Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Gentlemen,

Is there any information about Hajo Herrmann's nine night air to air kills over the Germany when Hajo was leader of JG-300 "Wilde Sau"? As I recall,Hajo only scored just two. By the way,Hajo Herrmann's later awards of the Oak Leaves and the Swords to his Knight's Cross were for his men's accomplishments fighting the night war in the air. Hajo was awarded the Knight's Cross when he was Staffelkapitan in KG-4 bomber unit for leadership.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi Edward

Actually Hans Joachim "Hajo" had only one confirmed claim a Lancaster at 0130 hrs on 4th July 1943 with Kdo.Herr in the region of Mehlen. Possibly two unconfirmed Lancaster's on 3rd January 1944 with Stab./JG 300.

Like ALL "Wildsau" pilots he would have had difficulty in confirming his claims.........lack of witnesses, they were usually flying alone without crew.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Dear Johannes

Thank you for the answer Johannes. Just as l thought. The thing about Hajo Herrmann score of nine night air kills is definately false. Hajo Herrmann was not my favorite hero at all.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi Edward

as say by Johannes

His known "CLAIMS" (unofficially confirmed by the R.L.M )

4/7/43 1h30 Bonn-Mehlen N.J.V.K Lancaster
26/7/43 Stab/Hermann Bomber
28/7/43 Stab/Hermann Bomber
31/7/43 Stab/Hermann Viermot.
3/8/43 Stab/Hermann Bomber
24/8/43 Berlin Stab/JG 300 Lancaster
3/1/44 2h57 Berlin Stab/30.Jdiv Lancaster W.B.
3/1/44 3h05 Berlin Stab/30.Jdiv Lancaster officially

confirmed by the R.L.M as n°1 ( 11/9/44 )

Regards
rEGARDS

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Gentlemen,

Now I'm confused. Johannes made it clear to me that only one was confirmed on 4th July,1943 to Herrmann. What is all this "CLAIMS" that were listed above? Are they not valid ones. I only knew that Hajo Herrmann had not much experience in flying fighters at night and shooting at RAF bombers.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hello Edward

The list presents the claiming just as much official that unofficial recorded by the R.L.M from documents ( list of ratifications by Staffeln,reports of various commands:Luftflotten,logbooks,diaries;personal or private).

A"claim" stay a "claim" and not inevitably an official victory:"his 9 victories" are based on this list with MANY RESERVES and it may well be that only one of "his victories" (4/7/43 ?) is confirmed.

He was a confirmed pilot on Fw.190:he was the source of the Wilde Sau ( first try by himself 11/42 )

best regards

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi Guys

With the micro films certain units have their earlier pre-daily micro films claims missing. For most unit the daily micro films entries start late July 1942, but with some Gruppe and even staffel it could be as late as late 1943 like JG 1. Kdo.Hermann's claims seem to be in the daily micro film entries, as it didn't exist earlier.
However in the Western daily micro film entries January 1944 is missing. But another type of micro film exists for this period giving date and time only. This gives scope for Herrmann's last two claims possible being confirmed on this micro film, but to check I would need to know exactly the unit he was flying for.....you suggest he'd moved on from Stab./JG 300.

Kind Regards

Johannes

P.S

All other dates supplied do not appear on the micro films, and thus as it seems they were truly made, I would therefore suggest that they were unconfirmed.

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi Johannes

My information says,when he was shot down by a night fighter ( 03/01/44 ) he was Kommodore of Stab/ 30.JDiv:

Kommodore of JG.300(08/43-09/43 :Kommodore of JG.300 (09/43-04/44 :Major Kurt Kettner).
Kommodore of 30./JDiv (09/43- ? /44 )

michel

regards

Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi guys

Interesting conversation regarding this bomber pilot turned night fighter pilot. I have also read that he was shot down in aerial combat in a Bf 109 T-1 on 20 August 1943 while serving as Geschwaderkommodore of JG 300. Is there any of the usual loss list information for this incident? Furthermore, are there any additional details regarding the incident on 3 January 1944 when he was purportedly shot down in aerial combat by a RAF Mosquito twin-engined night fighter and seriously wounded? Any help with these incidents will be greatly appreciated.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

I think that came from his autobiography and had been debunked by Jean-Yves Lorant & Richard Goyat in their books about JG 300 (a must read on the subject).

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

I can see no Mossie claims for 2-3 Jan 44

Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi guys

Many thanks for your responses. I saw that he stated in an interview that he had been shot down on these dates in question and even described how he was forced to bail out of the Bf 109 T-1 in considerable detail but did not find any additional information on these hence my question. I have noticed that first-hand accounts are often not particularly trustworthy when it comes to events such as these even taking into account that many of these were written considerably later than the events they describe and human memory is notoriously reliable. I understand why someone would claim to have achieved a victory but why claim to have been shot down is another matter! Thanks for your help.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi guys

Of course my interest is the mention of a possible blue on blue - can anyone provide more information of his being shot down whilst flying a Bf109T? By whom? Another fighter or AA fire?

Cheers
Brian

PS: I have a copy for sale of Francis Marshall's tome on the Bf109T (in German) should anyone be interested.

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Gentlemen,

I remember reading Hajo Herrmann's book "Eagle Wings" and Hajo never mentioned about how many night air kills he got. Also Hajo didn't mentioned why he got the Oak Leaves and the Swords to his Knight's Cross.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

Hi guys

His autobiography mentions 24 August 1943 (not 20th) as the date he was shot down in his Bf109T; it would seem by another night fighter - German or British?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Hajo Herrmann Night Air Kills
 

In Jean-Yves Lorant & Richard Goyat's first book about JG 300 you will have the details you are seeking for : the date of the action, the W.Nr. of the Fw 190 he was most likely flying that day and that he was he was shot down by the return fire from a bomber (if I remember well).