Werner Baumbach ship destroyer

[Andy Mitchell]

And where does Hubertus Hitschhold fit into this list?

Credited with sinking or damaging 186,000 GRT of shipping.(See Career Summaries)

[knusel]

Good afternoon Andy,

the list above is about Kampfflieger, whereas Hubertus Hitschhold was a Stukaflieger. The same source includes a list about the most successful of these by tonnage sunk:

1. Siegfried Goebel – 50,000 tons sunk
2. Theodor Nordmann – 43,000 tons sunk or damaged
3. August Hachtel – 30,000+ tons sunk
4. Hans-Ulrich Rudel - ~25,000 tons sunk
5. Franz Kieslich – 21,500+ tons sunk
6. Herbert Dawedeit – 17,200 tons sunk
7. Hans Schalanda - ~17,000 tons sunk or damaged
8. Martin Moebus – 14,000+ tons sunk

The only tonnage figure that I know to be associated with Hitschhold is the 164,000 BRT sunk/damaged by his Gruppe (I./St.G2) during the Western campaign. He kept on fighting succesfully after that, so the score you mentioned might be either a personal score or a unit score, I don't know.

[Larry deZeng]

HITSCHHOLD, Hubertus. (DOB: 07.07.12 in Kurwien/Ostpruessen) [Version#2: (DOB: 07.07.12 in
Oberforsterei Kurvien, Johannisburg).] (RE). 01.04.30 entered the Heer, serving in the Kavallerie.
15.04.30 began pilot training at DVS Schleissheim (to 31.03.31). 15.04.31 began fighter training in
Lipezk/Russia with Flugzentrum Lipetsk (to 15.09.31). 01.10.31 trf to Reiterrgt. 2 as a cadet in
Osterode/E Prussia. 01.08.32 attended Infanterieschule Dresden (to 15.06.33). 27.10.32 received the
interim Lw. pilot license B. 01.02.34 with Reiteregt. 2 in Allenstein and Angerburg (to 31.12.34).
01.03.34 promo to Lt. 01.01.35 trf from the Heer to the Luftwaffe in the rank of Lt. and assigned to
JFS Schleissheim for pilot training. 01.09(08?).35 (01.10.35?) promo to Oblt. 01.04.36 trf to I./St.G.
162 (Schwerin) as a pilot. 01.09.36 trf to II./St.G. 162 (Lübeck) as a pilot. 01.10.36 appt Staka (unit
unspecified) in Geschwader Immelmann ( in Lübeck). 11.09.36 received the permanent Lw. pilot
license. 01.03.37 trf to III./St.G. 162 as a Staka (Anklam). 01.04.37 appt Staka in Geschwader
Immelmann (at Anklam). 01.10.37 trf to I./St.G. 163 as a Staka (Breslau-Strachwitz). 01.01.39
promo to Hptm. 01.05.39 appt Staka of 1./St.G. 2 (Breslau) (to 30.09.39). 15.05.39 attended Höhere
Luftwaffenschule in Gatow (to 15.07.39). 06.10.39 awarded the EK II. 16(01?).10.39 appt Kdr.
I./St.G. 2 (to 15.10.41). 15.05.40 awarded the EK I. 01.07.40 promo to Maj. 21.07.40 Hptm.,
awarded Ritterkreuz, Kdr. I./St.G. 2. 06.04.41 Hptm., Kdr. I./St.G. 2 fate unstated - Ju 87 (T6+AB)
during attacks on Rupel and Istibei. 22.05.41 sank the destroyer Greyhound. 23.05.41 Hptm., Kdr.
I./St.G. 2 unhurt? - Ju 87 B damaged by enemy fire vic Wolkowysk, and sank the destroyers Kelly and
Kashmir. 22.06.41 WIA - shot down by AA behind enemy lines but rescued. 15.07.41 promo to
Maj. 16.10.41 appt Kdr. Stukaschule 1, Wertheim (to 16.06.42). 31.12.41 awarded the Eichenlaub to
the Ritterkreuz. 18.06.42 appt Kommodore Schl.G. 1 (to 25.06.43). 01.02.43 promo to Obstlt.
10.06.43 ordered to Luftflotte 2 in the Mediterranean. 26.06.43 appt Fliegerführer Sardinien (to
26.06.43). 26.06.43 appt Fliegerführer 2 (Luftflotte 2) (to 11.11.43). 01.07.43 promo to Oberst.
[00.43 appt Kommodore St.G. 101 (to 31.08.43)?]. 12.11.43 appt General der Schlachtflieger
(L.In./2/3)/RLM (to 08.05.45). 01.01.45 promo to Gen.Maj. 08.05.45 became Allied POW. 05.45
Gen.Maj., wanted or held as POW by US. 06.47 released from Allied custody. Postwar worked as a
business man. Credited with sinking or damaging 186,000 GRT of shipping in up to 400 close
support and anti-shipping missions. †10.03.66 in Starnberger See (Söcking) of a heart attack. Buried
in the municipal cemetery in Söcking.

I think the claim number comes from a very well researched biography of Eichenlaubträger written by a German author and published several years ago.

L. deZ.

[knusel]

Good morning Gentlemen,

this is an impressing score indeed. Must be equivalent to some 30 ships.
I checked OSPREY's "Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937-41" and "Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of North Africa and the Mediterranean" for personal tonnage scores but none are mentioned.

Have a good start into the week,

Michael