Johannes Steinhoff

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Johannes Steinhoff
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
In office
1971–1974
Preceded bySir Nigel Henderson
Succeeded bySir Peter Hill-Norton
Inspector of the Air Force
In office
1966–1970
Preceded byWerner Panitzki
Succeeded byGünther Rall
Personal details
Born(1913-09-15)15 September 1913
JG 7
Battles/wars
See battles

World War II

Cold War

Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff (15 September 1913 – 21 February 1994) was a

Fighter Pilots' Revolt late in the war, when several senior air force officers confronted Hermann Göring
.

Steinhoff joined the West German government's Rearmament Office as a consultant on military aviation in 1952 and became one of the principal officials tasked with rebuilding the German Air Force through the Cold War. In retirement, Steinhoff became a widely read author of books on German military aviation during the Second World War and the experiences of the German people at that time.

Early years

Johannes Steinhoff was born on 15 September 1913 in Bottendorf, Thuringia, the son of an agricultural mill-worker and his traditional housewife. He had two brothers, Bernd and Wolf, and two sisters, Greta and Charlotte.[1] His sister Charlotte married Ludwig Hahn, the chief of the Sicherheitspolizei (Security Police) and Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service) in occupied Warsaw, who participated in the evacuation and destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto.[2]

Hahn (right), with his wife Charlotte and Steinhoff (centre).

Steinhoff graduated from the Klosterschule Roßleben convent school after having "studied the classics and languages such as French, English, Latin and Greek,"[3] and from 1932–1934 he read philology at the University of Jena,[4] where he was a member of the Landsmannschaft Suevia academic fencing society and male fraternity.[5] Forced to abandon his university studies for lack of funds, Steinhoff enlisted in the Kriegsmarine, where he served for one year alongside his friend Dietrich Hrabak as a naval flying cadet before transferring to the newly reformed Luftwaffe in 1936.[3]

Steinhoff was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 April 1936.[6] He married his wife Ursula on 29 April 1939 and they had a son, Wolf and a daughter, Ursula. Ursula married economics professor and (now-retired) Colorado State Senator Michael Bird.[1] On 1 January 1939, Steinhoff was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant).[6]

In the early summer of 1939, the Luftwaffe began experimenting with night fighter procedures for single engine aircraft. Due to a lack of experienced flyers, operations were restricted to evening and early morning hours. On 1 August, Steinhoff was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 11. (Nachtjagd) Staffel (squadron) of Lehrgeschwader 2 (JG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing) which was based at Greifswald. Initially, the squadron was equipped with the Arado Ar 68 fighter before it was reequipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 D-1. The unit was subordinated to the Stab (headquarters unit) of Kampfgeschwader 2 (JG 2—2nd Bomber Wing).[7]

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. That day, Steinhoff was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing), which had been named after Albert Leo Schlageter on 1 May 1939.[8] He was appointed Staffelkapitän of a newly created night fighter unit named 10. (Nacht) Staffel of JG 26 which was based at Bonn-Hangelar, near Sankt Augustin, and equipped with the Bf 109 D.[9] On 12 November, the unit was moved to Jever Airfield.[10] On 18 December, Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command launched an attack on German warships assumed to be at Wilhelmshaven in what became known as the Battle of the Heligoland Bight. The RAF attack force was intercepted and Steinhoff was credited with the destruction of two Vickers Wellington bombers from 57th Squadron and Number 3 Group which he claimed to have shot down 25–35 kilometers (16–22 miles) south-southwest of Heligoland.[11]

On 3 February 1940, a new night fighter unit was created by consolidating three independent single engine fighter squadrons at Jever Airfield. This unit was labelled IV. (Nacht)

Battle of the Netherlands.[13] That day, Steinhof claimed a Bristol Blenheim bomber near The Hague and a second near Düsseldorf.[14]

In August 1940, he was transferred to 4. Staffel of

Berck-sur-Mer on 14 February, where Steinhoff claimed to have shot down another Spitfire in aerial combat, near Dungeness.[20] On 17 May, II. Gruppe reached Raversijde, its last airfield near the English Channel. Two days later, Steinhoff claimed to have shot down a further two Spitfires on a mission to Canterbury. On 9 June, the air elements of II. Gruppe began relocating east.[21]

Operation Barbarossa

Main article: Operation Barbarossa
A map of Eastern Europe depicting the movement of military units and formations.
Map indicating Operation Barbarossa's attack plan

In preparation of

Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen which supported the northern wing of Army Group Centre.[22]

On 22 June, the German forces launched the attack on the Soviet Union which opened the Eastern Front. The Gruppe supported the advancing 9th Army and 3rd Panzer Group in their attack on the border fortifications east and southeast of Suwałki. That day, Steinhoff claimed a Soviet Polikarpov I-153 fighter shot down near Varėna in Lithuania.[23] On 25 June, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Varėna which had previously been occupied by the Soviet Air Forces (VVS—Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily). The next day, Steinhoff claimed an Ilyushin DB-3 bomber shot down south of Varėna.[24] On 28 June, the Gruppe moved to Maladzyechna, supporting the advance 3rd Panzer Group near Barysaw.[25]

On 24 August, II. Gruppe was ordered to an airfield at Spasskaya Polist on the river Polist, south of Chudovo and north of Novgorod on Lake Ilmen, supporting the 18th Army in its advance towards the Neva and Lake Ladoga.[26] Here, Steinhoff claimed his 35th aerial victory on 29 August, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) the following day.[27]

Eastern Front

On 24 January 1942, having been withdrawn from the Eastern Front, II. Gruppe arrived in Jesau near Königsberg, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, for a period of recuperation and replenishment.[28] That day, the commander of the Gruppe, Woitke, was transferred. On 1 March, Steinhoff became its new Gruppenkommandeur (group commander). In consequence, command of 4. Staffel was handed to Oberleutnant Gerhard Barkhorn.[29][30] In Jesau, the Gruppe received many factory new Bf 109 F-4 aircraft. On 14 April, II. Gruppe received orders to move to Pilsen, present-day Plzeň in the Czech Republic, for relocation to the Eastern Front.[31]

II. Gruppe was ordered to Tusov on 20 August which is located approximately 25 kilometers (16 miles) southwest of

Stalingrad.[32] Here, Steinhoff claimed his 100th aerial victory on 31 August when he shot down two LaGG-3 fighters.[33] He was the 18th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.[34] On 1 September, II. Gruppe was ordered to and airfield at Kerch on the Kerch Peninsula. The objective was to capture the Taman Peninsula and Novorossiysk. Here, Steinhoff was credited with the destruction of a minesweeper and the sinking of a motorboat.[35]

On 2 September, Steinhoff was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). He was the 115th member of the German armed forces to be so honoured.[36] On 4 November, Steinhoff, together with Alfred Druschel, Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert, Günther Rall and Max Stotz received the Oak Leaves from Adolf Hitler personally.[37] On 11 December, during the Battle of Stalingrad, Steinhoff was hit by anti-aircraft artillery in his Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 13853—factory number), resulting in a forced landing near Oblivskaya.[38]

Wing commander

Steinhoff left JG 52 on 24 March 1943 and handed over II. Gruppe to Hauptmann Helmut Kühle.[39] On 1 April, he was given command of Jagdgeschwader 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing) as Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) after its former commander, Major Joachim Müncheberg, had been killed in action on 23 March.[40] Steinhoff took command JG 77 on 3 April. At the time, the Geschwader was based at an airfield north of Sfax, Tunisia and was fighting in the North African campaign.[41] The following day, Steinhoff claimed his only aerial victory in North Africa when he shot down a Spitfire fighter on a mission to El Guettar.[42] On 5 April, he was shot down by a Spitfire fighter resulting in a forced landing at La Fauconnerie which destroyed his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 16492).[43]

Galland and Lützow,
Sicily 25 June 1943[44]

Before noon on 25 June, Luftwaffe radar on

General der Jagdflieger (General of the Fighter Force), and his Inspekteur der Jadgflieger Süd (Inspector of Fighter Pilots South), Oberst Günther Lützow, personally. Galland had intended to consolidate fighters from both JG 77 and Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing) and to vector the fighters in a closed formation to a point of interception.[45] Because the target was mistaken, the bombers could only be intercepted on their return. Galland scrambled approximately 80 fighters from Stab, I., II. Gruppe of JG 77 and Gruppe of JG 53 at 12:55. Due to hazy weather conditions, the German formation was spread out, and failed to find the bombers quickly. Fuel was already running low when the bombers were spotted approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) northwest of Trapani. Only a few Luftwaffe fighters reached the bombers, including Steinhoff who shot down a B-17.[46]

Steinhoff was promoted to

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern).

On 7 November, Steinhoff left JG 77 and was replaced by Major Johannes Wiese. In total, Steinhoff had flown 100 combat missions and had claimed eleven aerial victories while serving with JG 77.[48] On 11 November, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, in his role as commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, organised a meeting of high-ranking Luftwaffe officers, including General der Jagdflieger Galland and Steinhoff. The meeting, also referred to as the "Areopag", was held at the Luftkriegsakademie (air war academy) at Berlin-Gatow. This Luftwaffe version of the Greek Areopagus—a court of justice—aimed at finding solutions to the deteriorating air war situation over Germany.[49] At this meeting, Galland asked Steinhoff if he would be interested in commanding the first jet fighter unit.[50]

Flying the Messerschmitt Me 262

wing in the world and was named after Walter Nowotny, who was killed in action on 8 November 1944. Nowotny had been assessing the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet aircraft under operational conditions.[51] JG 7 was equipped with the Me 262, an aircraft which was heavily armed and faster than any Allied fighter. Galland hoped that the Me 262 would compensate for the Allies' numerical superiority. On 12 November 1944, the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL—Air Force High Command) ordered JG 7 to be equipped with the Me 262. Following the exchange with Steinhoff at the "Areopag", Galland appointed Steinhoff as its first Geschwaderkommodore.[52]

Steinhoff was allowed to hand-pick several Staffelkapitäne, including

Heinz Bär and Gerhard Barkhorn. After the heavy losses suffered during Operation Bodenplatte (Unternehmen Bodenplatte), Steinhoff and other fighter leaders fell into disfavour following the so-called 'Fighter Pilots' Revolt' against what was perceived as the incompetence of Luftwaffe high command and Göring in particular. Along with several others, Steinhoff was relieved of his command for challenging Göring's leadership. He was replaced by Major Theodor Weissenberger.[53]

After a brief period spent in internal exile, Steinhoff transferred to the Jet Experten unit Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) being formed by his close friend and confidant Adolf Galland in early 1945. Steinhoff initially acted as a de facto recruiting officer, persuading a number of veteran Luftwaffe aces to join the unit, some coming out of the Fighter Pilots' Rest Home at Bad Wiessee to do so. Steinhoff scored six confirmed kills with the unit.[Note 1] Steinhoff survived nearly 1,000 combat missions, only to see his flying career come to an end on the ground.

As a member of JV 44, Steinhoff was permanently disfigured after receiving major burns across most of his body after crashing his Me 262 after a failed take-off. On 18 April 1945, Steinhoff's Me 262 crashed on take-off from München-Riem airfield. His flight leader's left wheel blew out and caused him to make a sharp left turn, careening into Steinhoff and causing him to run off the runway and rupturing the fuel tanks located in front, under, and behind him. Steinhoff and the men he was going up with that day were armed with an experimental under-wing rocket which, along with the cannon ammunition Steinhoff was carrying, made escape more difficult due to the amount of ordnance exploding around him. According to ace fighter pilot and member of JV 44, Franz Stigler, "In a matter of seconds, Steinhoff had turned into a human torch". His chances of survival were slim although he pulled through, but with severe burns leaving him terribly scarred. Steinhoff spent two years in hospital, and years of reconstructive surgery, with his eyelids being rebuilt by a British surgeon after the war.

His wartime record was 176 aircraft claimed destroyed, of which 152 were on the Eastern Front, 12 on the Western Front and 12 in the Mediterranean. He also flew 993 operational sorties. Steinhoff was shot down 12 times but bailed out only once. Explaining his preference to remain with his damaged aircraft, Steinhoff admitted, "I bailed out only once. I never trusted the parachutes. I always landed my damaged planes, hoping not to get bounced on the way down when I lost power".[3]

Later life and service

With the German Air Force and NATO

Johannes Steinhoff at NATO

Steinhoff was invited by West Germany's new interim government to rebuild the

Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
1971–1974.

Steinhoff received numerous honours for his work on the structure of the post war German Air Force and the integration of the German Federal Armed Forces into NATO, including:

Légion d'honneur
.

F-104 Starfighter at Le Bourget.

One of Steinhoff's contributions was dealing with the high accident rate the air force was having with its F-104 Starfighters

. Upon researching the issue, Steinhoff, who had always been a good teacher, deduced that the problem was not the aircraft but poor training for pilots on that particular aircraft. He addressed the problem with an intensive training regime and the accident rate dropped dramatically.

After retiring from his NATO command in 1974, Steinhoff became a widely read author of books on German military aviation during the war and the experiences of the German people at that time. He wrote The Final Hours, which detailed a late-war plot against Hermann Göring, and also published a vivid account of his time in Italy: Messerschmitts over Sicily: Diary of a Luftwaffe Fighter Commander. Steinhoff also became a water-colourist, and chairman of Germany's Dornier Aviation.[1]

Bitburg cemetery controversy

Main article: Bitburg controversy

In May 1985, Steinhoff met

American Jewish groups and World War II American veterans after it was discovered that 22 Waffen-SS men were buried among the 2,000 military graves. The presence of Nazi soldiers led to the controversy because the entire SS had been adjudged to be a criminal organisation at the Nuremberg trials. Although not part of the original itinerary, as part of their own reconciliatory gesture, Reagan and Kohl made an impromptu visit to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp before visiting Bitburg, thus reducing the time Reagan had to spend at Kolmeshöhe Military Cemetery to only eight minutes. He was joined by Steinhoff, Kohl and 90-year-old US Army General Matthew Ridgway who had commanded the 82nd Airborne in World War II. After Reagan placed a wreath at the cemetery memorial, they all stood to attention while a short trumpet salute was played. At the end, Steinhoff suddenly turned and, in an unscripted act, shook hands with Ridgway. A surprised Kohl later thanked Steinhoff for his actions, who later said that it just seemed to be the right thing to do.[55][56][57]

Death

Graves of Ursula and Johannes Steinhoff in Villip, Wachtberg.

On 21 February 1994, Steinhoff died in a Bonn hospital from complications arising from a heart attack he suffered the previous December. He was 80, and had lived in nearby Bad Godesberg.[1]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Steinhoff was credited with 176 aerial victories.[58] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 168 aerial victory claims, plus nine further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 149 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 19 on the Western Front, including three four-engine bombers and six victories with the Me 262 jet fighter.[59]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 95371". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15

minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.[60]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the ♠ (
ace-in-a-day
", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.
  This and the – (dash) indicates unwitnessed aerial victory claims for which Steinhoff did not receive credit.
  This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an Herausschuss (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Barbas, Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 10(Nacht). Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" –[61]
"Phoney War" — 1 September 1939 – 9 May 1940
1 18 December 1939 14:30 Wellington 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Heligoland[62] 2 18 December 1939 14:35 Wellington 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Heligoland[62]
– 11(Nacht). Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" –[61]
Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
3 10 May 1940
—
 Blenheim The Hague[14] 4 10 May 1940
—
 Blenheim Düsseldorf[14]
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[61]
Action at the Channel and over England — 26 June 1940 – 9 June 1941
5 30 September 1940 13:45 Spitfire Dorking[63] 7 19 May 1941 12:40 Spitfire north of Dover[64]
Canterbury
6 14 February 1941 13:00 Spitfire 30 km (19 mi) north of
Dungeness[63]
 8 19 May 1941 12:45 Spitfire north of Dover[64]
– 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[61]
Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
9 22 June 1941 10:00 I-15?[Note 2] Varėna[65] 31 26 August 1941 08:55 I-17 (MiG-1) Mal. Bronitza[66]
10 26 June 1941 09:32 DB-3 south of Varėna[65] 32 26 August 1941 08:58 I-17 (MiG-1) 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Lyuban[66]
11 1 July 1941 18:26 I-16 north of Barysaw[65] 33 27 August 1941 15:38 R-5 6 km (3.7 mi) northeast of Ljesja[66]
12 2 July 1941 17:22 DB-3 Barysaw[65] 34 27 August 1941 15:39 R-5 3 km (1.9 mi) northeast of Ljesja[66]
13?[Note 3] 2 July 1941
—
 DB-3 south of Barysaw[65] 35 29 August 1941 15:10 I-15 southeast of
Kolpino[68]
14 2 July 1941 17:34 DB-3 south of Smalyavichy[65] 36 1 September 1941 15:15 DB-3 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Lyuban[68]
15 3 July 1941 18:19 DB-3 northeast of Barysaw[65] 37 6 September 1941 11:55 I-18 (MiG-1) 1 km (0.62 mi) northwest of Mga railroad[68]
16 3 July 1941 18:30 DB-3 northeast of Barysaw[65] 38 6 September 1941 16:47 I-18 (MiG-1) Makovo railway station[68]
17 4 July 1941 12:02 DB-3 west of Vitebsk[65] 39 26 September 1941 07:55 I-18 (MiG-1) 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Wolchowstroj[68]
18 5 July 1941 06:28 DB-3 north of Ulla[65] 40 3 October 1941 14:17 I-153 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Chełm[69]
19 6 July 1941 12:40 DB-3 north of Dzisna[70] 41 5 October 1941 07:10 I-18 (MiG-1) 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Vyazma[69]
20 7 July 1941 12:15 DB-3 west of Polotsk[70] 42 6 October 1941 06:25?[Note 4] I-16 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Chełm[69]
21?[Note 3] 9 July 1941
—
 Pe-2 northwest of Besvhenkowitschi[70] 43 18 October 1941 15:17 Pe-2 north of Kalinin[69]
22 22 July 1941 11:05 I-16 south of Wyssokaja[70] 44 18 October 1941 15:18 Pe-2 Kalinin[69]
23 26 July 1941 05:12 V-11 (Il-2) northeast of Yartsevo[71] 45 24 October 1941 15:55 Pe-2 southwest of Kalinin[69]
24 27 July 1941 18:05 I-18 (MiG-1) north of Vyazma[71] 46 14 November 1941 15:55?[Note 5] I-18 (MiG-1) 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Vyazma[69]
25 28 July 1941 17:35 I-18 (MiG-1) 6 km (3.7 mi) east of Gorky[71] 47 26 November 1941 13:20?[Note 6] I-26 (Yak-1) 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Stolnetschnogorst[69]
26 29 July 1941 17:28 DB-3 northwest of Lake Tschutsche[71] 48 28 November 1941 09:20 Il-2 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Istra[69]
27 29 July 1941 17:34 DB-3 southwest of Tschernaja[71] 49 28 November 1941 14:50 BB-22 (Seversky) 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Stolnetschnogorst[69]
28 10 August 1941 13:35?[Note 7] I-16 8 km (5.0 mi) north of Shimsk[71] 50 2 December 1941 08:25 BB-22 (Seversky) Belji-Rast[72]
29 25 August 1941 12:10 I-16 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Tosno[66] 51 2 December 1941 14:30 BB-22 (Seversky) 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Moscow[72]
30 26 August 1941 08:50 I-17 (MiG-1) 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Lyuban[66]
– II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[73]
Eastern Front — 7 May 1942 – 3 February 1943
52 9 May 1942 04:00 I-153 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Akmonaj[74] 102 8 September 1942 14:40 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Malgobek[75]
53 9 May 1942 12:43 I-153 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Sedshent[74] 103 8 September 1942 14:42 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Malgobek[75]
54 15 May 1942 04:17 MiG-1 Staryi Saltiv[74] 104 10 September 1942 14:25 LaGG-3 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Malgobek[75]
55 17 May 1942 09:34 MiG-1 Borogoditschnoje[74] 105 16 September 1942 16:20 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Kalinowskaja[75]
56 19 May 1942 08:35 MiG-1 3 km (1.9 mi) west of Jaskow[74] 106 17 September 1942 14:40 Su-2 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Meckenskaja[75]
57 19 May 1942 14:55 Il-2 20 km (12 mi) south of Izium[74] 107 17 September 1942 16:40 LaGG-3 2 km (1.2 mi) west of
Kalaus River[75]
58 23 May 1942 05:45 MiG-1 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Petrowerka[74] 108 20 September 1942 09:40 I-16 PQ 95371, Gelendzhik[76]
59 23 May 1942 14:26 V-11 (Il-2) 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of Odjanyi[74] 109 26 September 1942 15:39 Yak-1 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Gelendzhik[76]
60 26 May 1942 11:30 Il-2 4 km (2.5 mi) north of Petroskaja[74] 110 26 September 1942 15:40 Yak-1 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Gelendzhik[76]
61 26 May 1942 17:24 Il-2 1 km (0.62 mi) east of Iwanowka[77] 111 11 November 1942 08:10 Yak-1 PQ 94161, Lazarevskoye[78]
62 2 June 1942 12:38 I-16 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Grakowo[77] 112 11 November 1942 14:18 LaGG-3 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Lazarevskoye[78]
63 4 June 1942 18:45 Il-2 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Grakowo[77] 113 28 November 1942 07:50 P-40 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Pitomnik airfield[79]
64 14 June 1942 16:10 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Kosorsha[77] 114 28 November 1942 10:40 Yak-1 PQ 49184, Pitomnik Airfield[79]
65 22 June 1942 17:55 Hurricane 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Kupiansk[80] 115 30 November 1942 07:45 Yak-1 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Morozovsk (Morosowskaja)[79]
66 23 June 1942 19:21 Su-2 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Kupiansk[80] 116 30 November 1942 07:47?[Note 8] Yak-1 25 km (16 mi) north of Morosowskaja[79]
67 1 July 1942 10:05 Il-2 Krasowka[82] 117 30 November 1942 10:15 Yak-1 PQ 39424, Marinowka[79]
68 1 July 1942 10:10 Boston Krasowka[82] 118 30 November 1942 10:30 P-40 PQ 40754, Schirkokow[79]
69 3 July 1942 13:15 Hurricane 8 km (5.0 mi) east of Novy Oskol[83] 119 1 December 1942 08:20 Yak-1 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Spartek[79]
70 4 July 1942 10:32 LaGG-3 1 km (0.62 mi) southwest of Ostroghosk[83] 120 2 December 1942 12:15 Yak-1 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Bassargewo[79]
71 10 July 1942 10:30 LaGG-3[83] 121 7 December 1942 13:23 P-40 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Bratkij[84]
72 17 July 1942 07:55 I-16[83] 122 8 December 1942 09:10 Boston PQ 29253, Sslepichin[84]
73 19 July 1942 13:50 I-153 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Koisug[83] 123 8 December 1942 12:30 Boston 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Karachev[84]
74 20 July 1942 16:15 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Batajsk[85] 124 8 December 1942 12:40 MiG-1 3 km (1.9 mi) east of Nishnj Kubanskij[84]
75 23 July 1942 18:10 I-16 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Kastora[85] 125 8 December 1942 12:50 MiG-1 3 km (1.9 mi) east of Nishnj Kubanskij[84]
76 24 July 1942 16:23 Il-2 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Wislyi[85] 126 10 December 1942 11:40 LaGG-3 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Pitomnik airfield[84]
77 25 July 1942 17:40 I-153 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Martinowskaja[85] 127 11 December 1942 09:23 Yak-1 PQ 29633, southwest of Grosnaja[84]
78 21 August 1942 16:00 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 49411,
Stalingrad[86]

5 km (3.1 mi) east of Stalingrad 		128 11 December 1942 09:26 Yak-1 PQ 2949, Ostrowskoj[87]
79 22 August 1942 10:20 LaGG-3 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Serepta[86] 129 12 December 1942 12:22 Pe-2 PQ 38342, west of Kotelnikowo[87]
80 22 August 1942 10:55 Hurricane PQ 49411, Stalingrad[86] 130 13 December 1942 12:15 Pe-2 PQ 38282, Ssamchin[87]
81♠ 23 August 1942 05:40 LaGG-3 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Semenk[86] 131 13 December 1942 12:16 Yak-1 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Aksay[87]
82♠ 23 August 1942 05:50 LaGG-3 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Jaryew[86] 132 17 December 1942 07:10 P-40 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Shutow 2[87]
83♠ 23 August 1942 12:20 I-153 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Gorodischtsche[86] 133 17 December 1942 13:15 Yak-1 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Shutow 2[87]
84♠ 23 August 1942 15:10 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 49413, Krasnaya Sloboda[86] 134 18 December 1942 10:33 Yak-1 6 km (3.7 mi) east of Gromoslawka[87]
85♠ 23 August 1942 17:25 LaGG-3 PQ 49411, Stalingrad[86] 135 20 December 1942 10:53 Yak-1 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Vasilyevka[88]
86 24 August 1942 06:20 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 59323, Leninsk[89] 136 25 December 1942 13:00 Yak-1 PQ 38241, south of Shutowo[88]
87 25 August 1942 11:05 LaGG-3 1 km (0.62 mi) north of Stalingrad[89] 137 25 December 1942 13:30 Pe-2 PQ 38334, north of Tschernj[88]
88 25 August 1942 11:07 LaGG-3 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Akhtuba[89] 138 28 December 1942 10:37?[Note 9] La-5 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Kotelnikowo[88]
89 25 August 1942 14:45 I-180 (Yak-7) 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Saplaunoje[89] 139 28 December 1942 12:55 La-5 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Kotelnikowo[88]
90 25 August 1942 17:37 I-180 (Yak-7) 5 km (3.1 mi) east of Stalingrad[89] 140 9 January 1943 12:43 Yak-1 PQ 28782, 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Kuberke railway station[88]
91 27 August 1942 05:35 I-180 (Yak-7) PQ 49431, Srednyaya Akhtuba[89] 141 9 January 1943 12:50 Yak-1 PQ 28872, 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Matschenkow[88]
92 27 August 1942 11:34 I-180 (Yak-7) 1 km (0.62 mi) east of Krasnaya Sloboda[90] 142 14 January 1943 14:32 Il-2 PQ 17263, east of Igand[88]
93 28 August 1942 14:50 LaGG-3 PQ 49223, Werchne[90] 143 14 January 1943 14:33 La-5 PQ 17263, east of Igand[88]
94 28 August 1942 14:57 LaGG-3 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Rachinka[90] 144 14 January 1943 14:33 La-5 PQ 27242, east of Igand[88]
95♠ 30 August 1942 13:10 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Konnoja railway station[90] 145 25 January 1943 11:50 La-5 PQ 9865, east of Rostov[88]
96♠ 30 August 1942 13:12 LaGG-3 30 km (19 mi) west of Dubovka[90] 146 26 January 1943 10:15 Boston PQ 08521, Nowo Tscherkassk[88]
97♠ 30 August 1942 17:00 LaGG-3 PQ 49362, Beketowka[90] 147 31 January 1943 13:00 Boston PQ 09871, east of Rostov[88]
98♠ 30 August 1942 17:10 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Andrejewka[90] 148 1 February 1943 14:25 Yak-1 PQ 9962, east of Rostov[91]
99♠ 30 August 1942 17:12 LaGG-3 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Andrejewka[90] 149 2 February 1943 09:25 Yak-1 PQ 9962, east of Rostov[91]
100 31 August 1942 05:20 LaGG-3 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Kurpjok[75] 150 2 February 1943 09:28 Yak-1 PQ 99622, east of Rostov[91]
101 31 August 1942 17:05 LaGG-3 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Krasnoarmejsk[75]
– II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –[73]
Eastern Front — February 1943
151 12 February 1943 12:02 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 8659, Flamanskaja[92] 154 23 February 1943 12:47 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 8656, 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Staromyschastowskaja[93]
152 23 February 1943 09:02 Il-2 PQ 34 Ost 76664, west of Flamjanskaja[93] 155 25 February 1943 08:40 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 7523, Krymskaja[93]
Krymsk
153 23 February 1943 12:45 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 8656[93]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 77 –[94]
North Africa — April 1943
156 4 April 1943
—
 Spitfire southwest of La Fauconnerie[95]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 77 –[94]
Italy — June – 31 December 1943
157 25 June 1943 13:25 B-17 PQ 03 Ost 19154, west of Trapani[95] 161 25 August 1943 09:59 P-38 8 km (5.0 mi) south of San Severo[95]
158 7 July 1943 17:25 Martlet 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Marsala[95] 162?[Note 3] 25 August 1943 10:00 P-38 10 km (6.2 mi) south-southwest of San Severo[95]
159?[Note 10] 8 July 1943
—
 P-40 Trapani[95] 163 25 August 1943 10:01 P-38 15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of San Severo[95]
160 25 August 1943 09:58 P-38 5 km (3.1 mi) south of San Severo[95] 164 1 December 1943 10:59 Mosquito southwest of Piacenza[95]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 77 –[94]
Italy — June – 31 December 1943
165?[Note 3] 25 February 1944
—
 B-17*[96] southwest of Klagenfurt[97] 167 9 June 1944 11:45 B-24[98] PQ 14 Ost S/TH-1, south of Pula[97]
166 10 May 1944 12:50 P-38[98] 60 km (37 mi) southeast of Zagreb[97]
—
 14 July 1944
—
 B-25[99]
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 77 –[100]
Eastern Front — September 1944
—
 22 September 1944
—
 Yak-9
—
 24 September 1944
—
 Yak-9
—
 24 September 1944
—
 Il-2
—
 25 September 1944
—
 Bf 109 vicinity of Klausenberg
– Stab of Jagdgeschwader 7 "Nowotny" –[100]
Eastern Front — February – March 1945
169 27 February 1945
—
 Yak-9 171 20 March 1945
—
 Il-2
170 27 February 1945
—
 Yak-9
– Jagdverband 44 –[100]
Defense of the Reich — April 1945
172 3 April 1945
—
 B-17 174 9 April 1945
—
 P-51
173 5 April 1945
—
 P-51 Riem

Awards and honours

In 1990, the former

Jagdgeschwader 73 (fighter wing 73) of the German Air Force was named "Steinhoff" in honour of the general. Steinhoff is one of only a handful of pilots honoured in this way, along with Manfred von Richthofen and Max Immelmann
.

Publications

Steinhoff wrote the following books:

Notes

  1. ^ For a list of Luftwaffe Jet aces see List of German World War II jet aces
  2. ^ According to Barbas claimed as a Polikarpov I-153.[24]
  3. ^ a b c d According to Mathews and Foreman this claim is unconfirmed.[67]
  4. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 06:15.[61]
  5. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:55.[61]
  6. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:30.[61]
  7. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 19:55.[61]
  8. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 07:46.[81]
  9. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:27.[81]
  10. ^ This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[59]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Saxon 1994.
  2. ^ Der Spiegel Volume 1/1973.
  3. ^ a b c Heaton 2000.
  4. ^ Toliver & Constable 1996, p. 85.
  5. ^ Petrick 2010, p. 151.
  6. ^ a b Stockert 2012, p. 43.
  7. ^ Prien et al. 2000a, p. 313.
  8. ^ Caldwell 1996, pp. 6, 10.
  9. ^ Caldwell 1996, p. 10.
  10. ^ Caldwell 1996, p. 329.
  11. ^ Caldwell 1996, pp. 14–17, 21.
  12. ^ Prien et al. 2001, p. 94.
  13. ^ Prien et al. 2000b, p. 139.
  14. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2000b, p. 140.
  15. ^ a b Prien et al. 2002, p. 151.
  16. ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 144.
  17. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 37.
  18. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 38–39.
  19. ^ Prien et al. 2002, p. 149.
  20. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 40.
  21. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 41, 76.
  22. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 26.
  23. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 76–77, 328.
  24. ^ a b Barbas 2005, pp. 77, 328.
  25. ^ Prien et al. 2003, p. 27.
  26. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 79.
  27. ^ Barbas 2005, pp. 79–80, 329.
  28. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 446.
  29. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 475.
  30. ^ Schreier 1990, p. 188.
  31. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 447.
  32. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 107.
  33. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 334.
  34. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 244.
  35. ^ Barbas 2005, p. 108.
  36. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 45.
  37. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 98.
  38. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 506.
  39. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 374.
  40. ^ Prien 1995, p. 2370.
  41. ^ Prien 1994, p. 1504.
  42. ^ Prien 1994, pp. 1506–1507.
  43. ^ Prien 1994, p. 1510.
  44. ^ Prien 1994, p. 1606.
  45. ^ Prien 1994, p. 1601.
  46. ^ Prien 1994, p. 1605.
  47. ^ Stockert 2012, p. 46.
  48. ^ Prien 1995, p. 2191.
  49. ^ von Below 2010, p. 220.
  50. ^ Forsyth 2008, p. 17.
  51. ^ Forsyth 2008, pp. 6–10.
  52. ^ Forsyth 2008, p. 15.
  53. ^ Forsyth 2008, p. 27.
  54. ^ Hannaford & Hobbs 2000, p. 113.
  55. ^ Skelton, George (12 April 1985). "Reagan to Honor German War Dead on V-E Day Trip". Los Angeles Times.
  56. ^ "Ronald Reagan: Remarks at a Joint German-American Military Ceremony at Bitburg Air Base in the Federal Republic of Germany". 5 May 1985.
  57. ^ "Reagan joins Kohl in brief memorial at Bitburg graves". The New York Times. 6 May 1985.
  58. ^ Zabecki 2019, p. 329.
  59. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1257–1260.
  60. ^ Planquadrat.
  61. ^ a b c d e f g h Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1257.
  62. ^ a b Prien et al. 2001, p. 226.
  63. ^ a b Prien et al. 2002, p. 155.
  64. ^ a b Prien et al. 2002, p. 156.
  65. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2003, p. 41.
  66. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2003, p. 44.
  67. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1257, 1259.
  68. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2003, p. 45.
  69. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Prien et al. 2003, p. 46.
  70. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2003, p. 42.
  71. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2003, p. 43.
  72. ^ a b Prien et al. 2003, p. 47.
  73. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1257–1259.
  74. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2006, p. 481.
  75. ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 490.
  76. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 491.
  77. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 482.
  78. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 494.
  79. ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 495.
  80. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 483.
  81. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1259.
  82. ^ a b Prien et al. 2006, p. 484.
  83. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2006, p. 485.
  84. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 496.
  85. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2006, p. 486.
  86. ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 487.
  87. ^ a b c d e f g Prien et al. 2006, p. 497.
  88. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Prien et al. 2006, p. 498.
  89. ^ a b c d e f Prien et al. 2006, p. 488.
  90. ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2006, p. 489.
  91. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2006, p. 499.
  92. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 378.
  93. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 379.
  94. ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1259–1260.
  95. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2011, p. 302.
  96. ^ Prien 1995, p. 2433.
  97. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2021, p. 275.
  98. ^ a b Prien 1995, p. 2434.
  99. ^ Prien 1995, p. 2435.
  100. ^ a b c Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1260.
  101. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 37.
  102. ^ a b c Scherzer 2007, p. 721.
  103. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 410.
  104. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 61.
  105. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 44.

Bibliography

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Commander of Jagdgeschwader 77 Herz As
1 April 1943 – 1 December 1944 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
none
 Commander of Jagdgeschwader 7 Nowotny
1 December 1944 – 26 December 1944 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
—
 Commander of 4. Luftwaffendivision (Bundeswehr)
4 December 1963 – 14 April 1965 		Succeeded by
Generalmajor Herbert Wehnelt
Preceded by
Air Chief Marshal Sir Edmund Hudleston
 Commander Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Acting
1965 – 1966 		Formation disbanded
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Werner Panitzki
 Inspector of the Air Force
2 September 1966 – 31 December 1970 		Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Günther Rall
Preceded by
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee

1971 – 1974 		Succeeded by
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Hill-Norton
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johannes_Steinhoff&oldid=1212339866"