Hans Hahn

[Nokose]

08 Jul 1941 Circus 40 to Lille power station

Escort cover
303 Sqn
Spitfire S/L T.A. Arentowicz (KIA) over Dunkirk
Spitfire F/O W.S. Strzembosz (KIA) over Dunkirk
Spitfire Sgt W. Giermer (WIA) over Dunkirk and returned damaged.
These possibly belong to 1/JG 26
Uffz Ulrich Grebe Spitfire 15:40 SE of Dunkirk & Spitfire 15:45 N of Dunkirk
Oblt. Werner Kakse Spitfire 15:45 20 km NNW of Coxyde

RAF losses (other)
308 Sqn Spitire Sgt J. Biel (POW) over Lille
611 Sqn Spitfire Sgt B.W. Feeley (KIA) target support
145 Sqn Spitire P/O P.R.I. Pine (POW) target support
145 Sqn Spitfire F/O J.J. Machacek (KIA) target support
610 Sqn Spitfire P/O J.R. Stoop (WIA) came down in sea & rescued
610 Sqn Spitfire P/O F.G. Horner (POW) over France
603 Sqn Spitfire Sgt. B.H. Wood target support damaged forced landed near Canterbury and burnt out

German claims:
Oblt Josef Priller 1/JG 26 Spitfire 15:30 N of St. Omer
Uffz Hans-Jürgen Fröhlich 2/JG 26 Spitfire 15:50 NE of Calais
Lt Paul Schauder 3/JG 26 Spitfire 15:50 NE of Graveslines
Hptm Walter Adolp Stab II/JG 26 Spitfire 15:30 Graveslines
Obfw Walter Meyer 6/JG 26 Spitfire 15:40 Hazebrouck
Uffz Karl Finke 6/JG 26 Spitfire unk hrs S of Ypern

Lt Siegfried Schnell 9/JG 2 Spitfire 15:45 SW of Bergus
Obfw Magnus Brunkhorst 9/JG 2 Spitfire 15:48 Unk
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 15:52 Calais-Marck

Without better information on crash locations I can't determine who shot down who but the majority appear to be to JG 26. Where and who engaged the 603 and 610 Sqn Spitfire would also have to be determined.

[Nokose]

10 Jul 1941 Circus 41 Chocques
Still not enough details of how everything took place but the "overclaiming" was not that bad. Still not possible to link except maybe one.

RAF losses
72 Sqn High Cover
Spitfire Sgt A.J. Casey (KIA)
Spitfire Sgt C.L. Harrison (KIA)
Spitfire F/O J.M. Godlewski (KIA)
Spitfire (damaged)
92 Sqn High Cover
Spitfire Sgt Walden (rescued at sea. This was possibly by Josef Priller)
611 Sqn
Spitfire F/Sgt L. Hemingway (KIA)
Spitfire (damaged)
Spitfire (damaged)
Spitfire (damaged)
610 Sqn Target Support
Spitfire Sgt HCD Blackman (KIA buried at Mazieres)
Spitfire Sgt JE Anderson (POW)
Spitfire P/O P. Ward-Smith (POW)
Spitfire (damaged)

German claims
Stab-Fw Franz Willinger Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 12:10 NW St Omer b. Watten
Fw Günther Seeger Stab/JG2 Spitfire 12:15 SE of Cassel
Obfw Kurt Bühligen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 12:18 & Spitfire 12:21 Unk locations
Lt. Erich Rudorffer Stab II/JG 2 Spitfire 12:20 Unk location
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 12:08 & Spitfire 12:12 Unk location

Oblt Josef Priller 1/JG 26 Spitfire 12:30 N of St Omer & Spitfire 12:40 NW of Boulogne (The last possibly 92 Sqn because he went down in the channel but still nothing to truely confirm)
Lt. Robert Unzeitig 1/JG 26 Spitfire 12:43 Cape Griz Nez

Eight Spitfires lost and five Spitfires damaged against 10 claims is fairly good but still can't determine which Hahn ecountered.

[Nokose]

21 Jul 1941 Circus 54 to Lille

RAF losses
602 sqn close-escort wing
Spitfire F/Lt T.G.F. Ritchie (KIA) buried Reningelst, Belgium
609 Sgn escort-cover wing
Spitfire Sgt K.W. Bramble (KIA) near Lille
611 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt W.E. Grainger (KIA) near Lille
None listed as damaged

German claims (the first three match Circus 54 losses)
Hptm Johannes Seihert Stab I/JG 26 Spitfire 08:25 SW of Ypres
Oblt Waldemar März 5/JG 26 Spitfire 08:35 W of Lille
Uffz Fritz Schellbach 7/JG 2 Spitfire 08:35 Unk

Not matching RAF losses (these appear to be the withdrawn)
Oblt Sigmund Kahse 1/JG 26 Spitfire 08:40 15 km Calais rtg Dunkirk
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 08:50 unk
Lt Egon Mayer 7/JG 2 Spitfire 08:52 Unk

[Nokose]

21 Jul 1941 Circus 55 Marzingarbe

RAF losses
616 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt S.W.R. Mabbett (MWIA) near St. Omer
Spitfire Sgt F.A. Nelson (KIA) into the sea off worthing
19 Sqn Sweep
Spitfire F/O H. Oxlin (KIA) near Montreuil
Spitfire P/O M.D. Tucker (KIA) near St Omer
Spitfire Sgt S.F. Brooker (WIA) damaged

German claims
Fw Günther Seeger Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 20:45 unk
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 20:45
Uffz Gottfried Dietze 2/JG 26 Spitfire 21:00 SW of Cape Gris Nez

Oblt. Schmid /JG 26 Spitfire 19:00(?) unk location (not on the 21st but the 22nd)

Actually matching. Not sure on the time for Oblt. Schmid.

[Nokose]

22 Jul 1941 Circus 58

RAF losses;
54 Sqn Spitfire P/O Jones (POW)
308 Sqn Spitfire F/O W. Boszek (KIA) and Spitfire P/O M.M. Orzechowski (KIA)
603 Sqn Spitfire P/O P.J. Delrome (KIFA) possible Oxygen failure

German Claims
Oblt. Josef Priller 1/JG 26 Spitfire 13:40 10 km west of Gravelines (It is widely accepted that he shot down one of the 308 Sqn Spitfires).

Stab-Fw. Erwin Kley 1/JG 2 Spitfire 13:33 no location
Uffz Kuno Dollenmeier 2/JG 2 Spitfire 13:40 " "
Hptm. Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 13:45 " "
Spitfire 13:53 " "
Oblt. Rudolf Planz Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 14:01 " "
Uffz Theodor Zingerle 8/JG 2 Spitfire 14:02

Okay, two Spitfires with seven claims by JG 2. Either Hahn shot down both, shared or his victims escaped but I think it probably fell into the shared as a group status to be fair.

[Nokose]

07 Aug 1941 Circus 62 to Lille

RAF losses
308 Sqn Sweep 17:01-18:42
Spitfire P/O L. Stampel or Stapel (KIA)
Spitfire Sgt S. Brazda (KIA) Buried Longuenesse which is northeast of Fruges.
92 Sqn Circus 62
Spitfire Sgt G.P. Hickman (WIFA) on return with battle damage. Area of dogfight at Gravelines.
41 Sn
Spitfire F/Lt G.G.F. Draper (POW) over Lille but bailed out over Merville(?).
610 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt F. McWatt (WIA) damaged
401 Sqn
Hurricane P/O R.T. Coupland (KIA) buried at Dunkirk
19 Sqn
Spitfire P/O H.B. Milman (MWIFA) on return
Spitfire Sgt S Plazak (KIA)
257 Sqn
Hurricane Sgt Cowan (WIA) damaged

German claims
JG 26
ObsLt Adolf Galland Stab Spitfire 17:40 10 km west of St Omer
Oblt Johannes Schmid Stab Spitfire 17:43 St. Omer - Ardes
Hptm Gerhard Schöpfel Stab III Spitfire 18:00 SW of Dunkirk (possibly 401 Sqn Hurricane)
Oblt. Walter Schneider 6/JG 26 Spitfire or Hurricane(Don Caldweel lists latter) 18:05 Gravelines (possibly 92 Spitfire?)
Oblt Josef Haiböck Stab III Spitfire 18:05 near Boulogne
Oblt Josef Priller 1/JG 26 18:20 8 km west of Calais

JG 2
Obfw Josef Wurmheller 4/JG 2 Spitfire 17:47 no location
Obfw Kurt Büligen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 17:48 no location
Obfw. Wolfgang Wehrhagen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 17:55 no location
Fw. Ludwig Spinner 4/JG 2 Spitfire 18:09 near Fruges (I suspect that he probably shot down 308 Sqn Spitfire of Sgt S. Bruzda)
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III Spitfire 18:17 no location on Tony Woods list but Nick has Calais on his list on page 1 of this thread.

So four Spitfires shot down and two damaged. One Hurricane shot down and one damaged. I suspect the 41 Sqn Spitfire probably was shot down by one of II/JG 2 or maybe a shared kill. Hahn's victory will probably remain a mystery on this one.

[Nokose]

12 Aug 1941
Starting this day out before Hahn's claims to clear up the losses of the 41 Sqn during this day.
41 Sqn near Hazebrouck
Spitfire Sgt A.L. Bull (POW)
Spitfire Sgt R.L. Chapman
German Claims
Maj. Walter Oesau Stab/JG 2 Hurricane 11:43 no location
Fw Günther Seeger Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 11:45 10 km NNW of Calais
Lt. Arthur Beese Stab III/JG 26 Spitfire 11:50
Seeger's location clearly puts him out of these losses.

Donald Caldwell's JG 26 puts them out of the claiming in France regarding the RAF circus missions.
Circus 69 area of St Omer 09:48-
RAF losses
54 Sqn Spitfire P/O R. Powling (WIA) damaged St. Omer
222 Sqn Spitfire P/O Christie (KIA) St. Omer

Circus 70 Gosnay 11:03-
RAF losses
485 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt Russel (POW) Gosnay
Spitfire damaged
602 Sqn
Spitfire Sgt H.J. Bell-Walker (POW)
Spitfire damaged

German claims have no locations listed
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 12:45 and Spitfire 12:50
Uffz Ernst Federle 8/JG 2 Spitfire 12:46
Maj. Walter Oesau Stab/JG 2
Spitfire 12:50
Spitfire 12:54
Spitfire 13:06
Oblt. Erich Leie Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 12:54 and Spitfire 13:08

So for three Spitfires shot down and two damaged against eight claimed there appears to be a number of shared, especially on looking at the times and there being no locations to check against.

Circus 71 Le Trait shipyards 17:29-
RAF losses
485 Sqn Spitfire Sgt G.M Porter (KIA) Rouen, France
611 Sqn Spitfire P/O R. van der Honert (WIA) damged

German claims
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 18:51 Ramsgate
Oblt Erich Leie Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 19:28 12 km SE of Dungeness
Maj Walter Oesau Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 19:27 15 km S of Dungeness
Obfw. Kurt Bühligen Stab II/JG 2 Hurricane 19:07 no location
I think that Bühligen is the possible victor over the 485 Sqn fighter as Hahn and the others are clearly off the coast of England.

[Nokose]

20 Sep 1941
Thanks to Donald Caldwell's JG 26 series it was possible to separate the three raids for this day. Circus 100A to the Hazebrouck motor yards fell to JG 26 and Circus 100C to the Rouen Shipyards fell to Jagdfliergerschule 5 Ergänzungsstaffel which claimed three Spitfires (Actually no RAF losses).

That leaves JG 2 handling Circus 100B to the Abbeville motor yards.
RAF losses
92 Sqn Spitfire Sgt G.P. Hickman (POW)
452 Sqn Spitfire Sgt I.A.L. Milne (POW)
602 Sqn Spitfire Sgt C.J. Squibb (KIA) and Spitfire Sgt. W.L. Brown (KIA)
Four Spitfires with no location and times of loss.

German claims
Oblt. Josef Puchinger Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 16:36
Lt. Egon Mayer 7/JG 2 Spitfire 16:38
Oblt Rudolf Planz Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 16:40
Obfw Günther Seeger Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 16:41 bei Somme-Mündung
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2
Spitfire 16:42 10 km SW of Somme-Mündung
Spitfire 16:43
Lt Walter Höhler 7/JG 2 Spitfire 16:42
Hptm Karl-Heinz Greisert Stab II/JG 2 Spitfire 16:50
Fw Horst-Benno Krüger Stab/JG 2 Spitfire 16:53
Lt Wolfgang Wehrhagen 4/JG 2 Spitfire 16:55
Lt Erich Rudrffer 6/JG 2 Spitfire 16:55
Uffz Richard Übelbacher 6/JG 2 Spitfire 16:55
Fw Paul Marx 4/JG 2 Spitfire 17:05

So thirteen claims for four Spitfires and no known damaged. Again on looking at the times it could appear that some "might" have been shared instead of actual single victories but Hahn actually gaining two seems a little hard to determine as possible. Nick, Tony Woods list does not show a Spitfire for 16:30 which would put him in even a more bad light for this day.

[Nick Hector]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for all these assessments, it's been a big help to have a second opinion on Hahn's victims and overclaims. Incidentally, Ian Milne was the "local" Spifire pilot where I came from and if it helps, I long ago determined that if he was a victim of a famous ace, then he was more likely downed by Rudorffer than Hahn.

Nick

[Nokose]

27 Sep 1941 Circus 103A Ameins motor yard
I looked at the losses for this raid and in the accessment it states there were four losses but I only saw three listed.
RAF losses
Escort-Support Wing
129 Sqn Spitfire Sgt. Ross (POW) Pas-de-Calais
616 Sqn Spitfire P/O R.G. Sutherland (KIA) Gamaches/Somme
High Cover Wing
308 Sqn Spitfire Sgt E. Watolski (POW)

one unknown

German claims
Hptm Karl-Heinz Greisert Stab II/JG 2 Spitfire 15:30 Le Touquet
Fw Horst-Benno Krüger Stab II/JG 2 Spitfire 15:30
Hptm Hans Hahn Stab III/JG 2 Spitfire 15:35
Lt Erich Rudorffer 6/JG 2 Spitfire 15:40
Lt Jakob Augustin 8/JG 2 Spitfire 15:55

Obfw Rudolf Krull 7/JG 2 Spifire 16:43 (after the raid was over)

So five pilots claiming five (three known as of this post but possibly four) isn't bad. Strange the timing of the Stab II claims. To be fair for two battle damaged forced landings by JG 2 the RAF claimed for Circus 103A seven Bf 109 shot down, two damaged and three proables so not all one sided in these exchanges.