Erich Alfred Hartmann

Erich Alfred Hartmann was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in aerial combat on 825 separate occasions. He was credited with shooting down a total of 352 Allied aircraft: 345 Soviet and 7 American while serving with the Luftwaffe. During his career, Hartmann was forced to crash-land his fighter 16 times after either mechanical failure or damage received from parts of enemy aircraft he had shot down; he was never shot down by direct enemy action. Hartmann was born on 19 April 1922 in Weissach, Württemberg, to Doctor Alfred Erich Hartmann and his wife, Elisabeth Wilhelmine Machtholf. His father was a physician and his mother was one of Germany's first female glider pilots. Hartmann developed a passion for flying from an early age and joined the glider club in his hometown. He also became interested in motorcycles and racing cars. Hartmann joined the Luftwaffe in 1940 and completed his fighter pilot training in 1942. He was posted to the veteran Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) on the Eastern Front and placed under the supervision of some of the Luftwaffe's most experienced fighter pilots. Under their guidance, Hartmann steadily developed his tactics. He preferred to attack from behind at close range, using surprise and accuracy to achieve lethal results. He also avoided prolonged dogfights and disengaged when necessary to preserve his own safety. He earned the nickname "The Black Devil" from his Soviet adversaries, who feared his black-painted nose cone and his skill. Hartmann received numerous awards for his achievements, including the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Germany's highest military decoration at the time. He was also promoted to Major and became the commander of I.JG 52 in 1944. He achieved his 352nd and last aerial victory at midday on 8 May 1945, hours before the German surrender. Along with the remainder of JG 52, he surrendered to United States Army forces and was turned over to the Red Army. Hartmann spent 10 years in Soviet prison camps and gulags, where he endured harsh conditions and torture. He was tried on war crimes charges and convicted, but he refused to cooperate with the Soviet authorities or join the East German Air Force. He was finally released in 1955 after a diplomatic intervention by West Germany. He returned to his wife Ursula, whom he had married in 1944, and met his twin daughters Birgit and Ursula for the first time. In 1956, Hartmann joined the newly established West German Air Force in the Bundeswehr, and became the first Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen", flying the F-86 Sabre and later the F-104 Starfighter. He also became a civilian flight instructor and a consultant for various aviation companies. He retired from active service in 1970 with the rank of Colonel. Hartmann died on 20 September 1993, at the age of 71 in Weil im Schönbuch. He was buried with military honors at the New Cemetery in Weil im Schönbuch. His legacy as the most successful fighter ace in history remains unmatched and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest pilots of all time.