Hptm Hans-Christoph Buttmann, KG 51

[DavidIsby]

Hptm Hans-Christoph Buttmann/Buettmann (for the umlaut-impaired) of KG 51 was shot down and killed flying an Me 262 on a fighter-bomber mission on 5 October 1944, caught by Spitfires of 401 Squadron RCAF.

Would anyone have any details of this airman's prior career and previous service?

thanks,
david isby

[Larry deZeng]

Not much - he was too young to have generated much of a career prior to 1942:

BUTTMANN, Hans-Christoff. (DOB: 24.02.20). (DKG). 23.11.42 Lt., awarded DKG, pilot in 7./KG 3. 01.02.43 promo to Oblt. 01.09.44 promo to Hptm. 08.09.44 Hptm. in 3./KG(J) 51, WIA. 05.10.44 reported MIA in Me 262 that crashed at Overasselt-Nederasselt/Holland.


HLdeZ/DGS

[Jaap Woortman]

Larry,

KG 51 was not one of the KG(J) Geschwader of IX.Fliegerkorps. So his unit was not 3./KG(J) 51 but 3./KG 51.

Jaap

[Larry deZeng]

Thanks, Jaap. I know that and you know that. Whoever entered that line - either me or Doug S. - evidently did so while numb from weariness. We have always tried hard over the past 25 years to keep typos and error in fact out of our data base but, regretably, some slip through. Thanks again for pointing this out and I'll make the change now.

L.

[Jaap Woortman]

Larry,

See it as a slip of the pen.
We see this "mistake" in many old and new publications.
A more interesting fact, imho, is the speed of Buttman's promotion from Oblt to Hptm.
In one week from Oblt. to Hptm. that's fast!
Was there a reason for that?
Flying skills, leadership, possible future Staffelkapitän or friends at high level?

Jaap

[Larry deZeng]

01.02.43 promo to Oblt.
01.09.44 promo to Hptm.

That would be 18 months from Oberleutnant to Hauptmann, a not uncommon rate of advancement for flying officers and Fallschirmjäger officers. But I have seen a few instances of that promotion being made in 3 to 6 months. In those cases, I think it was just a matter of everything coming together at the right time for the individual: (1) a distinguished officer with outstanding efficiency reports; (2) all the right decorations; (3) a highly skilled pilot; (4) excellent leadership qualities; (5) a loyal National Socialist (at least outwardly); and most of all, (6) an opening for a Hauptmann in his unit's KStN, or what today we would call an available job slot.

L.