German bomber aces by missions
 

Hello,

personally, I would get more intrested in bomber pilots if it would be possible to express their achievements in some kind of numeric value.
By heart, I compiled the following top ten of German Kampfflieger ranked by their minimum number of missions flown:

1. Hansgeorg Bätcher, 658, first few as observer
2. Karl-Heinrich Höfer, 546+
3. Kurt Seyfarth, 532+
4. Hellmuth Kahle, 526, observer
5. Benno Herrmann, 520
6. Willi Antrup, 500+
7. Robert Seib, 488
8. Siegfried Röthke, 476
9. Herbert Wittmann, 467+
10. Wilhelm Odenhardt, 453+, observer
11. Rudolf Henne, 450
12. Walter Pilz, 447

Have a nice Saturday evening,

Michael

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

...how many of Hansgeorg Bätcher's missions were flown in the He 111 ?

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Do you have the two volumes of Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger?

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

No, I only have Das waren die deutschen Kampfflieger-Asse 1939-1945.

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Good evening Gentlemen,

from Mr Zapf I learned that Bätcher most likely flew his 655 missions in the He 111 and 3 in the Ar 234.
Can anybody tell me how many missions he flew as an observer and how many as a pilot ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

The Ju 88 was the most-built (9344) German bomber type and the most-built (2712) German nightfighter type, too.
Was it also the most-built (1866) German WW2 reconnaissance type ?
(The more famous German reconnaissance pilots Badorrek, Fischer, Györy, Engel, Hulha, Felgenhauer and Orlowski flew it.)

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Franz Gapp, 426 missions,
my favourite bomber ace because he was born in my home town and i met him personally!
Franz flew in LG 1, KG 6 and in the last days of war the Me 262 in KG 6J.
With the jet he had 5 victories (4 Liberators, 1 Lightning).

Best,
Gerry.

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Hello Gerry,

according to Johannes Mathews, Franz Gapp's last three kills were B-17's.
Is he still alive ? (Would be aged 102...)

Cheers,

Michael

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Franz died meanwhile.
I met him about 10 years ago.
B 17 is possible.

Best,
Gerry.

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Good evening,

this entry mentions 4 Liberators:
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gapp,_Franz
Died at the age of 96 years. Rest in Peace.

Best greetings from Switzerland,

Michael

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

This is another list that I found but I did not cross-check it yet:

Missions Flown
Hansgeorg Bätcher – 658
Eduard Skrzipek - 575
Heinrich Hofer – ~550
Hermann Hogeback – 500+
Willi Antrup – 500+
Otto Leupert – 500+
Volprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach – 500+
Robert Seib - ~488
Siegfried Rothke - 476
Herbert Wittmann – 467
Mathias Bermadinger – 466
Georg Juditzki - 459
Heinrich Guntner - ~450+
Wilhelm Brennecke - ~450+
Fritz Will - ~450+
Rudolf Henne - 450
Gunther Bierbrauer - ~450
Rudolf Roesch - ~450

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Thanks for the list!

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

As a matter of interest, anyone seen similar lists related to for RAF Bomber Command aircrew?

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Ask it on the Allied site would be the best way

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

According to Georg Brütting in "Das waren die deutschen Kampfflieger-Asse" Hansgeorg Bätcher became a pilot after the Polish campaign and before the campaign in the West. But according to Richard Bateson in "Arado Ar 234 Blitz" Bätcher was still an observer on 6Jun1940. Who is right ?

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

Beobachter to Sep 1938 after which he undertook pilot training but did not complete until after the Poland Campaign. 5 June 1940 POW as a pilot

Re: German bomber aces by missions
 

That means he flew 7 missions as an He 111 observer, 648 missions as an He 111 pilot and 3 missions as an Ar 234 pilot, correct ?