Dietrich Schmidt (pilot)
Dietrich Schmidt | |
---|---|
Born | 27 June 1919 Karlsruhe |
Died | 6 March 2002 Hofheim | (aged 82)
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/ | Luftwaffe |
Years of service | ?–1945 |
Rank | Hauptmann |
Unit | NJG 1 |
Battles/wars | World War II
|
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Dietrich Schmidt (27 June 1919 – 6 March 2002) was a
Night fighter career
Following the 1939 aerial
Oberleutnant Schmidt was initially posted to 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing) in September 1941, based at Twente in the Netherlands. He claimed his first victory on the night of 24/25 March 1943, a Handley Page Halifax bomber over Enkhuizen. On 15 June 1943 Schmidt was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8./NJG 1, having claimed five victories by this time.
On the night of 1/2 January 1944, he claimed an
He claimed three victories in a single night on 3/4 May, 22/23 May, and 28/29 July. Schmidt was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 27 July for 32 victories. Schmidt transferred as Staffelkapitän to 9./NJG 1 in December 1944. He added five further victories to raise his victory total to 43 by the end of the war. Schmidt was then interned by British troops at Schleswig-Holstein, and released in August 1945.
He attended Heidelberg University obtaining a doctorate in Chemistry, married and fathered three children. Schmidt retired in 1984.
Dietrich Schmidt was credited with 43 victories in 171 missions. All his victories were recorded at night.[Note 1]
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
Author Spick lists him with 39 aerial victories, claimed in 171 combat missions.[4] Foreman, Parry and Mathews, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 43 nocturnal victory claims.[5] Mathews and Foreman also published Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, listing Schmidt with 40 aerial victories, plus one further unconfirmed claim.[6]
Chronicle of aerial victories | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed in Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 and in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims. | |||||
Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Serial No./Squadron No. |
– 8. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[6] | |||||
1 | 25 March 1943 | 01:36 | Halifax | northeast of Enkhuizen[7] | |
2 | 5 May 1943 | 01:15 | Lancaster | Nordhorn[8] | |
3?[Note 2] | 5 May 1943 | 02:16? | Wellington[9] | ||
4 | 14 May 1943 | 03:44 | Lancaster | 6 km (3.7 mi) southwest of Rühlertwist[10] | Lancaster "DX-X"/No. 57 Squadron[11] |
5 | 13 June 1943 | 01:30 | Lancaster | 1 km (0.62 mi) west of Ahaus[12] | |
6 | 20 October 1943 | 20:45 | Lancaster[13] | ||
7 | 3 November 1943 | 19:46 | Halifax | east of Sint-Truiden[14] | |
8?[Note 3] | 26 November 1943 | 22:54 | Lancaster | Emlichheim[15] | |
9 | 16 December 1943 | 18:45 | Lancaster | west of Cloppenburg[16] | |
10 | 2 January 1944 | 01:58 | Lancaster | Ramsel[17] | |
11 | 14 January 1944 | 05:36 | Mosquito | vicinity of Kleve[18] | Mosquito DZ440//No. 109 Squadron[19] |
12 | 14 January 1944 | 20:35 | Lancaster | Kolhorn[20] | Lancaster ND357/No. 156 Squadron[3] |
13 | 16 March 1944 | 00:56 | Lancaster | 1 km (0.62 mi) southeast of Langweiler[21] | |
14 | 18 March 1944 | 22:35 | Halifax | Kaiserslautern[22] | |
15 | 22 March 1944 | 22:36 | Halifax | north-northwest of Paderborn-Minden[23] | |
16 | 24 March 1944 | 23:04 | Lancaster | Erfurt[24] | |
17?[Note 2] | 24 March 1944 | 23:04 | Lancaster | Gotha[24] | |
18 | 31 March 1944 | 00:49 | Halifax | north of Würzburg[25] | |
19 | 23 April 1944 | 00:21 | Lancaster | south of Laon[26] | |
20 | 23 April 1944 | 00:26 | Lancaster | southwest of Laon[26] | Stirling EH842/ |
21 | 27 April 1944 | 00:47 | four-engined bomber | Dijon[29] | Lancaster LL919/No. 619 Squadron[30] |
22 | 4 May 1944 | 00:03 | Lancaster | southwest of Saint-Dizier[31] | |
23 | 4 May 1944 | 00:19 | Lancaster | west of Saint-Dizier[31] | |
24 | 4 May 1944 | 00:46 | Lancaster | south-southwest of Romilly-sur-Seine[32] | |
25 | 22 May 1944 | 02:01 | Lancaster | south of Amsterdam[33] | |
26 | 23 May 1944 | 00:42 | Lancaster | 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Ibbenbüren[33] | |
27 | 23 May 1944 | 03:13 | Lancaster | North Sea[34] | |
28 | 23 May 1944 | 03:48 | four-engined bomber | North Sea[34] | |
29 | 13 June 1944 | 01:24 | Lancaster | north of Venlo[35] | |
30 | 21 July 1944 | 01:16 | Lancaster | 50 km (31 mi) west of Duisburg[36] | |
31 | 21 July 1944 | 01:41 | Lancaster | 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Volkel[37] | |
32 | 29 July 1944 | 01:11 | Halifax | west of Hamburg[38] | |
33 | 29 July 1944 | 01:37 | Halifax | north of Bruchsal[39] | |
34 | 29 July 1944 | 01:50 | four-engined bomber | 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Helgoland[39]
|
|
35 | 13 August 1944 | 00:47 | Lancaster | 50 km (31 mi) south of Braunschweig[40] | |
36 | 23 September 1944 | 23:31 | Lancaster | southern edge of Zuiderzee[41] | |
37 | 6 December 1944 | 20:14 | Lancaster | northwest of Twente[42] | |
38 | 18 December 1944 | 06:36 | four-engined bomber | west of Duisburg[43] | |
– 9. Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –[6] | |||||
39 | 15 January 1945?[Note 5] | 21:15 | Lancaster | northeast of Frankfurt-an-der-Oder[44] | |
40 | 21 February 1945 | 01:10 | Lancaster[45] | ||
41 | 21 February 1945 | 23:18 | Lancaster | 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Venlo[46] | |
42 | 21 February 1945 | 23:25 | Lancaster | 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Goch[46] | |
43 | 22 March 1945 | 04:00 | Lancaster | Cologne[47] |
Awards
- Flugzeugführerabzeichen
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 24 April 1944 as Oberleutnant and pilot[48]
- German Cross in Gold on 1 October 1944 as Oberleutnant in the 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[49]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1944 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[50][51]
Notes
- ^ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
- ^ a b This claim is not listed in Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims.[6]
- ^ According to Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, this claim was unconfirmed while Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945 confirm this claim.[15][6]
- ^ According to the website Aircrew Remembered, this claim should be attributed to Otto Fries.[28]
- ^ According to Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims on 16 January 1945.[6]
References
Citations
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 9.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 27.
- ^ a b Bowman 2016, p. 13.
- ^ Spick 1996, p. 240.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, pp. 72–244.
- ^ a b c d e f Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1137.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 72.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 78.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 79.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 80.
- ^ "Lancaster DX-X".
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 85.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 123.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 125.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 130.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 132.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 137.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 140.
- ^ Bowman 2016, p. 12.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 141.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 155.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 156.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 157.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 158.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 161.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 168.
- ^ Wilson 2008.
- ^ "Stirling III EH842 HA-M".
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 170.
- ^ Bowman 2016, p. 60.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 173.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 174.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 178.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 179.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 187.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 202.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 203.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 205.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 206.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 208.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 218.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 225.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 226.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 230.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 236.
- ^ a b Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 237.
- ^ Foreman, Mathews & Parry 2004, p. 244.
- ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 182.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 411.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 309.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 668.
Bibliography
- Bowman, Martin (2016). German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command 1943–1945. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: ISBN 978-1-4738-4979-2.
- ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Foreman, John; Mathews, Johannes; Parry, Simon (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
- MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941–1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Wilson, Kevin (2008). Men Of Air: The Doomed Youth Of Bomber Command. Hachette UK. ISBN 978-0-297-85704-4.
- Youngs, Kelvin. "23/24.04.1944 No. 218 Squadron Stirling III EH842 HA-M Sq/Ldr. Poulter". Aircrew Remembered. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- "Britischer Bomber stürzte am 14. Mai 1943 nahe Twist ab" [British Bomber Crashes on 14 May 1943 near Twist]. Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung (in German). 6 April 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2019.