Hans Hahn

[Johannes]

Hi Nick

It's a delicate subject "over-claiming". I'm sure that when we examine losses to claims there are pilots who thought their victims went down, but didn't. Hahn I would say was a deliberate over-claimer, typical of a JG 2 pilot, yet JG 26's pilots were the opposite....generally very honest, but all so Schmid strings to mind, but then again he transferred to JG 26 from JG 2!!!

Regarding Hahn's score before his transfer to JG 54 in Russia. This total is Sixty-two, no heavy bombers. Probably at least another five unconfirmed, then forty-three in Russia giving a total of 105 confirmed. His Russian claims are in a pattern typical of a deliberate overclaimer:-

4th December 1942 X 4 (63-66)
30th December 1942 X 5 (71-75)
14th January 1943 X 7 (76-82)
23rd January 1943 X 5 (83-87)
24th January 1943 X 4 (87-91)
25th January 1943 X 3 (92-94)
26th January 1943 X 3 (95-97)
11th February 1943 X 3 (101-103)

Only thing unusual about his claiming is not having a big day for his 100th, just two on 9th February 1943(99-100) very often an over-claimer has a huge day to acquire his 100th.........just a noticeable fact!

Kind Regards

Johannes