Otto Gaiser

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Leutnant

Otto Gaiser
Otto Gaiser
Born5 October 1919
Reutlingen
Died22 January 1944(1944-01-22) (aged 24)  (MIA)
disappeared near Berdychiv, Ukraine
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service1942–1944
RankLeutnant (Posthumously)
UnitJG 51
Battles/wars
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Otto Gaiser (5 October 1919 – 22 January 1944) was a

ace with 66 confirmed kills, and he was the recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Gaiser flew a Fw 190. [Note 1]

In 1942, Gaiser was assigned to

ace-in-a-day".[5]

On 22 January 1944, Gaiser was last seen in combat with Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft near Berdychiv, Ukraine. He has remained missing to this day. It is thought he became a victim of the Soviet ground defences. On 9 June 1944 he was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) and promoted to Leutnant. Before he disappeared, Gaiser was credited with 66 victories in 380 missions. All his air victories were achieved over the Eastern Front (World War II) and included 21 Il-2 Sturmoviks.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Gaiser was credited with 66 aerial victories.[6] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 66 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[7]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 36624". 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.[8]

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.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[7]
Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
1 16 March 1943 15:40 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 36624, 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Vyazma[3] 32 24 August 1943 05:44 Pe-2 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Krasnaya Yaruga[9]
2 11 April 1943 05:56 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 16621, 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the Ryta[3] 33 13 September 1943 11:25 Boston 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Nowo-Troizkoje[10]
3 7 May 1943 04:55 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63174, 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Shidkowa[11]
10 km (6.2 mi) west of Zmiyekka 		34 14 September 1943 06:06 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 69684, east of Volhynia[10]
4 7 May 1943 05:08 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 63191, 1 km (0.62 mi) north of Prokowskoje[11]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Zmiyekka 		35 19 September 1943 15:13 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] 1 km (0.62 mi) southeast of Synelnykove[10]
5 14 May 1943 18:27 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63344, 12 km (7.5 mi) east of Semenkowo[11]
15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Glazunowka 		36 20 September 1943 06:38 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Dnipropetrovsk[10]
6 2 June 1943 07:45 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63563, 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk[11] 37 20 September 1943 06:40 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 34 Ost 49534, 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of Nowosselka[10]
7 6 July 1943 15:08 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63583, 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Ponyri[12]
20 km (12 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 		38♠ 26 September 1943 08:28 Yak-1 1 km (0.62 mi) southwest of Novoselovka[10]
8 9 July 1943 08:43 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63713, 3 km (1.9 mi) west of Stanovoye[12]
Dmitriyevka-L'govskiy area 		39♠ 26 September 1943 13:32 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58543, 3 km (1.9 mi) west of Orljansk[10]
east of Dnipropetrovsk
9 10 July 1943 12:50 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 63513, 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Nikolskoje[12]
15 km (9.3 mi) south-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 		40♠ 26 September 1943 13:38 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58513, 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Majatschka[10]
10 11 July 1943 18:02 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] 7 km (4.3 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk[12]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk 		41♠ 26 September 1943 16:38 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58563, 1 km (0.62 mi) east of Kalinowka[10]
11 12 July 1943 07:05 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63222, 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Panikowez[13]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Zalegoshch 		42♠ 26 September 1943 16:39 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58562, 1 km (0.62 mi) north of Krental[10]
12 12 July 1943 19:30 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 63222, 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Malinowez[13]
10 km (6.2 mi) east of Zalegoshch 		43 27 September 1943 06:21 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 59752, 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Aleksejewka[10]
13 13 July 1943 07:20 MiG-3 PQ 35 Ost 74753, 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Raksino[13]
25 km (16 mi) south of Lipitsy 		44 27 September 1943 09:40 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 58684, 1 km (0.62 mi) north of Iwanowka[10]
14 13 July 1943 18:32 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 64882, 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Krassnij[13]
15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Zalegoshch 		45 27 September 1943 16:30 P-39 PQ 34 Ost 58642, 1 km (0.62 mi) northwest of Tiefenbrunn[10]
15 17 July 1943 08:13 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63672, 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Kusnetschki[13]
15 km (9.3 mi) south-southeast of Maloarkhangelsk 		46 30 September 1943 11:32 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 49311, 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Annewka[14]
16 2 August 1943 08:33 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 53631, 6 km (3.7 mi) south-southeast of Shislowo[13]
vicinity of Trosna 		47 1 October 1943 10:40 Yak-1 1 km (0.62 mi) southwest of Jakowlewka[14]
17 2 August 1943 08:35 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 63633, 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Koslowko[13]
vicinity of Trosna 		48 3 October 1943 11:04 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 49323, 1 km (0.62 mi) northeast of Domotkan[14]
18 2 August 1943 08:40 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 53661, 7 km (4.3 mi) northeast of Trossna[13]
10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Trosna 		49 7 October 1943 10:00 Yak-9 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Perewolotschnaja[14]
19 6 August 1943 14:37 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 53182, Schachowzy[15]
vicinity of Schachowzny 		50 8 October 1943 15:30 Yak-9 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Perewolotschnaja[14]
20 10 August 1943 11:13 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 61751, 6 km (3.7 mi) northeast of Dergatschij[15] 51 12 October 1943 12:48 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 26 Ost 15513, 1 km (0.62 mi) east of Demkino[14]
21 10 August 1943 11:15 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 61593, 9 km (5.6 mi) northwest of Lipzy[15] 52 14 October 1943 08:07 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 15523, 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Nikolenka[14]
22 10 August 1943 13:53 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 61593, 2 km (1.2 mi) west of Ljutowka[15] 53 14 October 1943 11:33 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 15723, 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Studenez[14]
23 11 August 1943 07:32 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 70722, north of Izyum[15] 54 14 October 1943 11:37 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 15761, 1 km (0.62 mi) north of Rasdel[14]
24♠ 14 August 1943 18:17 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] 4 km (2.5 mi) north of Bachmetjewka[15] 55 17 October 1943 10:54 Yak-1 PQ 35 Ost 06193, southeast of Shabino[14]
25♠ 14 August 1943 18:19 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 50254, 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of Pankowka[15] 56 18 October 1943 08:27 Yak-1 PQ 26 Ost 97893, 7 km (4.3 mi) northeast of Nevel[14]
26♠ 14 August 1943 18:22 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 50224, 1 km (0.62 mi) north of Buzkiy[15] 57 1 November 1943 13:17 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of Bolshaja-Snamenka[16]
27♠ 14 August 1943 18:23 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 50223, 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Dobropolye[15] 58 5 November 1943 11:24 La-5 PQ 34 Ost 49714, 1 km (0.62 mi) east of Udatschnaja[16]
28♠ 14 August 1943 18:25 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 50221, 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Dobropolye[9] 59 27 November 1943 13:50 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 47231, 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Wesseloje[16]
29 15 August 1943 13:28 Il-2 m.H.[Note 2] PQ 35 Ost 70782, 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Kotijary[9] 60 28 November 1943 11:10 La-5 2 km (1.2 mi) southeast of Jelisarowo railway station[16]
45 km (28 mi) south-southwest of Dnipropetrovsk
30 18 August 1943 05:54 La-5 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of Dolgenskaja[9] 61 28 November 1943 13:25 Yak-9 PQ 34 Ost 48642, 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Dnjeprowka[16]
31 22 August 1943 17:35 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 50223, 3 km (1.9 mi) southeast of Dopropolje[9]
– 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –[17]
Eastern Front — 1 January – 22 January 1944
62 12 January 1944 12:10 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Vinnytsia 65 15 January 1944 14:31 Il-2 40 km (25 mi) east of Vinnytsia
63 15 January 1944 09:17 Yak-4 30 km (19 mi) east-northeast of Vinnytsia 66 15 January 1944 14:36 Il-2 45 km (28 mi) south-southeast of Koziatyn
64 15 January 1944 09:20 Yak-4 25 km (16 mi) south-southeast of Koziatyn

Awards

See also

Notes

  1. ^ It is not known how many different aircraft Wagner flew while accumulating his 66 kills, his unit was known for flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in 1943. The Luftwaffe used the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft over the eastern front by 1943. See photo of Gaiser with his Fw 190.[1]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).

References

Citations

  1. ^ "Fw 190 A white 10 of 10./JG 51 Otto Gaiser Smolensk Febr 1943". World War Photos. World War Photos. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  2. ^ Page 2020, p. 45.
  3. ^ a b c Prien et al. 2012, p. 147.
  4. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 143.
  5. ^ Prien et al. 2012, pp. 151–153.
  6. ^ Zabecki 2014, p. 1617.
  7. ^ a b Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 361–362.
  8. ^ Planquadrat.
  9. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2012, p. 153.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Prien et al. 2012, p. 154.
  11. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 148.
  12. ^ a b c d Prien et al. 2012, p. 150.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h Prien et al. 2012, p. 151.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Prien et al. 2012, p. 155.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prien et al. 2012, p. 152.
  16. ^ a b c d e Prien et al. 2012, p. 156.
  17. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1305.
  18. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 128.
  19. ^ Patzwall 2008, p. 82.
  20. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 190.
  21. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 325.

Bibliography

External links
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