG-3 PQ 49464[47]
37 22 June 1942 06:44 MiG-1[46] 52 27 August 1942 04:47 Yak-1 PQ 59174[47]
vicinity of Krasnaya Sloboda
38 30 June 1942 18:28 MiG-1[48] 53 3 September 1942 15:57 Yak-1 PQ 50782[47]
20–30 km (12–19 mi) east of Stalingrad
39 5 August 1942 09:41 LaGG-3 PQ 0679[49] 54 4 September 1942 14:45?[Note 3] Yak-1 PQ 44441[50]
5 km (3.1 mi) east of Stalingrad
40 5 August 1942 13:40 MiG-1 PQ 0687[49] 55 8 September 1942 11:34 Il-2 PQ 49261[51]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Stalingrad
41 6 August 1942 12:07 LaGG-3 PQ 05241[49] 56 8 September 1942 15:17 La-5 PQ 49493[51]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Stalingrad
42 15 August 1942 11:07 Yak-1 PQ 85282[43]
vicinity of Smolenskaya		 57 9 September 1942 13:27 La-5 PQ 49444[51]
20 km (12 mi) southeast of Stalingrad
43 15 August 1942 11:10 Yak-1 PQ 85194[43]
east of Derbentskaya		 58 14 September 1942 04:57 MiG-3 PQ 47443[52]
south of Stalingrad
44 15 August 1942 11:13 Yak-1 PQ 85113[43]
vicinity of Eriwanskij		 59 15 September 1942 08:57 Yak-1 PQ 49422[52]
5 km (3.1 mi) east of Stalingrad
45 17 August 1942 11:06 I-153 PQ 85362[43]
vicinity of Tschernyj		 60 15 September 1942 09:15 Il-2 PQ 49344[52]
46 17 August 1942 11:11 I-153 PQ 85364[43]
40 km (25 mi) north of Tuaose		 61 22 September 1942 11:08 Il-2 PQ 49414[53]
– 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[42]
Eastern Front — March 1943
62 22 March 1943 14:32 LaGG-3 PQ 34 Ost 76654[54]
west of Petrovskaya
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 11 –[42]
Defense of the Reich — February 1944
63 10 February 1944 12:50 B-17 PQ 05 Ost S/FN, vicinity of Zwolle[55]
Meppel-Staphorst

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. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Ilyushin DB-3.[42]
  3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:41.[42]
  4. According to Obermaier on 25 May 1942.[1]
  5. According to Scherzer as pilot in the III./Jagdgeschwader 52.[59]

References

Citations
  1. Obermaier 1989, p. 115.
  2. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
  3. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin2003, pp. 20–21.
  4. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 22.
  5. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 21.
  6. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, pp. 23–31.
  7. Weal 2004, p. 54.
  8. Weal 2004, p. 55.
  9. Weal 2004, p. 56.
  10. Prien et al. 2003, p. 53.
  11. Prien et al. 2003, p. 65.
  12. Barbas 2010, p. 283.
  13. Prien et al. 2006, p. 379.
  14. Bergström et al. 2006, p. 77.
  15. Forsyth 2011, pp. 24–25.
  16. Weal 1999, p. 4.
  17. Weal 2006, p. 33.
  18. Musciano 1989, p. 58.
  19. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, pp. 165–174.
  20. Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 351.
  21. Prien & Rodeike 1996, pp. 713, 719.
  22. Barbas 2016, p. 49.
  23. Barbas 2016, p. 53.
  24. Barbas 2016, p. 81.
  25. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 249.
  26. Spick 1996, p. 240.
  27. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 351–352.
  28. Planquadrat.
  29. Prien et al. 2003, p. 70.
  30. Prien et al. 2003, p. 72.
  31. Prien et al. 2003, p. 74.
  32. Prien et al. 2003, p. 71.
  33. Prien et al. 2003, p. 76.
  34. Prien et al. 2003, p. 77.
  35. Prien et al. 2005, p. 153.
  36. Prien et al. 2005, p. 157.
  37. Prien et al. 2005, p. 154.
  38. Prien et al. 2005, p. 155.
  39. Prien et al. 2005, p. 158.
  40. Prien et al. 2005, p. 156.
  41. Prien et al. 2006, p. 547.
  42. Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 352.
  43. Prien et al. 2006, p. 553.
  44. Prien et al. 2006, p. 554.
  45. Prien et al. 2006, p. 548.
  46. Prien et al. 2006, p. 549.
  47. Prien et al. 2006, p. 555.
  48. Prien et al. 2006, p. 550.
  49. Prien et al. 2006, p. 551.
  50. Prien et al. 2006, p. 556.
  51. Prien et al. 2006, p. 557.
  52. Prien et al. 2006, p. 558.
  53. Prien et al. 2006, p. 559.
  54. Prien et al. 2012, p. 478.
  55. Prien & Rodeike 1996, p. 1201.
  56. Patzwall 2008, p. 81.
  57. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 127.
  58. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 189.
  59. Scherzer 2007, p. 323.

Bibliography
  • Barbas, Bernd (2010). Die Geschichte der III. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52 [The History of 3rd Group of Fighter Wing 52] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-94-6.
  • Barbas, Bernd (2016). Die Geschichte des Stabes, der 13. und 15. Staffel und der Ersatzeinheit des Jagdgeschwaders 52 [The History of Headerquarters Unit, the 13th and 15th Squadrons and the Replacement Unit of Fighter Wing 52] (in German). ISBN 978-3-86619-128-0.
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  • Bergström, Christer; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
  • Bergström, Christer; Dikov, Andrey; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2006). Black Cross / Red Star Air War Over the Eastern Front, Volume 3, Everything for Stalingrad. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9761034-4-8.
  • 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.
  • Forsyth, Robert (2011). Luftwaffe Viermot Aces 1942–45. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 101. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84908-438-3.
  • Khazanov, Dmitriy; Medved, Aleksander (2015). Bf 109E/F vs Yak-1/7: Eastern Front 1941–42. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-0580-5.
  • Musciano, Walter (1989). Messerschmitt Aces. New York: Aero. ISBN 978-0-8306-8379-6.
  • Mathews, 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.
  • 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.
  • Page, Neil (2020). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943–45. Philadelphia, PA: Casemate Publishers. ISBN 978-1-61200-879-0.
  • 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; Rodeike, Peter (1996). Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11—Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945—Teil 2—1944 [Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11—Operations in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945—Volume 2—1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-24-3.
  • 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. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
  • 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 (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. ISBN 978-3-942943-05-5.
  • 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.
  • Weal, John (1999). Bf 109 F/G/K Aces of the Western Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 29. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-905-8.
  • Weal, John (2004). Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten. Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 15. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-786-4.
  • Weal, John (2006). Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 68. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-879-3.
  • Weal, John (2007). More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 76. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-177-9.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.